The sun., 1901-03-17

have driven the English from the south and
extended hi> borders 10 the Rhine and tho
Alps. This was not done, but previous ar.
qui'tiodS were completed and consolidated.
ana, what was more important, natloru
feeling was aroused Even the outlying
provinces Influenced by the Kings renowo.
began to feel, though family. that they were
members of the same body, governed by 4
common head The external prestige W
the French crown gained much. inasmuch
as foreign peoples recognized in the power
and goodness Of its vca-cr the supreme rcr-
resentaton Of earthly maicstv
II was within France itsolr however. fllt
the reign 81 Louis ~ made the deepest i'm
print 4 chapter Of the book before us u
devoted TO the part which he took In develop
ing the system Of mona rch ial government
The Improvement in the machinery of admin
istration. the adv anCc In the study and ar
rangcment of the laws and the assertion
of the liberties of the Gallican Church which
marked his time were not, indeed. so much
his conscious and deliberate work as tho
natural outcome Of forces and tendencies
already existing and active He directed.
nevertheless and in some sort modified the
movement of tho current. though without
clear perception Of It's meaning and ul'i-
mate cnd Moreover. by the benehcencs
Of his government. the strictness Of lis judi
cial admlnistr ton and the fairness and mod
Grafton OF his dealings he gave the prinCi-
pies already at work an ethical stamp and
lent TO their further dev elopment an author
iy and sanction by which his successors
gladly profted The shield of hi,
name was thrown over them; a legal
code appeared under the title Of tho
Establishment OF Saint Louis. and In a Pras-
matte Sanction attributed to him the nativs
Church pretended TO see the foundation q
its privileges.
This, then, was his chief and permanent
gift TO France, that he moralized the NON
archy and gave It the spiritual life without
which any institution is only barren, no.
ch hanical collection OF names and forms, in
! capable Of growth or reparation. which will
crumble and fall at the 1rs' violent shock
! lie embodied and energized almost at ther
! beginning those elements In the regal sys-
! tenn on which its essential vitality depended
! the elements that Is. Of order and Justice,
| In the excellence of the sovereign the ,ys-
! TEN received it's most effective justification.
! Louis TX. Just man and lover OF peace,
exercised his Characteristic virtues 20 'is
! full in his public conduct. and left at once %
| his successors a model and 10 his subjects
| a proof OF the benefits deriv able from tls
sway Of a righteous king Under him tie
| bright side OF mOnsrchial rule was hrouGhI
ont In glowing colors. mprinting an indchs
! picture on the minds OF the people. while
| its darker features, its oppression. and Cur-
rupton. and arbtrariness. were unseen.
| The merits OF his government, contrasted
with the disorderly condition Of other nations,
warranted the language OF the chronlcer
tho -the Kingdom OF France In his time was
| like the sun In heaven in comparison wit1
the rest
Tho biographer would not deny that Iouiss
crusades. however much they added 10 hs
reputation for holiness. have been fairy
enough condemned Oh grounds OF prudence
and policy. There was no longer any danger
to Europe from the Saracens and the task =
! recovering and holding Palestine should
have been recognized as desperate. IN
the endeavor 10 accomplish the impossible
| Louis X. deserted his kingdom and wasted
the blood and treasure OF his people H.
| however adisinterested aim, utterly divorced
from the prospect of selfish advantase, can
justify any war. his orusadcs we're justice
II Is in the pages Of Joinville the seneschl
OF Champagne. who followed Louis across
| tho seas and lived much with him after his
return, that tho sovereigns piety and charity.
the temperance, the gentleness and the hu-
mility Of his daily life are sympathetca!'y
recorded. And not by Jolnville alone. God
frey Beaulieu. the Kings oonfessor durins
the last ten years OF his life, and William
OF ChArtres, his almonor. who was with him
in captivity and a. his death, have both written
biographies turning more on the Kings pr-
vate than his public actions. There i aIsp
a contemporary life of him by an aponymogs
writer who was confessor for eighteen years
10 Queen Margaret and afterward TO her
daughter Blanche
| Louis IL. built neither castles nor palaces
for his own pleasure he is said TO have dis
approved Of that favoritc and costly amu.e-
ment Of princes on the other hand, "a
thedrals and churches and abbeys sprauS
up all over the kinRdom-manv throD-h
his personal munifcenoe. many through
that Of rich barons who wero moved 20 'ui-
tate their sovereign's example. a. writer,
having made his book, saws chronc.or
"illumincs II with gold and azure So 'hs
King llumined his realm with the fair abhe,s
hich he built therein" There was a genet
activity in religious building the cathedr1.s
! of Amiens Rheims and Beauva!s 20 name lut
few out of many. were partly or whulv
constructed IN this reign, Royaumor' Na
sainte Chapelle and the rave and trau-",
| OF saint Denis were due TO the Kings in.''l-
tive the 'ame thing may be said o. numerous
| converts mostly for tho orders OF 81. Dominic
and 81. Francis whose aust ere r 10 and r.u.-
parative simplicity Of life ! ouis hold In 3 30
esteem Nt ono time he seems to have foruot
the design or abdiCatinR the crown in favor
oc his son and retiring 10 a monastery Wf1
difficulty was he dissuRdcd by tho C.oo'
Ia v hum he had disclosed his purpose Ins
side of his conduct did not escape .nmo ar.
| madversions In an Hge when the Tecu.r
clergy were exposed 20 tho jealousy and t.r-
like OF II large part of the people.
| Louis wa, a scholar a:,d a patron OF learn
ing lie read daily after dinner IN tho \g.-
gate or in the works OF ~ Augustine ur sJ.s
other Of the fathers, sometimes transIatus
~ Afin riuuu Tor tho benefit OF his attcul-
ants OF Fscussing what he read with learned
monks or prelstes Renowned doctors %.
| theology frequentrd his court and tan.,
among whom may be named Robert Of -ur-
bonnie ana Thomas Aquina- While he was
abroad Louis heard Of a sultan Of the Slraoo.
who had formed n library Of all sorts ~ bo0o'
| hearing ou the religion and tho phhosQl..
| Of the Ea,t lie VA, stirred 10 follow n,
cxou,rla and after h', return caused ooNr,
+, h, made from the best originals vh..1
c,uld n, found oc the Scriptures and " f.s
| ,,rt,rr- of ~ Augustine, St Ambrose ~
ID fat. of O..