New-York tribune., 1886-11-14
HENRY OF NAVARRO.
TIE HUGUENOTS UNDER VALOlS AND
ROIIRBON.

VI.
xviii. 525 Charles scribners sons
Professor Baird's important work, which began
with his "IIistory OF the Rise OF the fiuguenoS
Of France" makes in this second istalment an
im,rosve advance toward completion The time
covered by the narrative is only thirtysix years,
embracing the reicns OF Henry Ill and Henry
" but il is epoch crowded with eAtraoIulhhty
events and big with far-reaching consequences
not only 10 the Reformed churches but TO the
whole afterhistory OF the French people. 1t in
cudes the stubborn resistance which the IIugue-
nots offered. under the Protectorship Of Henry OF
Navarro. 10 tyrannical and prosecuting King
the rise and domination OF the arrogant League,
which made INSCRIPTIONS use of religious animosi-
ties fo prouote the ambition OF the Guises until
H. became a more serious menace to the crown
than oven to the Protcstans the murder OF
Guise: the strange reconciliation and alliance be-
tween Henry LII. and Henry of Navarro. when
atbc fribbleu and "the hero locked embraces :;
tho union of Catholic and Protestant under
Henry Iy's banner TO fight the I.eague and the
Spaniard the pacifcation of the kingdom by
| IIcniy's double policy of embracing the Roman
Catholic faith for himself and granting freedom
of worship and equal political rights to the Prot
cstants by tho Edict Of Nantes and lastly the
murder of the King at moment when he was pre-
parjnr 10 play a great role in foreign politics. 1t
a
in those two rcicns and the rapid succession Of in
cidcnts and sudden development of unexpected
situations offer tempting subject for the histori
| cal writcr Professor Baird has already made so
distinguished reputation by the closeness of his
researches into IIugucnot records, his patient study
of original and not very accessible authorizes
and the strength Of his sympathics with the
French Reformcrs. that 1t is almost superiluous
to call attention to the fresh display of these quail
itics in the present volumes. He is entitled to a
| prominent place among the American scholars who
have treated history not as a mere literary eHcr-
else but as an exact science. A man of strong
convictions, he has certainly no wish to conceal
hi, detestatlon of the Catholic party in this memor
able struggle or his belief in the worst charges
which have been made against their Pores and
other leaders Impartality in matters Of this sort
Is tbe last praise which his pcferyid Protestant
! ism would desire No earnest believer on either
side can write impartially Of the wars OF re-
li.ion" and none but an earnest believer is quail
fed to write on that sub ect at all. Even those,
however, who do not share all Professor Bard's
opinions will see that he has performed one OF the
historians chief duties in going back TO first
sources for his facts and giving everybody oppOr-
tlnity to test his conclusions.
In this second part OF Professor Bairds work
the purely religious element is far less conspicous
than in the first On the side of the lluguenols
the story is Of sturdy, continuous demand
for equality rather than of heroic endurance
under the c1ielics Of actual persecution. and their
courage was tried by open battle more than the
prison and the gbbct Something Of the old
spirit, the old igor the old constancy, is missed
| in these halfsccular contests AMI something too
one is glad TO say. of the old fcsocity. in which
the two parties used occasionally to run each Other
| lard On the Catholic side faith and politics
soon made their unhOly alliance so close that the
Church was dragged at the heels OF Henry oi
Guse and Philip Of Spain; and hatred of hercsy
was stimulated by intriguing princes who only
| worked for the crown while they were shouting
for God. "Every one Of them" said Pope six
tIs ", wishes 10 become not better ChI1suoT
but q greater lord A hundred ambitious mel
would like TO bo kings, an1 since they cannot bC
| kings of the whole of mighty state like France
they try at roud 10 tv ,'iOee- ~ad end
fragment on which they may settle and make
| themselves mimic sovercigns." In reading his
tory our enthusiasm for cause is apt To merge
itself in admiration for the leader. In accordance
with that love of pcTsOnifcation which Is the UNI
versal instinct Of the popular imagination Bu
in this second stage OF Huguenot history there i
no leader upon whom the religious sentiment cal
dwell with any satisfaction. Professor Baird
portrait Of Henry of Navarro Is by no means HAT
tering it perhaps does less than Justice 10 th
strong traits of character which with all 1T
glaring faults seems manly by comparison VIII
his rivals. The fame Of Henry ". owes mucl
to the baseness Of Henry Ill. There is no NOR
odious figure in the Sixteenth Century than tn
last king of the house of Valois, who varied hi
amours with cxtIavagant ceremonial devotions
and turned from pentential professions to Tn
arms of his mstIesses. One day he walks tn
treet barefoot in the disguise of penitent: tn
, next he is amusing himself in petticoats, with
pearl necklace instead Of q rosary lie secures
, Paris in person to appropriate all tn
, dogs he could find OF certail
a favorite breed, and when the Dutch am
bassadors came TO offer him the sovereignty of Tn
I Netherlands, he received them with a basket o
, the precious pets slung from his neck. lie wa
fanatic without religion who dosed his cowardl
conscience with unaccs OF worship like those o
, the Salvation Army and dreamed Of compoundin
for ewd life by forcing the faith Of his subjects
The great objects Of his royal qest werc puppies
paiamours and professions Of conformity. Chan
pon OF the Church. he murdered the Duke o
(iuisc when the Catholic League became too stron
= for him and 1t the irony Of reuibution tina
he should be murdered In turn by crazy monk
r After the passing away OF this travesty Of
n kim frank and jovial fIee-thn1er like IIonr
q of Navarro was something Of q relief His privat
Q | morals were no better than those Of Valois hi
| conscience was q great deal worse. lie was twic
> a Protestant he was twice Catholic but h
Z was not fcIIle for he always pursued object
f the succession TO the throne and he was not e'
. actly hypocIite, for he hardly pretended TO en-
: brace the religions to which he successfully col
formed After the massacre Of ST. Bartholome'
o he abjured the Reformed creed in which he ha
Is been educated, since it safer TO live at coul
IS as q Catholic When the time ripe to pas
h himself at the head Of the Huguenot party he e
/ from Paris and tho and resumed his old pr
n fession After the Huguenots had helped him
d the crown he bought the submission of the LeaSl
Is by second renunciation Of ProteStantism al
II liberal grants of revenue and honor
J. No change of worship disturbed his mistIesse
The world, which contrasts his masculine inide