Sketches of the History of Man: v. 1 - Softcover

Henry Home

Softcover

ISBN 10: 086597506X ISBN 13: 9780865975064

Publisher: Liberty Fund, 2007

Synopsis

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1778. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... SKETCH IV. Progress of States from small to great, and from great to small. WHen tribes, originally small, spread wider and wider by population till they become neighbours, the slightest differences enflame mutual aversion, and instigate hostilities that never end. Weak tribes unite for defence against the powerful, and become insensibly one people: other tribes are swallow'd up by conquest. And thus states become more and more extensive, till they be confined by natural boundaries of seas or mountains. Spain originally contained many small states, which were all brought under the Roman yoke. In later times, it was again possessed by many states, Christian and Mahometan, continually at war, till by conquest they were united in one great kingdom. Portugal still maintains its independency, a blessing it owes to the weakness of Spain, not to advantage of situai tion. tion. The small states of Italy were subdued by the Romans; and those of Greece . by Philip of Macedon, and his son Alexander. Scotland escaped narrowly the fangs of Edward I. of England; and would at last have been conquered by its more potent neighbour, had not conquest been prevented by a federal union. But at that rate, have we not reason to dread the union of all nations under one universal monarch ? There are several causes that for ever will prevent a calamity so dreadful. The local situation of some countries, defended by strong natural barriers, is one of these. Britain is defended by the sea; and so is Spain, except where divided from France by the Pyrenean mountains. Europe in general, by many barriers of seas, rivers, and mountains, is fitted for states of moderate extent: not so Asia, which being divided by nature into very large portions, is prepared for extensive monarchies *. Russia is ...

About this title

About the Author:

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at St Catherine's College, Oxford

About this edition

• Publisher: Liberty Fund
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 086597506X
• ISBN 13: 9780865975064
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 333