New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

The leading paper in the present NUMBER
contains variety Of interesting details on the history
of tho Reformation France, accounting forlts Iure'
and giving series OF vivid sketches OF seVera OF inc
promneut men OF letters whose names are eohnecoeo
Win the movement When Calvin first looked to France
for aid in his vast religious enterprise he early sought
the sympathy the scholars of that day IL was ovt
the rising dawn Of French scholarship but there Were
already men in France who asked nothing OF the word
but leisure study the enjoyment OF books aud the
repose OF mind essential TO the cultivation OF H'eraue'
With them q question OF language was matter
Of life ana death; their fayortte taN was OF
tdioms ana TRANSACTIONS; they quarrelea over nouns
and verbs; and waged fierce war over doubtful
reading. "when" says Erasmus" latter great deal
OF poring they can spell ont the inscriptions OF some
battered monuments, Lordl what joy what triumph
II was mistake to expect that these men would take
an actve part in behalf OF religious REFORM Dat IL sh
have been presumed that their influence at least would
have been given in it's favor The position OF KaDeas
especially 40 this respect is described by tue Wfies'
with keen discrimination
TWAS not the business Of Rlbelais 70 he religious
teacher OF refOrmeF. he was, before an thss, tu
NJ srienre and scholar Several things, indeed he de-
sired ardentyhat people should be allowed lieery OF
Thought =, @ eS made n5ces OF culture
that learning should be respected IN lgh places tna'
the Ignorance OF bigOts Should be kept In proper suoec
on tbal the science % botany, anatomy aud medicine
shou be emancp2ted from the thrall OF medl8Val pre-
ndices; TIA, gentle should be taught to hgh
md low mat the fOcs Of aIchemists and astfOi0ges
fhould be duly exposed; and that those evils with
which the world was then infected foolish judges, cum
orous laws greedy Priests pedantic scholars mgh Oy
tnc and OF u0cue Gud satire, be seetche not kiSu,
Radicals was q great social reiormer buJ ,a nc
was not a religious reformer. Was he careless
about religion lie was more than careless . SO .re
hostile 70 any existing form eI REASON, We tHeT
doubt whatever that the names Of CALVIN anu L3ned
as uusayory to RaoeaIs rs teat ot vi tI t NO
teverishy jealous blgoted Or BeI Iia NJ 'nen, o
Oc,fi lie bad that belief which mon IN an ages COZ,
tract who gather their religion from nature aSG odv am
his plsHts in the stars VA tne h9s nVy t
order perfect and SO wonderful thht nc noeuS Je NUS
% b- Thousand forms oflife myriad profuson,
reckless what became Of each, and might have ASKED
With the poet
"Sre God snd Sairre then at strife
Taa Nature leads .neh evll dreams
So careless o. tie singh life"
lie CAV further that life, lavshlY produced aud ne
tSe deI body of tie nan as well as OF the insect,
4 ,mes the nOurishmeRt which makes the grasses rich,
when he asked OF Nature 70 tel him more he was met
with that cold silence which awaits AL who dare
tae secret Of Death, the Great HereafteT-these
nS' DENIED 5sSesG p p cSSsaa IS h Ra5
are possible for science 10 discover, save only
lok IN that place where answer IS gwen 70 the sec
6n 10 take Ills part in the great struggle of the day.
anHwSreJ by n le Of defision. IL was the same gibe
he had tor the orthodox-or he hated them an, And no
nrcbaey ever vii have anything ike the influence Of
RibelaIs; ms books were like textbooks read re-
ms own friends and disciples were al the leaders and
daYthe great Du Bellay family, MarOt
DOlet Lyon Janet, Maurice SCeye, Sale aud the rest
and. remembering all this, can We doubt that the lnd
ference lOu which has been FOR 200 years CHAR
actcrstc OF modern France rising sometimes TO general
aud national nndety Is largely due 10 the influence OF
Iibelais aud the balls which he first set rOllinsf
OF the poet Marot, have also brief characteristic
sketch.
a light hearted, free-ivng, sweetnatured man, q
butterfly regards opinions, but with whole
tendency TO freedom and light; man OF doubtful
morals, scholar writer with keen sense OF fun
and humOr poet who saw In the greasy, dirty monk
the delightful subject possible for ms pen; and
any amount of grOveng necessary 10 get himself
and lney him TO write their side
but q roig1Ous refOrmer, because not religious
IL cannot be too strongly insisted upon that no
religious change no lasting religious movement Is pos
eUe WEerc the leaders are themselves PROFOUNDLY
penetrated with real religion. such meu were Luther,
Calvin, Lamer Hooper, and others OF the time, SUCH,
too those Frcnchmen who chose TO remain
In their church. Leevre and ROussel But such was
not kabelais nor Mar0t.
The writer up bis views Of Rabelais in q few
pregnant words. HIS famous book the death OF
earnesness in France. IL found craving for bet
ter faith ard IL left doubt OF the reality OF truth
Profoundly he was author who ever lived in
aicted such lasting injury his country. The earnest
ness OF Luther and Calvin had no chance in France,
ghen the keptcsm and nOckery OF Rsbeals lad seized
upon .ue national mind.