in communicating his decisions. He was prolix with his pen, not from
affluence, but from paucity of ideas. He took refuge in a cloud of
words, sometimes to conceal his meaning, oftener to conceal the absence
of any meaning, thus mystifying not only others but himself. To one
great purpose, formed early, he adhered inflexibly. This, however, was
rather an instinct than an opinion; born with him, not created by him.
The idea seemed to express itself through him, and to master him, rather
than to form one of a stock of sentiments which a free agent might be
expected to possess. Although at certain times, even this master-feeling
could yield to the pressure of a predominant self-interest-thus showing
that even in Philip bigotry was not absolute--yet he appeared on the
whole the embodiment of Spanish chivalry and Spanish religious
enthusiasm, in its late and corrupted form. He was entirely a Spaniard.
The Burgundian and Austrian elements of his blood seemed to have
evaporated, and his veins were filled alone with the ancient ardor,
which in heroic centuries had animated the Gothic champions of Spain.
The fierce enthusiasm for the Cross, which in the long internal warfare
against the Crescent, had been the romantic and distinguishing feature of
the national character, had degenerated into bigotry. That which had
been a nation's glory now made the monarch's shame. The Christian
heretic was to be regarded with a more intense hatred than even Moor or
Jew had excited in the most Christian ages, and Philip was to be the
latest and most perfect incarnation of all this traditional enthusiasm,
this perpetual hate. Thus he was likely to be single-hearted in his
life. It was believed that his ambition would be less to extend his
dominions than to vindicate his title of the most Catholic king. There
could be little doubt entertained that he would be, at least, dutiful to
his father in this respect, and that the edicts would be enforced to the
letter.