454
HISTORY OF SETTLEMENTS AND TRADE
book med, who, armed with the fword and the coran, had
XIX- fobdued with rapidity all the parts of fc vaft a domi-
'     ' nion, feized upon the capital itfelf.
At this period the fine arts returned with literature
from Greece into Italy by the Mediterranean, which
maintained the commerce between Afia and Europe.
The Hunns, under the name of Goths, had driven
them from Rome to Conftantinople ; and the very
feme people, under the name of Turks, expelled them
again from Conftantinople to Rome. That city, de-
ftined as it was to rule by force or by ftratagem, culT
tivated and revived the arts, which had been a long
time buried in oblivion.
Walls, columns, ftatues, and vafes, were drawn forth
from the duft of ages, and from the ruins of Italy, to
ferve as models ofthe fine arts at their revival. The
genius which prefides over defign raifed three or the
arts at once ; I mean architedure, fculpture, and paint-
ing. Architedure, in which convenience itfelf regu-
lated thofe proportions of fymmetry that contribute to
give pleafure to the eye ; fculpture, which flatters
princes, and is the reward of great men ; and paint-
ing, which perpetuates the remembrance of noble ac-
tions, and the examples of mutual tendernefs. Italy
alone had more foperb cities, more magnificent edi-
fices, than all the reft of Europe. Rome, Florence,
and Venice, gave rife to three fchools of original
painters : fo much does genius depend upon the ima-
gination, and imagination upon the climate. Had
Italy poffeffed the treafures of Mexico and the pro-
dudions of Afia, how much more would the arts have
been enriched by the difcovery of the Eaft and Weft
Indies ?
That country, of old fo fruitful in heroes, and fince
in artifts, beheld literature, which is the infeparable
companion of the arts, flourifh a fecond time. It had
been overwhelmed by the barbarifin of a latinity cor-
rupted and disfigured by religious enthufiafm. A mix-
ture of Egyptian theology, Grecian philofophy, and