The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-01-05

just, amenable neither TO fear nor TO nat
tory. Our euthor further contends that
in his function Of shepherd of the faithful
Alexander VI. merited admiration. HIS
habits and tastes we're Of the simplest
kind In an age OF singular luxury. He was
temperate in his diet; the Ambassadors OF
the Powers commented with disgust upon
tho fact that h never had more than one
dish upon his table. He slept but little.
His amusements occupied mere fraction
of his time, but during recreation he un-
bent his dignity and enjoyed himself with
the frank abandon Of a schoolboy. lie
was a patron OF painters. II men OF letters,
on the other hand, reviled him. their enmity
IL attributed TO the fact that he had TO
regulate the printing press in the interests
OF public morals, and that, as a duty OF his
Office. he ordained the censorship OF printed
books. He inaugurated the Imprimdfnr.
Although a Spaniard by birth, he had no
sympathy with the prosecuting spirit.
When in i49? the Jews were expelled from
Spain he gave them an asylum in Rome.
Two years later he received with horror
the news Of the atrocities committed by
the Grand Inquisitor of Spain. and he
appointed -four assessors TO restrain the
excuses Of Torquemada. The Spanish In
QUESTION found in him a bitter opponent,
Il is true that he gave most OF America
70 Spain and a large part OF Africa, be-
sides most of the East, to Portugal. But
the Bulls of Donation show that he con-
sidered IL the Pope's duty to preach the
Gospel TO all nations. He believed that
before the heather could be made TO hear
the Gospel, IL was necessary to make them
subjects Of a Christian power.
The o1tcnt to which Alexander VI. prose-
cuted the reform of the papal government
seems to have been overlooked. Fol ex-
ample, notaries of the Pontlfcal Briefs
dcbauched by the lax rule Of previous
Popes had become corrupt. In the absence
Of restraint they had habitually forged
briefs nominating 70 benefices not only In
Italy, but in all Christian countries. Espe-
cially did the ambition Of the German clergy
create a demand for such commodities.
The fagitious notaries managed the sup
ply. In l4O7 the Pope Alexander VI. found
them out. Some of them were broiied on
Campo di Fioro on the 18th of October OF
that year. one of them, the Archbishop
of Cosenza. and three secretaries wern not
only deprived Of their benefces and de-
graded from their clerical estate. but I'M
INJURED alive in the Mole Of llsdrian. An
other act TO the credit of Alexander VI.
Ia his reformation Of the monasteries
In Austria, and Of the secular clergy OF
Portugal. He reformed the Order OF
Military Knights Of Christ in Portugal.
Ho founded and confirmed In Romo tho
Order Of Military knights Of st. George
for the defence of Christendom against
the irfdel. He approved the Order Of
Praying Knights Of st. Michael in France.
On the other hand, he canonized no saint.
We observe. finally. that in the archives OF
the Vatican are preserved the Eriefs and
Bulls which Alexander vi. uttered during
his pontifcate. They are bound In ll3
large folio volumes, each tome containing
about ten thousand separate documents.
Alexander VI. Is responsible for more than
a million Of these. though he rolyned only
eleven years. The DAYS and nights, II
course. were no longer then than they
are now. Where. then, asks our author,
dli Alexander VI, find the time TO accom-
plIsh IN, multifarlous turpitudes with which
he has been charged2 But. we are told.
he was the father Of bastards. He was
not, We repeat, the first or the last pontM
or potontate Of whom this may be said,
Ii is true. too, that he was infleSible to foes.
but when was peace over assured except
bv a stern discipiinarlan? Our authors
conclusion is that the Pope Alexander VI,
though a very human man, was a very great
prince and a very faithful pastor.
In a chapter on THE Legend Of theB or-
gia Venom" the aut uor shows, first, that
the empirical methods Of the Borgian
era prccluded the possibility OF anything
approa ching artistic or scientific polson-
ing: secondly, tina, not n of the definite
accusations Of poisoning levelled at the
Borgias has been proven, On the contrary.
they all lack valid foundation; thirdly,
there is no authentic evidence regarding
the particular poison that the BoTslas
are eaid TO have employed II was Paolo
Giovio WHO, in his history, professed to
describe the venom which, a. he said.
the Borgias commonly used. Giovio called
IL canfdroLd. and said II was a sugared
powiar. or II powder under the guiSe Of
SUGAR, which was Of a wonderful white
noss and Of "a rathor pleasant taste. IL
did not. 80 he asserted. oyerwnelm the
vita. forces IN the manner Of the active
veuom-. by sudden aud energetic action.
but by penetrating the veins ius"nsibly
SLOWLY worked with mortal effect. l.
ark- our author, any genealogical
Who. from Gioyios description,
can give the formula Of tha "NraordAary
loisuny r. To- hr'h'r submitted mor"oyeT,
Giuyfos testimony IL tainted II"
wa ore ~ thore douulr-fac"I historians
wh1 wrote one 49, - urmulrr Tor Tie high
..t bidder and d rre.rd sTt Of mHmoifs Tor
the rn,mlcr OF NO, patrons Of tl" fret
+. > isru during hts 100" Ia" ~aa Goa
q. bH O. haEfuIt IEf
D. vac .AI.'r.u tul'N afl.Hl Nho Co.
rU- story 60 rh- circumstances under
, .lrh Alexander ~ $40 -alI tD have ui'd
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ia. IE o. ulf.ti % ui4nu,f ne 90.
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