New-York tribune., 1879-12-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE UucuENoTs OF FRANCE.

although strictly speaking Of an ecciesiast'cai
character. may be considered as Identical with tue
political history of France for period OF nov less
than half century, 1t embraces the time from the ac
cesion of Fraucis In 1918 to the death of Charles
lX in 1874, st which epoch the doctrines OF 'ue
Reformation had become well-grounded in France
and the Huguenois had outcrown the fecbieness OF
Infancy and stood as a distinct and powerful booN
before the religious world. In preparing the
learned and elaborate work. which viii give the
name of the author an honorable place on the dis
fineushed list OF American historians. Professor
Raira has made iudcious use OF the researches
and discoveries which, during the last thirty years.
have shed fresh licht on the history of France at
The era Of the Reformation. Among the ample
stores Of knowledge which have been laid open to
his inquiries the archives of the pnncpal
capitals of Europe, which have been Thoroughly
explored for the first time during that
period. Numerous manuscripts OF great Value,
for the most part unknown 20 the learned
world have been rescued from ohscurity
At tho side of the yOlumipous chronicles
long since printcd n rich abundance Of contem-
rorary correspondence and hitherto inedited me-
rnoirs has accumulated which afford n cnpious col
lection of hfe-like ard Trustworthy views OF the
past The secrets Of ii dpomacy have been revealed
The official statements drawn M for the puohc
may now be tested by the more truthful and unguaru
eel accounts conveyed IN tlpneI 10 dA t"c A'i'Ae''
courts OF Europe. Ofnot less importance. perhaps,
thau the official publications the fruits of private
research among which are several valuable coliec-
tors Of original documents While the author has
not failed 10 enrich his pages with the materials
derived from these aud similar he has made
n careful and patent study of the host of original
rlroniclcs histories, and kindred Productions
which have long been more or less familiar to the
world of letters The fruits Of ls studious labors
a. presented IN these volumes. attest his dhgence
hi, fidelity his cquipoise of Judgment, his fairness
Of mind. his cleaTness of perception, and hiS &C
carncy Of statement.
Briefly touching upon some of the important
points discussed by Professor Baird, shall enable
our readers appreciate the soundness of his treat
iheni aud the interest of his narrative. Among the
popular opponents Of the Church of Rome prior to
the Reformation, the author gves rapid sketch of
The Cathar Abigeuses, of which sect or sects the
origin, he remarks. is obscure ard uncertain, and
The reportS of their creed and worship are neon
sstent OF Incredible. There remains scarcely one
authentic exposition Of the belief for which they
encountered death with heroic fortitude. The rec
ord of their faith and sclfdevOtion has been pre-
served only in chronicles of hostile ecclesiastics
But there is no doubt that large number of men
and women. quiet aud peaceabe in their disposition,
and honest in their lives. continued through long
series of years 10 protest against the worship OF
saints aud ANGELS, and the inventions of corrupt
church. Strange doctrinal errors, as Professor
Baird afirns. found foothod in parts al least Of
the extensive territory in Southern France occupied
by the Albigenses. Oriental dualsm probably dis
figured the creed of portions of the Sect The belief
OF ohers scarcely differed from that of the less
mcrous Waldcuscs Of Provence or of their brethren
of the valleys Of Piedmont. Bat the progress of the
Albieenses dnrng the latter part of the twelfth CEN
turv affords n remarkable anticipation of the revolt
Of the French mind against the priestly despotism
that crushed all freedom of thought, which three
hundred years later sprang on the same soil, and
bore the most abundant fruit.
With the suppression of the Albigenscs. there was
further popular protest against the errors of
The Church until the period Of the Reformation. The
name of HuguenOts first applied in 1860 to n
body of "comeOuters" in part religious. in part
also political. scattered France in uncertain
numbers The origin of the title is not known.
Several plausible derivations have been suggested,
but all of them probably equally remote from the
truth. 1t is most likely that the term from
some trivial circumstance that has completely
passed into oblivion The rise of the party was
rapid and unexpected. 1t sprang up. as II were. i'll
q night. The seed had been sown for nearly forty
years stlll the fruit had been comparatively light;
but now the harvest seemed, as by miracle, to
cover the whole surface of the extended field. Tie
grains of truth which had lain long in an arid soil.
apparently without life, now suddenly developed
into robust vitality. There not corner of the
KINGDOM IN which the germs OF Protestant churches
were not found In considerable numbers. In
large tracts of country the liuguenots had
become SO numerous that they longer
able even IL they had been so disposed, to
conceal their religious sentiments. nor content
20 celebrate their rites in private nocturnal
semblies. Among the causes of this sudden devel-
opment, Professor Baird refers to the remarkable
progress of letters in France during the previous
forty years. The French language had become the
most polite Of the tongues spoken in Western
Europe. Thanks 10 the schools foSterod by the
royal bounty, the public mind was in some measure
emancipated from the influence Of superstition 1t
perceived the absurdty of the romantic lives of the
saints with which people had formerly been sats-
fed The pretended miracles of the papal churches
aud converts were closely .inized aud the
tnckery exposed by which corrupt clergy sought
60 maintain itself in popular esteem. Next to the
Translation Of the Bible, the Christian Institutes"
of Calvin exerted the most powerful influence. The
close logic of that work and its clear and nervous
style touched chord of sympathy i'll every French
reader. and. while captivating the ear, made deep
imprt ssion on the intellect and heart. The version
of the Psalms by Marot and Beza, they were
waited into popularity by the novel beauty OF the
music to which they were sung, proved a powerful
aid TO the arguments Of the thcologian. They
tered the house OF the peasant, and invested its
homely scenes with calm derived from the con-
temptation Of the bliss Of a Heaven where
the heeting distinctions of the present shall
melt away They nerved the humble arii-
san to patience and TO the cheerful en-
durance of oboquy and reproach. They attracted
10 the gathering Of prosecuted retOrmers IN the by
street ia the retired barn, the open heath or
mountain side, the youth who preferred their