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maintained； and evidences of it may be seen in various European
countries。 The traveler in Italy constantly sees in the larger
Italian towns long lines of young men and boys； sallow； thin； and
listless； walking two and two； with priests at each end of the
coffle。 These are students taking their exercise； and an American
or Englishman marvels as he remembers the playing fields of his
own country。 Youth are thus brought up as milksops； to be
graduated as scape…graces。 The strong men who control public
affairs； who lead men and originate measures in the open； are not
bred in Jesuit forcing…houses。 Even the Jesuits themselves have
acknowledged this； and perhaps the strongest of all arguments
supplementary to those given by Father Paul were uttered by Padre
Curci； eminent in his day as a Jesuit gladiator； but who realized
finally the impossibility of accomplishing great things with men
moulded by Jesuit methods。
All these works took strong hold upon European thought。 Leading
men in all parts of Europe recognized Sarpi as both a great
statesman and a great historian。 Among his English friends were
such men as Lord Bacon and Sir Henry Wotton； and his praises have
been sounded by Grotius； by Gibbon； by Hallam； and by Macaulay。
Strong； lucid； these works of Father Paul have always been
especially attractive to those who rejoice in the leadership of a
master mind。
But in 1619 came the most important of all；a service to
humanity hardly less striking than that which he had rendered in
his battle against the Interdict；his history of the Council of
Trent。
His close relations to so many of the foremost men of his day and
his long study in public archives and private libraries bore
fruit in this work； which takes rank among the few great；
enduring historical treatises of the world。 Throughout； it is
vigorous and witty； but at the same time profound； everywhere it
bears evidences of truthfulness and is pervaded by sobriety of
judgment。 Its pictures of the efforts or threats by
representatives of various great powers to break away from the
papacy and establish national churches； its presentation of the
arguments of anti…papal orators on one side and of Laynez and his
satellites on the other； its display of acts and revelations of
pretexts； its penetration into the whole network of intrigue； and
its thorough discussion of underlying principles；all are
masterly。
Though the name of the author was concealed in an anagram； the
book was felt； by the Vatican party； to be a blow which only one
man could have dealt； and the worst blow which the party had
received since its author had defeated the Interdict at Venice。
Efforts were made； by outcries and calumnies； to discredit the
work； and they have been continued from that day to this； but in
vain。 That there must be some gaps and many imperfections in it
is certain； but its general character is beyond the reach of
ultramontane weapons。 The blow was felt to be so heavy that the
Jesuit Pallavicini was empowered to write a history of the
Council to counterbalance it； and his work was well done； but
Ranke； the most unprejudiced of judges； comparing the two；
assigns the palm to Father Paul。 His book was immediately spread
throughout Europe； but of all the translations； perhaps the most
noteworthy was the English。 Sarpi had entrusted a copy of the
original to his friend； Antonio de Dominis； Archbishop of
Spalato； and he； having taken refuge in England； had it
translated there； the authorship being ascribed on the title…page
to 〃Pietro Soave Polano。〃 This English translation was； in vigor
and pith； worthy of the original。 In it can be discerned； as
clearly as in the original； that atmosphere of intrigue and
brutal assertion of power by which the Roman Curia； after packing
the Council with petty Italian bishops； bade defiance to the
Catholic world。 This translation； more than all else； has enabled
the English…speaking peoples to understand what was meant by the
Italian historian when he said that Father Paul 〃taught the world
how the Holy Spirit guides the Great Councils of the Church。〃 It
remains cogent down to this day； after reading it one feels that
such guidance might equally be claimed for Tammany Hall。
Although Father Paul never acknowledged the authorship of the
history of the Council of Trent； and although his original copy；
prepared for the press； with his latest corrections； still
remains buried in the archives at Venice； the whole world knew
that he alone could have written it。
But during all these years； while elaborating opinions on the
weightiest matters of state for the Venetian Senate； and sending
out this series of books which so powerfully influenced the
attitude of his own and after generations toward the Vatican； he
was working with great effect in yet another field。 With the
possible exception of Voltaire； he was the most vigorous and
influential letter…writer during the three hundred years which
separated Erasmus from Thomas Jefferson。 Voltaire certainly
spread his work over a larger field； lighted it with more wit；
and gained by it more brilliant victories； but as regards
accurate historical knowledge； close acquaintance with statesmen；
familiarity with the best and worst which statesmen could do；
sober judgment and cogent argument； the great Venetian was his
superior。 Curiously enough； Sarpi resembles the American
statesman more closely than either of the Europeans。 Both he and
Jefferson had the intense practical interest of statesmen； not
only in the welfare of their own countries； but in all the
political and religious problems of their times。 Both were keenly
alive to progress in the physical sciences； wherever made。 Both
were wont to throw a light veil of humor over very serious
discussions。 Both could use； with great effect； curt； caustic
description： Jefferson's letter to Governor Langdon satirizing
the crowned heads of Europe； as he had seen them； has a worthy
pendant in Fra Paolo's pictures of sundry representatives of the
Vatican。 In both these writers was a deep earnestness which； at
times； showed itself in prophetic utterances。 The amazing
prophecy of Jefferson against American slavery； beginning with
the words； 〃I tremble when I remember that God is just；〃 which；
in the light of our civil war； seems divinely inspired； is
paralleled by some of Sarpi's utterances against the unmoral
tendencies of Jesuitism and Ultramontanism； and these too seem
divinely inspired as one reads them in the light of what has
happened since in Spain； in Sicily； in Naples； in Poland； in
Ireland； and in sundry South American republics。
The range of Sarpi's friendly relations was amazing。 They
embraced statesmen； churchmen； scholars； scientific
investigators； diplomatists in every part of Europe； and among
these Galileo and Lord Bacon； Grotius and Mornay； Salmasius and
Casaubon； De Thou and Sir Henry Wotton； Bishop Bedell and
Vossius； with a great number of others of nearly equal rank。
Unfortunately the greater part of his correspondence has
perished。 In the two small volumes collected by Polidori； and in
the small additional volume of letters to Simon Contarini；
Venetian Ambassador at Rome； unearthed a few years since in the
Venetian archives by Castellani； we have all that is known。 It is
but a small fraction of his epistolary work； but it enables us to
form a clear opinion。 The letters are well worthy of the man w