Year: 1874

The Death of GutZOt.


Another great name has been inscribed upon
the scroll Of the illustrious dead-Francois
Pierre Guillaume Guizot The name was
already but memory, for the man long ago
had become a stranger to this generation. He
was the survivor of deluge-one of those
men whom the waves of time bear out of the
strife and turmoil of the world to the serene
heights of contemplation and repose.


At the extreme age Of eighty-seven Guizot
could look back upon his life and see in that
small, narrow mirror the reflection of the his
tory of modern Europe. When he began his
career as a simple student the French Revolu-
ton had just revenged the wrongs of three
centuries. He became man almost at the
moment Napoleon became tyrant 1t
was not his nature to yield easy allegiance
to the conqueror, nor to worship the burning
sun of Austerlitz, the fiery star of war. All
the inclinations of this man were tor order,
peace and permanent authority. With such a
meteoric spirit as that of Napoleon he could
not sympathize ; the wars the ambitious
Corsican made against Italy, Austria, Russia
and England were not his wars,
and he refused to become even a silent and
inactive supporter Of the First Empire. 1t
required high moral courage IN the young
assistant Professor of History in the Univer-
sity Of Paris to decline to even compliment
the Emperor In his first address to the
students, but this he did. Napoleon
could control Europe but he could
not triumph over Guizot. The resist
ance OF one man IS sometimes defeat for
which no military victory can compensate.
Guizot saw the beginning of the Napoleonic
dynasty, and lived to rejoice in its end. At
least, like Moses he lived to behold the prom
ised land; for though fourth Napoleon may
be possible, a fifth of the naIue will never be
known to history.


Guizot began his political life humbly, as
secretary to q Minister Of State, and
ended it as the real master of France
under Louis Philippe. From 1914 to 1s4S,
when the revolution swept the inter-
lude and parenthess of royalty away, he
was politician, and, for great portion of
that period, practically the ruler of
his nation. At war with Theirs, op-
posed to Lamartine and progress, striving
to make permanent a constitutional mon
archy, Guizot with few Interruptions,
held the real power of the government
Whether he ruled wisely it is not our province
now to determine; perhaps he might have
postponed, but it is unlikely that he could have
prevented, the revolution. But when it came
! L.. koko la1
Louis Napoleon crawled into the throne the
great Napoleon by his sword had won, Guizot
was too pure to profit by that treason to
France, and when the Empire ended he was
too old to give bis country any better aid than
the example of his life.


That Guizot was not entirely great history
may decide, but he has never been accused of
| iniidelity to his own principles. He was
narrow, intense, rigid, and struggled in vain
to establish in France form of government
which is already becoming impossible in
England. The constitutional monarchy is on
extremes, and does not accept CON-
promises between tyranny and freedom. Yet,
though Guizot was not entirely a man of this
age be impressed himself strongly upon
France. His political work will pass away.
but his great literary works will endure He
was professor, government employ6, journal
ist, Minister, historian, and in all these pur-
suits had but one purpose, and in each of
them he was eminent. He had outlived his
own usefulness but he could look upon ca
| reer which had many errors but not n sinoIe
| stain.