legislator, and prophet; dispensing life and death, binding nations in bonds, which he alone had the right and power of unbind ing at his pleasure. A triple crown on his head, the keys of heaven and a god in his hand; with princes and emperors at his feet," and the faith of all the civilised world suspended on his decree - When we consider this, I repeat it, cản we be astonished that Machiavelli should be universally condemned, and those who dared to defend him subjected to the severest censure.
As we have rent the veil of Romish superstition, it would be well if we were also to question the justice of her anathemas against our author, whose memory, instead of being accursed, ought to be cherished in the best affections of every lover of his country; for who can look on the history of Italy at that period, and not recoil with horror.
"Can we condemn an author for recommending artifice towards a people, whose vicious institutions had so completely changed the character, that war
