New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-02
Literary .Nese,s and Criticism.

little affected by the wave of theological thought
passing over Europe. There was a minority in
the English nation that could not accept the
Christian religion according TO King Henry
Rather there were two minorities-the Papalist
and the Protestant; and it needed the Terror
and the Statute Of. the Six Articles to bring
about an apparent conformity in the English
Church. But IL is incOnceivable that a single
man. swayed only by the selfish passions of
lust and greed. could have brought about so
momentous a change in a country, with a rep
resentative Parliament as a rnouthpiece Of its
discOntents. if the country as a whole had not
been in harmony with this change. ready to in
dOrse the rebellion against the Pope and the
separation OF the Anglican from the Roman
Church, along with the retention of Catholic
doctrine tempered only by such reforms as might
have been introduced under the auspices of
reforming Pope.
Next to the change which came over the
English Church. the development OF Parliament
was the most striking feature Of the reign of
Henry VIII. For the first time in English his
tory Parliament began to concern itself about
the larger matters of public policy. The chief
duty OF Parliament had hitherto been to grant
subsidies to the King. and levy taxation on the
people. The Parliament of 1929, during its
seven years of existence. snapped the bond be-
tween England and Rome. and established the
royal supremacy over the English Church 1t
dissolved the smaller monasteries and initiated
a redistribution OF the national wealth. It de-
termined articles OF religious belief. It settled
the succession TO the throne. It defined new
treasons. 1t attempted TO deal with mendicancy
rural depopuation the entailing of land and the
legal and administrative system OF Wales No
previous Parliament had ever considered and
legislated upon so great a range of subjects;
and the reign OF Henry VIII marks the be-
ginning Of the government of England by the
House OF Commons. Yet the reign of Henry
VIII also marks the era of supreme royal power.
Never had King of England been more absolute.
while never had Parliament been more active
or effective. The secret of this double suprem-
acy was the secret Of Henry's two great minis
ters-Wolsey and Cromwell, They were the
first TO learn that the safest form Of despotism
is despOtism exercised through the elected rep
resentatives of the people: and that the surest
way for Henry TO be supreme was for him to
keep in his hand the nomination Of candidates
for Parliament, and thus TO direct the choice of
men on whom he could depend to perform his
will.
That Mr. Fishers volume is fuller and richer
in detail than the preceding volumes in the
Political History Of England" is largely due 10
the wealth OF material that exists for Tudor
Felsils as compared Win the resources for the
earlier epochs Of English history. The nineteen
volumes Of Letters and Papers Of Henry VIII
edited by Brewer, Gardner and Brode. which
have been published between 1862 and 1905, ana
Of which some volumes have yet 10 appear,
are invaluable for a proper rendering of the
character of Henry. and for an insight into his
relations with his contemporaries, English and
foreign. Mr.. Fisher has drawn upon them con-
stantly and probably, and 20 them is due most
Of what is fresh in his story. as compared with
the histories Of the period by Froude, Brewer
Gardner and Dixon. Even Froude is not more
readable than is the present volume, and for
style and finish. well for an ever pres
ent vein Of humor and kindness. it must take
high rank among histories written for popular
reading.