of his son Piero, in surrendering the Florentine fortresses.  His family would not in consequence have been expelled the city; a powerful mind might have influenced the discordant politics of the Italian princes in one common defence; a slight opposition to the fugitive army of France, at the pass of Faro, might have given the French sovereigns a wholesome lesson, and prevented those bloody contests that were soon afterwards renewed in Italy. As a single remove at chess varies the whole game, so the death of an individual of such importance in the affairs of Europe as Lorenzo de’ Medici could not fail of producing such a change in its political relations as must have varied them in an incalculable degree.”  Pignotti also describes the state of Italy at this time.  Had Lorenzo lived to have seen his son elevated to the papacy, this historian, adopting our present principle, exclaims, “A happy era for Italy and Tuscany HAD THEN OCCURRED!  On this head we can, indeed, be only allowed to conjecture; but the fancy, guided by reason, may expatiate at will in this imaginary state, and contemplate Italy re-united by a stronger bond, flourishing under its own institutions and arts, and delivered from all those lamented struggles which occurred within so short a period of time.”

Whitaker, in his “Vindication of Mary Queen of Scots,” has a speculation in the true spirit of this article.  When such dependence was made upon Elizabeth’s dying without issue, the Countess of Shrewsbury had her son purposely residing in London, with two good and able horses continually ready to give the earliest intelligence of the sick Elizabeth’s death to the imprisoned Mary.  On this the historian observes, “And had this not improbable event actually taken place, what a different complexion would our history have assumed from what it wears at present! Mary would have been carried from a prison to a throne.  Her wise conduct in prison would have been applauded by all.  From Tutbury, from Sheffield, and from Chatsworth, she would have been said to have touched with a gentle and masterly hand the springs that actuated all the nation, against the death of her tyrannical cousin,” &c.  So ductile is history in the hands of man! and so peculiarly does it bend to the force of success, and warp with the warmth of prosperity!

Thus important events have been nearly occurring, which, however, did not take place; and others have happened which may be traced to accident, and to the character of an individual.  We shall enlarge our conception of the nature of human events, and gather some useful instruction in our historical reading by pausing at intervals; contemplating, for a moment, on certain events which have not happened!

OF FALSE POLITICAL REPORTS.