Evening star., 1930-12-02
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In this age of wide and free secularity
1t is not easy to recall that past when
all Christendom was under domination
of the head of the Catholic Church.
When France and Germany and Eng
land and the rest were out outlying
provinces of Rome in matters called
spiritual When Kings and Emperors
we're, in their separate realms, business
managers and agents for the distant
overlords in every possible concern of
the spirit, in q domain OF exceeding
elasticity and steadily encroaching
claim. Authority in domestic affairs
Of temporal design was conceded these
potentates. together with a deal OF
pomp and circumstance to englamour
their shorn power with the externals Of
kinglinesS and courtly ceremonialS.
Recalling this period Of pontif1cal au-
thortty, and looking around upon hu-
man nature that appears to be the
Slowest element in life to change its
modes of thought and action. one read
lily envisageS the secret rebellionS against
this absent landlord of souls. Evasions,
intrigues, connivances of every sort
must have grown around these temporal
heads-aS they did grow finally into
that most logical of eventualitieS, the
Reformation. The greatest religious
movement in all history, SO It is said.
In no very long time, however, the
purely spiritual content Of this over
turning became deeply impregnated
with distinct temporal purposes that
served to contribute powerfully to the
growth Of the national ideal, that set
up political barriers between countries,
that worked decidedly, though spas
medically. toward the robust national
ism OF modern times. An age Of ex-
ceeding unrest and discomfort, those
days Of the breaking away from Rome.
One OF those periods, like the present.
to which the spinning planet of our
temporary occupancy appears to be in
curably subject.
England speedily became one Of the
countries. Partly its physical insularity
contributed to this effect. Partly the
blood strain of these hardy seafarers.
quite definitely, too, there rose the
greatest OF all human agencies toward
action, that of selfish personal desire
on the part Of the wielder of power. the
King or the Emperor and his supporters
In actuality. England was in a turmoil
OF protest before the Reformation. as
such, stepped into the open of world
contest, of wide ultimate acceptance. of
deep national significance.
1t Is at this point Of England's stir
toward protest and open resistance that
Hlaire Belloc sets the tragedy in hand
The stage, in its widest reach. shows
the country itself in a ferment of gen.
eral wakening, of impending change. At
the center Of it, however, are but two
fgures-WolSey and Henry VIII. The
great cardinal is, in effect, alone.
around the King, mobiles come and 90
upon errands hostile to the prelate and
oeepiy friendly to themselves. The pro-
gram is, Of course, as you recall-that
OF securing from the Pope himself
compliance with the passion for a new
queen that Is in possession of Henry,
Inc action concerns itself almost wholly
with the advances of Wolsey toward Sc
curing this great concession. with his
Clmlo retreats away from 1t in face of
the lions Of dificulty that challenge his
ADVANCE. Around that uncertain course
OF the cardinal, plots and counterplots.
Sourced In the noble friends Of Anne
Boleyn, gather and progress to the ul-
innate destruction of Wolsev. You
know the story. Read "Wolsey'' for the
sheer dramatic impact of this chapter
OF English history. Read it as an actual
embodiment Of character, reacting to
circumstance of momentous import with
decision and vision. or with the opno-
site OF these-with vacillation and
short-sight. Clearly, Wolsey crumbIed
under the double load that he was try-
ing to carry. And this vivid drama
serves as continuing picture of man
and circumstance working together to-
ward success or failure to themselves
and their own small plans or toward
triumph or defeat according to world
measurement of growth or decay.s
Robust and sinewy, selective and
clean-drawn, here is drama of sheer
power and beauty. Going along with it,
one partakes Of its purpose and action
actually partakes, instead of sitting bv
with book in hand. Not speedily will
this hour OF English fact settle back
70 the dun colors Of historic record Not
soon Will the sequences of this moment
OF English life be forgotten.
One gathers here, rather by impli-
cation than by statement that but for
this episode in the life of Henry and
the sum Of activities that 1t set I'D. Eng
land would still have been under the
leadership of Rome. No. that is not
possible. The physical situation Of the
country, the temper of the people are
against that. The progress of the world
itself is against it, however. One is re-
minded again, also, of the potency of
woman in the affairs of man. From
Eden and the Nile, from Troy, from
France in every age, and certainly from
the England Of Henry VIII, it is the
female Of the species that works havoc
with men and affairs.
And, among all these historic Sirens
and Circes. Anne Boleyn cuts no small
figure. Intelligent, shrewd, determined,
knowing exactly what she wants and
going out after it, Anne Boleyn, though
not actually having an open role in
this drama, is nevertheless felt here to
be the real potency in England of that
day. A wanton? Very likely, though
words change their content like man
ners and other social commodities
This, however, is a matter of Queens
In this case, clearly a usurping Queen
Rejecting some more, Anne Boleyn
really, explains Elizabeth, is the true
progenitor of that great Queen. One
would say her sole progenitor, If that
were biologically possible. for, taken by
and large, Henry VIII was a good deal
of a mess, no forefather to Kings such
as England was so certain to require.
Time to Stop-but here is great
orama, great experience for us to
share in the interest of a better I'M
derstanding Of today and its peoples
and affairs.
THIS HUMAN NATURE. BY Charles
Dun. Cosmopolitan Book Corpora
ton.
The author declares this book to be
history" Commentary and "exposi-
ton" from the earliest times to the
present day of that most elusive thing,
human nature. The title, so neatly
divided, may cause you to fear an aca-
demtc fronting upon the theme. No
trouble there. The three divisions
amble along comfortably together, with
no crowding, no quarrelsome counter
M kt,-aA ali "a. -
mechanical import clears out, leaving
the reader in an engrossed pursuit of
himself, of that which he really is in
company with the rest of mankind.