The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-18

Tho AGO OF Louis XIV.

The latest contribution to the History
OF All Nations" series, edited by Prof.
JozN HRNRY WRIGHT, professor OF Greek
In Harvard University, and published by
lea Brothers & Co., is q large octave vol
NINA Of some 500 PAGES, entitled Tho Age
At Louis XIV, by DR.. MARTIN PHrLnPsoN'
formerly professor Of history in the unfver-
sIties Of Bonn and of Brussels. The Ger
man original has been translated under the
supervision of Prof. Wright. The volume
begins with two preliminary chapters on
the hrst English Revolution and on the
general condition Of Europe in the middle
OF the seventeenth century. The 25o pages
which are devoted to the subject proper
ahow how the c~entraltzing process which
had been begun by Richelieu was carried
On by Mazarin and eliminated In the
absolutism of Louis XIV. 1t La well known
that the development Of uniication and OF
autocracy to which Richelieu had devoted
himself was not materially checked, though
many an attempt was made to check It,,
by the death Of the great Cardinal. From
i043, when Richelieu INC Louis XIII. both
passed away, until 1851, whom Mazarin
died In his turn, the latter, though his
dominance was threatened by the Fronde
andby the personal ambitions Of the great
Prince de Condo and other members OF
the, royal house continued, on the whole,
10 be the master Of France. He governed,
while his ward and pupil, the young KIM
.Iouis XIV, merely reigned. b new
sovereign had been taught In the
political faith Of the two Cardinals, the
belief, namely, that the exercise OF mon
prchial power should be separated from the
person Of the sovereign. He had been
sedulously taught that the nominal head
of the State should be q roi fGinednt, and
that In practice all executive functions
should be ~intrusted to a mayor OF the
uaIace. It Is true that the doctrine had
been Impressed upon the royal child that
the lives and property Of his subjects were
Internationally at the rulers disposal
and that, by the will Of God, he was omnipo-
tent. He had at the same time been taught
that with the details Of administration he
ought to AVE nothing to do; that these
ought to be left to some one In whom he
had confidence, 1t had appeared from
the manner IN which Louis XIV. had de-
volyed all business upon Cardinal Mazarin
that he had completely accepted a principle
20 comfortable for himself.
There was within the young prince, how
ever, q frmness Of viii, a lofty conception
of his own abilities and a boundless ambition,
suspected to their full extent by mono.
On the very morning after Mazarin's death
he appeared before the astounded Ministers
with the declaration: Gentlemen, l have
called you together to say to you that hither-
to I nave been content to leave the conduct
of Affairs to the deceased Cardinal. Now,
however, it Is time that / should myself
rule. You will aid me by your counsel
whenever l apply to you, but l forbid you to
sign any documents, however trivial-even
q pass-without my order. You will make
q report to me daily In person, and show
special favor to no one"
Few believed that the absolutism, I'M
tempered by any delegation Of RESPONSE
bility, thus startlingly proclaimed by a
young man would last. The young Kings
resolution to conduct the government him
self was looked upon as a passing caprice.
Men expected every day to see him return
TO his amusements, and relegate the bur-
den of affairs to a First Minister, a position
which every one assigned to the superin-
tendept Of the finances, Nicholas Fouquet.
Yet within six months Fouquet was ar
rested for embezzlement In the midst Of a
brilliant banquet which he was giving to
the King, while at the same time his castles
were surprised and captured. In contempt
Of all legal forms, Louis himself sentenced
him to perpetual imprisonment, and within
twenty years he died in the Alpine fortress
Of Pinerola.
I.
What was to be the result Of the expert.
ment2 Let US go forward eighteen years,
and zee what was the condition OF France
and what was the position Of Louis XIV.
In Europe after the Peace Of Nimwegen,
which was concluded with the Emperor
Leopold I. In February, 1879. There is no
doubt that by that treaty and others made
about the same time Louis XIV. compelled
M his enemies to submit to his terms, while
at the same time rewarding his allies.
In territory he had gained for himself Frei-
burg in Breisgau and a large portion Of
BelRium, as well as Of Franche-Comte. A
contemporary carioature showed q hand
gtretched forth from a cloud, on each finger
of which a marionette In the garb of a prince
wa made to dance, the position Of suprem-
macy gained by the French ruler being thus
indicated. In q word, after the Peace Of
Nimwegen Louis XIV. was the central figure
of all Europe. He was now In his forty
6rstyear, and unlike ~Thackeray, DR.. Philipp-
oon, although a German, comedies that his
personal appearance vas not unworthy
Of his preeminent station. The fact is
recalled that his bodily constitution was
such, and was 30 cared for by him, that he
knew nothing of WEAKNESS or sickness.
always earnest In his manner, he was
vet gracious and fascinating, 80 that favors
conferred by him acquired a double value
Anything approaching excitement or pas
sion he held unworthy Of himself; he re-
garded self command and imperturbable
~equanimity as the highest kingly virtue.
He believed that The monarch should sit
enthroned above all earthly things, serene
as the Divinity. II his personal example
sanctioned immortality, none the less was
he careful that his court should be a model
oil outward decorum and courtesy. He
would not pass even a lady in waiting with
out raising his hat; and when he spoke with
the court ladies' it was always with I'm
covered head"
In u authors opinion many other
facts should be recorded to the credit Of
Louis XIV. Constant in dislikes and lik-
ings, he willingly overlooked trivial faults
= 1900 - 49, -, IL b.