New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-22

Professor Gindely belongs to the school OF pans
taking and thorough explorers who OF late years
have found rich fields of historical research III
diplomatic archives and other unpublished papers
long concealed from the eye of the student. lie be-
leves that the most valuable work of the historian
Is 10 be done IN tracing the ntrigues of courts ana
cabinets and LAYING bare state secrets rather thah
IN describing battles or investigating conditions oil
society and tendencies of popular thought FOR GER
tain periods of history his method is the right one
To those who have been accustomed to look upon
the Thirty Years War as the critical series oil IN
cidcnts in a great struggle of the human mind TO
free itself from the principle of authority in religion
II will perhaps seem as if for this particular period
another kind of treatment would have been prefer
abe-as if we should have been better served by
survey of the growth of ideas. and an inquiry
into the influence Of the people upon the
policy of their rulers. But we must avoid the COM
mon error Of installing consequences for causes Inc
leaders of the Thirty Years War neither foresaw
nor quite intended the results which followed Their
action. Whatever may have been the religious
difficulty which lay back of it, the contest itself
was almost entirely selfish struggle OF kings ana
princes IN which the share of the people was to suffer
and obey. Ii is doubtful, according TO our author
whether even the first cause of the war was not
more political than religious. But whatever
long duration was caused only by material inter
ests All the princes and statesmen who
came successlvey to participate in the Thirty Years
War wished 10 augment their power by triumph
This is true of Ferdinand ii. and Macmillan OF
Bavaria of Louis Mi. and his Minister. Cardinal
Richcleu. of Gustavus Adolphus and Oxenstlern.
Having once drawn the sword, the question was ~
same with all-increase of territory and people
All the words with which they tried 10 conceal this
purpose were empty phrases, which never deceived
those who employed them" Professor Gindcy
afterward qualities this sweeping charge so far as
II refers 20 Gustavus AdOphus. and explicitly con-
tradicts il as TO Ferdinand; but it is just char
acterizaton of the struggle in general
The authors cold impartiality EFFORTS our admra-
ton even as we look in dismay at the shattered
fragments of popular idols, There are no heroes
in this unmerciiul narrative. The Protestant revolt
begins with a hidcous conspiracy to murder; and
although the authors sympathies arc unreservedly
with the Protestant cause il would be difficult TO
say upon which party he lays the greater blame for
cruelty and rapacity. The excuses of the soldiers
on both sides were devilish. Both sides pillagcd,
tortured and masSacrcd friend and foe indscrim-
natcly, without regard TO creed; and although the
army of Gustayus Adolphus at first offered signal
example of discipline and temperance. even these
wcll-trained troops gave way 70 excess under the
temptations of victory. The severe measures of
confscation and repression adopted by the Emperor
Ferdinand after his successes over the Protestant
league are forcibly described; but it is made plain
that the difference between the policy of Ferdinand
and that of his adyerSaros was one of opportunity
rather than of principle. 1t is upon Ferdinand ii.
and Macmillan of Bavaria, as the leaders of the
Catholic reaction, that the wrath of historians has
principally fallen. Macmillan, however. is pre-
scented here as an exceptionally capable ruler and
Ferdinand is almost the only conspicuous person
age in the story who shines by his private virtues.
it is true that Professor Gndely, while he pays
nmple trbute TO the fervor of the Empcrors con-
yiction, the purity of his life and the absolute un-
leihshness of his motives ceusurcs him severely for
"squanderiug" his time in acts Of picty, and
sumes that he was a bad king precisely because he
was a good man but the faacy of considering his
faults as the necessary consequence of his virtues
j. obvious 1t is through lack of the lofty integrity
Of motive which distinguished Ferdinand that his
great adversary. Gu>tayUs AdophuS falls short Of
the IDEAL standard. His was much stronger and
more imposing nature than the EmpeTOTs. Like
Ferdinand he was much given to religious and as
Cctc practices but even when he prayed he must
have been more concerned about this world than
the next In the early part of his career he was
swayed, like most men, 10y conviction and ambition
acting IN concert and it is impossible to say which
Of these two springs OF action was the stronger !;
but a. DE became conscious of his power and oppor
tunitIcs he yielded TO his ambition the controlling
part, and although he still represented himself to
his adhoIcntS as the avcnger OF the injustice which
they suffered, lie was fully conscious that he was
avengng them in his own interests In this light
he appears not as an ideal hero of the faith but as
q man subject to this universal human infrmity."
His prctenSons continually rose with his victories
That hc mediatcd the cstahl smment of Scandina-
wan empire was not concealed; but Professor
Cudcly makes no doubt that he looked far be-
youd that project and purposed founding for him
self dominion in Germany, at the expense not only
of the Catholics whom he fought, but of the
Protcstants who hailed him as their champion He
gave the Protestant Estate. to understand that he
expected to be paid from their possessions and they
were not li;tlc embarrassed by his demands, yet
his schemes were even greater than they suspected
There never was any foundation for the contem-
porary belief that his death at iutzen was caused
by an assassin Professor Gndely's researches
however. in the Spanish archives have brought to
light the fact, hitherto unknown, that nearly a
year before the battle person not named did offer
90 murder the King for certain sum of money
The proposal was made at Vienna TO a Spanish
Capuchin and two Spanish ambassadors and was
referred 10 Madrid with their approval, and was
rejected by Philip ". rs "not worthy of mighty
and Just King" Next TO Ferdinand and Gustavus
Adolphus tho most conspicuous portrait in Profes-
81 GIndely- gallery IN Walleustein or as the name
ought to be spelled and pronounced, Waldsten.
The character of the great commander is painted in
the most rcpusiye colors and the historian is en-
tircly convinced of his treason, which, although
generally believed ill., has been thought to be not
quite proved The original documents which our
suthor has consulted TO him not only to leave
II beyond doubt that Waenstein was in infa-
nous conspiracy against his own sovereign, and
had gone far IN his preparations to turn over his
army 20 the enemy, but they destroy the force of
ihe considerations upon which some other histo-
rans have founded more or less palliatiOn of this
famous crime. 4 further discussion of the Wallen-
TEN case well as Of the ambitious schemes of the
SncdIsh KING is rcserNed fora henarate mobilization