New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-29

,f England during the lirst half OF the seven
teenth century, IS almost certain 70 give all his
attention TO the men who did so much to estab-
,,eb 2 Parliamentary government and religious
4-eedorn during that period whose elimination
ree the Civil War. Alive only to the tremen-
dous importance of men like Ppm, Hampden
md Cromwell in cverthrowing nonarchisrn and
,le,icalisrn, the reader may well be excused If
ne somewhat contemptuously counts all the de-
@enders Of the old regime rank royalists and
reactionaries. Looked at hastily. in the all too
.aeiv blurred perspective of history, these men
do sppesr 10 deserve such titles; but closer
s,udv often shows that the line between revo-
Iuttonist and reformer and that between REFORM
er and reactionary are exceedingly thin and
v-avering These epithets do not necessarily
characterize the men themselves but may sim
niv indicate opinions formed. as all opinions are
formed. more or less fortuitously. Convince a
man Of one new fact and you may transform
him IN an instant from a bomb thrower to a de-
fender Of the faith. or vice versa While tenn
perarent plays no inconsiderable part in de-
terinining the ranks into which man steps.
nevertheless in matters political facts do occa-
sionalIy make the partisan. thank Heaven!
Other thfugs than haCghtiness and inherited
favors mar keep one loyal to a king
In Lucius Cary, Viscourt Falkland we find a
man who was q royaist half by philosophy and
half bv misinformation, g man who though de-
voted To plstonic syInposia where rare Ben JON
son played the part of Socrates. threw himself
into the frenzies Of the Long Parliament and the
mseries Of the Civil War for the sake of great
principle which he enormously supposed were
being championed by that blend Of pedantry.
ignorance and romanticism Charles / Like
every man Of great culture and intellectual
tastes. Falkland was a moderate who dstin-
gusheG sharply institutions from the individuals
,nomentarily controlling them. and did not let
his scorn for the latter beguile him into seeking
the overthrow Of the former. A friend of mon
archy, but not Of he King; of the Church, but
not Of the bishops. he feared the revolutionary
schemes of that great COnstitutionalist Pym.
His philosophical temperance was strengthened
on several crucial occasions by his ignorance of
great intrigues which were on foot. Quite apart
from purely historical interest in the emil
nent statesman, find his biography valuable
because il demonstrates the practical dangers
Of carrying dainty philosophical weapons into
e campaign where ones opponents are all armed
with bludgeons, and the tremendous importance
20 the statesman of having all relevant facts.
however trivial or base. at his disposal. and Of
being unbiased enough to accept even those
that shake his faith. Mr.. Marriott, Falkand's
first biographer-uuless the great Clarendon's
autobiography be counted-takes pains however,
10 show, along with these melancholy illustrated
lessons. the fine character of his hero; that
the reader, instead of being depressed by the
truly beautiful weaknesses of Falkland's mind
and political position. will find ample confrna-
zion Of Clarendon's glowing portrait "Falk-
land" this writer said. was a person of such
prodigious parts of learning and knowledge. of
that ini-nitabie sweetness and delight in
versation. Of so glowing and obliging a human
ity and goodness 10 mankind. and of that print
tive simplicity and integrity Of life that If there
were other brand upon this odious and
cursed Civil War than that single loss [Falk-
lands death at the battle of Newburyl it must
be most Infamous and execrabe. TO all poster
fly"
The great tragedy Of Fakland's life is well
summed up by his biographer IN the statement
that he Was a non-partisan placed in age
whe-e party spirit ran high. Party lines were
vigorously drawn in the middle of the seven
feenth century. not only political questions
but even more SO or ecclesiastical ones. The
divine right Of kings vas being attacked and
the temporal power Of he Church bitterly as
sailed. The student Of history to-day knows
how acute and deep were the disaffeatons which
gave these revolutionary movements their vic
torious force and how inevitable intense par
tisanship then was. He must also be aware
that most Erell-to-do Englishmer of the cultured
class cid not know and could not have realized
the full seriousness Of the situation by which
they were confronted. II involved a host of
economic troubles, Of which the ecclesiastical
and constitutional difficulties seemingly at the
centre If the storm OF rebellion We're only sec
ondary manifestations. Non p+ctisans and mod
crates Ike Falkland therefore cannot be
blamed for their attitude toward their great
revolutionary contemporaries. unless unavoid
&c oriu he
thetc, then is FaIlIand's brief and futile career.
The parallel between him and Plato in their
political ambitions and defeats is striking at
points; there is the same lofty earnestness
linked with the same Ignorance Of important
facts, the same excess Of philosophical specula-
ton coupled with inability 10 convert real leaders
10 the abstract tenets Of political theory.
Whether there Is also the same final despair in
the possibility Of making philosophy king or
not Is question over which Mr.. Marriott dis
agrees with nearly all other historians, the lat
ter believing that Falkland committed suicide
In battle out Of sheer appointment
His life prior to entering politics tended 10
make Falkland highly competent statesman
IN certain respects and singularly incapable
one in others Brought up under the influence
o. mother whose chief ambition was 10 con-
vert her son 10 Roman Catholicism, the young
man early developed lasting interest in theo-
logical speculation. While this brought him n
valuable Familiarity with the religious issues
mat engrossed the politicians Of his day. it also
served TO carry him away from such vulgar
.-iii'ss as finance, taxation and constitutional
"a" ana 10 give him all the typical mperfec-
ions OF clerical politician. To make himself
even more one-sided Falkland retired upon his
'e' oeatn to the lovely village of Great Tew.
"here he and his vivacious wife and their three
souhs boys LED for few years q life OF idvIlic