New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-12

ly. in a third document. she Invested herself Of
the power of ever retracting or annulling the
free donation she had made of Scotland TO
France. in default OF heirs of her body"
Cardinal Lorraine was, Of course. the moving
power behind this treachery. and she was not
only accustomed TO looking TO him and other
kinsnen near her for advice, but, as Major
Hume says. she was doubtless brought to believe
by her encourage that Scotland, being the kind
Of barbarous country they always called it. must
necessarily fall a prey to England and lose it's
Catholicism unless it became an integral part
of the realm Of France But, the author adds.
it must be recoIlected after making all allow
ances, that Mary had already shown in many
letters still extant that she understood perfectly
her sovereign position and privileges. she was
clever and clear sighted. and IL is impossible 10
avoid the conclusion that the interests Of the
Guises and Of France were her first care what
ever became of Scotland" This attitude was
modified in time. but she never wholly aban-
doned it, We need not traverse the story OF
her short married life and the break with Cath
crime de Medici which came inevitably on the
death of her husband. 1t may be noted. how
ever. that even long before she left France she
had given signs Of her intention 10 press her
claim upon the throne OF England whenever
opportunity should arise, and though il is
tempting 10 see in her. on her embarkation az
Calais. the sorrowing widow, FASTENED on toward
her Scottish domain by cruel influences at the
French court. Major Hume is careful 10 exhibit
the seIishness Of her emotions at this juncture
Of affairs.
He points out that throughout the poem she
wrote on her bereavement it is in a vein OF
self-pity that she pursues her theme. Not
word of SORROW he says, for the premature
cutting on Of the life of young Francis or grief
at the suffering he had borne Her own
loss Of pleasure, the waste OF her beauty and
youth. the absence of something that ministerea
to her individual wei being, are the
main burden Of her ratings against Fate" All
this is 10 BE- remembered for the reason that
Mary was scarce a widow before matrimonial
plans began TO be woven around her. and be-
cause as time went on, her share in those plans
was determined not only by her romantc feeling
but by her cooIly considered policies Her latest
biographer represents her as early learning 20
gather the threads Of sJdtecrafu into her hands
Life in Scotland was sorely troubling to the young
Queen. With her d0Ur subjects swiftly develop
ing an HI-conceaIed dis,aste for her IevIty. with
John Knox thunderiEs against her religion. she
was hard put 10 il to preserve her patience Shc
had brains we'll IS charm and courage.
With a greater stability OF charactes ana a
keener insight into che conditions sprinssne
from the very roots of the people she had come
10 rule. she would have committed herself 20 a
concuiatory line and would have adhered 10
il IN all good faith But always she looked fot-
ward 10 the creation OF Catholic Scotia III,
and hence her feverish eageruess 10 ind hus-
band az the Spanish court. Don Carlos may
have been unfit for her man. but she would
have married him with light heart in order
to gain the help Of Philip in imposing her re-
ligion upon her country. and she Dreamed OF
Strengthening by this means also her hoid upon
the English succession When she found that
she could not wed the Spanish prince she turned
to Darnley. and though she loved him she was