The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-29

The, ground was practically virgin. II
u true that o Dunlop three quarters Of
acentnry z wrote a history OF the reign
Of Philip w. mainly concerned, however,
with the Spanish wars in Germany, Elan
ders and Italy. hat was before the
archives OF Europe we're accessible. and
the book is now obsolete. The Spanish
reproductions in recent years Of seventeenth
century dOcuments. for the most part
unknown in England. has added much to
the previously existing sources Of lnforma-
tion, while numerous original manuscripts
and old printed narratives and letters OF
the time in Spanish, English and French
have contributed ample material for the
embodiment in the text Of first hand de-
scriptions of events. The volume before
\ pis owes nothing to the labors Of previous
English students, except tina the author
reproduoes two documents published by
the Camden Society under the editorship
Of the late DR.. Gardiner.
o.
The Prince who was to become Philip
Nv. and master Of the worldwide monarchy
of the SPANS and the Indies was born at
Valladolid on May -. 1905. seven years
after his fathers accession to the throne
From his birth he was dedicated TO the
hlflment of the Dominican ideal OF CathO-
lie Christianity. That il To say. his mission.
Nike that Of his father and grandfather.
was 10 be the roofing out OF Protestant
dissent from Christendom. as Philip Ill.
had rooted out the Moriscos. to the ruin
Of Spain's once thriving industries. The
mission was essentially impossible Of ac-
complishment. Devotion and fervent be-
lief in the divine approval were not enough
To secure the triumph OF Spain. Both
Philip III. and Spaniards OF his time pos
ssssed those qualities to excess. vet they
had failed. What was needed for Spain
in the seventeenth century. IL catastrophe
wal to be averted. was orderly O~rganiza-
tion. industry. celebrity in counci and in
action. economical adaptation Of way
and means. ready resource. and a flexible
conscience: in short. craftsmanship. These
were the very qualities which Philip III.
and his son cOnspicuously lacked. With
the accession Of Philip III. in 1898 the veal
point In the system OF the Emperor Charles
and Philip III. had come out. Their labori-
ously constructed political machine had
broken down. Under Philip ii. himself.
indeed, in his later recluAe years the mech
anism had grown rusty and sluggish. but
30 long as the handspring, the monarch.
had himself labored ceaselessly. treating
his Ministers as clerks and raising them
from the gutter that they might be his
tools alone, the wheels at least went round.
When. however, the monarch in whom
all motion was centred left OF working
and did nothing but dance and pray alter
nately. hen came paralysis and consequent
disaster. -Ah. Don cristobal. 1 fear thew
will rule him." groaned Philip II. on his
agoniDed deathbed. He guessed his sons
character Alright. Thenceforward some
f~avorite. Lerma or another, was to he
monarch in all but name. and each problem
OF government as II arose or was sub
r.:sted to the King was considered by Philip
III. not in its broad political aspect but
an a case OF private conscience. to be de-
Oided IN grounds apart from national
Interests or e~xpediency.
Philip Nv. then was bound from his ear
Hest infancy to a hopeless inherited policy.
and the seeds of social and national deca-
dence were sown before his time. He was
no Hercules TO uproot them, but was forced
with bitter anguish to witness the riches
and power Of his realms choked and de-
stroyed by the noxiOus grOwths which came
10 maturity in his time. while he wept and
prayed for the miraculous remedy that
UcVcE was lOuUus vi HOukig OASClAulAlthr
. in vicious indulgence that added private
remorse to his public sorrow. His educa-
ton and the surroundings OF his childhood
were not calculated 10 increase his self
reliance or independence OF judgment.
His father was surrounded by friars who
dictated the most triAing a. well as the most
impprtant acts Of his life. Supernatural
visions and heavenly voices assured Philip
III. Of divine favor in his intervals Of relief
from terrified despair which reduced hin
almost to mnacy, and the little boy who
was 10 be the heir Of his gilded misery and
the fourth of his name was left to the care
sof clustered churchmen, whose ideal Of
goodness was the suppression OF all natural
impuIee and the extinction OF personal
initiative, as opposed TO the fatalism which
made them supreme. At the age OF lS%
years Prince Philip began married life
with Princess Isabel Of Bourbon. the elder
daughter. Of Henry Nv. and sister of Hem
rietta Maria, who became the wife Of Charles
/. OF England. About six months later
his father died. and he became King Of
the SPANS and the Indies, Of Portugal, OF
Naples and Sicily, Duke Of Milan and master
Of Eranche Comte and the larger part OF
the Netherlands. The role which the Duke
Of Eerma had played for a long time under
Philip III. was to be played from the outset
for more than twenty years by Gsspar de
Guzman. count-D Duke OF Olivares.
This seems to be the place TO mark what
our author has TO say about the industry
and public policy OF thisf avOrite, h was
10 be associated in the minds Of onlookers
4 with the collapse Of the Spanish monarchy.
II appears that although olivar gave up
none OF the dut es Of personal
upon the King in order that he might re-
, cain his personal influence. nevertheless
all the details Of every department Of state
passed through his hands. The jealous
oourtiers whose perquiyites he had curtailed
. Encered beneath their breath at him for
coming into the Kings room hung all about
with packets Of papers, with similar packets
stuck in sheafs under the band Of his hat
and bulging from his pockets, the very
xway, they said. to disgust with affairs a
youth already disinclined for businee n
s0onatitutionaIlV idle. Mr., Hume points out,