The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1824-08-09


the good fortune TO escape from its hor,
rors, from opening them to the world.
In every class of society il, secret agents
were constantly active, and perfect ST.
icnce alone respecting the acts of the
tribunal was the only guarantee for per.
sonal security. BY the vulgar, the suf-
ferings of the Inquisition were consider.
cd like those of He'll mono had witness
ed them and told their tale and this
ignorance respecting them increased the
terrible impression which they made,
and contributed to prolong the existence
OF the tribunal itself.
In 1903, the French invasion of the
Peninsula, as in ma ny other instances in
the countries which their armies entered,
contributed in some way to the bene6,
OF the people. 1t pu, an end to the un-
certainty existing respecting this tribunal
and its mysterious proceedings 1t un-
masked its crimes and exposed them TO
the day, and broke the fearful charm
which ervironed it so long. The mon
sters who presided in it, ferocious as
beasts OF prey, fed on the approach of
an enlightened enemy, and forgot, from
their fears, the victims and written pro.
ceedings OF their heliish court these
ettectually revealed its horrible mvste.
ries. Napoleon at Chamartin, and the
cor'es subsequently a; Cadiz, pronounced
It's sentence OF destruction and from
that period the Holy Office may be con-
sldered as losing its former power over
the public mind for ever, though ,hr
hand of despo,ism might, in fact, re-.
establish it.
M. NJ, whose name is identified
with the revival OF the Spanish drama.
and with its reputation, was tho first wri-
ter who corrected the opinions of his
oountrymen, in regard 10 the transactions
OF this tribunal He published i'm 1909,
accompanied with notes full of judem en-,
and spirit, the account OF an .duto da fe.
which had been celebrated al Loprado
two centuries before, and The particulars
OF which had been printed there at the
time. This report, drawn up by the
order and under the Inspection of the
Holy Office itself, forms the most COM
plete accusation that could be exhibited
against that body. 1t presents an alb.
stract OF all that human depravity and the
accumulated ignorance of ages can en-
genders Unhappy women slowly con-
sumed by fire, for having been tonUicted
OF soreery-gave remarks on the Devil
and his adventures in gallantry with these
poor tortured females-express details
as revolving 10 reason as to decency-
things, 10 short, SO horribly inconsistent
as 10 render it incredible that they could
have been written or uttered by any but
rDadmen these, and such as these, are
the contents the work now alluded to
on this occasionS the king (Joseph Bo.
Dapafte,) commissioned the { anon Llo-
rente 10 examine into the archives of tine
tnquisition. NJ. LloreDte, who had
been during long time secretary 10 the
Holy Office at Toledo, and was,moreoyer,
well acquainted with the history of his
country found himself admirably situat.
cd Tor the execution of such . task. His
famous work, formed upon these records
which ne collected, deserves to be cons
sldered as an important service rendered
to humanity however destitute it may
be OF style or philosophical connexlon.-
That hidecus monsters the Inquisition, 10
there displayed in all its naked horror.
itmust be borne in mind, however,
that the Spanish Inquisition, as described
in the writings OF Nj. M and Lloyen.
te, and as constituted from the time of
Ferdinand V. to the end of the reign OF
Charles II. is not exactly the same with
that existing in 1908. lis name, indeed,
remained to excite feelings OF abhor-
ence but the venom of its nature was,
~ fact, nearly exhausted. Feebleness
IS the necessary result Of age; and the
inquisiiion had grown old by the lapse