The Press. — London, England, 1858-05-01 00:00:00

S u ppose all that the Papist claims, in this firer controversy, to be quite true: suppose, for aigument's sake, that our Lord did give to Peter a primacy over the other Apostles, and did mean, that the Church should be built upon him . What does all this do towards making the Bishop of Rome the visible head of the Church? Clearly, nothing at all. For, — what if Peter lived all his latter years, and ended his days, in the East? What if he never even visited Rome ; never communicated in any s pecial way with its Church ; never directed any epistle to the Roman Christians, or sent to them any commands ? Why, then, it will follow, that Peter stood towards Rome in no other relation than that in which he stood towards Alexandria and Antioch. Con sequently, the Bishops of Rome have no peculiar title to assume to be " the successors of St. Peter." And, finally, their claim to be regarded as something higher than the Bishops of Antioch and Alexandria, is seen to be the merest presumption and usurpation. Let St. Peter have what primacy he may, their claim, the claim of the Bishops of Rome, to inherit this primacy, is as unfounded a pretension as ever was set up. We deny their title : we call for proof. No proof has been, or can be, ad duced. Yet, without such proof, the Papacy becomes an open, palpable, undeniable, usur ration and imposture ! The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. By John Lothrop Motley. In Three Vols. London : Routledge. THIS is a new issue of a most able historical work, which has not yet received adequate notice from the general public. It was first issued about two years ago, and, on its ap pearance, this Journal cordially recognised the abilities and extensive reading of its author (Pans, ante Vol. IV., p. 184). It is now brought out by another publisher, and on a second examination of its style and contents, it appears to us to merit fully the high degree of praise already accorded to it in literary cir cles. The work displays immense reading, and deals with a vast amount of matter. Its author is an American, and partakes of much of the vehemence of spirit common to trans atlantic authors. His narrative has sustained energy and much graphic power. He is less calm and measured in his tone than Bancroft, while he is far more fervid than Prescott.. He writes with much more purity and correctness than Sir Archibald Alison, while he possesses nearly as much skill in linking facts together in a consecutive form. He is not a deep thinker or a profound philosopher, and his mode of composition tends to the biographical school of history. He is more at home when dealing with the dramatis persona of his nar rative than when describing society at the era of which he treats. He is admirablyi suited for producing a series of historical chronicles, and we think that a work called " Memoirs of the House of Orange" would from his pen be a most valuable and attractive volume. In Point of fact, this " Rise of the Dutch Re public" reads like " An Expanded Biography of the Career of William the Silent," and it is possible that, if Mr. Motley continues his work, he would obtain even more marked success. As this publication has already been noticed St length in our columns, there is no necessity for our again entering upon a critical analysis. The great knowledge of the author, his fami liarity with the Spanish, German, and Dutch authorities for his stihject, are merits of the highest kind, while his text is always ani mated and fluent. He is c;rtainly, as was re marked in this Journal before, " substantially " just, but too apt to needlessly assert his piin " eipies and inveigh against tyranny." But his rroweness to eloquent indignation is balanced bfills real and solid knowledge. Though he is sometimes too fierce in his moral wrath, he cannot be c a ll e d fl atu l ent; and human f ee li ng . requisite in an historian who has to recount he viceroy a lt y o f Alva, the hideous atroc i t i es c t he Inquisition and of th e C ounc il o f Blood, and the sanguinary excesses of the Spaniards l a the Neth er l an d s. As some of our rea d ers re not familiar with t hi s work, b . we shall place efore t hcf* — SOW spetimeog of ito 4Pys sqle, -•-.- THE PRESS, MAY 1, 1858. In drawing characters, Mr. Motley works on the principle of literary mosaic, putting toge ther several details so as to realize an effect, similar to that attained by Lord Stanhope in his essay on Frederick the Great. Thus Alva is described : On the whole, the Duke of Alva was inferior to no general of his age. As a disciplinarian he was foremost in Spain, perhaps in Europe. A spendthrift of time, he was an economist of blood, and this was, perhaps, in the eye of humanity, his principal virtue. Time and myself are two, was a frequent observation of Philip, and his favourite general considered the maxim as applicable to war as to politics. Such were his qualities as a military commander. As a statesman, he had neither experience nor talent. As a man, his character was simple. He did not combine a great variety of vices, but those which he had were colossal, and he possessed no virtues. He was neither lustful nor intemperate, but his protested eulogists admitted his enor mous avarice, while the world has agreed that such an amount of stealth and ferocity, of patient vindictiveness and universal bloodthirstiness, were never found in a savage beast of the forest, and butrarely in a human bosom. His history was now to show that his previous thrift of human life was not derived from any love of his kind. Personally he was stern and overbearing. As difficult of access as Philip himself, he was even more haughty to those who were admitted to his presence. He addressed every oue with the depreciating second person plural. Possessing the right of being covered in the presence of the Spanish monarch, he had been with difficulty brought to renounce it before the German Emperor. He was of an illustrious family, but his territorial possessions were not extensive. His duchy was a small one, furnishing him with not more than fourteen thousand crowns of annual income, and with four hundred soldiers. He had, however, been a thrifty financier all his life, never having been without a handsome sum of ready money at interest.. Ten years before his arrival in the Netherlands, be was supposed to have already increased his income to forty thousand a year by the proceeds of his investments at Antwerp. As already intimated, his military character was sometimes profoundly misunderstood. He was oftenoonsidered rather a pedantic than a practical commander, more capable to discourse of battles than to gain them. Notwithstanding that his long life had been an almost unbroken campaign, the ridiculous accusation of timidity was frequently made against him.* A gentleman at the court of the Emperor Charles ono* ad. dressed a letter to the Duke with the title of " General of his Majesty's armies in the Duchy of Milan in time of peace, and major-domo of the household in the time of war." + It was said that the lesson did the Duke good, bat that he rewarded very badly the nobleman who gave it, having subsequently caused his head to be taken off.: In general, however, Alva manifested a philosophical contempt for the opinions expressed concerning his military fame, and was especially disdainful of criticism expressed by his own soldiers. " Recollect," said he, at a little later period, to I)on John of Austria, " that the first for* with whom one has to contend are one's own troops, with their clamours for an engagement at this moment, and their murmurs about results at another; with their ' I thougnt that the battle should be fought or, it was my opinion that the occasion ought not to be lost.' Your highness will have opportunity enough to display valour, and will never he weak enough to be conquered by the babble of soldiers:ll And our readers can see a fair specimen of the wide reading and research of the author in his I appeal to authoritieti for his statements. Thus the passage just cited has the following anno tation : • • " Ha visto et tnaneggiato molte guerre et per la pret ties che be discorre meglio che io habhia mai conoecinto in quells corte—ma le due oppositioni l'una che facci le provisioni sne con tropoo reservato et canto et quasi timido nell' imptese."—Suriano MS. Badovaro is much more severe : " Sella guerra mostra timidity et poco intelligenza et poco atimato nella corte come per persona avers, enperba et ambitioea ; adalatore et invido molto et di puochissinso cnore." t This anecdote is attributed by Dom l'Evetique and by M. Geebard to Badovaro. It is, however, not to he found in the copy of his Manuscript in the Bibliotheque de Bourgogne. Dom l'Evesque, Mem. de Granvelle, i. 26, sqq.—The Benedictine does not further indicate the author of the pleasantry. One is disposed to imagine it to have been Egmont. Nevertheless, the Duke caused the heads of so many gentlemen to be taken off, that the description is sufficiently vague. S Documental Ineditos pare la Historia de Espana, iii. 273-283. Mr. Motley cites several original MSS., and he always indicates the page and edition of his authorities. He has full command of the learning necessary for his subject, and he shows exemplary care in sifting his authori ties We have searched through the three volumes, containing matter equal to what is put in six ordinary octavos, for a pas sage in which the whole attributes of Mr. Motley's manner may be seen, and we have found one which we shall cite at length, and ask the attention of our readers to it. The execution of Count Egmont and Admiral Horn at Brussels is thus described ; During the night, the necessary preparatious for the morning tragedy NW been made in the great square of Brussels. It was the ioteatioa of Government to strike terror to th► been of the people ►y the Imbibition of an lipprefilre owl appalling spectopole, The ebsolato In3d 417 irresponsible destiny which ruled them was to be Duals manifest by the immolation of these two men, so elevated by rank, powerful connection, and distinguished service. The effect would be heightened by the character of the locality where the gloomy show was to be presented. Thai great square of Brussels had always a striking and theatrical aspect. The splendid Hotel de Ville, with its daring spire and elaborate front, ornamented one side of the place ; directly opposite was the graceful but incoherent facade of the Brood-huis, now the last earthly resting-plane of the two distinguished victims, while grouped araund these principal buildings rose the fantastic palaces of the Archers, Manners, and of other guilds, with their festooned walls and toppling gables bedizened profusely with emblems, statues, and quaint decorations. The place had been alike the scene of many a brilliant tournament and of many a bloody execution. Gallant knights had contended within its precincts, while bright eyes rained influence from all those picturesque balconies and decorated windows. Mar tyrs to religious and to political liberty had, upon the same spot, endured agonies which might have roused every stone of its pavement to mutiny Cr softened them to pity. Hue, Egmont himself, in happier days, had often borne away the prize of skill or of valour, the cynosure of every eye ; and hence, almost in the noon of a life illustrated by many brilliant actions, he was to be sent, by the hand of tyranny, to his great account. On the morning of the sth of June, three thousand Spanish troops wars drawn up in battle array around a scaffold which had been erected in the centre of the square. Upon this scaffold, whiA was eovered with black cloth, were placed two velvet cushions, two iron spikes, and a small table. Upon this table was a silver crucifix. The provost-marshal, Spelle, sat on horseback below, with his red wand in his hand, little dreaming that for him a darker doom was reserved then that of which he was now the minister. The executioner was conssaled beneath the draperies of the scaffold. At eleven o'clock, a company of Spanish Noidiers, led by Julian Romero and Captain Salinas, arrived at Eginont's chamber. The Count was ready for them. They were about to bind his hands, but be warmly peetsmasif against the indignity, and, opening the folds of his robe, slowed them that be bad himself shorn off his eollars, and made preparations for his death. His request was granted. Eg. moot, with the Bishop at his side, then walked with a steady step the short distance which separated him from the pleas of execution. Julian Romero and the guard feliewed him. On his way he read aloud the My-drat Pula: " Hear my cry, 0 God, and give ear unto my preyed " He seemed to have selected those scriptural passers as a proof that, notwithstanding the maehinatioos of his enemies, and the cruel punishment to which they had led him, loyalty to his sovereign was as deeply rooted and as religious a sentiment in his bosom as devotion to his God. " Thou wilt prolong the King's life ; ad his years as many generations. He shall abide before God for ever ! 0 prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him." Such was the prayer of the condemned traitor on his way to the block. Having ascended the scaffold, he walked across it Wee or thrice. He was dressed in a tabard or robe of red damask, over which was thrown a short black mantle, em broidered in gold. He had a black silk bat. with black and white plumes, on hishead, and held a handkerchief in his band. As he strode to and fro, be expressed a bitter regret that he had not been permitted to die sword in hand, fighting for his country and his king. Sanguine to the last, be passionately asked Romero, whether the sen tence was really irrevocable, whether a pardon was not even then to be granted. The mamba) shrugged his shoulders, murmuring a negative reply. Upon this, Egmont gnashed his teeth together, rather in rage than despair. Shortly afterward commanding himself again, be threw aside his rube and mantle, and took the badge of the Golden Flews from his neck. Kneeling, then, upon one of the cushions, he said the Lord's Prayer aloud, and requested the Bishop, who knelt at his side, to repeat it thrice. After this, the prelate gave him the sine. crucifix to kiss, and then pro nounced his blessing upon him. This done, the Count rose again to his feet, laid aside his bat and handkerchief, knelt again upon the cushion, drew a little cap over his eyes, and, eliding his hands together, cried with a loud voice," Lord, iuto thy bands I commit my spirit." The executioner then suddenly appeared, and severed his bead from his shoulders at a single blow. A moment of shuddering silence succeeded the stroke. The whole vast assembly seemed to have felt it in their own hearts. Tears fell from the eyes even of the Spanish soldiery, for they knew and honoured Egmont as a valiant general. The French ambassador, Mondoncet, looking upon the scene from a secret place, whispered that he had now seen the head fall before which France had twice trembled. Tears were even seen upon the iron cheek of Alva, as from a window in a house directly opposite the scaffold, he looked out upon the scene. A dark cloth was now quickly thrown over the body and the blood, and, within a fee minutes, the Admiral was seen advancing through the crowd. His bald head was un covered, his bands were unbound. He calmly saluted Poch of his acquaintances PS he chanced to recognise neon his path. Under a black cloak, which he threw off when he bad ascended the scaffold, he wore a plain, dark donblet, and he did not, like Egmont, wear the insignia of the Fleece. Casting his eyes upon the corpse , which lay covered with the clerk cloth, he asked it it were the body of Egmont. Being answered in the affirmative, be muttered a few words in Spanish, which were not distinctly audible. His attention was next caught by the sight of his own coat of arms reversed, and he expressed anger at this indignity to his escutcheon, protesting that he bed not deserted the insult. He then spoke a few words to the crowd below, wishing them happiness, and beggipg them to pray for his soul. He did not kits the crupNix, but he knelt upon the scaffold to pray, an eted in his devotions by the Bishop of Ypres. When they wpr, toneaded, be TOM again to his fret Then kudos a Milaa sap eegaptstely over his bps, sod *Win, Ili 41 1 411 f tbp sow bryvpstton --