because a prince of such a character was best adapted to the circumstances under which the church was then governed by this pontif. Witness his first invasion of the territory of Bologna in the life of John Bentivoglio, which gave great umbrage to the Venetians and the Kings of France and Spain, but none of them dared to Interfere. The first, beeause they did not feel them selves strong enough to cope with a pontiff of his character; Spain, because she was engaged in the conquest of Naples; and France, besides having an interest in keeping fair with Julius, wished still to humble the Venetians; so that she, without hesitation, granted to the Pope the succours which he asked of her,
It was thus that Julius II. succeeded in an enterprise in which prudence and circumspection had been altogether unseasonable. He would unquestionably have failed if he had given Spain and the Venetians, time to reflect on what he was doing, and France, the opportunity of amusing him by excuses and delays.
Julius II. displayed in all his enterprises the same character of violence; and his successes have in that respect fully justified him: but he did not perhaps live long enough to experience the inconstancy of fortune; for had an occasion unexpectedly occurred in which it would have been necessary to act with prudence and circumspection, he
would infallibly have been ruined, in consequence
K
