History of the Principal States of Europe from the Peace of Utrecht Volume 2 (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. 1826 Excerpt: ...received by the Infant Don Carlos, and permitted to found a seminary, which he endowed at considerable expense. Here he seems to have devoted himself to those studies, in which a mind like his, might find not only amusement, but occupation. In the first days of his disgrace he had kept by him a copy of Thomas a Kempis de Imitatione Christ i, which is still preserved in the Ducal library at Parma, with marginal notes of his journey, written in his own hand. But this extreme devotion seems to have lasted no longer than the first feelings of mortification and disgust; it was only at the moment when he failed in the world, that he endeavoured to despise it, and he never was anxious to obtain the favour of Heaven but at the period when he had lost that of the Spanish court. During his subsequent life, he applied himself with earnestness to the perusal 1720. of Livy, Tacitus, and other immortal writers of ancient history. In 1746, his seminary was occupied by the Imperial forces, to favour their attack on Placentia. Alberoni took refuge within the city, and is described by a French officer, who saw him and conversed with him, as living in a single room, where he had kindled his fire with an apricot tree, which he had himself cut down, and was busy cooking his dinner with his own hands. Although then eighty years of age, he conversed with great energy, speaking alternately in French, Italian and Spanish, and supporting his opinions by frequent quotations from Tacitus. He dwelt with particular pleasure on his plans for the restoration of the Pretender to the throne of England. He was at this time an object of great veneration to the Spanish troops, whose military fame had faded from the period when he directed their arms. At the close of his life, Alberoni was appo...