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    f he actions of men who have held promipent stations in the world , are not to be judgect by measurement wit | x the character and circumstances of the people of another

    country at a different , or even at the same period , of time ; but ty those of the period and the people when and among whom they lived . Be it acknowledg e ^ , then , that when Cosmo was elected Duke , and found himself

    strongly opposed by the old republican party , headed py JLorenzino and Filippo Strozzi , he exerted himself to the utmost to overthrow , destroy , and scatter his opponents ; showing no more temperance than is common to the age

    of ei g hteen , or to the fri ghtful excitements of warwjierein the insane barbarities of all men who engage in such scenes , are at times equal . He therefore slew in battle as many as he could , and executed or banished those that remained . It is authentic that he treated his

    prisoners as traitors , and it is also averred , by some writers , that he caused several to be put to the torture . Their opinions had been sufficiently demonstrated by their actions , and there was nothing to confess . Still , he might have torturecj them , according to the hideous custom so prevalent throughout Italy , almost up to our own times . Cosmo de' Medici was learned in various sciences , particularly in astronomy , botany and chemistry . He continuall y amused himself by trying experiments in the latter , and had a laboratory fitted up in his palace for the purpose . It was not tfie custom at that time among the vulgar in Italy to designate all men of science as dealers in the black art ; but as a rich and powerful Duke was not likely to turn alchemist , it suited the animus of the Florentines to conjecture that his chemical

    studies were solely directed to the concoction of subtle poisons . This M . de Sismondi repeats as a fact , although Jpe quotes no authority of any kind for the scandalous report . Still , let us admit he might have concocted poisons , among his other experiments . Be it also admitted , in pursuance of the oath of revenge for the

    assassination of Alessandro which the pious Cardinal of Cibo bad required him to make previous to forwarding This claim to Succession , that Cosmo endeavoured to get the Strozzi taken off fay poison when they had fled from Florence . We should not , however , forget that the Strozzi took equal pains to poison Cosmo , But let us quote one of M . de Sisruondi ' s authorities . Speaking pf Cosmo , Moreri says , — "White His *' policy , genius apd virtue , obtained admiration , the general vices of || ie ajge ; and sofne defects of temperament ; rericlered lipn odious on ttiariy' occasions ' . His enemies , tyidfblfe to ijijure him himself , attacked his gpod name , and left false tarn of

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    24 § ^ ° f ?? ^ % * * $ & .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 1, 1837, page 242, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1830/page/52/