The Critical Review, Or, Annals of Literature (Volume 27) (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. 1769. Excerpt: ... Yhe History of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V. Haiti a View of the Progrefi of Society in Europe, from the Subversion of the Roman Empire, to the Beginning of the sixteenth Century. By William Robertson, D. D. Principal of the University Edinburgh, and Historiographer to his Majesty for Scotland. In Three Vols. 4. Pr. 2/. 1ti. 6d. Cadell. Continued. E have often, in the coufse of our Review, anima 'verted VV upon the danger of forming history upon an hypothesis, rather than reducing it to facts; and we are sorry that the work before us has not diminished the number of our complaints on that head. System should arise from actions and events, bat the latter ought not to be tortured into the former. We closed our last Review of this work with an observation, that there was in Europe an early, if not a perpetual, distinction between feudal and commercial property; and we cannot help repeating our regret, that this author has totally omitted the most perfect system of the feudal law, as it stood in Europe during the darkest periods of history, we mean the Saxon constitutions in England. It unfortunately happens, that scarce any two writers upon, the feudal law agree even in principles with each other; and the reason is plain, because each country adopted peculiar modes. Hence it is, that the Italian, German, and Spanish feodists, differ among themselves. Wilkms, and other English writers, ridicule Craig the-Scotch lawyer; and he very justly observes, that even the imperfections of this system arc proofs of its antiquity. These are considerations extremely discouraging to any writer who attempts, as Dr. Robertson does, to give a view of the state of Europe. Even the terms are problematical; nor is it very certain, whether that of barbarians belongs to the i...