had crippled him of his usefulness. He might have played a distinguished
part in that powerful commonwealth which was so steadily and splendidly
arising out of the lagunes of Zeeland and Holland, but destiny and
calumny and his own error had decided otherwise.

"From the depth of my exile--" he said, "for I am resolved to retire,
I know not where, into Germany, perhaps into Sarmatia, I shall look from
afar upon the calamities of my country. That which to me is most
mournful is no longer to be able to assist my fatherland by my counsels
and my actions." He did not go into exile, but remained chiefly at his
mansion of Zoubourg, occupied with agriculture and with profound study.
Many noble works conspicuous in the literature of the epoch--were the
results of his learned leisure; and the name of Marnix of Sainte
Aldegonde will be always as dear to the lovers of science and letters as
to the believers in civil and religious liberty. At the request of the
States of Holland he undertook, in 1593, a translation of the Scriptures
from the original, and he was at the same time deeply engaged with a
History of Christianity, which he intended for his literary master-piece.
The man whose sword had done knightly service on many a battle-field for
freedom, whose tongue had controlled mobs and senates, courts and
councils, whose subtle spirit had metamorphosed itself into a thousand
shapes to do battle with the genius of tyranny, now quenched the feverish
agitation of his youth and manhood in Hebrew and classical lore. A grand
and noble figure always: most pathetic when thus redeeming by vigorous
but solitary and melancholy hard labor, the political error which had
condemned him to retirement. To work, ever to work, was the primary law
of his nature. Repose in the other world, "Repos ailleurs" was the
device which he assumed in earliest youth, and to which he was faithful
all his days.