XV.

CENT and a formidable warrior, had made themeslves PART Lusters of Constantinople, in the year 1453; the 'cause of Christianity received a blow from which it has never, as yet, recovered. Its adherents in these parts had no resources left, which could enable them to maintain it against the perpetual insults of their fierce and incensed victors; nor could they stem that torrent of barbarism and ignorance that rushed in with the triumphant arms of Mahomet, and overspread Greece with a fatal rapidity. The Turks took one part of the city of Constantinople by force of arms; the other surrendered upon terms [k]. Hence it was, that in the former the public profession of the Gospel was prohibited, and every vestige of Christianity effaced; while the inhabitants of the latter were permitted to retain their churches and monasteries during the whole course of this century, and to worship God according to the precepts of the Gospel and the dictates of their consciences. This precious liberty was, indeed, considerably diminished under the reign of Selim I. and the Christian worship was loaded with severe and despotic restrictions []. The outward form of the Christian church was not, indeed, either changed or destroyed by the Turks; but its lustre was eclipsed, its strength was undermined, and it was gradually extenuated to a mere shadow under their tyrannic empire. The Roman pontif Pius II. wrote a warm and urgent letter to Mahomet II. to persuade that prince to profess the Gospel; but this letter is equally destitute of piety and prudence [m].

(k) In this account Dr Mosheim has followed the Turkish writers. And indeed their account is much more probable than that of the Latin and Greek Historians, who suppose that the whole city was taken by force, and not by capitulation. The Turkish relation diminishes the glory of their conquest, and therefore probably would not have been adopted, had it not been true.

(1) Demet Cantemir, Histoire de l'Empire Ottoman, tom. i. p. 11, 46, 54, 55.

(m) Bayle's Dictionary, at the article Mahomet II.

391

PART II.

The INTERNAL HISTORY of the CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

Concerning the state of letters and philosophy during

this century.

THE Grecian and Oriental Muses lan

N T

1. THE Tsuifhed under the despotic yoke of the pXVII.

PART

flourishes a

Mahometans, their voices were mute, and their harps unftrung. The republic of letters had a Learning quite different aspect in the Latin world, where mong the the liberal arts and sciences were cultivated with Latins. zeal and spirit under the moft auspicious encouragements, and recovered their ancient lustre and glory. Several of the popes became their zealous patrons and protectors, among whom Nicholas V. deserves an eminent and distinguished rank; the munificence and authority of kings and princes were also nobly exerted in this excellent cause, and animated men of learning and genius to display their talents. The illustrious family of the Medicis in Italy [n], Alphonsus VI. king of Naples, and the other Neapolitan monarchs of the house of Arragon [], acquired immortal reCC 4

nown

[n] We have a full account of the obligations which the republic of letters has to the family of Medicis, in a valuable. work of Joseph Bianchini de Prato, Del gran Duchi de Tur cana della Nealle Casa de Medici, Protettori delle Lettre et dele Belle Arti, Ragionamenti Historici, published in folio at Venice, in 1741.

[o] See Giannone, Histoire Civile du Royaume de Naples, tom. iii. p. 500, 628. -Anton. Panormitani Dicta et Foca memorabilia Alphonsi I. denuo Edita à Jo. Gerh. Meuschenio Vit. Erud. Viror. tom. ii. p. 1.

XV.

CENTnown by their love of letters, their liberality to PART II. the learned, and their ardent zeal for the advance

ment of science. Hence the academies that were founded in Germany, France, and Italy, the libraries that were collected at a prodigious expence, and the honours and rewards that were proposed to the studious youth, to animate their industry by the views of interest and the desire of glory. To all these happy circumstances, in favour of the sciences, was now added an admirable discovery, which contributed as much as any thing else, to their propagation, I mean the art of Printing, first with wooden, and afterwards with metal types, which was invented about the year 1440, at Mentz. by John Guttemberg. By the succours of this incomparable art, the productions of the most eminent Greek and Latin writers, which had lain concealed, before this interesting period, in the libraries of the monks, were now spread abroad with facility, and perused by many, who could never have had access to them under their primitive form [p]. The perusal of these

noble

(p) Dr Mofheim decides here, that Guttemberg of Mentz was the first inventor of the art of printing; but this notion is opposed with zeal by several men of learning. Among the many treatises that have been published upon this subject, there is none composed with more erudition and judgment than that of professor Schoepflin of Strasbourg, in which the learned author undertakes to prove that the art of printing, by the means of letters engraven on plates of wood, was invented at Haerlem by Coster; that the method of printing, by moveable types, was the discovery of John Guttemberg, a discovery made during his residence at Strasbourg; and that the ftill more perfect manner of printing with types of metal cast in a mould, was the contrivance of John Schoeffer, and was first practised at Mentz. This learned work, in which the author examines the opinions of Marchand, Fournier, and other writers, was published in the year 1760 at Strasbourg under the following title: Jo. Danielis Schoepflini Consil. Reg. ac Francia Historiogr. Vindicia Typographicæ, &c.t

So this note ftands in the first edition of this History, in 4to. Since that time, the very learned and ingenious Mr Gerard Meerman, pensionary

XV.

noble composition purified the taste, excited the CENT. emulation of men of genius, and animated them PART II. with a noble ambition of excelling in the same way [9].

Greeks con

ment of

Latins.

II. The downfal of the Grecian empire con- The calami tributed greatly to the propagation and advance- ties of the ment of learning in the west. For, after the re- duce to the duction of Constantinople, the most eminent of the advanceGreek Literati passed into Italy, and were from learning thence dispersed into the other countries of Europe, among the where, to gain subsistence, these venerable exiles instructed every where the youth in Grecian erudition, and propagated throughout the western world the love of learning, and a true and elegant taste for the sciences. Hence it was, that every noted city and university possessed one or more of these learned Greeks, who formed the studious youth to literary pursuits [r]. But they received no where such encouraging marks of protection and esteem as in Italy, where they were honoured in a singular manner in various cities, and were more especialy distinguished by the family of Medicis, whose liberality to the learned had no bounds. It was consequently in Italy that these ingenious fugitives were most numerous; and

(9) Mich. Mattaire, Annales Typographici.-Prosp. Marchand, Histoire de l'Imprimerie, Haye, 1740.

(r) Jo. Henr. Maii Vita Reuchlini, p. 11, 13, 19, 28, 152, 153, 165.-Casp. Barthius ad Statiam, tom. ii. p. 1008.Boulay, Hist. Acad. tom. v. p. 692.

pensionary of Rotterdam, has published his laborious and interesting ac count of the origen and invention of the art of printing, under the following title: " Origines Typographica," which sets this matter in its true light, by making certain distinctions unknown to the writers who have treated this subject before him. According to the hypothesis of this learned writer (an hypothe: is supported by irresistible proofs), Laurent. Coster, of Haerlem, invented the moveable wooden types.-Genfleish and Guttemberg carved metallic types at Mentz, which, though superior to the former, were still imperfect, because often unequal-Schoeffer perfected the invention at Strasbourg, by casting the types in an iron mould, or matrix, engraved with a puncheon. Thus the question is decided LauTent. Coster is evidently the inventor of printing; the others only rendered the art more perfect.

CEN T. and hence that country became, in some measure,

XV.

PART II. the centre of the arts and sciences, and the general rendezvous of all who were ambitious of literary glory [s].

cultivated.

III. The greatest part of the learned men, who Philology, poetry, and adorned at this time the various provinces of Italy, languages were principally employed in publishing accurate and elegant editions of the most eminent Greek and Latin authors, illustrating these authors with useful commentaries, in studying them as their models both in poetry and prose, and in casting light upon the precious remains of antiquity, that were discovered from day to day. In all these branches of literature, many arrived at such degrees of excellence, as it is almost impossible to surpass, and extremely difficult to equal. Nor were the other languages and sciences neglected. In the university of Paris, there was now a public professor, not only of the Greek, but also of the Hebrew tongue []; and in Spain and Italy the study of that language, and of Oriental learning, and antiquities in general, was pursued with the greatest success [u]. John Reuchlinus, otherwise called Capnion, and Trithemius, who had made a vast progress both in the study of the languages and of the sciences, were the restorers of solid learning among the Germans [w]; Latin

(s) For a farther account of this interesting period of the History of learning, the reader may consult the learned work of Humphr. Hody, De Gracis illustribus literarum Græcarum in Italia instauratoribus, published in 8vo at Leipsic, in the year 1750. To which may be added, Sam. Battierii Oratio de instauratoribus Græcarum literarum, published in the Muscum Helveticum, tom. iv. p. 163.

(1) R. Simon, Critique de la Bibl. Eccles. par Du Pin, tom: i. p. 502, 512-Boulay, Histor. Paris. tom. v. p. 852.

(u) Pauli Columesii Italia Orientalis, p. 4. et Hispania Orientalis, p. 212.

(w) R. Simon, Lettres Choisies, tom. i. p. 202. tom. iv.

F. 131, 140.