New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-26

TO punish offenders in this world Men might
we'll imagine that Supreme Court had now
been perfected for the settlement OF all DIS
putes under the law of nations. But Innocent
at the climax of Papal power. found. as his
predecessors had learned before him, that cold
steel was a law unto itself. The Ideal or
supreme spiritual power began to fade at tha
very moment when 1t seemed about to harden
into reality
Then for a brief moment Rome awoke feo-
pie still felt the absorbing power Of the Papacy
and they imagined that where 1t failed the rea-
Son lay in the weakness and corruption OF the
city. Restore the city to good customs and II
might still rule the world as of old. Such. at
least. was the fancy of youthful antiquary
the of suburban wine-seller. who spent
his days wandering about deciphering old in
scriptions and his nights In dreaming OF I'M
pera Rome. with the world at her feet. Memo
las, son of Laurence, or Cola di Rienzi as he
is known to fame had the eloqucnce which his
visions inspired and the skill TO win others to
his support 1t was the day Of Italian com
munes when civic liberty realized In orders
and guilds awoke the pride OF the people
against a cruel nobility The Romans were
ripe enough for reform. and they could easily
see the pleasant side Of the future that appeared
to them in the words OF RienZi. For MS part
he talked everywhere, In the palaces OF hooies-
and there he laughed at-or In the streets
or among groups Of artisans. He enlisted those
who knew how to WELD the painters brush' anu
thus of morning multitudes on their Way "
business or to their favorite lounging places
were drawn aside to gaze at some allegoricai
picture on the wall of public building-a pict-
ure whose meaning could not be mistaken "A.
length the whole city was moved as by Single
thought and the world which still remembered
the ancient power Of Rome stood In awe ana
establishment while Rienzi for few months
restored the purity and regularity o. the ola
Roman commonwealth. There was holAihs
which such man and such people could not
accomplish. If they persevered Bat 1t Is use
less to complete the story Rienz. was. after
ALL only a Snowman, ana the people SOON
weared of being virtuous
But the movement n sign of what was
going on beneath the surface. Forces were at
work preparing for a revival OF learning
throughout Western Europe, and 70: all the
political and religious changes which attended
that revival When Mrs. Oliphant turns TO her
theme again it is to trace the history OF line
Of Popes TO whom the new learning and the new
art Rome to be rebuilt and world 10 foot
the bill are almos. the only realities in me-
They are Italian princes with hired generals ana
hired armies. keeping their neighbors In tur-
MOL: and at the same time they are splrituhI
princes who ina CINE that Europe JOCKS up 10
them with the same reverence that 1t felt Tor
Innocent III This was fortunate mistake
on their part If they had been more anxious
about their spiritual power they might not have
taken time to gather curious books. to build
great churches and beautiful palaces, TO employ
renowned sculptors and painters and workers IN
mosaic and the precious metals Poets ana
philosophers and experts in Greek would nave
lacked encourag ement. The world would nave
been the loser If these Popes had anticipated
how great matter would be kindled by the
little fire started by Wicliffe. and famed by
Huss and Luther. AS II Is. they MADE rome
what 1t still remains, the admiration or the
world" Above all they made possible the
achievements Of Michael Angelo and Raphael
ut is the glory OF this period Of Roman MS
tory" remarks Mrs. Oliphant. that at time
when the Apostolic See had lost so much, and
when all It's great purposes, its noble Ideals, It's
reign of holiness and inspired wisdom had per-
ished like a flower of the fields: when all that
long to attain had dissolved like a bubble; when
the Popes were no longer holy men. nor dis
tinguished by >any great and universal AIM but
Italian princes like others. worse rather than
better in some cases there should have arisen
with a mantle OF glory to hide the failure and
the horror and scorn. these two great brethren
of art--the one. rugged mournful self-con-
scious bowed down by the evil of the time: the
other all sweetness and gadness. an angel or
light divinng in his gracious simplicity the
secrets Of the skies.