New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-01


Cecil a crafty. self-seekng man.
Behind the mild countenance. OF which an ex-
ceptionally clear and Illuminating presentment
is prefixed to this volume. one may discern I'M
yielding strength Of purpose but there IS not
the slightest trace OF any passion. beyond the
passion OF self-respect. which we might well
look for in the nature Of strong man. William
Cecil was strong but calculating. In that
tithess as we are compelled to consider it by he
extreme character Of his prudence. MAJ read
the secret of his success. He was born at
time when caution. quite as much as strength,
was needed In 1920. the year in which h. first
saw the light. the grandson Of a prosperous Lin
coIpshire squire who had risen high favor at
Court and had left to our future s,atesman's
father a secure position, with lands. Offices and
influence, the masterful Henrys reign had still
twenty-seyen years to run. But, as Major Hume
terseIy puts it, Medieval Europe was in the
melting pot" and there during the lifetime OK
William Cecil II was destined to remain he hay-
ing been born to watch over the fires, to Stir the
mixture and to 80 manipulate the latter that
the English State should ultimately emerge
clothed in an armor Of stability as free as pos
sble from the baser. disintegratins metals For
his delicate task more finesse than force was
needed The growing sea-power OF England
might be administered by freebooter statesmen
dealing hard blows to enforce their diplomacy.
but 1t behOoved the young Cecil man oil peace
IL ever there was one. to choose the paths 81
uuietude and crcumspection. and TO hsh IN
troubled waters only with a very long pole. lie
appears TO have realized this at an early date.
and we must ascribe TO his love OF books ana
learning. acting as a check upon his w0rldi-
ness. the otherwise inexplicable step he took IN
marrying in his twenty-frst year. the sister
OF one of his college chumS. a woman OF humble
origin. who could not in any way have ad-
vanced his fortunes. That he recognized his
mistake is shown by the fact that, while ne vas
entered a student of Gray's Inn in the year OF
the marriage his wife did not accompany MN
to London She remained in Cambridge. ana
there conveniently died in less than two years.
leaving Cecil free to marry. about three years
later. one Of the learned daughters Of Sir An
thony Cooke. the governor of Prince Edward.
When he made this polite alliance the end
of the old King was not far off. and on the ac-
cession of Edw, I'd VI he found himself still
young man, we'll placed and with the world be-
fore him He was soon attached 10 the personal
household of the Lord Protector. and Somerset
seems 10 have perceived at once the studious
young courtier's aptitude for confidential and
diplomatic business Rapidly Cecil mastered the
secrets OF statecraft. and especially those which
relate to the playing off of one interest against
another Major Hume shows him at this time
working with tremendous assiduity over the
routine affairs of his office and az the same
time gaining personally in favor among the men
of all parties. He faithful TO Somerset. but
was in a position to be nnccently seryiceable
to the atter's opponents. and when they rose TO
mower he alone of the Lord Protectors encourage
appears to have escaped immediate punishment
Even the brief imprisonment in the Tower which
he suffered some time after his masters iah Is
not clearly explained in the records. and. "hile
he Is believed to have been excluded from oiiicia
participation in public affairs for nearly year,
Northumberland. at the end OF that time. releh'-
ed. and called the willy Cecil to the post ~ Secre-
tary of State 1t was quick work and JUST ex-
actly how Cecil accomplished X not even MAJOR
Hume can conclusivey show. But il IS fair
assumption that he owed his immunity ana MS
advancement TO his abilities as statesman
which Northumberland could not help seems
and TO his jealous nursing of his own h'e''9"
regardless Of all others For IL were way
to make an end OF amity," his friend MoFysihe
writes to him, apropos of Somerset disgrace
if when men fall. their friends should forth
with therefore he troubled. "ods
bIessingi let the Duke bear his own burden OF
cast it where he can" This as Major hume
well saws. reflects with exacttude CecIs own
feeling.
Northumberland's intrigues 20 place Lazy
Jane Grey upon the throne found small favor II
Cecils eyes and when. on the death Of Edward
our statesman's second master ioHo"eu n'' NO.
ignominiously he was doubtless sincere IN MS
protestations of loyalty to Mary. But the docu-
ment in which he endeavored TO explain away
his relations with the plotters makes puiui
reading. and. as Major Hume says. No douo'