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early days； is too notorious； and there remains proof enoughin the
writings； for instance； of Sir David Lindsaythat the morality of the
populace； which looked up to the nobles as its example and its guide； was
not a whit better。 As anarchy increased； immorality was likely to
increase likewise； and Scotland was in serious danger of falling into such a
state as that into which Poland fell； to its ruin； within a hundred and fifty
years after； in which the savagery of feudalism； without its order or its
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chivalry； would be varnished over by a thin coating of French
〃civilisation；〃 and； as in the case of Bothwell； the vices of the court of
Paris should be added to those of the Northern freebooter。 To deliver
Scotland from that ruin； it was needed that she should be united into one
people； strong； not in mere political； but in moral ideas； strong by the clear
sense of right and wrong； by the belief in the government and the
judgments of a living God。 And the tone which Buchanan； like Knox；
adopted concerning the great crimes of their day； helped notably that
national salvation。 It gathered together； organised； strengthened； the
scattered and wavering elements of public morality。 It assured the hearts
of all men who loved the right and hated the wrong； and taught a whole
nation to call acts by their just names； whoever might be the doers of them。
It appealed to the mon conscience of men。 It proclaimed a universal
and God…given morality； a bar at which all； from the lowest to the highest；
must alike be judged。
The tone was stern： but there was need of sternness。 Moral life
and death were in the balance。 If the Scots people were to be told that
the crimes which roused their indignation were excusable； or beyond
punishment； or to be hushed up and slipped over in any way； there was an
end of morality among them。 Every man； from the greatest to the least；
would go and do likewise； according to his powers of evil。 That method
was being tried in France； and in Spain likewise； during those very years。
Notorious crimes were hushed up under pretence of loyalty； excused as
political necessities； smiled away as natural and pardonable weaknesses。
The result was the utter demoralisation； both of France and Spain。 Knox
and Buchanan； the one from the standpoint of an old Hebrew prophet； the
other rather from that of a Juvenal or a Tacitus； tried the other method； and
called acts by their just names； appealing alike to conscience and to God。
The result was virtue and piety； and that manly independence of soul
which is thought patible with hearty loyalty； in a country labouring
under heavy disadvantages； long divided almost into two hostile camps；
two rival races。
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And the good influence was soon manifest； not only in those who
sided with Buchanan and his friends； but in those who most opposed them。
The Roman Catholic preachers； who at first asserted Mary's right to
impurity while they allowed her guilt； grew silent for shame； and set
themselves to assert her entire innocence； while the Scots who have
followed their example have； to their honour； taken up the same ground。
They have fought Buchanan on the ground of fact； not on the ground of
morality： they have allegedas they had a fair right to dothe
probability of intrigue and forgery in an age so profligate： the
improbability that a Queen so gifted by nature and by fortune； and
confessedly for a long while so strong and so spotless； should as it were by
a sudden insanity have proved so untrue to herself。 Their noblest and
purest sympathies have been enlistedand who can blame them？in
loyalty to a Queen； chivalry to a woman； pity for the unfortunate andas
they conceivedthe innocent； but whether they have been right or wrong
in their view of facts； the Scotch partisans of Mary have alwaysas far as I
know been right in their view of morals； they have never deigned to
admit Mary's guilt； and then to palliate it by those sentimental； or rather
sensual； theories of human nature； too mon in a certain school of
French literature； too mon； alas！ in a certain school of modern English
novels。 They have not said； 〃She did it； but after all； was the deed so
very inexcusable？〃 They have said； 〃The deed was inexcusable： but
she did not do it。〃 And so the Scotch admirers of Mary； who have
numbered among them many a pure and noble； as well as many a gifted
spirit； have kept at least themselves unstained； and have shown； whether
consciously or not； that they too share in that sturdy Scotch moral sense
which has been so much strengthenedas I believe by the plain speech of
good old George Buchanan。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ This lecture was delivered in America in 1874。
｛2｝ Black； translator of Mallett's 〃Northern Antiquities；〃
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Supplementary Chapter I。； and Rafn's 〃Antiquitates Americanae。〃
｛3｝ On the Fiftieth Birthday of Agassiz。
｛4｝ This lecture was given in America in 1874。
｛5｝ This lecture was given in America in 1874。
｛6｝ This lecture and the two preceding ones； being published after
the author's death； have not had the benefit of his corrections。
｛7｝ A Life of Rondelet； by his pupil Laurent Joubert； is to be found
appended to his works； and with an account of his illness and death； by his
cousin； Claude Formy； which is well worth the perusal of any man； wise or
foolish。 Many interesting details beside； I owe to the courtesy of
Professor Planchon； of Montpellier； author of a discourse on 〃Rondelet et
vies Disciples；〃 which appeared； with a learned and curious Appendix； in
the 〃Montpellier Medical〃 for 1866。
｛8｝ This lecture was given at Cambridge in 1869。
｛9｝ This lecture was given at Cambridge in 1869。
｛10｝ I owe this account of Bloet'swhich appears to me the only one
trustworthyto the courtesy and erudition of Professor Henry Morley； who
finds it quoted from Bloet's 〃Acroama；〃 in the 〃Observationum
Medicarum Rariorum；〃 lib。 vii。； of John Theodore Schenk。 Those who
wish to know several curious passages of Vesalius's life； which I have not
inserted in this article； would do well to consult one by Professor Morley；
〃Anatomy in Long Clothes；〃 in 〃Fraser's Magazine〃 for November； 1853。
May I express a hope； which I am sure will be shared by all who have read
Professor Morley's biographies of Jerome Carden and of Cornelius
Agrippa； that he will find leisure to return to the study of Vesalius's life；
and will do for him what he has done for the two just…mentioned writers？
｛11｝ Olivarez's 〃Relacion〃 is to be found in the Granvelle State
Papers。 For the general account of Don Carlos's illness； and of the
miraculous agencies by which his cure was said to have been effected； the
general reader should consult Miss Frere's 〃Biography of Elizabeth of
Valois；〃 vol。 i。 pp。 307…19。
｛12｝ In justice to poor Doctor Olivarez； it must be said that； while he
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allows all force to the intercession of the Virgin and of Fray Diego； and of
〃many just persons；〃 he cannot allow that there was any 〃miracle properly
so called；〃 because the prince was cured according to 〃natural order；〃 and
by 〃experimental remedies〃 of the physicians。
｛13｝ This lecture was given at Cambridge in 1869； and has not had
the benefit of the author's corrections for the press。
｛14｝ Delrio's book； a famous one in its day； was published about
1612。
｛15｝ For a true estimate of Paracelsus you must read 〃Fur Philippus
Aureolus Theophrarstus von Hohenheim；〃 by that great German physician
and savant； Professor Marx； of Gottiingen； also a valuable article founded
on Dr。 Marx's views in the 〃Nouveau Biographie Universelle；〃 and also
which is within the reach of allProfessor Maurice's article on Paracelsus
in Vol。 II。 of his history of 〃Moral and Metaphysical Philosophy。〃 But
the best key to Paracelsus is to be found in his own works。
｛16｝ So says Dr。 Irving； writing in 1817。 I have； however； tried in
vain to get a sight of this book。 I need not tell Scotch scholars how much
I am indebted throughout this article to Mr。 David Irving's erudite second
edition of Buchanan's Life。
｛17｝ From the quaint old translation of 1721； by 〃A Person of
Honour of the Kingdom of Scotland。〃
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