New-York tribune., 1905-06-03


discursive writer, and in dealing with an n.. MS
u'sO -. he ,s sometimes curiously indifferent
- .be laws which govern the construction "
60. ,ohr;c His life of Knox Is on tiie
ho1. rather poorly put together; the Iai a'i'e
-. .bs+ orderly arrangement that corhpaO'
,orsbs1lirp of facts and opinions IN an al 'A''O
5aS,,r, which will do so much TO assist .' '
conveyance of a living impression Oh aii MS
.7p7,re For the first time in long VIM"
have found it necessary In reaolns M
draw ,non our reserves Of patience D"' .
+, bool, hy Mr. Lang is concerned tiie piooo'
worth while He may not nave gwen -
lncidIv written an account of the reIoriiei
-re 1vould have preferred, but, on the
other hand. he has brought into MS paee
,;fri,g influence of a thoroughly fearless coii-
ception of his hero - a.,,,
John Knox had hfs critics while ne was sun
&. .h. fash and 10 this day there are many
-ho - they ind II easy enough TO respect hliil'
C. q. c,,te troposslble TO yield him admiration
o- love Nevertheless. it requires some coUi@
for 81 biographer OF that dour scourge OF sliiie,
m usa the candor which MI Lang uses ~ '-
hook Though we are all supposed TO "Si-'
t,o,v the truth and nothing put the 49,
anor. fine great men Of the past, we care say
,he+ some readers will finch, momentarh!' a.
-. ,.fora the truth as it is here set forlh-
-71rYSt
s,neularIy dispRssionate writer. He VIII ho'
rb;teWash John Knox. but neither VIII ne alio"
--o.,,5,c. +o deepen such shadows as he has hao
a ;,+-o5uce into his portrait Of the man. oii
.h. contrary there is a delightful undeFcaffen'
.. yvr,natby running through the WORK. Uu
IN the authors profound appreciation OF fA4iOA .
fine ouaiities That Knox was great man
he saws In bis preface "a disinteresteo man 49,
his regard for the poor truly Chrls'IaiI i'-'---
&C = shepherd Of Calvinistic souls a man iei en-
end considerate; of pure life; in fTlehosNip '' 'i
nv jealousy untainted; in private chai@C. .
r,a1 and amiable 1 entirely conVlhceo'
share his conviction by the time we .i@ -
,sbed his book: also. in the course OF reaoins
80 -,e lAsrn very thoroughly TO look at
1-o~ ,ot as a denigod, but as slnguldIlS
800, craature He was a natural genus d
-x--a IF the artless sort. As Mr.. Lang p@ii100
hin, he seems not much thoughuui dc'0-
IN 1ifes drama slowly moulded by ehFlroiiie!--
and circumstance, as a vivid, spohIa4ie0.'
moved character, predestined 10 1e '----
course and following that course VIII ue'
tim horn of inspiration. Il am man Oh pase
estate and condition" he declared anu IL NJ
aehieved eninence he achieved 1t win the H'I
,,oo,scio,,s poyyer of one flung into the world 10
4ulAI q mission His sincerity explains l. ~
does not Justify, the darker side of his nature
-,-,-o,+ of God SO tremendously set upon the
sa,,,,.rv of what he felt to be an indispensaoie
,,sssar. to mankind, may easily have falleo 10
soc the fun significance of his own MISTAKES
ua took himself with tragic seriousness 1acC
which Mr Lang clearly realizes But we "ou'u
have been glad 70 more In this DOCK apou- d
7,nase of the matter which has always seemed 10
us or snecsal moment. We know that he had a
fund of tenderness in his nature. Why then' was
he scurrilous, brutal and even worse! OF ma
4ur. Ian, churIish" he himself confes5es, but We
look elsewhere for the explanation of his short
ccmings and find it n his inability to think
clearly upon all occasions. Though it would not
be wholly accurate to say that he had more heart
than BRAIN it might fairly be argued that with
his intellectual faculties strengthened and car
flied he would have been less emotonaI, aho'
therefore. less inconsistent and cruel rake 1or
example. his ideas Killing no murder. AS
Mr. Lang points out the reformer's ideas on that
eubject were those Of his time. 1T was prev
alent opinion that king might have subject
assasslnated if to try him publicly entailed po-
Iitical fnconveniences." But, as the present BIZ
ographer adds, Knox, in telling the story of a
murder which he approved, unhappily displays
a glee unbecoming the reforner Of the Church Of
Him who blamed St Peter for his recourse to
the sword The very essence of Christianity is
cast to the winds when Knox utters his laughter
over the murders or misfortunes of his oppo-
- -
strong propensity which he felt to indulge his
vein of hunor.' Other good men rejoice in the
murder of enemy, but Knox chuckled. Moth
ing has injured Knox more in the eyes of pos
terity (when they happened to be aware of the
facts) than this 'humor of his" True, but
though we must recognize the hurnor and deplore
st it is important to remember that intellectual
quite much as spiritual limitations were at
The bottom of It. It was not. greater gentIeness
nr oil hat Ho n
greater wisdom. a irrner grasp as thinking
the conditions OF the world in which he
lived
As q matter Of fact. Knox had sublime in
capacity for seeing what was essential to the
Scotland Of his time in anything save matters
that touched the Kirk. He hated Mary Of
Guise, but il seems not so much hatred as un-
Intelligence that caused him to do her the rank
est injustice. "On all that concerns her personal
character and political conduct" saws Mr. Lang
ne is unworthy of credit when uncorroborated
by better authority Similarly he seems
hiamable in his attitude toward Mary Stuart
not only as a strong man affronting weak
woman, but as Scotchman blind to the oppor-
tunity offered him to work for his countr,ys
good by working, at least to a reasona BILE ex-
tent with his countrys Queen Mr. Lang
chapters on the reformer and the court are the
best IN his book. We must quote the following:
Knox. who had not loved Mary of Guise was not
ilheiy 20 think well Of her daughter Mary again
kne% l Knox as the chief agitator in the tumults
that embittered her mothers last year and short
ened her life. In France she had tb-aataraS - a.
with MIN severely. ignorant Of his power and her
own weakness She could not be aware that Knox
had suggested TO Cecil opposition TO her success
sion TO the throne on the ground of her sex Knox
uttered his fore5odings Of the Queens future they
We're as yeraeious as If he had really been a
prophet But he was. TO extent which can only
be guessed. Of the causes Of the fulflment ri
his own predictions To attack publicly from the
pulpit, the creed and conduct girl of spirit: To
provoked cruel insults 10 her priests. whom she