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I was chiefly disgusted with modern history.’ Why is the author disgusted with modern history? How has the author highlighted the height of corruption in modern history?
The author was chiefly disgusted with modern history. For, having strictly examined all the persons of greatest fame in the courts of princes for a hundred years past, he found how the world had been misled by prostitute writers to ascribe the greatest exploits in wars to cowards, the wisest counsel to fools, sincerity to flatterers, Roman virtue to betrayers of their country, piety to atheists, chastity to sodomites, truth to informers; how many innocent and excellent persons had been condemned to death or banishment by the corruption of judges and the malice of factions; how many villains had been exalted to the highest places of trust, power, dignity, and profit; how great a share in the motions and events of courts, councils, and senates might be challenged by bawds, whores, pimps, parasites, and buffoons. How low an opinion he had of human wisdom and integrity when he was truly informed of the springs and motives of great enterprises and revolutions in the world, and of the contemptible accidents to which they owed their success!