New-York tribune., 1868-04-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TIIE MAsSACRE oF Sl. BARTHoLOMEW.

THE MASSACRE OF 81. BARTHOLOMEW.
THE MASSACRE OF 81. BARTHOLOMEW. BY HENRY
WHITE. SyO. pp. l97. Harper Brothers.
The prevailing view of the terrible historical
TRAGEDY to which this volume is devoted is that it
was the result of prcconcerted plot, designed for
the extinction Of the Huguenots in France, as a re
gious and political party. Another theory has been
supported by able writer's including Ranke Soldan
Baum and Coqucrel, to the effect that the
was the result of sudden spasm of terror and
fauaticsm caused by the unsuccessful attempt TO
murder Admiral Cogny. This theory, which has
gained cOuntenauce from variety Of materials that
have recently come to light for the first time IS main
tanned by the writer of the present volume II has
heretofore been supposed that the extension of the
massacre into the provinces is a proof that the
plot had been one of long standing. But, MI
White argues, that the incidents which took place
rather show the absence Of premeditatiOn. There
was no arrangement between Catherine and
her Italian advisers for general massacre
of the Huguenots throughout the Kingdom
oil the same day. The murders committed were III
consequence OF popular connections that broke out
after the arrival of the news from Paris The letter
of the queen-mOthcT to StTOzZi on which great Iel
nnce has been placed TO prove pIemcdliatlon' IS
affirmed TO be maufcstly spurious ii would appear
that il was only tho day before st. Bartholomew
of the king 10 various parts of the country for the
massacre of the Protcstants. With regard 10 the
number of victims the author declines taking tie
extreme ground of many writers, and asserts thatIt
is impossible to arrive at anything like correct
estimate. Hardly two historians give the same
figures, and none of them exhibit the grounds oi
their calculation. In many instances they seem to
be merely random guesses, and entitled TO no weight
whatever The estimate for the city of Paris alone
varies in different writers from 1900 10 10000 In
the opinion of Mr.. White, the number may have
Amounted in all TO $500 but DR.. Lngards estimate
of only 1000 for the whole of France is absurd The
calm and moderate De Thou is probably nearer
the truth who puts il 20CCO, while other writers
have made the number as high is 100000. But
whatever the number of victims nothing eiiace
the stain on the character of those concerned in the
massacre. Most Of the assassins were mpced by
the lowest Of all possible motives jealousy and am
hition filed the breast OF Catherine; Auiou was con
sumed by envy of virtues which were constant lc-
proach 10 his own iniamy; Guise was fred by
the lust of revenge: while the lower orders of the
people were eager for plundcr, and eoadcd on TO
murder by a clergy ignorant as themselves The
plea of religion was never urged rs II pretenSe Tor
the massacre although when its occurrence was an
nounced nj Rome the exultatiOn Of the clergy knew
no bounds. In concluding the volume, Mr.. White
expresses the opinion that there are 10 grounds Tor
reversing the Judgment Charles lN. which las
made him the general cNecration of mankind. " Eut
he wasnot the chief criminal French writer's. even
while they condemned the baIbarous deed that has
cast so foul stain upon their annals may Justly
that the chsfcOutrveT wasan Italian woman brought
up in the school Of Machiavell, and that the
chief Instruments were all foreigners" Mr. White
has evidently made dihgent and discriminating
study Of the rccs of information that now ac
cessble on the subject and has presented the fruit
of his researches in an attractive form His volume
which is written in a temperate and impartial spirit
and m a style of frequent beauty and animation, will
take M honorable place among the historical mono
graphs which zurich our literature.