New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-06
TIMES OF LOUIS XIV.
EUROPE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CEN
TURY
EUROPE. 15ss-17l5 by Henry Omey Wakem1a.n
NJ A. Period V PIP. viii. 800. Macmillan Go
(Perlods of European History

NJ. A.. Period V. PIP. viii. 800. Macmillan & co.
periods Of European History
Mr. Wakemans study of Europe In the seven
teenth century. that is from the peace OF Yer
wins 10 the death Of Louis XIV, IL really his
tory Of France. to which the good and bad for
tunes of the other states Of the Continent are
mere episodes. The long duel between France
and England. which ended at Waterloo began
in the seventeenth century. But it IS hardly
more than incidental to the affairs Of that pc
Rod. The beginnings Of Prussan power and OF
Russian power began to be seen. but not even
the most acute statecraft limited as yet at such
triumphs as Sadowa and Sedan, and 1t can
hardly be said that the Muscovite riddle has
been solved even at this late day. The seven
teenth century saw the ancient struggle between
Asia and Europe. with its migrating Oriental
foods Of population reduced to the style Of a
diplomatic dispute hencefOrth to be labelled THE
Eastern Question" 1t witnessed the rise and
fall of Gothic power for the last time In Europe.
Orderly 1t was in military sense the fierce
movement of the Swedes to the southwark. under
Gustavus Adolphus and Charles XII was not
altogether unlike those which had beaten down
the Roman Empire II was indeed against the
pretended successor Of that empire that Gus
tavus Adolphus directed his arms The seven
tenth century saw the beginnings Of the mod
ern army systems Of Europe: ii the ma
lions settling down to the methods Of govern
ment which most Of them have retained to the
present day; it saw the end Of war on account
Of religious controversies The boundaries were
drawn. and they have hardly been changed
since between Professionalism and Catholicism.
One may almost say that above a certain par
oIlol lo,s. a. iy otot 70
with an elaborate religious hierarchy largely ex-
ternal to II, as II Is to find non-Ca thollc state
in the South Of Europe. With the single ex-
cepton Of France the great nations Of the Con-
tnent are still as they were in the seventeenth
century monarchles absolute in theory. Mr..
Wakeman points to these facts and remarks
that the formation Of the modern European ma
tonal unities is 1.-THE main element OF contnu-
Gus interest and Importance In the history Of the
seventeenth century; that Is to say. the acquisi-
ton by the chief European States Of the bound
aries. which they have since substantially re-
tained the adoption by them OF the form of gov
eminent to which they have since adhered. and
the assumption by them. relatively to the other
states. OF a position and influence In the affairs
Of Europe which they have since enjoyed"
The Reformation left France better united
politically that It had ever been before. Incon-
ceivable abuses and corruption could not destroy
French National feeling. and Henry " had only
TO accept formally the religion Of the masses 10
have their enthusiastic support In his difficult
but victorious conflict with the nobility. The re-
action Of the sixteenth century against Protest
antism strengthened France. while II merely in
tensihed the anarchy which had existed from the
Middle Ages in Germany beneath the imperial
and electoral system. All the horrors Of the
Thirty Years War were required to settle re-
ligious boundaries But that terminated
many OF the claims OF the Empire and trans
ferred the question OF supremacy In Germany
to the North. The kind Of federalism exhibited in
the Holy Roman Empire was a failure. Mean
while the principle of federalism tried at the
mouth of the Rhine with very different results
The liberation, which was the best part Of
Professionalism. when rightly interpreted proved
as good basis of agreement for the United
Provinces as Catholicism did for France and
the federal bond. then wholly experimental
proved strong enough TO sustain the attack of
Spain and subsequently that Of Louis XIV. Mr..
Wakeman maintains that the Dutch power re-
manned intact mainly on account Of the weak
ness Of It's neighbors. Neither France nor Eng