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not altogether a useful； pursuit。 Of his tragedies； so famous in their day
the 〃Baptist；〃 the 〃Medea；〃 the 〃Jephtha；〃 and the 〃Alcestis〃there is
neither space nor need to speak here； save to notice the bold declamations
in the 〃Baptist〃 against tyranny and priestcraft； and to notice also that
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these tragedies gained for the poor Scotsman； in the eyes of the best
scholars of Europe； a credit amounting almost to veneration。 When he
returned to Paris； he found occupation at once； and； as his Scots
biographers love to record； 〃three of the most learned men in the world
taught humanity in the same college；〃 viz。 Turnebus； Muretus； and
Buchanan。
Then followed a strange episode in his life。 A university had been
founded at Coimbra； in Portugal； and Andrea Govea had been invited to
bring thither what French savants he could collect。 Buchanan went to
Portugal with his brother Patrick； two more Scotsmen； Dempster and
Ramsay； and a goodly pany of French scholars； whose names and
histories may be read in the erudite pages of Dr。 Irving； went likewise。
All prospered in the new Temple of the Muses for a year or so。 Then its
high…priest； Govea； died； and； by a peripeteia too mon in those days
and countries； Buchanan and two of his friends migrated unwillingly from
the Temple of the Muses for that of Moloch； and found themselves in the
Inquisition。
Buchanan； it seems； had said that St。 Augustine was more of a
Lutheran than a Catholic on the question of the mass。 He and his friends
had eaten flesh in Lent； which； he says； almost everyone in Spain did。
But he was suspected； and with reason； as a heretic； the Gray Friars
formed but one brotherhood throughout Europe； and news among them
travelled surely if not fast； so that the story of the satire written in Scotland
had reached Portugal。 The culprits were imprisoned； examined； bullied
but not torturedfor a year and a half。 At the end of that time； the proofs
of heresy； it seems； were insufficient； but lest； says Buchanan with honest
pride； 〃they should get the reputation of having vainly tormented a man
not altogether unknown；〃 they sent him for some months to a monastery；
to be instructed by the monks。 〃The men；〃 he says； 〃were neither
inhuman nor bad； but utterly ignorant of religion；〃 and Buchanan solaced
himself during the intervals of their instructions； by beginning his Latin
translation of the Psalms。
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At last he got free； and begged leave to return to France； but in vain。
And so； wearied out； he got on board a Candian ship at Lisbon； and
escaped to England。 But England； he says； during the anarchy of Edward
VI。's reign； was not a land which suited him； and he returned to France； to
fulfil the hopes which he had expressed in his charming 〃Desiderium
Lutitiae；〃 and the still more charming； because more simple； 〃Adventus in
Galliam；〃 in which he bids farewell； in most melodious verse； to 〃the
hungry moors of wretched Portugal； and her clods fertile in naught but
penury。〃
Some seven years succeeded of schoolmastering and verse…writing： the
Latin paraphrase of the Psalms； another of the 〃Alcestis〃 of Euripides； an
Epithalamium on the marriage of poor Mary Stuart； noble and sincere；
however fantastic and pedantic； after the manner of the times； 〃Pomps；〃
too； for her wedding； and for other public ceremonies； in which all the
heathen gods and goddesses figure； epigrams； panegyrics； satires； much of
which latter productions he would have consigned to the dust…heap in his
old age； had not his too fond friends persuaded him to republish the follies
and coarsenesses of his youth。 He was now one of the most famous
scholars in Europe； and the intimate friend of all the great literary men。
Was he to go on to the end； die； and no more？ Was he to sink into the
mere pedant； or； if he could not do that； into the mere court versifier？
The wars of religion saved him； as they saved many another noble soul；
from that degradation。 The events of 1560…62 forced Buchanan； as they
forced many a learned man besides； to choose whether he would be a child
of light or a child of darkness； whether he would be a dilettante classicist；
or a preacherit might be a martyrof the Gospel。 Buchanan may have
left France in 〃The Troubles〃 merely to enjoy in his own country elegant
and learned repose。 He may have fancied that he had found it； when he
saw himself； in spite of his public profession of adherence to the
Reformed Kirk； reading Livy every afternoon with his exquisite young
sovereign； master； by her favour； of the temporalities of Crossraguel
Abbey； and by the favour of Murray； Principal of St。 Leonard's College in
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St。 Andrew's。 Perhaps he fancied at times that 〃to…morrow was to be as to…
day； and much more abundant；〃 that thenceforth he might read his folio；
and write his epigram； and joke his joke； as a lazy fortable pluralist；
taking his morning stroll out to the corner where poor Wishart had been
burned； above the blue sea and the yellow sands； and looking up to the
castle tower from whence his enemy Beaton's corpse had been hung out；
with the fortable reflection that quieter times had e； and that
whatever evil deeds Archbishop Hamilton might dare； he would not dare
to put the Principal of St。 Leonard's into the 〃bottle dungeon。〃
If such hopes ever crossed Geordie's keen fancy； they were
disappointed suddenly and fearfully。 The fire which had been kindled in
France was to reach to Scotland likewise。 〃Revolutions are not made
with rose…water；〃 and the time was at hand when all good spirits in
Scotland； and George Buchanan among them； had to choose； once and for
all； amid danger； confusion； terror； whether they would serve God or
Mammon； for to serve both would be soon impossible。
Which side； in that war of light and darkness； George Buchanan took；
is notorious。 He saw then； as others have seen since； that the two men in
Scotland who were capable of being her captains in the strife were Knox
and Murray； and to them he gave in his allegiance heart and soul。
This is the critical epoch in Buchanan's life。 By his conduct to Queen
Mary he must stand or fall。 It is my belief that he will stand。 It is not
my intention to enter into the details of a matter so painful； so shocking； so
prodigious； and now that that question is finally set at rest； by the writings
both of Mr。 Froude and Mr。 Burton； there is no need to allude to it further；
save where Buchanan's name is concerned。 One may now have every
sympathy with Mary Stuart； one may regard with awe a figure so stately；
so tragic； in one sense so heroic；for she reminds one rather of the heroine
of an old Greek tragedy； swept to her doom by some irresistible fate； than
of a being of our own flesh and blood； and of our modern and Christian
times。 One may sympathise with the great womanhood which charmed
so many while she was alive； which has charmed； in later years； so many
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noble spirits who have believed in her innocence； and have doubtless been
elevated and purified by their devotion to one who seemed to them an
ideal being。 So far from regarding her as a hateful personage； one may
feel oneself forbidden to hate a woman whom God may have loved； and
may have pardoned； to judge from the punishment so swift； and yet so
enduring； which He inflicted。 At least； he must so believe who holds that
punishment is a sign of mercy； that the most dreadful of all dooms is
impunity。 Nay； more； those 〃Casket〃 letters and sonnets may be a relief to
the mind of one who believes in her guilt on other grounds； a relief when
one finds in them a tenderness； a sweetness； a delicacy； a magnificent self…
sacrifice； however hideously misplaced； which shows what a womanly
heart was there； a heart which； joined to that queenly brain； might have
made her a blessing and a glory to Scotland； had not the whole character
been warped and ruinate from childhood； by an education so abominable；
that anyone who knows what words she must have heard； what scenes she
must have beheld in France； from her youth up； will wonder that she
sinned so little： not that she sinned so much。 One may feel； in a word；
that there is every excuse for those who have asserted Mary's innocence；
because their own high…mindedness shrank from believing her guilty：
but yet Buchanan； in his own place and time； may have felt as deeply that
he could do no otherwise than he did。
The charges against him； as all readers of Scotch literature know well；
may be reduced to two heads。 1st。 The letters and sonnets were
forgeries。 Maitland of Lethington may have forged the letters； Buchanan；
according to some； the sonnets。 Whoever forged them； Buchanan made
use of them in his Detection； knowing them to be forged。 2nd。 Whether
Mary was innocent or not； Buchanan acted a base and ungrateful part in
putting himself in the forefront amongst her accusers。 He had been her
tutor； her pensioner。 She had heaped him with favours； and； after all； she
was his queen； and a defenceless woman： and yet he returned her
kindness； in the hour of her fall； by invectives fit only for a rancorous and
reckless advocate； determined to force a verdict by the basest arts of
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oratory。
Now as to the Casket letters。 I should have thought they bore in
themselves the best evidence of being genuine。 I can add nothing to the
arguments of Mr。 Froude and Mr。 Burton； save this： that no one clever
enough to be a forger would have put together documents so incoherent；
and so inplete。 For the evidence of guilt which they contain is； after
all； slight and indirect； and； moreover； superfluous altogether； seeing that
Mary's guilt was open and palpable； before the supposed discovery of t