have had the idea of becoming a public benefactor, but who was not less unsuccessful in the issue of his design than they were. Readers in general are better disposed to interest themselves in the attempts of a daring individual to achieve heroic exploits, than in those of a band of senators engaged in a similar design. Cromwel was a man of great virtues, sincere in his religion, fervent in his patriotism, and earnestly devoted to the best interests of mankind. He had a frame of mind that no complication of difficulties could ever succeed to inspire with a doubt of his power to conquer them. The fertility of his conceptions, like the intrepidity of his spirit, was incapable of being exhausted. We seek in romance for characters, with qualities enabling them to achieve incredible adventures. In the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England we find a real personage, whose exploits do not fall short of all that the wildest imagination had ever the audacity to feign. The obstacles which Cromwel had to encounter, were of a magnitude the most serious and appalling: a young prince of promising talents and engaging manners, the un doubted heir of the preceding sovereigns of England, whose claims a vast majority of the people regarded as sacred; a multitude of fanatics of various denominations, whose resolved purpose it was not to endure a master; and the good sense and independent spirit of a large portion of the inhabitants, who regarded liberty and a government by equal laws as an inheritance never on any account to be allowed to escape from their grasp. All these he held in exemplary subjection: his reputation, as a man born to rule over his fellow-men, increased every day; and the awe and reverence of the English name that he inspired into all other states, can find no parallel in any preceding or subsequent period of our history. October 20, 1828. ERRATA. Page 83, Note, for 199, read 109. 394, line 18, side note, read Observations of Cromwel on cer tain defects in the Petition and Advice. 463, line 3, for England, read Scotland. CONTENTS. Parentage and alliances of Cromwel.-His early life.-Re- Position in which Cromwel was placed.-His anticipations of Cromwel's proceedings as to the judges.-Station and autho- Situation of Cromwel with regard to foreign powers.-Peace with Holland and Denmark.-with Portugal.--Don Pan- 45 Disaffection of the anabaptists.-Cabals of the royalists.— Henry Cromwel sent into Ireland.-Monk into Scotland.- Conspiracy of Gerard and Vowel.-Projects of assassination Condition of the governments of France and Spain.-Cha- racter of cardinal Mazarine.-He favours the conspiracy of Conspiracy against the universities.-Account of it by Owen Preparations for a new parliament.—Elastic and confiding Proceedings of parliament on the subject of religion.-Arti- cles of faith.-John Biddle.-Dilatory measures of the Revived hopes of the royalists.-Coalition of royalists and republicans.-Designs formed on the army in Scotland.- Extensive ramifications of the commonwealth-plot in the Preparations of the royalists.-Rochester and Wagstaff.-Insurgents at Salisbury.-Execution of Pen- Ordinances of taxation.-Opposition of Cony.-He is sent to prison.-Question heard in the upper bench.-Counsel of Cony (Maynard, and two others) sent to the Tower.-Re- Foreign policy of Cromwel.-He is courted by France and Persecution of the Protestants in Piedmont.-Military quar- tered upon them.-Hostilities commenced.-Cruelties per- petrated on the Reformed.-Sentiments of Cromwel on the |