Show books received we are indebted to the biess Bless rs lippincott fc co coi publishers of philadelphia for a copy of their new and revised edition of pres cotts work the alsto history y of f philip phillp the second in three volumes the reign of this monarch presents barmore far more than ordinarily attractive element elements Ft and materials for the pen of the able historian as it occurred at a period which may be justly considered as the great turning point in the history of modern europe and of civilization itself the mental bondage under which the people of europe hadbo had so long labored was then being burst by the m mighty influences of the protestant reformation which shook the church of rome to its foundation and rendered all ali time to come comparatively com amatively arat ively powerless over the rul rui minds and actions of the masses and taken as a a whole the events which occurred during the reign of philip the most powerful sovereign in euro europe pe can not but be regarded as among the most momentous in the entire bistor history y of civilization and of christendom philip was the son bon of the famous charles the fifth emperor of germany and king of dspain and the netherlands who when philip was twenty eight years old abdicated in his favor so far as the sovereignty of spain and the neth erlanda was concerned thus rendering that young prince not nut only ruler ot of the foremost power in europe but of the most extensive dominion then under one sceptre in the world philip the second was a most d devout e vout son seon of the church or in other words an intensely bigoted catholic and anh his zeal for extending the power and influence of ca ho laicism Is ia said to have surpassed that whish he manifested for increasing the power and enlarging the doin dominions inions of the spanish crown one haying maying attributed to him Is ia that it was better not to reign at all than to reign over heretics that is those not of the ath catholic 0 lio iio faith with a man of this thia luin luyn of mind possessing almost unlimited power it is easy emy to understand that religious intolerance aud and persecution would be inevitable for fur the influences of the reformation were wert lickly quickly felt in ili every country iu in europe spain span and the netherlands not excepted and during the reign of this eign the anto flourished in the former while in the latter the cruelties cruel ties and outrages practiced on oil the people by the authority of philip were perhaps never surpassed if ever equalled equal led in the history of the world the struggles ot of the brave Nether landeis for civil and religious freedom under their noble among whom was william the silent prin prince cc of orange form one of the most thrilling chapters of history in all times the principles promulgated by luther eany early took deep root in fda holland and the course of the people under the impulse excited by their new faith falth excited the ire 0 of f philip to the digest degree and for their contumacy his duth subjects were consigned to the tender mercies of ten thousand brutal soldiers led by the duke ofalia one of the greatest generals of his age and one of the most bloodthirsty y and cruel men mentioned in his torys pages this wretch was viceroy of the netherlands for six years and during that period he inflicted the most unheard of atrocities upon the people Putt putting lue ine IC I learly bearly C riv to death by executions besides the unnumbered thousands killed in battles and s sieges I 1 1 ages it was during the reign of philip the second that the so called invincible armada was sent to invade england after alter the refusal ot elizabeth to accept the hand of philip in marriage he be also waged wars with france turkey and italy and taken in their entirety the events of this reign have rendered it one of the most famous in the brilliant history of the spain of centuries ago the recital of which in the hands of prescott forms one of the most authentic authentic and popular historical ever presented to the public speaking of the new and revised edition of this history mechanically only terms of praise can be used it is all but faultless it is elegantly boulad bourd printed in beautiful fulty type peon on fine stout paper pape raud faud and aud contains steel portraits of philip and the notables of his court it can be obtained at awyers book store in this city |