The History of the Revolutions of Portugal

By the ABBÉ VERTOT.
CONTINUED TO THE PRESENT TIME, With historical and critical Notes, a chronological Table of the Kings of Portugal, and a Description of BRAZIL.
By LOUIS DE BOISGELIN, CHEVALIER DE MALTHE.
Hos Viriathus agit, Lusitanumque Remotis Extractum Lustris, primo Viriathus in ævo Nomen Romanis factum mox nobile Damnis. Silius Ital. de Bell. Pun. Lib. 3.
LONDON: Printed by and for R. Juigné, No. 17, Margaret-street, Cavendish-square. Sold by Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, Paternoster-row. —— 1809.


THE study of modern history has been, during a long course of years, greatly neglected in the generality of public schools; but it now begins to be regarded (as indeed it ought always to have been) as an object of the greatest importance. In England, particularly, it constitutes one of the principal branches of both public and private education.
The abbé de Vertot’s History of the Revolutions of Portugal has been always esteemed equally entertaining and instructive; and as such more especially calculated for the use of young people. The late events in that country has made it doubly interesting, and nothing now seems wanting to complete so excellent a performance, but to continue the narrative to the present period. This, however, if accurately given, would greatly exceed the limits we propose to ourselves in this little Work: to others, therefore, must we leave so laborious a task, and merely content ourselves with presenting to the public the annals of Portugal , from the war which the Portugueze term that of the acclamation , to the battle of Veimera. We cannot even pretend to take notice of several of the principal events which happened during that space of time, though we have been particularly attentive in investigating those which have given rise to , and ended in revolutions. We have also endeavoured to give a just idea of the character of the different kings of Portugal, with the talents of the ministers who have defended the royal authority, and the qualities of those who have attacked it.