Histoire De France Au Xvi. Siècle

Histoire De France Au Xvi. Siècle, par MICHÉLET. Tom. 10. Henri IV. et Richelieu.

MICHÉLET is too well known as a truly Republican historiographer and truly humane and noble writer, and the former volumes of this history have been too long before the public, to require for this volume a particular recommendation. It begins with the last décade of the sixteenth century, and concludes with the year 1626. We are no particular admirers of Michélet's historical style and method of delineation, but we acknowledge his sense of historical justice, his unprejudiced mind, and his Republicanism, even when treating a subject so delicate, and so dear to Frenchmen, as Henry IV. Doing justice to whatever was really admirable in the character of this much beloved king, lie overthrows a good many superstitious ideas current concerning him even down to our days. He shows that the Utopian, though benevolent project, ascribed to Henry, of establishing an everlasting peace by revising the map of Europe and constituting a political equilibrium between the several European powers, never in fact existed in the king’s mind, nor even in Sully’s, whom he equally divests of much unfounded glory and fictitious greatness. No doubt, but for bis fickleness and inconsistency, Henry could have done a good deal toward realizing such ideas and reforming European politics ; but it is saying too much for Henry’s influence on the popular opinions of Europe, to affirm, what Michélet gives us to understand, that he could have combined the nations of Europe against all their depraved rulers together.