The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-08


the London merchant themselves owned him
master In matters Of trade. II ls well to mark
Mr.. Green's definition OF the aim to which Laud
addressed all the powers OF his mind and will,
for they remain imprinted to this day upon
large II not dominant section OF the English
clergy. His resolve was to raise the Church Of
England to what he conceived to bo its real
position as branch though n reformed branch.
Of tho great Catholic Church throughout the
world. Protesting alike against the innovations
OF Rome and tho Innovations OF Calvin. he
based its doctrines and usages on those OF
| tho Christian communion in the centuries
which preceded the Council OF Nicpa. In Laud's
view, Episcopal succession was Of the essence
| OF a church. and by their rejection OF bishops
| the Calvinistlc conventices Of Germany. Swift
zerland. and France had ceased to be churches
Mt ALL But as the Anglican prelate drew further
| from the Professionals Of the Continent. he inev-
| itably drlfted nearer to Rome. Indeedhis theory
owned Rome MS n true branch OF the Church.
though disngurod by errors which he re-
pudlated. but with the removal OF these OBJ
stacles reunion would naturally follow. The
secret offer OF Cardinals hat nttested the con-
viction of the Curla that Laud was doing their
work for them while his rejection Of 1t may DO
thought to prove that he was doing II uncon-
sciously. Upon the whole. Laud seems to have
regarded union with the great body OF Catholi-
cism rs work which only time could bring
about. but iF which he could prepare the
Church OF England by raising 1t to a higher
standard OF Catholic feeling and Catholic prac-
| tice.
Among tho statesmen and leaders on tho Par
| liamentary side. Mr.. Green assigns the highest
place not to Hampden. but to Pym. John Pym
was sc years old when. In 1910. he entered tho
| Long Parliament. OF tho band Of patriots with
| bpt ho huI ooIparotpI N tho constitutional
struggle against the earlier encroachments OF
| Charles he was almost tho one survivor Went
worth was an apostatc while Coke. Cotton. and
| Elliot were dead but Pym remained the most
popular man" says Clarendon in words nota-
bic for their bitterness, :" and tho most able to
do hurt that have lived at any time" Pym's elo-
! quence inferior in holiness and spendor TO
Wentworth's alone. was backed by calmnoss
OF temper. n dexterity and order in the man
agement Of public business, and a practical
power OF shaping the course Of debate which
gave a new form and method to Parliamentary
| proceedings. But the conclusive demonstration
OF Pym's statesmanike ability was the clear
ness with which he saw the vital principle Of the
| English Government and was able to forecast
the British Constitution as we see II in our own
day. The legal antiquarians OF his time stood
helpless before conflict OF coordinate powers
and the mass OF contradictory presidents. Pym
was the FIRST Englshman who discovered and
applied TO the political circumstances around
him the doctrine OF constitutional proportion.
He discerned that as n dynamic element OF con-
stitutonal lfe Parliament was Of higher value
than tho crown. and that in Parliament itself
the one essential motor was the House OF Com
mons. On these facts he based his policy.
When Charles refused TO act with the Parlia-
ment Pym treated the refusal as a temporary
abdicatiOn. which must needs vest the executive
power In the two Houses pending new arrange
ments. When the Lords INSTRUCTED public bust
ness he warned them that their attitude would
only force the Commons to save the kingdom
alone. Revolutionary as these principles seemed
at the time. they are now. OF course. the recog-
nized bases Of English polty. The first princi-
pie was established in l6SS-the second by the
acknowledgment on all sides since the Reform
bill OF 1892 that tho government OF tho country
really belongs to an executive committee Of the
House Of Commons
Mr.. Green tells us something about Pym's
private life. and here the great Parliamentary
chief is depicted in very pleasing aspect. II
would seem that few natures had ever been
wider In their range Of sympathy or action.
Serious as his controlling purpose was, his
manners woro genial. and even courtly. He
turned easily from fierce invective against
STAFFORD. or profound analysis OF the organic
law. TO n chat with Lady Carise-indeed the
grace and gayety Of his social tone gave rise "a
hundred silly scandals among the prurienI
Royalists. It was doubtless this striking com
bination in his nature Of genial versatility with
massive force which marked him out from tho
first moment Of power as a born ruler Of men
He proved himself at once the subtlest Of dipo-
matists and the grandest Of domagogucs.
When we remember what masters Of effective
statement. from Abraham Cowley to Thomas
Carlyle. have undertaken to portray the char
actcr and achievements OF Oliver Cromwell Il
reflects not a little honor on the author OF this
history that his picture OF tho great Protector
may be scanned even after theirs with prof
and satisfaction. He does not endorse the notion
embedded In literature from Clarendon tC
Victor Hugo. that Cromwells greatness wai
, clouded with self-seeking-thath he was q species
, Of Caesar masked behind Tartuffe. Like Car
, lyle. Mr. Green has faith in the goodness o
Cromwell in the disnterestedness and breadth
Of his designs. Ho believes the Protector wal
: sincere when he burst out to the Parliament a
the very zenith OF his fortune. God knows
would have been glad to have lived under mi
woodsido, and TO have kept flock OF sheer
rather than to have undertaken this govern
ment" Whatever dreams Of personal ambition
may have mingled consciously or un
I consciously with his aim. Mr.. Greer
< |
q main. been high and unselash one
a that in his course. which. TO our modern eyes
y seems so strange and complex. he saw
+ divine hand. which drew him from the sheep
4 folds to mould England into a people OF God
: Like almost every soldier in his army. h
4 held that by the victories God had given then
9 He had so called them to look after tn
4 government Of the land. and so intruste
n them with tho welfare OF all His people. tina
:. they were responsible for it, and might not Il
q conscience, stand still while anything was don
a which they thought was against tho interest q
# the people OF God" He had no wish to chang
= tho outer shell Of the nations political or socig
Is life; he would maintain social distinctions n
d, he would maintain Parliaments But the ruler
# OF England must be tho cody men, an
d their rule must be wldened beyond the commo
, sphere Of temporal government. In a wor,
IS the aim Of the Protector was that Englan
Nv should be ruled and administered by tho best
# by men ruling and administering in the fear
M God. OF course. such a theory seemed realize
10 at lust in the administration Of the Major-Ger
20 erals
to In tho eyes OF zealots. tho work Of the Lor
III seemed done. whom every officer in the arm