And we intended for representation. have been able to maintain himself so long in an intermediate position between the Catholic and Protestant parties. Most extraordinary it would indeed be, if we were to suppose that the nation consisted of none but decided Catholics and decided Protestants. The fact is that the great mass The greatest and most popular draof the people was neither Catholic nor matists of the Elizabethan age treat reProtestant, but was, like its sovereign, ligious subjects in a very remarkable midway between the two sects. Henry, manner. They speak respectfully of in that very part of his conduct which the fundamental doctrines of Christihas been represented as most capricious anity. But they speak neither like Caand inconsistent, was probably follow-tholics nor like Protestants, but like ing a policy far more pleasing to the persons who are wavering between the majority of his subjects than a policy two systems, or who have made a syslike that of Edward, or a policy like tem for themselves out of parts selected that of Mary, would have been. Down from both. They seem to hold some even to the very close of the reign of of the Romish rites and doctrines in Elizabeth, the people were in a state high respect. They treat the vow of somewhat resembling that in which, as celibacy, for example, so tempting, and, Machiavelli says, the inhabitants of the in later times, so common a subject for Roman empire were, during the tran-ribaldry, with mysterious reverence. sition from heathenism to Christianity; Almost every member of a religious "sendo la maggior parte di loro in- order whom they introduce is a holy certi a quale Dio dovessero ricorrere." and venerable man. We remember in They were generally, we think, favour- their plays nothing resembling the able to the royal supremacy. They coarse ridicule with which the Catholic disliked the policy of the Court of religion and its ministers were assailed, Rome. Their spirit rose against the two generations later, by dramatists interference of a foreign priest with who wished to please the multitude. their national concerns. The bull which We remember no Friar Dominic, no pronounced sentence of deposition Father Foigard, among the characters against Elizabeth, the plots which were drawn by those great poets. The scene formed against her life, the usurpation at the close of the Knight of Malta of her titles by the Queen of Scotland, might have been written by a fervent the hostility of Philip, excited their Catholic. Massinger shows a great strongest indignation. The cruelties fondness for ecclesiastics of the Romish of Bonner were remembered with dis- Church, and has even gone so far as gust. Some parts of the new system, to bring a virtuous and interesting the use of the English language, for Jesuit on the stage. Ford, in that fine example, in public worship, and the play which it is painful to read and communion in both kinds, were un- scarcely decent to name, assigns a doubtedly popular. On the other hand, highly creditable part to the Friar. the early lessons of the nurse and the The partiality of Shakspeare for Friars priest were not forgotten. The ancient is well known. In Hamlet, the Ghost ceremonies were long remembered with complains that he died without extreme affectionate reverence. A large portion unction, and, in defiance of the article of the ancient theology lingered to the which condemns the doctrine of purlast in the minds which had been im- gatory, declares that he is bued with it in childhood. The best proof that the religion of the people was of this mixed kind is furnished by the Drama of that age. No man would bring unpopular opinions prominently forward in a play Till the foul crimes, done in his days of "Confined to fast in fires, nature. Are burnt and purged away.” theatre at any time during the reign of Charles the Second. They were clearly not written by a zealous Protestant, or for zealous Protestants. Yet the author of King John and Henry the Eighth was surely no friend to papal supremacy. There is, we think, only one solution of the phænomena which we find in the history and in the drama of that age. The religion of the English was a mixed religion, like that of the Samaritan settlers, described in the second book of Kings, who "feared the Lord, and served their graven images; " like that of the Judaizing Christians who blended the ceremonies and doctrines of the synagogue with those of the church; like that of the Mexican Indians, who, during many generations after the subjugation of their race, continued to unite with the rites learned from their conquerors the worship of the grotesque idols which had been adored by Montezuma and Guatemozin. her sister had harassed the Protestants. We say more odious. For Mary had at least the plea of fanaticism. She did nothing for her religion which she was not prepared to suffer for it. She had held it firmly under persecution. She fully believed it to be essential to salvation. If she burned the bodies of her subjects, it was in order to rescue their souls. Elizabeth had no such pretext. In opinion, she was little more than half a Protestant. She had professed, when it suited her, to be wholly a Catholic. There is an excuse, a wretched excuse, for the massacres of Piedmont and the Autos da fe of Spain. But what can be said in defence of a ruler who is at once indifferent and intolerant? If the great Queen, whose memory is still held in just veneration by Englishmen, had possessed sufficient virtue and sufficient enlargement of mind to adopt those principles which More, wiser in speculation than in action, had avowed in the preceding generation, and by which the excellent L'Hospital regu These feelings were not confined to the populace. Elizabeth herself was by no means exempt from them. Alated his conduct in her own time, how crucifix, with wax-lights burning round different would be the colour of the it, stood in her private chapel. She whole history of the last two hundred always spoke with disgust and anger of and fifty years! She had the happiest the marriage of priests. "I was in opportunity ever vouchsafed to any horror," says Archbishop Parker, "to sovereign of establishing perfect freehear such words to come from her mild dom of conscience throughout her donature and Christian learned con- minions, without danger to her governscience, as she spake concerning God's ment, without scandal to any large holy ordinance and institution of ma-party among her subjects. The nation, trimony." Burleigh prevailed on her as it was clearly ready to profess either to connive at the marriages of church-religion, would, beyond all doubt, men. But she would only connive; have been ready to tolerate both. and the children sprung from such marriages were illegitimate till the accession of James the First. Unhappily for her own glory and for the public peace, she adopted a policy from the effects of which the empire is That which is, as we have said, the still suffering. The yoke of the Estagreat stain on the character of Burleigh blished Church was pressed down on is also the great stain on the character the people till they would bear it no of Elizabeth. Being herself an Adia- longer. Then a reaction came. Anphorist, having no scruple about con- other reaction followed. To the tyforming to the Romish Church when ranny of the establishment succeeded conformity was necessary to her own the tumultuous conflict of sects, insafety, retaining to the last moment of furiated by manifold wrongs, and her life a fondness for much of the doc- drunk with unwonted freedom. trine and much of the ceremonial of the conflict of sects succeeded again the that church, she yet subjected that cruel domination of one persecuting church to a persecution even more church. At length oppression put off odious than the persecution with which its most horrible form, and took a To milder aspect. The penal laws which | those who followed her were likely to had been framed for the protection of learn the art of managing untractable the established church were abolished. subjects. If, instead of searching the But exclusions and disabilities still records of her reign for precedents remained. These exclusions and dis- which might seem to vindicate the abilities, after having generated the mutilation of Prynne and the imprisonmost fearful discontents, after having ment of Eliot, the Stuarts had atrendered all government in one part of tempted to discover the fundamental the kingdom impossible, after having rules which guided her conduct in all brought the state to the very brink of her dealings with her people, they ruin, have, in our times, been removed, would have perceived that their policy but, though removed, have left behind was then most unlike to hers, when to them a rankling which may last for a superficial observer it would have many years. It is melancholy to think seemed most to resemble hers. Firm, with what ease Elizabeth might have haughty, sometimes unjust and cruel, united all conflicting sects under the in her proceedings towards individuals shelter of the same impartial laws and or towards small partics, she avoided the same paternal throne, and thus with care, or retracted with speed, have placed the nation in the same every measure which seemed likely to situation, as far as the rights of con- alienate the great mass of the people. science are concerned, in which we at She gained more honour and more last stand, after all the heart-burnings, love by the manner in which she rethe persecutions, the conspiracies, the paired her errors than she would have seditions, the revolutions, the judicial gained by never committing errors. If murders, the civil wars, of ten genera- such a man as Charles the First had tions. been in her place when the whole nation was crying out against the monopolies, he would have refused all redress. He would have dissolved the Parliament, and imprisoned the most popular members. He would have called another Parliament. He would have given some vague and delusive promises of relief in return for subsidies. When entreated to fulfil his promises, he would have again dissolved the Parliament, and again im This is the dark side of her character. Yet she surely was a great woman. Of all the sovereigns who exercised a power which was seemingly absolute, but which in fact depended for support on the love and confidence of their subjects, she was by far the most illustrious. It has often been alleged as an excuse for the misgovernment of her successors that they only followed her example, that precedents might be found in the trans-prisoned his leading opponents. The actions of her reign for persecuting the Puritans, for levying money without the sanction of the House of Commons, for confining men without bringing them to trial, for interfering with the liberty of parliamentary debate. All this may be true. But it is no good plea for her successors; and for this plain reason, that they were her successors. She governed one generation, they governed another; and between the two generations there was almost as little in common as between the people of two different countries. It was not by looking at the particular measures which Elizabeth had adopted, but by looking at the great general principles of her government, that country would have become more agitated than before. The next House of Commons would have been more unmanageable than that which preceded it. The tyrant would have agreed to all that the nation demanded. He would have solemnly ratified an act abolishing monopolies for ever. He would have received a large supply in return for this concession; and within half a year new patents, more oppres sive than those which had been cancelled, would have been issued by scores. Such was the policy which brought the heir of a long line of kings, in early youth the darling of his countrymen, to a prison and a scaffold. Elizabeth, before the House of Com mons could address her, took out of again murmuring one of his sweet lovetheir mouths the words which they songs too near the ears of her Highness's were about to utter in the name of the maids of honour, and soon after poring nation. Her promises went beyond over the Talmud, or collating Polybius their desires. Her performance fol- with Livy. We had intended also to lowed close upon her promise. She say something concerning the literature did not treat the nation as an adverse of that splendid period, and especially party, as a party which had an interest concerning those two incomparable opposed to hers, as a party to which men, the Prince of Poets, and the Prince she was to grant as few advantages as of Philosophers, who have made the possible, and from which she was to Elizabethan age a more glorious and extort as much money as possible. important era in the history of the Her benefits were given, not sold; and, human mind than the age of Pericles, when once given, they were never with- of Augustus, or of Leo. But subjects drawn. She gave them too with a so vast require a space far larger than frankness, an effusion of heart, a we can at present afford. We therefore princely dignity, a motherly tenderness, stop here, fearing that, if we proceed, which enhanced their value. They were our article may swell to a bulk exceedreceived by the sturdy country gentle-ing that of all other reviews, as much as men who had come up to Westminster Dr. Nares's book exceeds the bulk of full of resentment, with tears of joy, all other histories. and shouts of "God save the Queen." Charles the First gave up half the prerogatives of his crown to the Commons; and the Commons sent him in return the Grand Remonstrance. We had intended to say something concerning that illustrious group of which Elizabeth is the central figure, that group which the last of the bards saw in vision from the top of Snowdon, encircling the Virgin Queen, "Many a baron bold, And gorgeous dames, and statesmen old WAR OF THE SUCCESSION IN History of the War of the Succession in THE days when Miscellanies in Prose and Verse by a Person of Honour, and Romances of M. Scuderi, done into English by a Person of Quality, were attractive to readers and profitable to We had intended to say something booksellers, have long gone by. The concerning the dexterous Walsing- literary privileges once enjoyed by ham, the impetuous Oxford, the grace-lords are as obsolete as their right to ful Sackville, the all-accomplished kill the king's deer on their way to ParSydney; concerning Essex, the orna-liament, or as their old remedy of scanment of the court and of the camp, the dalum magnatum. Yet we must acmodel of chivalry, the munificent patron knowledge that, though our political of genius, whom great virtues, great opinions are by no means aristocratical, courage, great talents, the favour of his we always feel kindly disposed towards sovereign, the love of his countrymen, noble authors. Industry, and a taste all that seemed to ensure a happy and for intellectual pleasures, are peculiarly glorious life, led to an early and an respectable in those who can afford to ignominious death; concerning Ra- be idle and who have every temptation leigh, the soldier, the sailor, the scholar, to be dissipated. It is impossible not the courtier, the orator, the poet, the to wish success to a man who, finding historian, the philosopher, whom we himself placed, without any exertion picture to ourselves, sometimes review- or any merit on his part, above the ing the Queen's guard, sometimes giv-mass of society, voluntarily descends ing chase to a Spanish galleon, then from his eminence in search of disanswering the chiefs of the country tinctions which he may justly call his party in the House of Commons, then own. wrong. The historians and philosophers have quite done with this maxim, and have abandoned it, like other maxims which have lost their gloss, to bad novelists, by whom it will very soon be worn to rags. It is no more than justice to say that the faults of Lord Mahon's book are precisely the faults which time seldom fails to cure, and that the book, in spite of those faults, is a valuable addition to our historical literature. This is, we think, the second appear- | prince." This remark might have ance of Lord Mahon in the character seemed strange at the court of Nimof an author. His first book was cre- rod or Chedorlaomer; but it has now ditable to him, but was in every respect been for many generations considered inferior to the work which now lies as a truism rather than a paradox. before us. He has undoubtedly some Every boy has written on the thesis of the most valuable qualities of a his-" Odisse quem læseris." Scarcely any torian, great diligence in examin- lines in English poetry are better ing authorities, great judgment in known than that vigorous couplet, weighing testimony, and great impar-« Forgiveness to the injured does belong; tiality in estimating characters. We But they ne'er pardon who have done the are not aware that he has in any instance forgotten the duties belonging to his literary functions in the feelings of a kinsman. He does no more than justice to his ancestor Stanhope; he does full justice to Stanhope's enemies and rivals. His narrative is very perspicuous, and is also entitled to the praise, seldom, we grieve to say, deserved by modern writers, of being very concise. It must be admitted, however, that, with many of the best qualities of a literary veteran, he has some of the faults of a literary novice. He has not yet acquired a great command of words. His style is seldom easy, and is now and then unpleasantly stiff. He is so bigoted a purist that he transforms the Abbé d'Estrées into an Abbot. We do not like to see French words introduced into English composition; but, after all, the first law of writing, that law to which all other laws are subordinate, is this, that the words employed shall be such as convey to the reader the meaning of the writer. Now an Abbot is the head of a religious house; an Abbé is quite a different sort of person. It is better undoubtedly to use an English word than a French word; but it is better to use a French word than to misuse an English word. Whoever wishes to be well acquainted with the morbid anatomy of governments, whoever wishes to know how great states may be made feeble and wretched, should study the history of Spain. The empire of Philip the Second was undoubtedly one of the most powerful and splendid that ever existed in the world. In Europe, he ruled Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands on both sides of the Rhine, Franche Comté, Roussillon, the Milanese, and the Two Sicilies. Tuscany, Parma, and the other small states of Italy, were as completely dependent on him as the Nizam and the Rajah of Berar now are on the East India Company. In Asia, the King of Spain was master of the Philippines and of all those rich settlements which the Portuguese had Lord Mahon is also a little too fond made on the coast of Malabar and of uttering moral reflections in a style Coromandel, in the Peninsula of Matoo sententious and oracular. We will lacca, and in the Spice-islands of the give one instance: "Strange as it Eastern Archipelago. In America his seems, experience shows that we usu- dominions extended on each side of ally feel far more animosity against the equator into the temperate zone. those whom we have injured than There is reason to believe that his anagainst those who injure us: and nual revenue amounted, in the season this remark holds good with every of his greatest power, to a sum near degree of intellect, with every class of ten times as large as that which Engfortune, with a prince or a peasant, a land yielded to Elizabeth. He had a stripling or an elder, a hero or a standing army of fifty thousand ex |