Charles now subjected his people to a merciless taxation in order to raise troops and a navy.  Suddenly, at the moment when all the powers at once seemed on the point of descending on Sweden, Charles flung himself upon Norway, at that time subject to Denmark.  This was in accordance with a vast design proposed by his minister, Gortz, in which Charles was to be leagued with his old enemy Peter, and with Spain, primarily against England, Hanover, and Augustus of Poland and Saxony.  Gortz’s designs became known to the regent Orleans; he was arrested in Holland, but promptly released.

Gortz, released, continued to work out his intriguing policy with increased determination.  Affairs seemed to be progressing favourably.  Charles, who had been obliged to fall back from Norway, again invaded that country, and laid siege to Fredericshall.  Here he was inspecting a part of the siege works, when his career was brought to a sudden close by a cannon shot.  So finished, at thirty-six, the one king who never displayed a single weakness, but in whom the heroic virtues were so exaggerated as to be no less dangerous than the vices with which they are contrasted.

* * * * *

HENRY MILMAN, D.D.

History of Latin Christianity

The “History of Latin Christianity, to the Pontificate of Nicholas V.,” which is here presented, was published in 1854-56.  It covers the religious or ecclesiastical history of Western Europe from the fall of paganism to the pontificate of Nicholas V., a period of eleven centuries, corresponding practically with what are commonly called the Middle Ages, and is written from the point of view of a large-minded Anglican who is not seeking to maintain any thesis, but simply to set forth a veracious account of an important phase of history.  (Milman, see vol. xi, p. 68.)

I.—­Development of the Church of Rome

For ten centuries after the extinction of paganism, Latin Christianity was the religion of Western Europe.  It became gradually a monarchy, with all the power of a concentrated dominion.  The clergy formed a second universal magistracy, exercising always equal, asserting, and for a long time possessing, superior power to the civil government.  Western monasticism rent from the world the most powerful minds, and having trained them by its stern discipline, sent them back to rule the world.  Its characteristic was adherence to legal form; strong assertion of, and severe subordination to, authority.  It maintained its dominion unshaken till, at the Reformation, Teutonic Christianity asserted its independence.

The Church of Rome was at first, so to speak, a Greek religious colony; its language, organisation, scriptures, liturgy, were Greek.  It was from Africa, Tertullian, and Cyprian that Latin Christianity arose.  As the Church of the capital—­before Constantinople—­the Roman Church necessarily acquired predominance; but no pope appears among the distinguished “Fathers” of the Church until Leo.