encies of the minor kind. Usually he was his observations were only too well dethankful for these, as pointing to something served by himself and the order he atdeeper, though perhaps almost only a guess, tacked; that no one could be more conbeyond. He was always so much on his scious of the practical inconsistencies of guard against even desiring perfect con- which they were but too frequently guilty, sistency in human thought, that he was -only that, he said, was no reason for unnaturally thankful for difficulties of all not trying, with the help of those for whom kinds, sometimes almost seeming to go they worked, to sweep away some of those the length of finding in difficulties a fresh inconsistencies, and restore a truer relaevidence of truth. The present writer can tion. The effect of this practical applicaremember but one instance in which he tion of Christ's exhortation to surrender could ever bring Mr. Maurice to admit the cloak to one who had already stripped that there was a difficulty in Scripture him of his coat, was remarkable, and the which did not point to some deeper secret speaker who had attacked him so coarsely of harmony, and that was the curious in- frequently afterwards attended even the terpretation attributed by St. Matthew purely religious meetings which Mr. Maualone to our Lord, of the saying that as rice held, and though never a complete Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so was convert, became one of the most wistful of the Son of Man a sign to that generation. the outer circle of his well-wishers. The But even then, though Mr. Maurice ad- personal sacrifices which Mr. Maurice made mitted that he could not "understand" the for the Working-Men's College in Great analogy between Jonah's three days' burial Ormond Street were great, but there was in the fish and our Lord's three days' burial none of his great qualities which did so in the heart of the earth, he would not ad- much for the movement as the unfathommit that he believed the evangelist to have able depth of his personal humility. made a mistake, and to have attributed a And his tastes were in singularly close fanciful analogy of his own to his master. keeping with his faith. No one can read Indeed, he found so much that was in the his works without noticing his intense enhighest degree instructive in the very as-joyment of the style which makes the pects of Scripture that rationalistic critics had fixed upon as embodying conspicuous error, that he shrank painfully from admitting an error even where he was quite unable to find a truth. Of most of the difficulties of the Bible he would say that even though he could not understand them, they had greatly helped him to understand himself.

plainest and simplest matters of life grand by tracing them direct to God. Of course the greatest illustration of that style is the Bible, but Cowper and Wordsworth were both great masters of it, and with Cowper and Wordsworth Mr. Maurice's memory was richly stored. He was catholic enough in his poetic tastes, and would illustrate what he held to be the true meaning of And this great passion of humility, was the word "eternal" as freely from Byron in him not only a moral habit, and a prin- as from St. John. But it was always to ciple of exegetical interpretation, and a the poets who saw divine meaning in the doctrine conservative of most historical simplest domestic relations who were institutions he often seemed to his true to the kindred points of heaven and friends to find something divinely vital in home," that his imagination most affecwhat they thought the mere lingering tionately clung. This was not indeed a shadows of the past, and often no doubt taste in him, but a faith, at least a taste he was right and they were wrong, but moulded by a deeper faith. This it was also a wonderful spring of practical fasci- that made him insensible to the admiranation. In one of the preliminary meetings tion of religious coteries, and kept him held before the commencement of the perfectly simple amidst those flattering Christian Socialist movement to discuss confidences which are given under the plea with London operatives the scandals of of the need of counsel, and which yet so the existing Trade system and its reme- much oftener change the counsellor than dies, one of the great unwashed delivered the counselled. And his whole life showed his mind so freely and coarsely on the im- this strong unromantic preference for compostures of the clergy and the hopelessness mon duties as the true embodiment of high of getting any good from their interference, faiths. There is no more characteristic that some of the hot Oxonians who started sermon amongst the scores he has pubthe movement were concerting the forcible lished than one on the apparent bathos of ejection of the speaker from the meeting. that collect for Easter Sunday which enBut Mr. Maurice, who was in the chair, treats God, "who through Christ has overmet the speaker by confessing at once that come death, and opened to us the gate of

everlasting life," that, "as by his special [the persecuting despotism of Philip II. grace preventing us, he has put into our The Roman Catholics, forming a third of minds good desires, so by his continual the population, are subjected to the banehelp we may bring the same to good ef- ful influence of clerical agitators, who in fect." Mr. Maurice admitted that this col- Holland, as elsewhere, prefer spiritual allect had often grated harshly on him, as if legiance to secular loyalty. The remoter it contained but a poor logic, and drew a apprehension of the ambitious projects weak conclusion from a great recital; but which are sometimes attributed to Gerhe thought so no longer, for he saw in it many is probably unfounded. The Low the assertion that it is only "the stooping German of the Netherlands is perhaps as of the Creator to the creature" which can nearly related to the language of Brandensave from death our best desires before burg and of Saxony as the Czechish diathey reach their only true end in action. lect to the Russian; but philology and ethThe very homeliness of the prayer gave it nology are studied in German Universito him a greater reality. And that was ties as branches of learning, and not as inthe lesson of his own life and death. No struments of political intrigue. For the one who knew him doubted that it was the sake of commerce and of friendly intervery homeliness of his life and teaching course it is wholly unnecessary that Amwhich was his best guarantee that he had sterdam should be subject to the same not been merely dreaming grand dreams government with Berlin. It is a lasting of things divine, and which extinguished subject of regret that at two different histhe last doubt that that Easter season torical epochs the whole of the Low Counin which he finally brought his noble, sim-tries failed to effect or to retain the union ple, and laborious life "to good effect," was indeed the commemoration of an event by which the secret of eternity had been unveiled.

From The Saturday Review.
THE DUTCH TERCENTENARY.

which would have afforded the best security for their greatness and independence. Religious differences detached Flanders and Brabant from the league against Spain, and political errors combined with ecclesiastical squabbles to dissolve in 1830 the united kingdom which had been founded by the wisdom of statesmen after the fall of Napoleon. There is reason to hope that, although Belgium will never again be amalgamated with Holland, both nations are inclined to cultivate the alliance which is dictated by their common interests.

IF centenaries or tercentenaries are in any case to be celebrated, the people of Holland have an excellent reason for holding a festival in the present year. In proIf the modern fashion of historical anniportion to their numbers and their natural versaries had prevailed two hundred years resources the Dutch have the most glori- ago, the first centenary of Dutch indepenous history of any European State; nor dence could not have been conveniently is any reigning family with the exception celebrated in 1672. The year was the of that of Hohenzollern, so entirely identi- most disastrous in the annals of the United fied as the House of Orange with the na- Commonwealth, including the most suctional history. The consolidation of the cessful of Louis XIV.'s invasions, the great military Powers of the Continent bought alliance of Charles II. with France has unfortunately overshadowed and re- against Holland, and the murder of the duced to compulsory inaction all the small- De Witts. It could not at the time have er States, nor would it be possible for a been foreseen that the young heir of the William the Silent or a William III. to House of Orange would succeed to the withstand in modern warfare the enor- task of his ancestors and of his rivals, and mous armies of France or of Germany. that he would devote his life to the defence There is also a grave disadvantage in the of European liberty and independence use of a language which is only spoken by against the French monarch and his Enga population of three millions, and which glish vassals. It was after the fall of the is seldom acquired by foreigners; yet the De Witts that William III. became Stadtreduced Kingdom of the Netherlands con- holder, and that he undertook the conduct tinues to maintain its independence, to in- of the war. When a second century had crease its accumulation of wealth, and to elapsed, the Dutch had almost entirely administer a large Colonial Empire. The withdrawn from an active share in the troubles which it shares with more power- conduct of European affairs; and their inful communities still bear a close analogy ternal harmony was disturbed by French to the causes of the original rising against 'intrigues with the democratic party

against the power of the House of Orange majority in the Parliament of the Hague and the influence of England. The insults which approved of the transfer probably offered by the French faction to the Prin- represented the general opinion. In all cess of Orange, and the consequent inter- respects it would seem that the condition vention of Prussia were among the latest of the country ought to be regarded with transactions which preceded the outbreak complacency and satisfaction. If money of the French Revolution. Immediately is the index of national prosperity, the afterwards the divided nation was con- Dutch are probably the greatest people in quered and annexed, under different suc- the world, surpassing, in proportion to cessive names, to the French Republic and their numbers, either the English or the to the Empire. On the liberation of Eu- American. Their colonial administration, rope the Stadtholder became a constitu- though it is not unreservedly approved tional King; and, notwithstanding the by foreign observers, is, after its own manseparation of Belgium from the monarchy, ner, eminently successful, as it is deliberHolland has since been contented and gen- ately systematic. If any English dependerally prosperous. It has seemed good to ency were governed like Java, Parliament the city of Rotterdam to commemorate the would probably be unable to resist the rising against Spain by the erection of a remonstrances of economists and Liberal monument in which a sea nymph appro- politicians. A paternal Government, propriately symbolized the United Common- ducing a large revenue to the parental wealth, or independence, or perhaps civil Exchequer, approves itself to the practical and religious liberty; and it was highly judgment of the Dutch. Their colonial fitting that the King should be invited to receipts relieve the heavy burden of the take a part in the ceremony of opening national debt, and, if the natives of the the monument, and that the most popular island are subjected to restrictions for the speaker of the day should recall the mem- benefit of the mother-country, their condiory of the national exploits in a suitable tion is tolerably comfortable. General oration. In a country which has produced trade flourishes, and the Dutch mariners an admired school of painting there were are as bold and as skilful as their predenot wanting artists to devise historical cessors who assumed the title of Water decorations in accordance with the in- Beggars. The area of the limited territostructions of native scholars. Amongst ry of the kingdom is still from time to the attendants was the American historian time artificially enlarged, as in the early who, more than any other writer, has con- days when, according to the involuntary tributed to the fame of the early heroes compliment of the satirist, they of the commonwealth. Mr. Motley's History of the Dutch Republic, in spite of many defects of style, will form a more lasting record of the glories of Holland than even the water nymph of Rotterdam. It may be hoped that the temporary excitement which was caused by the late treaty with England has already subsided. The transfer of the settlements on the Gold Coast will probably be found as convenient to both parties as the similar arrangement which is frequently effected between private owners who happen to possess either undivided moieties of one parcel of land, or adjacent strips of property which are inconveniently intermixed. The negro tribes in the neighbourhood will no longer be divided into Dutch and English parties, nor will they hope for allies and patrons in the conduct of their intestine feuds. The police of the land and sea will be more cheaply and more effectively managed, and Dutch traders will retain full right of access to the local markets. As the purchasing Government had neither the will nor the power to put any pressure on the vendors, the large

with mad labour fish'd the land to shore. In Holland, as in other parts of the world, the adherents of the Ultramontane clergy delight to announce that they are Catholics before they are patriots and before they are men. The preparations for the festival were interrupted by disturbances at the Hague, and in some other parts of the country. English fanatics of the same wrongheaded sect have been known to lament the failure of the righteous enterprise of the Spanish Armada; and it seems that the priests of the Hague persuaded the carpenters that it would be a sin to celebrate the resistance of their forefathers to the murderous persecutions of Alva. The supporters of the Papacy sometimes affect to sympathize with political freedom, even when they most earnestly advocate the establishment of religious uniformity; but the more violent section of the party confidently maintains the doctrines which are deduced in Pius IX.'s Syllabus from the precedents of former ages. In obedience to the Pope, they hold that resistance to orthodox kings can in no cir

disquieted at the prospect thus held out to them. The only marvel is that they should have looked forward to anything different. Until the secrets of contemporary statecraft are revealed to another generation of students there will be no means of knowing whether Prince Bismarck ever did look forward to anything different. The probability is that this result of the war was perfectly foreseen by him, and that he was induced to accept the risk rather than concede milder terms to France by motives to which the world has at pres

and to a considerable section of the English public the passion of the French nation for revenge seems to have come as a surprise. They were prepared for a certain amount of boastful and threatening talk

cumstances be justifiable, and that the suppression of heresy by fire and sword is both a right and duty. The promoters of the tercentenary festival are not necessarily more hostile then Egmont himself to Roman Catholic tenets when they renew the protest of their ancestors against the Spanish executions and massacres of three hundred years ago. Their opponents must be understood to approve, not only of the practices of the Inquisition, but of the subornation by Philip II. of assassins for the destruction of William of Orange. The bigots are content to re-ent no key. But to the German public nounce their share in all the historical associations of the commonwealth; and, if they are consistent, they regret that the Netherlands were not throughout the seventeenth century a remote dependency of the decrepit monarchy of Spain. In Hol- the sort of talk which makes the staple land, as in Belgium, the introduction of a of foreign articles in the lower class of sectarian element into political controver- French newspapers - but they were not sy has largely affected the significance of prepared to see the same feeling shaping party designations. The Conservatives of the projects of Ministers and assemblies. the Low Countries, relying on the igno- Sensible Frenchmen at all events, it was rance of the poorer part of the communi- supposed, would see the folly of cherishty, favour a wide extension of the suffrage, ing any wild ideas of undoing the work of while the Liberals defend the supremacy the war. They would sit down quietly of intelligence, education, and property. under their losses and do their best to reThe communists and anarchists who are trieve them by a course of honest and unto be found in Holland, as in the neigh- complaining industry. It is possible that bouring countries, perhaps hate the clergy this mood might have prevailed if the namore than the owners of property; but tional losses had been less. No man is disloyalty in all its varied forms has a more inclined to reckless trading than the common quality. Whether the Pope is speculator who has just lost his whole forprudent in declaring war on all estab-tune at one blow. The policy which dieÎished Governments because they have refused to defend his temporal power, is a question to which the events of the next few years will return no uncertain answer.

From The Pall Mall Gazette.
FRANCE AND GERMANY.

THE Prussian correspondent of the Times has thus described the temper of the French nation as it is viewed in Germany: "France must keep the peace until she is armed. Once armed, she will by the prowess and intelligence of her children again be the strongest military Power in the world. Then comes the time for resuming the rank she has always held the rank of a superior, not an equal." There is little doubt that this, though the estimate of a foreigner, represents with sufficient accuracy the thoughts of every Frenchman who has any tincture of political intelligence. The Times correspondent says that German politicians begin to be

If

tated the conditions of peace supplied Frenchmen with two helps to memory which were exactly calculated to quicken one another. If there had been no transfer of territory, the nation might in time have ceased to distinguish between the taxes imposed to raise the indemnity and those imposed to meet the ordinary expenses of the country -just as in England no one thinks of distinguishing between the money which goes to pay the interest on the National Debt and the money which goes to pay the army and navy. there had been no heavy indemnity, France might possibly have preferred light taxation and loss of territory to heavy taxation imposed with the object of recovering territory. The combination of the two penalties made the impression of each more lasting. Men who might have put up with the dismemberment of France, if it had not made the demands of the taxgatherer harder to meet, were led to conceal their indignation on the score of their pocket under a show of indignation at the wrong done to the national honour. Men

who might have striven in vain to inflame their countrymen with their own determination to regain Alsace and Lorraine, if the surrender of them had saved the nation from a crushing money burden, can now point to the exactions of the German Government as the source of all the poverty which crushing taxation creates or aggravates.

extreme type, would have taken the_place of the Provisional Government. France would have lost a year of rest which is invaluable to her, and the same preparations which are being made under M. Thiers would have been making under some other ruler.

The Times thinks it strange that the possibility of people reading between the lines of his speech should never strike M. Thiers. What seems difficult to understand,” it says, "is that he should be so outspoken, that he should be so anxious to show his cards, knowing how hazardous is the game he plays, and how strong and sharp and resolute is the adversary he has

It showed a strange ignorance of human nature to suppose that the French people would remain uninfluenced by emotions to which no civilized nation could have remained indifferent. Certainly Englishmen have no right to blame them for setting their hearts on the recovery of their lost provinces, unless they honestly believe to deal with." The explanation is to be that they themselves would sit down found in a maxim of the game from which quietly under the loss of Kent and Sussex. the Times draws its illustration. At whist The fact that Alsace and Lorraine are to inform your partner is of more imporGerman by race and history makes no dif- tance than to deceive your adversary. If ference to Frenchmen. Their inhabitants M. Thiers could make the same policy anare French in feeling, and their unanimous swer both purposes, no doubt he would desire was to remain French in name. gladly do so. But he has to carry the This fact would of itself justify a determi- French people with him, and to persuade nation on the part of the nation from them to make great sacrifices in the way which they have been forcibly severed of preparation for the future at the very to regain them at the earliest opportunity. But we, at least, could not expect France to acquiesce in her own dismemberment even if this justification were wanting. England would fight to the last to keep India, and if there were the slightest chance of success she would renew the fight in order to reconquer it. But besides the considerations applicable to all nations, there is one which specially belongs to France. No Government can afford to abandon all thought of renewing the conflict with Germany without giving a handle to its rivals of which they would eagerly avail themselves. Supposing that M. Thiers, following the advice of some of his English critics, had retrenched the expenditure on the army and navy, and declared by word and act his intention of accepting the results of the war, and making no effort to reinstate France in the place from which she had been cast down, what would have been the comment alike of Imperalist, Orleanist, and Communist? Would they not have charged him with gross meanness of spirit, with a degraded readiness to take example by shopkeeping England, and to sacrifice the national honour to the exigencies of the national pocket? The consequence would have been that France would have had a revolution the more, and that this over everything would have gone on as it is going on now. An Imperialist or an Orleanist restoration, or a Republic of the most

time that they are forced to make great sacrifices by way of expiation for the past. Absolute reticence is quite incompatible with success in this direction. A nation must have something to look forward to if it is expected to add voluntary to involuntary inconveniences, and to find money to meet the year's estimates as well as the interest on an enormous debt. Again, M. Thiers may hope to secure some wavering ally by letting the world see that France is doing her best to make her alliance once more of value. He knows, we may be sure, that the German Government will see through his designs, but this is the price he has to pay in order that some friendly Power may not be wholly in the dark about them. And, after all, what does he lose by his frankness? It is not what M. Thiers says that alarms the Germans, but what he does; not the ambiguous words that he utters, but the unambiguous recruits that he raises and the unambiguous artillery that he constructs. No matter how close M. Thiers had kept his counsel, the arming of 1,600,000 men and the casting of 2,700 field guns would have spoken in a language of their own. It may be true, as the Times warns him, that to allow his object to be perceived is to run the risk of seeing it frustrated. But it is also true that he could only have prevented his object being perceived by altogether giving up the prosecution of it. It is open, of course, to any one to say that the object