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SPECIMENS, &c.

EDWARD VI.

THE reign of Edward VI. is remarkable for

the establishment of the reformation. This great event, so beneficial to the interests of humanity, served only to clog the progress of elegant literature, and to postpone the reign of taste. The objects of study were now entirely changed. The breaking up of the old religion split the world into a variety of different and hostile sects. The bible being open to the people, every man, whether learned or unlearned, was eager to familiarise himself with its contents, and ambitious of commenting and illustrating it. All were absorbed in religious speculations. Europe exhibited but one

scene of polemical warfare; and the talents of mankind were monopolized by theological contention. The topics which now kindled the ardour of the most accomplished scholars, were enquiries into the practices and maxims of the primitive ages; the nature of civil and ecclesiastical jurisdiction; the authority of scripture and tradition; of popes, councils, and schoolmen-topics, which, from prejudice and passion, as well as from their want of philosophic habits of discussion, they were unable to treat with precision.

One of the first effects of the reformation was, that the revenues of the clergy were seized under pretence of zeal for religion. Even the students of the universities were deprived of their exhibitions and pensions; so that Roger Ascham complains, in a letter to the marquis of Northampton, dated 1550, that the grammar schools throughout England will be ruined; and that the universities themselves must speedily become extinct. At Oxford, both professors and pupils deserted the schools; and academical degrees were abolished as antichristian. The reformers, not content with cleansing christianity from catholic corruptions, carried their absurd refinements so far as to

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