The Most Bitter Foe of Nations, and the Way to Its Permanent Overthrow. Andrew Dickson White

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СКАЧАТЬ time—as by a simultaneous and spontaneous movement—almost every nation in Europe consolidated power in the hands of a monarch. In France, in England, in Italy, as well as in Spain, you see institutions, liberties, franchises, boundaries sacrificed freely to establish despotism. You see Henry VII. in England, Louis XI. in France, Charles V., a little later, in Germany and Italy, Ferdinand and Isabella in Spain—almost all utterly unlovely and unloved—allowed to build up despotisms in all cases severe, and in most cases cruel. Why? Because the serf-owning caste had become utterly unbearable; because one tyrant is better than a thousand.

      Then the Spanish nobility went into the next phase. Ferdinand, Charles the Fifth, Philip the Second—three of the harshest tyrants known to history,—having crushed out the boldness and enterprise of the aristocracy it passed from what I have called the Vitriolic into what might be called the Narcotic period.

      A period this was in which the noble became an agent in stimulating all evil tendencies in the monarch, and in stupefying all good tendencies in the people.

      The caste spirit was a drug infused into the body politic, rendering inert all its powers for good. Did Charles the Fifth insult and depose Ximenes,—the nation sleepily permitted it; did Philip the Second lay bigot plans which brought the kingdom to ruin,—the nation lazily fawned upon him for it;12 did Philip III. and his successors allow the nation to sink into contempt,—there was no voice to raise it.

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      1

      History of Civilization in Europe. Third Lecture.

      2

      Sempere, Histoire des Cortes d'Espagne, Chap. 6.

      3

      Prescott's Ferdinand and Isabella. Introduction, p. 48.

      4

      Hallam's Hist. of Middle Ages, Vol. 2, p. 30.

1

History of Civilization in Europe. Third Lecture.

2

Sempere, Histoire des Cortes d'Espagne, Chap. 6.

3

Prescott's Ferdinand and Isabella. Introduction, p. 48.

4

Hallam's Hist. of Middle Ages, Vol. 2, p. 30.

5

Robertson's Introduction to Life of Charles V., Section 3d; also Prescott.

6

What an effect this early liberty had in stimulating thought can be seen in a few moments by glancing over the pages of Ticknor's History of Spanish Literature.

7

For some statements as to hardy characteristics of Spanish peasantry, see Doblado's Letters from Spain. Letter 2.

8

Sempere, p. 205.

9

Mariana Hist. of Spain.

10

Mariana, History of Spain.

11

Mariana, History of Spain, XIII., 11.

12

"There probably never lived a prince who, during so long a period, was adored by his subjects as Philip II. was." Buckle, Vol. II., page 21. This explains the popularity of Henry VIII. of England better than all Froude's volumes, able as they are.