NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

21 ?

whofe geniusj delighted in the invetligation of every circum-ftance which contributed to aggrandize or deprefs nations,feems not to have viewed the commerce of his country asa fubjeft that merited any elucidation. Denina, who hasentitled the firit chapter of his eighteenth book, “Thecc Origin of the /Medici, and the Commencement of their“ Power and Grandeur, ” furnifhes little information withregard to the trade carried on by them. This filence offo many authors is a proof that hiilorians had not yet begunto view commerce as an object of fuch importance in thepolitical ftate of nations, as to enter into any detail con-cerning its nature and effects. From the references ofdifferent writers to Scipio rtmmirato, Ifforie Fiorentine;to Pagnini, Delle Decime ed altre gravezze della Mercaturadei Fiorentini, and to Balducci, Pratica della Mercatura,I Ihould imagine that fomething more fatisfactory may belearned concerning the trade both of the republic and familyof the Medici, but I could not find any of chefe bookseither in Edinburgh or in London ,

NOTE XLV. Sect. III. p. 126 . ■

Leibnitz has preferved a curious paper, containing theinftrudions of the republic of Florence to the two ambaf-fadors Pent to the So'idan of Egypt , in order to negociutethis treaty with him, together with*the report of thefeambaffadors on their return. The great object of therepublic was, to obtain liberty of trading in all parts ofthe Soldan’s dominions, upon the fame terms with theVenetians. The chief privileges which they folicited , were;1. A perfect freedom of admiffion into every port belongingto the Soldan, protection while they continued in it, andliberty of departure at what time they chofe. 2 . Permiffionto have a conftil, with the fame rights and jurifdiction asthofe of the Venetians; and liberty to build a church, awarehoufe, and a bath , in every place where they fettled.