1785, arranged in chronological order, and expanded with additional matter; yet, comprehending fomething that is ufelefs amongst much that is good. During that active period, from the Revolution, in 1688, to recent times, our feveral treaties were fingly published, as they were made, with commentaries, which fometimes explained, but oftener obfcured them, though the pens of our profoundest scholars were employed, with bifhop Hare at their head. How early foreign nations began to publifh their treaties, I am unable to tell. The articles of the twelve years truce, between Spain and the United Netherlands, which were concluded in April, 1609, were immediately printed by authority. The momentous treaties of the fubfequent age were fucceffively published, as they were produced by various events. But the first collection of public conventions, which comprehended the interefts of the European nations, was published at Hanover, in 1693, by the illuftrious Leibnitz, in two folio volumes, under the title of Codex juris gentium diplomaticus. Leibnitz, who was born at Leipfic, in 1646, raised himself by his genius and his labours to eminence among the high, and died in 1716, at the age of feventy. During a bufy age of frequent negotiation, the pub lic curiofity demanded fresh gratification. In 1700, four folio volumes of National Agreements were published, under the infpection of James Bernard, who was born in Dauphiné; and, retiring into Switzerland and Holland, after the revocation of the edict of Nantz, became profeffor of philofophy at Leyden, and died in 1718. Thus, in the ardour of the public, and the interests of the bookfellers, was laid the foundation of the CORPS UNIVERSEL DIPLOMATIQUE DU DROIT That famous truce was printed at Bruffels, by Rutger Velpius, the printer to the court, in 1609, quarto. I have this tract in my collection. DES GENS. The labours of Bernard were expanded and improved by the cares of Du Mont. This vaft collection appeared in 1726. Du Mont was alfo a French refugee, who, after ferving in the armies of France, retired to Holland, and became hiftoriographer to the Emperor: after various publications, he died in 1726, having acquired the rank of Baron. The bookfellers at Amfterdam, willing to gratify the public tafte, and to promote their own gains, found other workmen, when they determined to furnish a SUPPLEMENT to the CORPS DIPLOMATIQUE. The celebrated Barbeyrac gave them, in 1739, a large volume, comprehending the ancient Treaties, from the Amphictyonic times to the age of Charlemagne, which he had extracted from the authors of Greece and Rome, and from the monuments of antiquity. This is a work of vaft and curious erudition. The performances of Bernard and Du Mont were only the labours of the hand : the volume of Barbeyrac was the elaborate production of the head. John Barbeyrac, who must not be confounded with his uncle Charles Barbeyrac, was born at Beziers, became profeffor of law firft at Laufanne, and afterwards at Groningen, and finished his ufeful course, in 1747. The book fellers had fkilfully refolved to divide their intended publication into three parts: the firft was the hiftorical and chronological collection of Barbeyrac, which has been already mentioned, and which was defigned as an introduction to the diplomatic code; the fecond was properly the Supplement, being an extension and continuance of the voluminous works of Bernard and Du Mont; and the third part was to confift of the ceremonial of the courts of Europe. The performance of the two laft parts was given to ROUSSET, the hiftoriographer of the Prince of Orange, whofe diligence and whofe knowledge qualified him eminently for a tafk thus arduous and deli cate. A complete collection of General Treaties muft confift of the following books: ft. Leibnitz's Codex, in 1693; 2dly, The Corps Diplomatique, with its Supplement, in 1739, confifting of twenty volumes in folio, to which is annexed a copious index of matters; 3dly, St. Priest's Hiftoire de Traités de Paix du xvii Siecle, depuis la Paix de Vervins jufqu'à celle de Nimégue, 1725, 2 vol. in folio; and 4thly, of the Negotiations Secretes, touching la Paix de Munster et d'Ofnabrug, 1725, 4 vol. in folio. Thefe ample collections begin with the establishment of the AMPHICTYONS, 1496 years before the birth of Christ, being the most ancient treaty which is to be met with in the records of time; and end with the pacification of the troubles of Geneva, in May 1738.-Such, then, is the vast mass of papers which have originated from the reftlefinefs, or the wisdom, of Europe; and which every one must poffefs, who is ambitious of extenfive knowledge, with regard to the difcordant interefts of the European Powers. To all these must be added, by those who are defirous to form a complete library, the collections, which have been published with regard to particular negotiations: as the peace of Nimeguen; the peace of Ryfwick; the peace of Utrecht: and to thefe may be added the ufeful collection of as, negotiations, and treaties, from 1713 till 1748, in five-and-twenty 8vo. volumes †. The conventions of nations have not only been publifhed at large, but also in the abftract. Rouffet favoured the world, in 1736, with Les Intérêts des Puiffances de l'Europe, avec le Supplément, 4 vols. 4to.-Rouffet ceafed from his useful labours in Auguft 1762. Mably's Droit Public de Actes et Mémoires concernant la Paix de Nimégue, 1697, 4 tom. en 7 vol. in 12mo.Actes et Mémoires concernant la Paix de Ryfwick, 1705, 4 vol. in Izmo.--Mémoires Politiques pour fervir à l'Histoire de la Paix de Ryfwick, par Jean Du Mont, 1699, 4 vol. in 12m0.—Actes, Mémoires, et autres Piéces authentiques, concernant la Paix d'Utrecht, 1714, 7 vol. in 8vo. ↑ Recueil des Actes, Negociations, et Traités, depuis la paix d'Utrecht, jufqu'a prefent, par Jean Rouffet. 4 l'Europe, l'Europe, will be found a commodious manual, which is written with great knowledge, and arranged with uncommon fkill. It has been continued to the peace of 1763, and enriched with the annotations of Rouffet, who was no favourable commentator. Mably and Rouffet parted with unkind sentiments of each other, though the bookfellers had endeavoured to make them agree. But, of diplomatic refearches, there must be an end. I have already expofed my ignorance to the eyes of thofe who have made the knowledge of the interefts of Powers a profeffion, whilft I have only looked for entertainment amid other labours and other ftudies. If the following fheets fhall be found an accommodation either to the public or to individuals, my defign will be accomplished. I have one comfort, during the moment of publication, when I reflect, that if this collection do no great good, it can be attended with no other mifchief than the addition of one more book to a clafs, which is already too numerous, or than the retardment of other works, on the fame fubject, which might be executed with better arrangement and greater accuracy. Green Street, Grofvenor Square, 23 October, 1790. G. C. THE |