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weightiest matters of state for the Venetian Senate； and sending
out this series of books which so powerfully influenced the
attitude of his own and after generations toward the Vatican； he
was working with great effect in yet another field。 With the
possible exception of Voltaire； he was the most vigorous and
influential letter…writer during the three hundred years which
separated Erasmus from Thomas Jefferson。 Voltaire certainly
spread his work over a larger field； lighted it with more wit；
and gained by it more brilliant victories； but as regards
accurate historical knowledge； close acquaintance with statesmen；
familiarity with the best and worst which statesmen could do；
sober judgment and cogent argument； the great Venetian was his
superior。 Curiously enough； Sarpi resembles the American
statesman more closely than either of the Europeans。 Both he and
Jefferson had the intense practical interest of statesmen； not
only in the welfare of their own countries； but in all the
political and religious problems of their times。 Both were keenly
alive to progress in the physical sciences； wherever made。 Both
were wont to throw a light veil of humor over very serious
discussions。 Both could use； with great effect； curt； caustic
description： Jefferson's letter to Governor Langdon satirizing
the crowned heads of Europe； as he had seen them； has a worthy
pendant in Fra Paolo's pictures of sundry representatives of the
Vatican。 In both these writers was a deep earnestness which； at
times； showed itself in prophetic utterances。 The amazing
prophecy of Jefferson against American slavery； beginning with
the words； 〃I tremble when I remember that God is just；〃 which；
in the light of our civil war； seems divinely inspired； is
paralleled by some of Sarpi's utterances against the unmoral
tendencies of Jesuitism and Ultramontanism； and these too seem
divinely inspired as one reads them in the light of what has
happened since in Spain； in Sicily； in Naples； in Poland； in
Ireland； and in sundry South American republics。
The range of Sarpi's friendly relations was amazing。 They
embraced statesmen； churchmen； scholars； scientific
investigators； diplomatists in every part of Europe； and among
these Galileo and Lord Bacon； Grotius and Mornay； Salmasius and
Casaubon； De Thou and Sir Henry Wotton； Bishop Bedell and
Vossius； with a great number of others of nearly equal rank。
Unfortunately the greater part of his correspondence has
perished。 In the two small volumes collected by Polidori； and in
the small additional volume of letters to Simon Contarini；
Venetian Ambassador at Rome； unearthed a few years since in the
Venetian archives by Castellani； we have all that is known。 It is
but a small fraction of his epistolary work； but it enables us to
form a clear opinion。 The letters are well worthy of the man who
wrote the history of the Council of Trent and the protest of
Venice against the Interdict。
It is true that there has been derived from these letters； by his
open enemies on one side and his defenders of a rather sickly
conscientious sort on the other； one charge against him： this is
based on his famous declaration； 〃I utter falsehood never； but
the truth not to every one。〃 （〃La falsita non dico mai mai； ma la
verita non a ogniuno。〃）＇1＇ Considering his vast responsibilities
as a statesman and the terrible dangers which beset him as a
theologian； that in the first of these capacities the least
misstep might wreck the great cause which he supported； and that
in the second such a misstep might easily bring him to the
torture chamber and the stake； normally healthful minds will
doubtless agree that the criticism upon these words is more
Pharisaic than wholesome。
＇1＇ For this famous utterance； see notes of conversations given
by Christoph； Burggraf von Dohna； in July； 1608； in Briefe und
Acten zur Geschichte des Dreissigjahrigen Krieges； Munchen； 1874；
p。 79。
Sarpi was now spoken of； more than ever； both among friends and
foes； as the 〃terribile frate。〃 Terrible to the main enemies of
Venice he indeed was； and the machinations of his opponents grew
more and more serious。 Efforts to assassinate him； to poison him；
to discredit him； to lure him to Rome； or at least within reach
of the Inquisition； became almost frantic； but all in vain。 He
still continued his quiet life at the monastery of Santa Fosca；
publishing from time to time discussions of questions important
for Venice and for Europe； working steadily in the public service
until his last hours。 In spite of his excommunication and of his
friendships with many of the most earnest Protestants of Europe；
he remained a son of the church in which he was born。 His life
was shaped in accordance with its general precepts； and every day
he heard mass。 So his career quietly ran on until； in 1623； he
met death calmly； without fear； in full reliance upon the divine
justice and mercy。 His last words were a prayer for Venice。
He had fought the good fight。 He had won it for Venice and for
humanity。 For all this； the Republic had； in his later years；
tried to show her gratitude； and he had quietly and firmly
refused the main gifts proposed to him。 But now came a new
outburst of grateful feeling。 The Republic sent notice of his
death to other powers of Europe through its Ambassadors in the
terms usual at the death of royal personages； in every way； it
showed its appreciation of his character and services； and it
crowned all by voting him a public monument。
Hardly was the decree known； when the Vatican authorities sent
notice that； should any monument be erected to Sarpi； they would
anew and publicly declare him excommunicate as a heretic。 At
this； the Venetian Senate hesitated； waited； delayed。 Whenever
afterwards the idea of carrying out the decree for the monument
was revived； there set in a storm of opposition from Rome。 Hatred
of the terrible friar's memory seemed to grow more and more
bitter。 Even rest in the grave was denied him。 The church where
he was buried having been demolished； the question arose as to
the disposition of his bones。 To bury them in sacred ground
outside the old convent would arouse a storm of ecclesiastical
hostility； with the certainty of their dispersion and
desecration； it seemed impossible to secure them from priestly
hatred： therefore it was that his friends took them from place to
place； sometimes concealing them in the wall of a church here；
sometimes beneath the pavement of a church there； and for a time
keeping them in a simple wooden box at the Ducal Library。 The
place where his remains rested became； to most Venetians；
unknown。 All that remained to remind the world of his work was
his portrait in the Ducal Library； showing the great gash made by
the Vatican assassins。
Time went on； and generations came which seemed to forget him。
Still worse； generation after generation came； carefully trained
by clerical teachers to misunderstand and hate him。 But these
teachers went too far； for； in 1771； nearly one hundred and fifty
years after his death； the monk Vaerini gathered together； in a
pretended biography； all the scurrilities which could be
imagined； and endeavored to bury the memory of the great patriot
beneath them。 This was too much。 The old Venetian spirit； which
had so long lain dormant； now asserted itself： Vaerini was
imprisoned and his book suppressed。
A quarter of a century later the Republic fell under the rule of
Austria； and Austria's most time…honored agency in keeping down
subject populations has always been the priesthood。 Again Father
Paul's memory was virtually proscribed； and in 1803 another
desperate attempt was made to cover him with infamy。 In that year
appeared a book entitled The Secret History of the Life of Fra
Paolo Sarpi； and it contained not only his pretended biography；
but what claimed to be Sarpi's own letters and other documents
showing him to be an adept in scoundrelism and hypocrisy。 Its
editor was the archpriest Ferrara of Mantua； but on the
title…page appeared； as the name of its author； Fontanini；
Archbishop of Ancira； a greatly respected prelate who had died
nearly seventy years before； and there was also stamped； not only
upon the preliminary； but upon the final page of the work； the
approval of the Austrian government。 To this was added a piou