rty in France as useful allies; and anxious to extend the
principles of the Reformation, and to further the suppression of popery,
the parliament had once listened to, and had even commenced a treaty
with, deputies from Bordeaux, the purport of which was the assistance of
the French Huguenots in their scheme of forming themselves into a
republic, or independent state; but Cromwell, on his usurpation, not
only overthrew the design, but is believed to have betrayed it to
Mazarin. What a change in the affairs of Europe had Cromwell adopted the
Spanish interest, and assisted the French Huguenots in becoming an
independent state! The revocation of the edict of Nantes, and the
increase of the French dominion, which so long afterwards disturbed the
peace of Europe, were the consequence of this fatal error of Cromwell's.
The independent state of the French Huguenots, and the reduction of
ambitious France, perhaps to a secondary European power, had saved
Europe from the scourge of the French revolution!

The elegant pen of Mr. Roscoe has lately afforded me another curious
sketch of a _history of events which have not happened_.

M. de Sismondi imagines, against the opinion of every historian, that
the death of Lorenzo de' Medici was a matter of indifference to the
prosperity of Italy; as "he could not have prevented the different
projects which had been matured in the French cabinet for the invasion
and conquest of Italy; and therefore he concludes that all historians
are mistaken who bestow on Lorenzo the honour of having preserved the
peace of Italy, because the great invasion that overthrew it did not
take place till two years after his death." Mr. Roscoe has
philosophically vindicated the honour which his hero has justly
received, by employing the principle which in this article has been
developed. "Though Lorenzo de' Medici could not perhaps have prevented
the important events that took place in other nations of Europe, it by
no means follows that the life or death of Lorenzo was equally
indifferent to the affairs of Italy, or that circumstances would have
been the same in case he had lived, as in the event of his death." Mr.
Roscoe then proceeds to show how Lorenzo's "prudent measures and proper
representations might probably have prevented the French expedition,
which Charles the Eighth was frequently on the point of abandoning.
Lorenzo would not certainly have taken the precipitate measures of his
son Piero, in surrende