The year after his publication of his “Treatise on the Freedom of the Sea,” Grotius printed his work on the “Antiquity of the Batavian Republic.”  He gives in it an account of the antient Batavians; he professes to shew that they were the allies, not the subjects of the Romans; that, after a period of anarchy, during which little is known of their history, they became subjects of the Counts of Holland; that these were not vassals of the empire, but independent princes; and, strictly speaking, elected by the people, although, in the election of them, great regard was always shewn to the hereditary line:  that they were bound to conform to the laws of the state; and always required, before their election, to swear to the observance of the constitution; that the taxes were always imposed by the States, and that Philip the Second had occasioned the grand war, by repeated infractions of the public and private right of the people of the United Provinces.

[Sidenote:  The early Publications of Grotius.]

The States of Holland were highly pleased with this work; they voted thanks to its author, and accompanied them with a present.  It is considered that his partiality to his country led him to advance some positions favourable to its antient independence, which his proofs did not justify.

For the use of Du Maurier, the French ambassador to the States General, Grotius published, about this time, his “Directions for a Course of general Study,” De omni genere studiorum recte instituendo.  It was favourably received, both by the diplomatist for whose use it was composed, and the public at large; but, on account of the great extension of literature, since the time of Grotius, it is now little read.  Mentioning the Roman history, he shews that a knowledge of it is better acquired by reading its Greek than by reading its Latin historians; because foreigners give more attention to the public manners and customs of a country than natives.

[Sidenote:  CHAP.  III. 1597-1610.]

All the works, which we have mentioned, were most favourably received in every part of the United Provinces.  It was now become evident that the exertions for their independence were on the eve of being crowned with complete success.  All the European Powers had deserted Spain, so that she was left to her own single and unaided strength, to maintain the contest against the insurgent provinces.  The glory, which they acquired by their successful resistance to her, determined them to make choice of an historian, who should transmit to future ages the signal exploits of their memorable struggle.  With this view, they appointed Grotius their historiographer.

[Sidenote:  The Poems of Grotius.]