Besides this deficiency of materials, I am suflicien tly aware of the disadvantages of a subject in which I shall have only to record an almost unvaried train of disaster - the imbecility of Kings - the corruption of courts - and the rule of worthless favourites, naturally terminating in the utter prostration and ruin of a once noble and splendid monarchy. But every period of history bears its profit; and that of Spain, in the 17th century, shews how mighty empires may be rendered poor and wretched, and teaches us that they may be brought to destruction by despotism and indolence, as surely (though perhaps not so quickly) as by excess of freedom and popular commotion.

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