afforded by our historian's own avowals. We will allege a few of his testimonies bearing on this point. He speaks of the practical tendency of Lutheranism as follows: "In the middle of the following century (the eighteenth), a spirit of false liberality and skepticism began to infect the Lutheran communities. The Confession of Augsburg, and other formularies of the sixteenth century, to which their ministers had subscribed, lost their authority, and an unbounded freedom of opinion on all points was encouraged. The result was, the rise of a party headed by the notorious Semler, who, under the mask of Christianity, explained away all the doctrines of revelation, denied the miracles and other facts of sacred history, and subverted the genuineness and authenticity of the Bible. This infidelity became dreadfully prevalent among the Protestants of Germany and Denmark, in the course of the last and present centuries; the universities were full of it, the ministers of religion tainted with it; and the Lutheran faith seems under an eclipse, from whence we fervently pray that it may be delivered."' The Calvinistic branch of the reformation did not bear any better fruits. Here is Mr. Palmer's testimony: "It may be observed, in general, of the reformed communities in Switzerland, France, and the United Provinces, that they have too generally fallen away from the doctrines originally believed by them, into the Socinian or Arian heresies." "2 One would have thought, that at least the hopeful branch of the reformation, established by parliament, and by the bayonet, halter, and stake in England, would not have suffered a similar degeneracy. Let us hear what our historian says on this subject, and surely he is an unexceptionable witness. "In 1717, a controversy arose on occasion of the writings of Hoadley, bishop of Bangor, in which he maintained that it was needless to believe any particular creed, or to be united to any particular church; and that sincerity or our own persuasion of the correctness of our own opinions (whether well or ill founded), is sufficient. These doctrines were evidently calculated to subvert the necessity of believing the articles of the Christian faith, and to justify all classes of schismatics or separatists from the Church. The convocation deemed these opinions so mischievous, that a committee was appointed to select propositions from Hoadley's books, and to procure their censure; but before his trial could take place the convocation was prorogued by an arbitrary exercise of the royal authority, and has not been permitted to deliberate since. The temporal government, influenced by the schismatics, protected and advanced Hoadley and several persons of similar principles. In 1766, Archdeacon Blackburn, who was supposed to be an Arian, anonymously assailed the practice of subscribing the articles; and in 1772, a body of clergy and laymen petitioned parliament to put an end to it; but their request was refused. Many of these petitioners were secret disbelievers. in some of the Christian doctrines.""" 3 In Edward's reign, German troops were employed to enforce the reformation, and to crush an extensive insurrection in Devonshire and Norfolk. 4 P. 165. A humiliating avowal, truly, for an Anglican to be compelled to make! At one fell stroke the royal head of the Anglican church swept away forever the convocation of bishops; and for more than a hundred years, this boasted "church Catholic" has been voiceless, and a mere dumb slave, doomed to do the bidding of an inexorable task master. She has been well punished for having cast off, in an evil hour for her, the mild and paternal authority of Rome. She has, unlike the Israelites of old, gone out of the blooming land of the Catholic paradise, and entered again into the dark land of Egyptian servitude. She is a hopeless slave, bound hand and foot: she has no life even, but that which the capricious whim of her royal master or mistress may think proper to breathe into her nostrils! We do not wonder that she is beginning to grow weary of her bondage, and to sigh again for her former independênce. It is, in fact, to this aspiration after spiritual freedom, that we are mainly indebted for the recent Oxford movement. Let us hear what Mr. Palmer, who ought to know, testifies on the matter in question : "The church has been suffering much for a long time from appointments to its offices made from unworthy motives. The bishoprics and other dignities were' bestowed by the ministers of the crown on men distinguished only by birth or connections. Patronage, in general, was distributed on low and worldly considerations. Theological learning received no encouragement, and active zeal was viewed with jealousy as an approximation to Methodism . . . The aspect of the times has since contributed to stimulate the activity of the church. The weakness of the temporal government, and the influence which parties hostile to the church have for the last twenty years exercised over it, have taught the church to depend less on the protection of the state than on the divine blessing," &c.2 God grant that the unholy alliance may be forever dissolved, and then we may hope for England's conversion! It is curious to trace to its proper origin that modern infidelity which lately desolated France, and threatened to ingulf Christianity itself. Nothing is more certain than that it originated in the principles of Protestantism, and first in Protestant countries. Mr. Palmer himself will aid us in proving this position, and in establishing the two following propositions: First, that in point of time, infidelity obtained a footing in England and Germany much sooner than it did in France; and second, that those who subsequently propagated it in France, had imbibed their false principles, and learned the specious sophistry by which they sought to maintain them, in Protestant England or Germany, but principally in England. In support of the first proposition, the truth of which every one who has but glanced at history must admit, we have the authority of Mr. Palmer: "England had been already disgraced by the writings of some 1 Have been would have been, perhaps, more grammatical, and the same remark should be made as to the following clauses. 2 P. 166. unbelievers; but the works of Herbert and Bolingbroke, of Collins and Trindal, had produced little effect on the good sense and religious principles of the English nation." We deem the latter assertion of very doubtful authority. It is well known that many of the bishops and clergy themselves, whom our author praises for their able advocacy of Christianity,' were tainted with infidel principles. Mr. Palmer admits all this, as we have already seen; and we have likewise heard how he speaks of rationalism and infidelity in Germany and other Protestant countries. The second proposition is no less certain. It was in England, as the associate and boon companion of Bolingbroke and other English infidels, that Voltaire conceived his impious purpose of attempting the destruction of Christianity. This is a very important fact, for which we have again Mr. Palmer's testimony: "After he (Voltaire) had left college, he associated only with persons. of infamous morals; and having published some infidel opinions, which gave offense to the ruling powers of France, he retired to England, where he became acquainted with several unbelievers like himself. Here he formed his resolution to destroy Christianity; and on his return to Paris in 1730, he made no secret of his design and his hopes.' 993 Here we perceive that a noxious weed, plucked from the fertile garden of Catholic France, was carefully replanted in England, where it was nurtured to maturity; whence it was again, in an evil day, transplanted into France. Voltaire plied the very arguments, and used almost the identical language, which had been employed, with so much effect by the early reformers, for exciting popular indignation against Rome. Let us hear our author: "Voltaire invited men to forsake their religion, by promising them liberty of thought. He declared that Nothing was so contemptible and miserable in his eyes, as to see one man have recourse to another in matters of faith, or to ask what he ought to believe.' Reason, liberty and philosophy, were continually in the mouths of Voltaire and D'Alembert." It is remarkable, that when Voltaire was again under the necessity of leaving France, he found an asylum in Protestant Prussia and Switzerland. There seemed to exist a certain congenial feeling between him and the leaders of the Protestant party. Mr. Palmer bears evidence also to the rapid spread of infidel principles among the crowned heads and the higher orders, in most Protestant countries of Europe. "Infidelity now spread rapidly through France and through every part of the continent of Europe; several of the crowned heads were more or less favorable. The empress of Russia; the kings of Prussia, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, and all the princes of Germany, were either admirers of Voltaire, or avowed infidels." Our historian scarcely does justice to the Catholic clergy of France 1 P. 219 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 4 P 220. 5 P. 221. during the revolution; and he lays too much stress on the apostacy of a few among their number. Yet he cannot help avowing that — "The majority of the Roman clergy throughout Europe retained their faith, and, under the most grievous afflictions and persecutions for the name of Christ, evinced an increased measure of zeal and piety." We doubt very much, whether the Protestant clergy of the Anglican establishment would have stood the fiery ordeal half so well. We never yet heard of one of these "rich and dainty folk," who coveted the crown of martyrdom, or who was willing to die when he could avoid it; though we have read of many among them, who with remarkable liberality, were willing to bestow upon others that crown which was too thorny for their own delicate brows. During the horrors of the French revolution, hundreds and thousands of the French clergy and of religious men and women cheerfully laid down their lives for the faith, in the midst of the most excruciating tortures; but we have not yet heard of one Protestant clergyman, who during that whole period received the crown of martyrdom. If there was one, history is wholly silent on the subject. How are we to explain this singular phenomenon, but on the ground that modern infidelity is the daughter of Protestantism,-a daughter degenerate indeed, but still cherishing a tender feeling for her parent. We have now completed our very rapid notice of Palmer's "Compendious Ecclesiastical History." As we have already intimated more than once, we have been compelled to pass over in silence many things upon which we had originally intended to animadvert. Our limits have necessarily confined us to a very brief review of the more prominent assertions of the book. We think we have said enough, however, to enable our readers to form some idea of the Oxfordite's Ecclesiastical History, as well as of the accuracy, learning, and impartiality of his Right Reverend editor and note-maker. 1 P. 222. IV. LITERATURE AND THE ARTS IN THE MIDDLE AGES.* -In Importance of the subject-Writers who have treated it- Division A Colossus falling cursions of the Northmen-A deluge-Beautiful Italy-Awful devastation - New dynasties Christianity triumphant over barbarism-Civilization-Literary history-Tenth century-Gradual revival-Its causes-Golden age of Leo X.-Latin language in liturgy-And the Monastic Institute-Elevation of woman Modern languages-And Poetry-Paper-Art of Printing Illuminated manuscripts-Universities-Schools of Law and Medicine--Musical Notes-Organs-Bells-Mariners' Compass-Geographical discoveries-Commerce-First Bank-Post-Office-Newspapers-Spectacles-Gunpowder-Stone Coal-Arithmetical Numbers-Algebra-Glass-Stained Glass-Agriculture-Botany-Clocks-Painting revived-Silk introduced--Gothic Style of Architecture-Leaning Tower of Pisa-Conclusion. LITERATURE and the Arts during the middle ages supply a theme at once vast and important: vast, because it comprises a period of nearly one thousand years; and important, because it exhibits the rise and progress to perfection, of institutions intimately connected with civilization and political liberty. That period was the nursery of nations, the parent of civilization and of empire. From the partial chaos of those ages, sprang into existence systems of government, which, by their harmony and adaptation to the wants of mankind, are the admiration of the present century. The attention of the literary world has been lately awakened to the importance of this subject. Italy, as usual, pioneered the way. About the middle of the last century, the learned Muratori published, in thirty huge folio volumes, the hitherto inedited works of the middle ages, to which he annexed copious and learned commentaries of his own. This herculean labor was followed by another work from the same author, in which this giant of modern literature spread out, in six large folio volumes of Essays, the results of his researches into the manners, customs, and antiquities of that period. The very vastness of this work, as well as the size of its tomes, would make one of our modern literati, who loves meager volumes with fine covers, shudder with horror! Muratori was followed by Tiraboschi, another illustrious Italian, whose classical and extensive History of Italian Literature, has, I think, no equal, and even no parallel in any other language. These works constitute a complete repertory, where the studious inquirer into the history of the middle ages may find all that he can reasonably ask for. Among the Germans who have labored to illustrate this subject, we may name Frederick and *A Lecture delivered some years ago in Lexington, Ky.; and subsequently before the Catholic Institute of Baltimore and the Mechanics' Institute of Louisville, in 1851. |