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form a clear opinion。 The letters are well worthy of the man who
wrote the history of the Council of Trent and the protest of
Venice against the Interdict。
It is true that there has been derived from these letters； by his
open enemies on one side and his defenders of a rather sickly
conscientious sort on the other； one charge against him： this is
based on his famous declaration； 〃I utter falsehood never； but
the truth not to every one。〃 （〃La falsita non dico mai mai； ma la
verita non a ogniuno。〃）＇1＇ Considering his vast responsibilities
as a statesman and the terrible dangers which beset him as a
theologian； that in the first of these capacities the least
misstep might wreck the great cause which he supported； and that
in the second such a misstep might easily bring him to the
torture chamber and the stake； normally healthful minds will
doubtless agree that the criticism upon these words is more
Pharisaic than wholesome。
＇1＇ For this famous utterance； see notes of conversations given
by Christoph； Burggraf von Dohna； in July； 1608； in Briefe und
Acten zur Geschichte des Dreissigjahrigen Krieges； Munchen； 1874；
p。 79。
Sarpi was now spoken of； more than ever； both among friends and
foes； as the 〃terribile frate。〃 Terrible to the main enemies of
Venice he indeed was； and the machinations of his opponents grew
more and more serious。 Efforts to assassinate him； to poison him；
to discredit him； to lure him to Rome； or at least within reach
of the Inquisition； became almost frantic； but all in vain。 He
still continued his quiet life at the monastery of Santa Fosca；
publishing from time to time discussions of questions important
for Venice and for Europe； working steadily in the public service
until his last hours。 In spite of his excommunication and of his
friendships with many of the most earnest Protestants of Europe；
he remained a son of the church in which he was born。 His life
was shaped in accordance with its general precepts； and every day
he heard mass。 So his career quietly ran on until； in 1623； he
met death calmly； without fear； in full reliance upon the divine
justice and mercy。 His last words were a prayer for Venice。
He had fought the good fight。 He had won it for Venice and for
humanity。 For all this； the Republic had； in his later years；
tried to show her gratitude； and he had quietly and firmly
refused the main gifts proposed to him。 But now came a new
outburst of grateful feeling。 The Republic sent notice of his
death to other powers of Europe through its Ambassadors in the
terms usual at the death of royal personages； in every way； it
showed its appreciation of his character and services； and it
crowned all by voting him a public monument。
Hardly was the decree known； when the Vatican authorities sent
notice that； should any monument be erected to Sarpi； they would
anew and publicly declare him excommunicate as a heretic。 At
this； the Venetian Senate hesitated； waited； delayed。 Whenever
afterwards the idea of carrying out the decree for the monument
was revived； there set in a storm of opposition from Rome。 Hatred
of the terrible friar's memory seemed to grow more and more
bitter。 Even rest in the grave was denied him。 The church where
he was buried having been demolished； the question arose as to
the disposition of his bones。 To bury them in sacred ground
outside the old convent would arouse a storm of ecclesiastical
hostility； with the certainty of their dispersion and
desecration； it seemed impossible to secure them from priestly
hatred： therefore it was that his friends took them from place to
place； sometimes concealing them in the wall of a church here；
sometimes beneath the pavement of a church there； and for a time
keeping them in a simple wooden box at the Ducal Library。 The
place where his remains rested became； to most Venetians；
unknown。 All that remained to remind the world of his work was
his portrait in the Ducal Library； showing the great gash made by
the Vatican assassins。
Time went on； and generations came which seemed to forget him。
Still worse； generation after generation came； carefully trained
by clerical teachers to misunderstand and hate him。 But these
teachers went too far； for； in 1771； nearly one hundred and fifty
years after his death； the monk Vaerini gathered together； in a
pretended biography； all the scurrilities which could be
imagined； and endeavored to bury the memory of the great patriot
beneath them。 This was too much。 The old Venetian spirit； which
had so long lain dormant； now asserted itself： Vaerini was
imprisoned and his book suppressed。
A quarter of a century later the Republic fell under the rule of
Austria； and Austria's most time…honored agency in keeping down
subject populations has always been the priesthood。 Again Father
Paul's memory was virtually proscribed； and in 1803 another
desperate attempt was made to cover him with infamy。 In that year
appeared a book entitled The Secret History of the Life of Fra
Paolo Sarpi； and it contained not only his pretended biography；
but what claimed to be Sarpi's own letters and other documents
showing him to be an adept in scoundrelism and hypocrisy。 Its
editor was the archpriest Ferrara of Mantua； but on the
title…page appeared； as the name of its author； Fontanini；
Archbishop of Ancira； a greatly respected prelate who had died
nearly seventy years before； and there was also stamped； not only
upon the preliminary； but upon the final page of the work； the
approval of the Austrian government。 To this was added a pious
motto from St。 Augustine； and the approval of Pius VII was
distinctly implied； since the work was never placed upon the
Index； and could not have been published at Venice； stamped as it
was and registered with the privileges of the University； without
the consent of the Vatican。
The memory of Father Paul seemed likely now to be overwhelmed。
There was no longer a Republic of Venice to guard the noble
traditions of his life and service。 The book was recommended and
spread far and wide by preachers and confessors。
But at last came a day of judgment。 The director of the Venetian
archives discovered and had the courage to announce that the work
was a pious fraud of the vilest type； that it was never written
by Fontanini； but that it was simply made up out of the old
scurrilous work of Vaerini； suppressed over thirty years before。
As to the correspondence served up as supplementary to the
biography； it was concocted from letters already published； with
the addition of Jesuitical interpolations and of forgeries。＇1＇
Now came the inevitable reaction； and with it the inevitable
increase of hatred for Austrian rule and the inevitable question；
how； if the Pope is the infallible teacher of the world in all
matters pertaining to faith and morals； could he virtually
approve this book； and why did he not； by virtue of his divine
inerrancy； detect the fraud and place its condemnation upon the
Index。 The only lasting effect of the book； then； was to revive
the memory of Father Paul's great deeds and to arouse Venetian
pride in them。 The fearful scar on his face in the portrait spoke
more eloquently than ever； and so it was that； early in the
nineteenth century； many men of influence joined in proposing a
suitable and final interment for the poor bones； which had seven
times been buried and reburied； and which had so long been