The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-24 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

T/, Spanish Praestants, and their l'ersrention by Philip
11. A Historical Work. By Senor DoN A1k11.1.110 nn
l• %silt°. ranalatcdfrorn the original Spanish, by

1.11.04A.4

_ .
The name of De Castro is one of unusual distinc-
tion in modern Spanish literature, the present writer
being the fifth of the name that we have become ac-
quainted with. This is apparently his first book,
and a highly interesting and most creditable per-
formance it to every respect. It is a pleasing sign
of the times to perceive historical research making
way even in such a country as Spain; and still more
grutifyingto find the areuna of political statecraft
and iselesiastleal persecution so frankly and fearlessly
dealt with as they are in this remarkable volume.
The appearance of publications of this class in such
a stronghold of exclusiveness and over-
weening national pride as Spain, is a greater sign
of 11 ogress than hall-a-dozen revolutions. In Spttn,
ahoy; all countries, the spread of a taste for histonail
studies nand be regarded as pregnant with impor-
tant emesequences. It shews that the barriers of ig-
mutants. and mil-conceit, which have so long isoluted
that country froth the rest of Europe, are begin-
ning to be effectually broken down.
To the Eug,lish reader, indeed, Senor de Castro's
work will appear studiously moderate, or we might
say, timid in tom.. But it must be remembered that
it was written for a public which is a couple of cen-
turies behind our own, in all that constitutes true
liberty and enlightenment ; and what would appear
mist gratuitous cowardice in England may easily
enough Is• el makable courage in Spain. To uplift
one's voice in t scour of protestaintism at all. still more
to become the biographer of the martyrs of that per-
PUa•itill. who. in Spain as in other countries, sealed
their faith aid: their blood, is an undertaking which
damn& frau' a spennurel, ewe' of the present day,
noonlinnr amount or resolution. And we should
be by no 1111'411P surprised to hear that Senor de
l'astro has been. in one way or another, made to pay
the penalty of his rash lint laudable enterprise. That
it is both a dangerous and an unpopular one is mani-
fest from the caution with which Instotical as well as
religious topic, are treated. Compiling what we cannot
heater characterise than as a Spanish supplement to
*. Fox's Book of Martyrs," the author nowhere pro-
fess., I' all u protestant. And the slow and
gradual nay in which he unmasks the character of
slums how haughty and sensitive are the
public shone he has undertaken to disabuse of a
portion of the inveterate pride and prejudice which
thee nouri.le on all subjects affecting their church or
their c.imetry.
the the a bole. however, though the English reader
will occa-ion..llv desiderate a little more warmth
and iniliguation'when chronicling such atrocities, we
should sac that the book nether gains than loses by
this studied moderation both in tune and opinions.
It certainly gains in dignity and impressiveness;
sail it is lastly hitter adapted to make its way with
the author's countrymen, than if he had betrayed at
the outset a sectarian bias, which would leave re-
volted theca, before they had time to make acquaint-
, ann. aith the sad and emueguivary events of which
he is the historian.
The ground gene over in the leresent volume is ne-
cesseeril :nude the same as in M'Crie's History of
the Reformation in Spain," a work which possibly
atterested Senior de Castro's undertaking, and to
which he gives due credit for learning and ability.
His advantage over the Scottish historian consists in
his collimated of a variety of documents in print and
hs en enuscript. to which access could be had only in
Slain. especially the publications of the Spanish
reformers themselves. which are exceedingly rare in
consequence of the pains taken to destroy them by
the Inquisition. The most remarkable result ob-
tained lly Senor de Castro's researches, and the fea-
ture in his work for which he claims the greatest
credit. is the new light he has been enabled to
throw on the history of 1/on Carlos. But unfortu-
ntely the question as to the protestantism of that
ill-fated prince remains in much the same obscurity
as before. His leasing been tainted by heretical opt-
towee
'would aid certainly in accounting for his
fathers malignity towards him ; but otherwise there
seems to be no proof of the fact ; and our own opi-
nion is, that his tolerant views as to the treatment
of the Flemish provinces were misconstrued into a
bias towards protestant doctrines. The inference re-
lied on by Senor de Castro and others, that if he had
remains[ catholic he must have shared his father's
extras aped bigotry, is of the lamest. Don Carlos
did no inure than follow the usual course of heirs
apparent when he disapproved his father's tyranny ;
and his sympathies with Aragon are not Leo
marked than those with Flanders.
It would be an interesting fact, certainly, if it
could be established that Don Carlos was really a
Protestant. It would be a new eumple how the
results of religious movements, beyond a=
depend on the predilections of theerogn•
Queen Mary of England lived, and Philip U. did,
and I)on Can't, a protestant in asset, MIN" ell
the throne of
almost hue
iimaad42,,ihemaribl
land might al tabs
tart' of the last tbs..
.