New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-23
LOUIS XIV AND PETER THE GREAT.


For many years there had been growing up in
the minds of statesmen a theory that while the
monarch should be supreme, perhaps absolute,
his conduct must be regulated by what seemed 10
be the good Of his subjects. This theory had been
unconsciousy worked out in the life OF Louis
XIV who. despot as he was. really impersonated
France as nearly one man could do It, His de-
sire for the national unity of France was the de-
sire of every Frenchman; and for the time being
there was no wish to dispute his narrow interpre-
taton OF that unity as an attribute of his own
personality What was unconscious in the sun
King was consciously initiated by every court.
great and small, on the Continent. A purely mill
tary genius like that Of Charles XII of Sweden II
II had commanded the necessary resources. might
have brought this self-conscious royalty down TO
the level of commOn-sense without the revolution
that closed the century. But Charles was help
less and meanwhile a profoundly original man.
Peter the Great, exemplifed to other absolute
rulers the extremely practical conditions that give
q tyrant just reason for existence. What his ca
reer said more plainly than words to the crowned
heads Of his time was that absolute rulershp pre-
supposed in the monarch real superiority over
his subjects Peter knew more almost every
subject than did any other Russian. He was
wiser in matters that directly affected their well
In the relations which 1t established between the
Slav Power and the civilization Of Western Eu-
rope But much Of what he had TO learn in his
years of wandering about the civilized world
would have been useless to the ruler of any other
country than Russia.
No other royal personages cared 10 initiate his
study of handicrafts Still they desired. saving
all that pertained TO their own power and COM
fort 10 reign for the good Of their people.
Throughout the whole century there were also
great men who by some chance reached ad-
mnistrative place and there sklfully strove
not merely 20 improve fine condition OF the peo-
pie but TO convert their respective States into
efficient weapons of offence or defence. The
greatest of these ministers were Pitt in Eng
land and Kaunitz in Austria. But France had
many-the dArgensons, Turgot, the Duke of
Choiseul: Spain had Campomanes. Grinaldi
Florida Blanca and others: Portugal had the
Marquis OF Rombal Denmark had Struensee
and the small Italian States produced men in
numbers as EXPERT in statecraft as Macchiave
himself II was perhaps sign of the times that
only in a minority of the States the mon
arch the leading figure in the work of carrying
out reforms 1t was the king who devised i'm
provements In Sweden But it was Montgelas
in Bavaria Stallion at Mayence. Abel at Stuff
CART Tanucci. du TillOt. and others In Italy and
Germany who devoted themselves to increasing
the prosperity of the States which they adj
ministered.
The principle which ar Hassall makes the
text of his volume was one which had long been
advocated by philosophers who were without
thrones before the philosophers thrones took
1t up The uncrowned philosophers had
dreamed Of a European Republic in which all the
individual Powers would be neatly balanced
that peace might be permanent Ideally, this
Balance of Power was to cOnduce az much TO
the safety OF small states TO the convenience
of large ones. But when the roy al philosophers
like Frederick the Great and Catherine II Of
Russia accepted this ideal it was with mean
ing which allowed the partition of Poland and
favored abortive attempts to dismember Turkey
and Sweden. The division Of Turkey is still
going on at the present day; and 1t is an open
question In spite OF deal of criticism
whether those cynical persOnages. Frederick
and Catherine were right wrong in effacing
Poland and beginning the destruction of the
Porte country like Sweden. which really
animated by a vital principle. was never in
great danger The ease with which reform was
brought about and National unity substituted
for oligarchic anarchy defeated all the plots of
Prussia and Russia.