BEING A

COPIOUS SELECTION

OF

INSTRUCTIVE, MORAL, AND ENTERTAINING

PASSAGES,

FROM THE MOST EMINENT

PROSE WRITERS.

VOLUME IV.

BOOK VII. VIII.

HISTORICAL CHARACTERS.-DIALOGUES.

LONDON;

PRINTED FOR SHARPE AND HAILES,

PICCADILLY.

1812.

WAITTINGHAM AND ROWLAND, PRINTERS,

GOSWELL-STREET, LONDON.

CONTENTS.

BOOK VII.

HISTORICAL:

CONSISTING CHIEFLY OF CHARACTERS.

Page

On the Great Historical Ages ..

Voltaire. 1

History of the Limits and Extent of the Middle Age.

Harris 7

The Feudal System..

Robertson. 9

The Crusades..

Robertson. 12

Chivalry...

... Robertson, 14

Causes of National Characters

.. Hume, 16

Character of Epaminondas

Leland. 19

Character of Epicurus

Lord Orrery. 20

Character of Scipio Africanus

..From Livy. 21

Character of Marius.

Middleton. 24

Character of Scylla...

Middleton. 26

Character of Pompey

Middleton. 28

Character of Cato..

.. Middleton. 32

Character of Julius Caesar

Middleton. 33

Character of Alfred, King of England.

.. Hume. 35

Character of William the Conqueror.... Lord Lyttelton. 37

Character of William Rufus

Hume. 41

Character of Henry I.

.. Smollett. 42

Character of Stephen..

........ Smollett. 43

Character of Henry II.

Hume. ib.

Character of Richard I. .......

Hume, 45

Character of John

.......Hume. 46

Character of Henry II..

.........Hume. 47

Character of Edward I..........

Hume. 48

Character of Edward IJ...

.......... Hume. 50

Character of Edward III.

. Hume. 51

Another

Smollett. 52

VOL. IY.

2

Page

Character of Richard II..

Hume. 54

Character of Henry IV.

Hume. 55

Character of Henry V.

Hume. 57

Cbaracter of Henry VI...

........ Smollett. 58

Character of Edward IV.

Rapin. 60

Character of Edward V.

61

Character of Richard III.

... Hume,

62

Character of Henry VI.

Hume. ib.

Character of Martin Luther

Robertson. 64

Abdication of the Emperor Charles V.

Robertson 68

Character of Henry VIII.....

.Hume. 73

Character of Edward VI...

Burnet. 75

Literary Accomplishments of Lady Jane Gray. Marcliffe. 77

Execution of Lady Jane Gray

Hume. 79

Character of Mary

Hume. 84

Fall of Cardinal Wolsey.

Hume. 85

Execution of Archbishop Cranmer

Hume. 89

Hardships endured by the Princess, afterwards Queen

Elizabeth...

Warton. 92

Character of Queen Elizabeth.

... Hume. 96

Queen Elizabeth's Death

Robertson 98

Assassination of David Rizzio

Robertson. 101

Death of Queen Mary of Scotland. ......Robertson, 104

Character of James i.

Rapin. 112

Character of Charles I.

Smollett. 113

Character of Oliver Cromwell

Noble. 115

Character of Charles II.

Burnet. 116

Character of James II...

.Macpherson. 117

Character of William III.

Smollett. 119

Consequences of the Revolution of 1688.... Bolingbroke. 120

Character of Anne

Chamberlaine. 192

Character of Lord Townshend Lord Chesterfield. 123

Character of Lord Bolingbroke.. ...Lord Chesterfield. 124

Character of Sir Robert Walpole. Lord Chesterfield. 127

Character of Mr. Pulteney

Lord Chesterfield. 131

Character of Lord Hardwicke........ Lord Chesterfield. 134

Character of Mr. Grenville

Burke. 135

Characters of Lord Chatham and Mr. Charles Townsend.

Burke. 138