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gave earnest utterance to his belief that the time is coming when
the three great peoples of Germanic descent will stand firmly
together in all the great questions of the world。
The religious ceremonies in the Palace Chapel； with magnificent
music； the banquet； which included pertinent speeches from the
monarchs； and the gala representation at the opera all passed off
well： but； perhaps； that which will dwell longest in my memory
took place at the last。 The performance consisted of two pieces：
one a poem glorifying Prussia； recited with music； the other a
play； in four acts； with long； musical interludes； deifying the
great Elector and the house of Hohenzollern。 Though splendid in
scenic setting and brilliant in presentation it was very long；
and the ambassadors' box was crowded and hot。 In the midst of it
all the French ambassador； the Marquis de Noailles； one of the
most suave courteous； and placid of men； quietly said to me； with
inimitable gravity； 〃What a bore this must be to those who
understand German！ （Comme ca doit etre ennuyeux a ceux qui
correprennent l'Allexnand！）〃 This sudden revelation of a lower
depth of boredomfrom one who could not understand a word of the
playwas worthy of his ancestors in the days of Saint…Simon and
Dangeau。
During the following summer two great sorrows befell me and mine；
but there is nothing to be here chronicled save that in this； as
in previous trials； I took refuge in work which seemed to be
worthy。 The diplomatic service in summer is not usually exacting；
especially when one has； as I had； thoroughly loyal and judicious
embassy secretaries。 As in a former bereavement I had turned to a
study of the character and services of John of Portugal and his
great successors in the age of discovery； so now I turned to Fra
Paolo Sarpi and the good fight he fought for Venice and humanity。
To my large collection of books on the subject； made mainly in
Italy； I added much from the old book…shops of Germany； and with
these revised my Venetian studies。 An old dream of mine had been
to bring out a small book on Fra Paolo： now I sought； more
modestly； to prepare an essay。＇6＇ The work was good for me。
Contemplation of that noblest of the three great Italians between
the Renaissance and the Resurrection of Italy did something to
lift me above sorrow； reading his words； uttered so calmly in all
the storm and stress of his time； soothed me。 Viewed from my
work…table on the island of Rugen； the world became less dark as
I thought upon this hero of three centuries ago。
＇6＇ This essay has since been published in the 〃Atlantic Monthly〃
of January and February； 1904。
｛Included etext： Project Gutenberg｝
****************************************************************
THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY： A MAGAZINE OF Literature； Science； Art； and
Politics VOLUME XCIII ｛From January； 1904Number DLV。 and
February； 1904Number DLVI。｝
BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN AND COMPANY The Riverside
Press； Cambridge 1904
COPYRIGHT； 1903 AND 1904 BY HOUGHTON； MIFFLIN AND COMPANY
The Riverside Press； Cambridge； Mass。； U。S。A。 Electrotyped and
Printed by H。 O。 Houghton & Company
FRA PAOLO SARPI。
I。
A thoughtful historian tells us that； between the fourteenth
century and the nineteenth； Italy produced three great men。 As
the first of these； he names Machiavelli； who； he says； 〃taught
the world to understand political despotism and to hate it；〃 as
the second； he names Sarpi who 〃taught the world after what
manner the Holy Spirit guides the Councils of the Church；〃 and as
the third； Galileo； who 〃taught the world what dogmatic theology
is worth when it can be tested by science。〃
I purpose now to present the second of these。 As a MAN； he was by
far the greatest of the three and； in various respects； the most
interesting； for he not only threw a bright light into the most
important general council of the Church and revealed to
Christendom the methods which there prevailed；in a book which
remains one of the half…dozen classic histories of the
world；but he fought the most bitter fight for humanity against
the papacy ever known in any Latin nation； and won a victory by
which the whole world has profited ever since。 Moreover； he was
one of the two foremost Italian statesmen since the Middle Ages；
the other being Cavour。
He was born at Venice in 1552； and it may concern those who care
to note the subtle interweaving of the warp and woof of history
that the birth year of this most resourceful foe that Jesuitism
ever had was the death year of St。 Francis Xavier； the noblest of
Jesuit apostles。
It may also interest those who study the more evident evolution
of cause and effect in human affairs to note that； like most
strong men； he had a strong mother； that while his father was a
poor shopkeeper who did little and died young； his mother was
wise and serene。
From his earliest boyhood； he showed striking gifts and
characteristics。 He never forgot a face once seen； could take in
the main contents of a page at a glance； spoke little； rarely ate
meat； and； until his last years； never drank wine。
Brought up； after the death of his father； first by his uncle； a
priest； and then by Capella； a Servite monk； in something better
than the usual priestly fashion； he became known； while yet in
his boyhood； as a theological prodigy。 Disputations in his youth；
especially one at Mantua； where； after the manner of the time； he
successfully defended several hundred theses against all comers；
attracted wide attention； so that the Bishop gave him a
professorship； and the Duke； who； like some other crowned heads
of those days；notably Henry VIII。 and James I。；liked to
dabble in theology； made him a court theologian。 But the duties
of this position were uncongenial： a flippant duke； fond of
putting questions which the wisest theologian could not answer；
and laying out work which the young scholar evidently thought
futile； apparently wearied him。 He returned to the convent of the
Servites at Venice； and became； after a few years' novitiate； a
friar； changing； at the same time； his name； so that； having been
baptized Peter； he now became Paul。
His career soon seemed to reveal another and underlying cause of
his return： he evidently felt the same impulse which stirred his
contemporaries； Lord Bacon and Galileo； for he began devoting
himself to the whole range of scientific and philosophical
studies； especially to mathematics； physics； astronomy； anatomy；
and physiology。 In these he became known as an authority； and
before long was recognized as such through out Europe。 It is
claimed； and it is not improbable； that he anticipated Harvey in
discovering the circulation of the blood； and that he was the
forerunner of noted discoveries in magnetism。 Unfortunately the
loss of the great mass of his papers by the fire which destroyed
his convent in 1769 forbids any full estimate of his work； but it
is certain that among those who sought his opinion and advice
were such great discoverers as Acquapendente； Galileo；
Torricelli； and Gilbert of Colchester； and that every one of
these referred to him as an equal； and indeed as a master。 It
seems also established that it was he who first discovered the
valves of the veins； that he made known the most beautiful
function of the iris；its contractility；and that var