The New York herald., 1870-10-23


The new era, which lasted long, was pre-
eminently the era of Papal triumph. For the
first time since the conversion oil the Roman
empire-for the first time since the alliance OF
Church and State--the Supreme Pontif was
more potent than the Caesar.
Over that long interval which reaches down
to the Reformation and the times of Charles
the Fifth, the last of the great Emperors OF
the West, it would be delightful to lingcr-
an interval which Witnessed the humiliation as
well as the triumph Of the Papacy, which saw
Popes captive at Avignon and rival Popes
hurling against each other their mimic thun-
ders, as well as proud Emperors grovelling in
the dust and pleading for Papal mercy, and
during which the States system of Europe
slowly but sffectually developed itself-but
our present purpose renders this impossible.
In the order Of time the next great master Of
Europe was Charles the Fifth. Charles, it
would seem, was born under q happy star.
The rise of numerous powerful States all over
Europe made 1t more difficult than ever for
any one to obtain the mastery of all the
VsuCios fluhNC uoU OCCVMC y IOWtT VI Tile
first rank. So had England. So had Spain.
The empire for some generations, had been
more nominal than real French and English
Kings, rather than German or Roman Empe-
rors, had become the terror of the Papacy.
But fortune was on the side Of Charles from
his birth, and under him the empire revived
much Of its ancient splendor and all its ancient
power The Netherlands, Spain and her colo
nies, the Austrian territories and all that
belonged to the House of Hapsburg, fell to
him by right Of inheritance. In 1920 he was
chosen to succeed his grandfather, Maximil-
ian, as Emperor of Germany. The conquest
of Mexico and Peru made him virtually the
master of two continents. No such power had
been possessed by one man since the days of
Among the princes of Europe
there were but two that could be regarded as his
rivals. But Henry VIII. found sufficient occu-
patton at home; and the battle OF Pavia, 1926,
prisoner, left Charles master of the situation.
Through the agency of the Constable de
Bourbon he humbled and imprisoned the
Pope, and Sultan Solyman the Magnificent
felt and confessed the weight of his
arms In 1880 Charles and the Pope were
reconcied, and Clement VII. placed on his
head the imperial crown, just seven hundred
md thirty-one years after it had been placed
On the head of his great namesake by Leo ILL.,
Then, for the last time, did Pope and Caesar
,onspire and enter into compact against
he liberties of mankind. Charles was
great monarch; but his
eign was illustrious rather than successful.
Ie fought against, not for, progress. AS
lied. His life purpose was failure. The
&c of Michael Angelo, Ariosto and Raphael, |
Wolsey and Cromwell, of Luther and Me-
was not to be held under the heel of |
ny despot. The love of liberty had begun to
e more potent than the fear of kings; and 80 |
/ was that Charles, having partitioned his |
lomnions, filed with modification and disgust,
etired to reflect on the past and prepare for
he future amid the seclusion and pious sur
oundings of the Monastery of Yuste
After the death of Charles power passed
rst to Spain and then to France. In the times
f Louis KILL and Louis XIV, and under the
uidance of two such ministers as Richelieu
nd Mazarin, France reached the climax of her |
mbition and of her glory. Louis XIV. was
mbitious of universal empire; and, although
e was not successful in realizing the object of
lis ambition, he became certainly the might
st monarch of his time. Nothing but an
lin from bringing the whole Cont
,ent under his sway. His reign was
lustrious beyond that of any of his
predecessors. His court became the model
court Of Europe; great generals led his armies;
great statesmen directed his councils, and
science, art and letters fonrished under his
patronage. But his costly wars and the ex-
travagance Of his court made France COM
paratively weak in the two succeeding reigns.
and sowed the seeds which in 1889 and subse-
quent years brought forth such harvest of
desolation. The memory Of Louis is badly
stained by his revocation of the edict of Nantes
and by the brutal persecution Of his Protestant
subjects. How the French recovered power
under the first Napoleon every reader knows
In that great but bad man all The genius of
Julius Caesar and all the genius of Charlie
magne seem to have been united. His
genius, in fact, was loftier, more comprehen-
sive and more brilliant than that of either.
Never before had such dash and daring been
exhibited on the battle field. Never before
was there such wisdom, such energy, such
decision in council. il was his proud boast
that he had taken up the long disused sceptre
OF Charlemagne and that he had been born
for universal empire. AT no time in the
history Of the world, before or since, was
absolute and universal empire SO near the
grasp of one man. Much as he did to break
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