The Harleian Miscellany, or a Collection of Scarce, Curious, and Entertaining Pamphlets and Tracts, as Well in Manuscript as in Print, Found in the Late Earl of Oxfored's Library Volume 7; Interspersed with Historical, Political, and Critical Notes (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1810 Excerpt: ... ti6t unjust actions. We do complain that these Netherlanders, who, even in the treatise which I now animadvert upon, do so highly pretend to piety and protestancy, should violate all divine and human rules of civility, that they rail instead of fighting, that they attack us with contumelious language, and aggravate their unjust enmity with an insolence that is not to be endured.-I am as much perplexed to find out the rules of their politicks herein, as I am elsewhere to seek for those of their religion, seeing that this deportment must needs exasperate all mankind against them, and common humanity obligeth every one to endeavour their extirpation. Provocations of this kind, injuries of this nature, admit of no composition, and render the most bloody wars to be most just. The indignities done to our king do extend unto all princes, and become examples of what they universally must expect, in time, to suffer from the continuance of their High and Mighties; but these affronts particularly, and most sensibly, touch the subjects of the king of Great-Britain, and turn their just anger into implacable fury. As the Dutch are to the English, such were the Vejentes to the Romans; they were a vexatious, rather than terrible enemy, and irritated them more by their contumelies, than their armies. But it is observable, that there never was a fiercer or more cruel war, and the Romans did never testify so high resentments as for those indignities; and, from such like considera. tions, arose that cautious advice of Scipio Ammiratus and Ma. chiavel (no Dutchmen) That men ought to be cautious how they irritate an enemy by contumelious language, and other indignities, since the impressions thereof are more violent and durable in the minds of men, than what are occasioned by c...