New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-08
THE STORY OF MONARCHY.
A TRANSLATION OF NJ. DURUYs MOD
ERN TINES"


HISTORY OF MODERN TIMES. From the Fall all
V,cior Duruv Translated and Revised. Win
Notes Edwin na Professor Professor OF
History in Smith College. and formerly rro-
pie PIP. XVII $40 Henry Holt x CO.
"The day when our peasants shall wish TO be-
.,,,. snlishtened. both you and l." said Catherine
II 10 the Governor of Moscow. will lose our
nlaces" She undoubtedly spoke the sentiment OF
her time The question Is whether her conclusion
followed from her premises. NJ Duruy In the
present volume Of his history, so well TRANSLATED
hy Professor Grosvenor. tells the story OF mon
archy In Europe. He begins the modern per'oo
tentatively In the year 1853. that being the oa'e
nearest to all the various events wh,ch HarA 'n0
change from medieval 10 modern impulses 4"
the Middle Ages there were kings. but the Kihsiy
power as afterward understood was almost He'e'
exercised II subject 10 TOO many Viciss'
tuaos One might almost describe the growth OF
the royal system in Europe by figures OF speech
drawn from natural science. AS there are IN mo
realm OF nature animals Of the single CELL otners
q, many cells though formless, and others risihg
IN every stage Of perfection. so there were IN the
medieval period ndividualism. anarchic groups
% Individuals cities whose burghers hardy
acknowledced a head, and little realms tyrahh-
calv administered around every castle win an
occasional greater organism which sought inoie
or less faithfully to reproduce the lor''S VI
ancient empire Under this political CONFUSION !"
was the people, ard particularly the lowest Oh ''e
peopIe who suffered; but already long pe1ore the
middle OF the fifteenth century the tendehcies
were obvious toward different state OF Things
The divisions OF Europe which for ages had oeh
hardly more thar geographical Terms oesa"
Zach 70 have a life Of its own. AS every Ma
ord
Frenchman began to look toward Paris, every
I,rrlishman toward London every German, hope
,essIv perhaps toward Vienna. Rome which had
mad been the capital OF Christendom. began to be
only the capital of Italy and sometimes OF very
small mart of italy, As this feeling OF nationahty
strengthened in the minds of men there was 1elt
the need characteristic of the medieval centuries
and Of some subsequent ages. for personal SYM
Dol of the new ideas The unconscious preference
Of the people for the single authority OF 'he
king as against the confused power OF warning
nobility was shown In almost every case "heTe
the king was worthy OF any respect Whatever.
II Is true that the conflict against the tyranny Oh
John Lakeland carried on by the Ehshsn
barons; but John was a most unworthy KING anu
the demands which the barons made were de-
mands which the people themselves wouid nave
made In later times absolutism alternated In
When the ruler was wise and the nation was
,,rosnarous as under the Tudors the royal au-
thority was undisputed In the midst OF rehs-
ions discomfort and commercial adversely resist
ance to the king as under he Stuarts, went even
TO the measure of his destruction.
With France the case was different. The
novers Of the mobiles were hardly weakened
throughout the long course Of the Middle Ages.
Commerce was hampered in every direction by
the burdens laid upon it in every petty domain.
One can hardly say that the idea OF trade as
understood in England had yet taken root In
France. Though the people, above any o'heI
peopIe in Europe. were stirred by the leeiihs Oh
national unity. they had hardly discovered no"
necessary royalty was to the realization OF 'Hei'
hopes. The practical aspect OF politics was lar
from being understood. 1t was even further from
being understood in Germany and IN Italy. Inc
Caeue aspiration OF knighterrantry still actuaeu
the Continent. AS the knight USED MS estate
mainly to promote his ambitions as WARRIOR 80
,he King NJ France and the Emperor Of Germany
used the realms which were al their disposai
almost exclusively 10 their personal ends. The
kings of England had done the same thing put
they were dealing with an extremely pracuca'
,eonle who demanded results for themselves as
well as for their rulers. 1t Is doubtful whether
monarchy In France ever escaped from the IAN
c,fu decisions with which It started But mon
archy even absolute monarchy, was a necessary
step toward the goal Of civilization. Whether IL
Is the final step Is still an open question IL hius'
be remembered that OF all the nations which had
absolute monarchy at the outset OF the modern
ner,od only two England and France. have ser1-
ous,v modified their system. Austria Is governed
practically as she centuries ago. Inc rest
Of Germany abandoned the ancient feudai mon
archy for a system better but not less aro'trary'
Russia is now. II has always been. an au'oc-
racy. There are few indications OF even the wish
N change the present condition Of things in those
emp,res. These things should be remembered IN
the midst Of the democratic enthusiasm OF the
present day. 1t is true, as NJ Duruy says tha'
1.-THE development OF individual activity ana moi
,,idual rights conjointly with the strength OF the
State IL the problem Of our age and VIII be the
dominant characteristic OF future society; but II
Is not SO clear that the majority OF civilized races
are turning toward Republicansm as the soie
means OF solving the problem. Those OF use WIN
are sincere Republicans may regret 'his' ou' ''7
fact should not be lost sight OF by those VINO NJ
tempt to forecast the future OF Europe. III 'heSe
last aav. government is seen to be thoroughly
matter OF business and there Is no reason why
ROYALTY. even absolute royalty. may not persist
indefinitely II It's methods are business-hhe'
III. methods OF the French monarchy never
.avored Of business NJ. Duruy, In summing up
the character and achievements OF Louis AlN'
contrasts the enormous amount OF the puo'0
treasury turned to the personal use OF 'he MON
..oh With the comparatively meagre expendi-
,urs IN public works. Louis XIV left France on
the verge of bankruptcy. No modern European
ruler could do that and expect to transmit MS
mower undiminished to his successor. Nearly
one-tenth OF the people, wrote Vaupan' ai'ei
the War of the Succession. ARE reduced 10 Deg
gary; OF the other nine five cannot give aims
10 the tenth. from whose condition they DO not
differ; three are in very straitened circuh