than the League itself; and casting off his Huguenot skin at last,
he had soared over the heads of all men, the presiding genius of the
holy Catholic Church.

Twenty-one years before, he had entered the same city on the conclusion
of one of the truces which had varied the long monotony of the religious
wars of France. The youthful son of Antony Bourbon and Joan of Albret
had then appeared as the champion and the idol of the Huguenots. In the
same year had come the fatal nuptials with the bride of St. Bartholomew,
the first Catholic conversion of Henry and the massacre at which the
world still shudders.

Now he was chief of the "Politicians," and sworn supporter of the Council
of Trent. Earnest Huguenots were hanging their heads in despair.

He represented the principle of national unity against national
dismemberment by domestiv, treason and foreign violence. Had that
principle been his real inspiration, as it was in truth his sole support,
history might judge him more leniently. Had he relied upon it entirely
it might have been strong enough to restore him to the throne of his
ancestors, without the famous religious apostacy with which his name is
for ever associated. It is by no means certain that permanent religious
toleration might not have been the result of his mounting the throne,
only when he could do so without renouncing the faith of his fathers.
A day of civilization may come perhaps, sooner or later, when it will be
of no earthly cousequence to their fellow creatures to what creed, what
Christian church, what religious dogma kings or humbler individuals may
be partial; when the relations between man and his Maker shall be
undefiled by political or social intrusion. But the day will never
come when it will be otherwise than damaging to public morality and