The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-19
IIness. t,ce,inc oerse,f 10 No unvci.


illness. Feeling herself to ne unwci-
come at the court Of Francis ]. she
studied to achieve an attitude o. mod
est retirement and To make no unncc-
essary enemies. She succeeded. Fran
els I. appreciated her intelligence and
frmncss. Later as Queer she was an
accomplished hostess Of unstinted ami
ability. She dressed as a rule with
severe simplicity. but on stotc occt-
sions she wore sumpt uous Clothes COW
cred with ornaments. for which she
herself gave instructions as to designs
to her goldsmiths. She conferred in
comparable brilliancy II order upon
her court and spared 40 outlay to in
creas the splendor of her receptions.
She had quite evidently a theory of
a queens function. ami to the best Of
her ability she put the theory into
practice. Her court became the cen
tire of n society which was n of the
at was wrote Brantome. "a vcritable
earthly Paradise and a school for oil
the chivalry and flower Of France.
Ladies' shone there like stars in the
sky on n n night"
She also literally extended her pat
rOnage 10 artists and men of letters.
She employed Della Robbia and Simon
sin. the EVANGELIST: she chose Amyot.
the translator Of petrarch. as tutor To
her sons: she arranged performance
" the works Of Mellin de -Gclais.
Ronsard ard Du Bellay graced her
court. and she directed this life of luz
ury and pleasure with tao and dis
elimination. For her husband she
had n rea. passion. and Henry H.. in
turn, had nothing but respect for
her. She bore him ten children. Of
whom three died in infancy: Eliza
beth became Queen Of Spain. Claude
the Duchess OF Lorraine: Marsot. the
wife Of Henry ": while Of the four
sons. Francis. Duke of Alencon. died
young: Francis IT,. Charles IN. and
Henry Ill, feeble scions of an eX-
hausted race. died out amid the riots of
pleasure and the bloodstained dramas
Of an involved policy. Batiffol credits
Catharine de Medlci with a naturally
conciliatory frame Of mind.
She was. ne says. a healthy. robust
woman with n big appetite. fond Of
iis oitu hNtiNs III
kind and amiable. Her court agreed
in thinking her gentle and amiable.
In writing OF her difficulties in dealing
with what she felt to be the evils of
Professionalism. she said: For twenty
or thirty years We have tried cauteri-
zation 10 stamp out the c%ontagion Of
this evil in our midst, and we have
found by experience that violent meas
ures do but increase 1t. In
this respect ! rave acted as a woman,
the mother OF n royal ward, who
thought that mildncss was more suited
TO this disease than any other remedy
IL Ia interesting IL realize that so long
~ as 1861. during 1.-The regency of
Catharine. while Charles IN. was still
a minor. the Chancellor said at the
meeting Of the S;ates-General. Let us
do away with these d!abolical terms.
l.utherans. Huguenots and Papists. the
names 81 parties. factions and sedi-
lions: let us cling to the title of
Christians But It was impossible for
the Catholics TO remain silent indeh-
nitely in face OF the changes which
were being introduced to the detri-
,nent Of their religion. The Duke of
Guise. Mcntmorency and Marshal de
st. .Andr agreed that they must COM
b!ne TO resist a movement which
threatened 10 destroy the State. The,
considered that Catharine was paving
the way for the triumph of Protestant
Ism.
In the mind 81 Catharine and her
councillors. even so late as 1872. there
was merely a question Of the death ~
v or siN OF the leaders II queil the
heresy. The description Of tho mas
sacre Of 81. Bartholomew is very vivid
and detailed. THE s%uddenness Of tho
danger" De Ia Mo.he F'enelon. French
Ambassador 20 England. informed
Queen Elizabeth. had not even let.
the King time FOR reflection and he
had been constrained 10 allow that ~
ba done 20 the Admiral aud his fol-
lowers which they had planned again..
his own person The Catholics in
trance maintained that they had es-
capped An irt".ersble situation. Pope
Gregory XIII. WAS radiant. hu, Flu
rope was Mortified and appalled,.
Charles IN. was utterly Frustrated In
the eyes Of the world. no told himself
he was merely "A dastardly assassin.
Nor did he long survive the massacre.
Catha-ine was Of "A more hardy build
and after her sons death she contir-
ued 10 he the guiding spirit OF the
Government, urging that every sacri-
hce he made 10 avoid war. If she in
dulged in luxury and eNtraVagaOce il
was, writes this historian, parity from
political mot IVES. She desired To re-
store tho court 70 tho prcs,iyo ~