New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-18

Wtft gftH'1y out OF c00ntfdH4Cs Eueu 'Hty f""
English 20 far excel them" This seens somevnE
strange cons tering that dancing 10. and dEsys mas
been, the national pas,ime Of Spain. Dancing 10 70
the Spaniard what music 10 20 the Italisn-,he very
CONDITION OF hs social existence II did not continue
late on the present occasion, and, at he temperate
hour OF nine the bridal festivities closed for the even
ing.
One Of the most characteristic passages Of the
work occurs in describing the coalition of Iay in
the sixteenth century 1t has all the quiet,
scholar like elegance hAbtual to the writer, bat
closes with an example of the sonorous common
place in which be sometimes loves to indulge.
ITALY IN TIE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
The fate Of Italy, in the sixteenth century, hard
Indeed She had sdvsDceo far beN ond the age ia most
Of TIE srts which belong 70 civilized community
Her cites, even her .mallr town. throughout the
country displa, ed the evidences Of architectural
tasts They were filed with stately temples and ele-
gapt mansions; the squares were ornamented with
fountains Of elaborate workmanship; Ihe MYERS were
spaniel by arches Of solid mssoDry. The prlvste as
well ss public ejices were furnished viii costly works
of art CT bch The value WAS less III the material 70
in the exsctiop. A genera ion had scarce passed
since Mich ae An elo and Raphael had producer their
miracles of sculpture and painting; aud now Correx-
eie Paul veroDese and Titan were iIl'ng their 90 40
ny with those immortal productions whicd have oeen
the delight sid hs oespsir OF succeeding ages Let
ten kept pace with art. The ma Ica sransof anoso
had scsrcely led away ben greater bard had arisen
in Tsfso 10 take up the tale Of Christian chvary Ths
extraordinary combination of elegant artand literary
culture wss he remarkable, from the contrass
presented by the condition OF the TEST OF Europe, en
fret risiDg into the sht OF higher civil zstion Bu
with all this intellectual progress, I.sy was sadly deh
Gle ut in tiles found among the harder sons OIL
the north, ana which seem Indispensable to national
existence. She could boast OF her artists her poe,',
Der political ans: but OF few real PATROLS few who
resteO their own hopes the independence OF tneu
country. The freedom OF the old ltaiau republics had
passed away. Trere was scarcely one that hsd noE
surrenr cred it's hbeles 10 mas The prncipe OF
union for ceense against foreign aggression was as
little uDdt rstoOd the principle OF p0htca hoefty ~
home. The States were jealous OF one ano .her. Inc
cities jeaous of another, and sere often torn
BY factions within themselves. Thus their lndividusl
strength was alike Intellectual, whether Tor sefgoyern-
ment or self defense. The gift OF beauty VIII n lazy
posse sed in extraordinary degree only Insde het
more tempting prize to the s1oer whom sue hsd nor
the strength or the courage ress rbe Turkish cosar
fell upon her ass punde ed her maritime towns aud
swept off their inhabitants into Slavery. The Euro
peep scarcely less barbar0us, crossed The apps ana,
striking into the INTERIOR fell upon the towns ana nam
lets that lay sheltered among the bills and In the quiet
valleys and converted them ioto heaps OF rul1s III
fares it with the land which, in an age OF vioencs nas
given itself up 10 the study Of the graceful and the
beautiful TO The neglect Of those hardy virtues winch
can alone secure a nations indepeoGence.
Speaking Of the commonplsces which now and
then creep into the narrative in place OF philoso-
phicsl reflections, we will indicate our meaning
clearly by few examples:
That the crown of the monarch is lined with thorns,
is trite MAXIM and it requires no philosophy to
teach us that happiness does not depend on stauon.
Yet numerous the instances OF those who have
weded to q throne through seas OF blood there are
but few who. when thew nave once tasted the sweets
Of sovereignty, have be. content to resign them;
still fewer vino, when they have done so, have had
the philosophy to conform to their change OF condl-
ton and not 10 repent It.
But the love of acquisition is universal principle;
nor is it often found that the appetite for more is
abaed by the consideration that the party is already
possessed of more than he can manage.
Persecution when prompted by avaice is even
more odious than VIII is springs from fanatc'sn,
which, however racing n ITSELF is but the perver-
sion of the religious principle
Nor are there wanting examples of common
place rhetoric:
The constellation of genius had already begun to
STOW itself above the horizon, which was to shed
glory over the meridian and the close of Philips
reign.
FL zabetb ne eded argument TO make Der weary
of var which hung like dark cloud on the morning
OF her reigr.
Whatever doubts had been entertained were dis
peeled by the last dispatches which came like bur.
IcaLe, sweeping away the mists that had so long
blinded The eye of men, and laying open the policy Of
the crorn, clesr az day, to the dules apprehension
But not to dwell on these minute blemishes, let
us pass to some of Mr.. Prescoits best attempts at
contiI uous narrative. Take first his animated de-
scription of
TIE BATTLE OF GRAvELINES.
The French commander, advised too late of these
movements saw that it was necessary to abandon ut
oIee bis present quarttrp and secure il possible, his
Tetrett Gnise w8s at dis-ance, occupied with the
troubles of bis own csmp The Flemings had posses
zion Of the route by which the shall had entered the
country. One other lay open to him along the sea-
sbo in tla hhorh of VIII
Aa pOurs it's waters into the ocean. BY taxing ad-
vsnsee of be ebb the river might be forded, and
direct road to Calais would be presented.
Termes sas that no time was to be lost. He caused
himself to be removed fro his SICK bed to litter
and began his retreat ct once. On leaving Dankrk
he fired the town. where the houses were all that
msined TO the wretched nba1 of their property.
His srch was impeded by his artillery, by his bsg
gsge and especially by the booty viii :h he was con-
veyirg back from the plnndered provinces. He how
succeeded in crossing the IA at low water and
gained the sends on the opposite eide. Blu: the enemy
wes there before him.
Eemout, on getting tidnss Of the marshals move
neDis, had crossed the river higher up where the
stream narrower. Dissncumbering himself OF ar
Ill cry, and even Of baggage, in order to move the
lighter, he made rapid march to the seaside, and
reached il in time 10 intercept the enemy There was
choice left for Termes but 10 fight his way through
the Spsniarde or surrender.
LII as he the marshal mounted his horse and ad-
dressed few words to his troops. Pointing In the d.
rectiOp of the blazing rains of Dunkrk he told them
that they could not return there. Then turning to-
ward Calais "There is yeur home," be ssid "and
you must best the enemy before you can gain it." he
determined however not to begin the action, but to
secure his position strongly he could and wal.
the assault of the Spania, de.
He placed his infantry in the center, and fsnked it
Hshed his srtillery consisting of six or seven fal
conets-6eld pieces of smaller size. He threw con-
siderable body Of Gsscon pkemen in the rear TO act
reserve wherever their presence should be re-
quired. The River Aa which flowed behind his
troops, formed also good projection in that quarter.
His left wing he covered by barricsde made Of the