Nowitwasindeed，inthemidstofferociousattacksuponhisreputationandcunningattemptsuponhislife，thatheenteredanewandmosteffectiveperiodofactivity。Foryears，astheadviserofVenice，hehadstudied，bothasahistorianandasastatesman，thegreatestquestionswhichconcernedhiscountry，andespeciallythosewhichrelatedtothepersistenteffortsoftheVaticantoencroachuponVenetianself—government。TheresultsofthesestudieshehadembodiedinreportswhichhadshapedthecourseoftheRepublic;andnow，hislearningandpowersofthoughtbeingbroughttobearuponthepolicyofEuropeingeneral，asaffectedbysimilarpapalencroachments，hebeganpublishingaseriesoftreatises，whichatonceattractedgeneralattention。[1]
[1]Fortheextenttowhichtheseattackswerecarried，seethelargenumberintheSarpicollectionattheCornellUniversityLibrary，especiallyvolumeix。
Firstofthese，in1608，camehisworkontheInterdict。Clearlyandconciselyitrevealedthenatureoftherecentstruggle，thebaselessnessoftheVaticanclaims，andthesolidarityofinterestbetweenVeniceandallotherEuropeanstatesregardingthequestionthereinsettled。Thisworkofhisasahistorianclenchedhisworkasastatesman;fromthatdayforwardnonationhasevenbeenseriouslythreatenedwithaninterdict。
Subsidiaryworksfollowedrapidlyfromhispen，strengtheningthecivilpoweragainsttheclerical;butin1610cameatreatise，whichmarkedanepoch，——hisHistoryofEcclesiasticalBenefices。[2]Inthishedealtwithaproblemwhichhadbecomeveryserious，notonlyinVenice，butineveryEuropeanstate，showedtheprocessbywhichvasttreasureshadbeentakenfromthecontrolofthecivilpowerandheapedupforecclesiasticalpompandintrigue，pointedoutspecialwrongsdonebythesystemtotheChurchaswellastheState，andadvocatedareformwhichshouldrestorethiswealthtobetteruses。Hisargumentsspreadwidelyandsankdeep，notonlyinItaly，butthroughoutEurope，andthenineteenthcenturyhasseenthemappliedeffectivelyineveryEuropeancountrywithintheRomanobedience。
[2]TheoldEnglishtranslationofthisbook，publishedin1736
atWestminster，isbynomeansaveryrarebook，anditaffordsthegeneralreaderperhapsthemostaccessiblemeansofunderstandingFraPaolo’ssimplicity，thoroughness，andvigor。
In1611hepublishedhisworkontheInquisitionatVenice，presentinghistoricalargumentsagainsttheuseswhichecclesiasticism，underpapalguidance，hadmadeofthattribunal。
Theseargumentsspreadfar，anddevelopedthroughoutEuropethoseviewsoftheInquisitionwhichfinallyledtoitsdestruction。
Minortreatisesfollowed，dealingwithstatequestionsarisingbetweentheVaticanandVenice，eachtreatise——thoroughlywellreasonedandconvincing——havingastrongeffectonthediscussionofsimilarpublicquestionsineveryotherEuropeannation。
In1613cametwobooksofahighorder，eachmarkinganepoch。
ThefirstofthesewasupontheRightofSanctuary，andinitSarpiledtheway，whichallmodernstateshavefollowed，outoftheold，vicioussystemofsanctioningcrimebyshelteringcriminals。ThecogencyofhisargumentandthevalueofitsapplicationgainedforhimanespecialtributebythebestauthorityonsuchquestionswhomEuropehadseen，——HugoGrotius。
CloselyconnectedwiththisworkwasthatupontheImmunityoftheClergy。Boththisandthepreviousworkwereinthesameorderofideas，andthesecondfastenedintotheEuropeanmindthereasonswhynostatecandependupontheChurchforthepunishmentofclericalcriminals。HisargumentwasatriumphantvindicationofVeniceinherstrugglewithPaulVonthispoint;
butitwasmorethanthat。Itbecamethepracticalguideofallmodernstates。ItsargumentsdissipatedthelasteffortsthroughoutEuropetomakeadistinction，incriminalmatters，betweenthepriestlycasteandtheworldingeneral。
Amonglessertreatiseswhichfollowedisonewhichhasdonemuchtoshapemodernpolicyregardingpublicinstruction。ThiswashisbookupontheEducationgivenbytheJesuits。Oneideawhichitenforcedsankdeepintothemindsofallthoughtfulmen，——hisstatementthatJesuitmaximsdevelop"sonsdisobedienttotheirparents，citizensunfaithfultotheircountry，andsubjectsundutifultotheirsovereign。"Jesuiteducationhasindeedbeenmaintained，andevidencesofitmaybeseeninvariousEuropeancountries。ThetravelerinItalyconstantlyseesinthelargerItaliantownslonglinesofyoungmenandboys，sallow，thin，andlistless，walkingtwoandtwo，withpriestsateachendofthecoffle。Thesearestudentstakingtheirexercise，andanAmericanorEnglishmanmarvelsasherememberstheplayingfieldsofhisowncountry。Youtharethusbroughtupasmilksops，tobegraduatedasscape—graces。Thestrongmenwhocontrolpublicaffairs，wholeadmenandoriginatemeasuresintheopen，arenotbredinJesuitforcing—houses。EventheJesuitsthemselveshaveacknowledgedthis，andperhapsthestrongestofallargumentssupplementarytothosegivenbyFatherPaulwereutteredbyPadreCurci，eminentinhisdayasaJesuitgladiator，butwhorealizedfinallytheimpossibilityofaccomplishinggreatthingswithmenmouldedbyJesuitmethods。
AlltheseworkstookstrongholduponEuropeanthought。LeadingmeninallpartsofEuroperecognizedSarpiasbothagreatstatesmanandagreathistorian。AmonghisEnglishfriendsweresuchmenasLordBaconandSirHenryWotton;andhispraiseshavebeensoundedbyGrotius，byGibbon，byHallam，andbyMacaulay。
Strong，lucid，theseworksofFatherPaulhavealwaysbeenespeciallyattractivetothosewhorejoiceintheleadershipofamastermind。
Butin1619camethemostimportantofall，——aservicetohumanityhardlylessstrikingthanthatwhichhehadrenderedinhisbattleagainsttheInterdict，——hishistoryoftheCouncilofTrent。
Hiscloserelationstosomanyoftheforemostmenofhisdayandhislongstudyinpublicarchivesandprivatelibrariesborefruitinthiswork，whichtakesrankamongthefewgreat，enduringhistoricaltreatisesoftheworld。Throughout，itisvigorousandwitty，butatthesametimeprofound;everywhereitbearsevidencesoftruthfulnessandispervadedbysobrietyofjudgment。Itspicturesoftheeffortsorthreatsbyrepresentativesofvariousgreatpowerstobreakawayfromthepapacyandestablishnationalchurches;itspresentationoftheargumentsofanti—papaloratorsononesideandofLaynezandhissatellitesontheother;itsdisplayofactsandrevelationsofpretexts;itspenetrationintothewholenetworkofintrigue，anditsthoroughdiscussionofunderlyingprinciples，——allaremasterly。
Thoughthenameoftheauthorwasconcealedinananagram，thebookwasfelt，bytheVaticanparty，tobeablowwhichonlyonemancouldhavedealt，andtheworstblowwhichthepartyhadreceivedsinceitsauthorhaddefeatedtheInterdictatVenice。
Effortsweremade，byoutcriesandcalumnies，todiscreditthework，andtheyhavebeencontinuedfromthatdaytothis，butinvain。Thattheremustbesomegapsandmanyimperfectionsinitiscertain;butitsgeneralcharacterisbeyondthereachofultramontaneweapons。TheblowwasfelttobesoheavythattheJesuitPallaviciniwasempoweredtowriteahistoryoftheCounciltocounterbalanceit，andhisworkwaswelldone;butRanke，themostunprejudicedofjudges，comparingthetwo，assignsthepalmtoFatherPaul。HisbookwasimmediatelyspreadthroughoutEurope;butofallthetranslations，perhapsthemostnoteworthywastheEnglish。Sarpihadentrustedacopyoftheoriginaltohisfriend，AntoniodeDominis，ArchbishopofSpalato，andhe，havingtakenrefugeinEngland，hadittranslatedthere，theauthorshipbeingascribedonthetitle—pageto"PietroSoavePolano。"ThisEnglishtranslationwas，invigorandpith，worthyoftheoriginal。Initcanbediscerned，asclearlyasintheoriginal，thatatmosphereofintrigueandbrutalassertionofpowerbywhichtheRomanCuria，afterpackingtheCouncilwithpettyItalianbishops，badedefiancetotheCatholicworld。Thistranslation，morethanallelse，hasenabledtheEnglish—speakingpeoplestounderstandwhatwasmeantbytheItalianhistorianwhenhesaidthatFatherPaul"taughttheworldhowtheHolySpiritguidestheGreatCouncilsoftheChurch。"Itremainscogentdowntothisday;afterreadingitonefeelsthatsuchguidancemightequallybeclaimedforTammanyHall。
AlthoughFatherPaulneveracknowledgedtheauthorshipofthehistoryoftheCouncilofTrent，andalthoughhisoriginalcopy，preparedforthepress，withhislatestcorrections，stillremainsburiedinthearchivesatVenice，thewholeworldknewthathealonecouldhavewrittenit。
Butduringalltheseyears，whileelaboratingopinionsontheweightiestmattersofstatefortheVenetianSenate，andsendingoutthisseriesofbookswhichsopowerfullyinfluencedtheattitudeofhisownandaftergenerationstowardtheVatican，hewasworkingwithgreateffectinyetanotherfield。WiththepossibleexceptionofVoltaire，hewasthemostvigorousandinfluentialletter—writerduringthethreehundredyearswhichseparatedErasmusfromThomasJefferson。Voltairecertainlyspreadhisworkoveralargerfield，lighteditwithmorewit，andgainedbyitmorebrilliantvictories;butasregardsaccuratehistoricalknowledge，closeacquaintancewithstatesmen，familiaritywiththebestandworstwhichstatesmencoulddo，soberjudgmentandcogentargument，thegreatVenetianwashissuperior。Curiouslyenough，SarpiresemblestheAmericanstatesmanmorecloselythaneitheroftheEuropeans。BothheandJeffersonhadtheintensepracticalinterestofstatesmen，notonlyinthewelfareoftheirowncountries，butinallthepoliticalandreligiousproblemsoftheirtimes。Bothwerekeenlyalivetoprogressinthephysicalsciences，wherevermade。Bothwerewonttothrowalightveilofhumoroververyseriousdiscussions。Bothcoulduse，withgreateffect，curt，causticdescription:Jefferson’slettertoGovernorLangdonsatirizingthecrownedheadsofEurope，ashehadseenthem，hasaworthypendantinFraPaolo’spicturesofsundryrepresentativesoftheVatican。Inboththesewriterswasadeepearnestnesswhich，attimes，showeditselfinpropheticutterances。TheamazingprophecyofJeffersonagainstAmericanslavery，beginningwiththewords，"ItremblewhenIrememberthatGodisjust，"which，inthelightofourcivilwar，seemsdivinelyinspired，isparalleledbysomeofSarpi’sutterancesagainsttheunmoraltendenciesofJesuitismandUltramontanism;andthesetooseemdivinelyinspiredasonereadstheminthelightofwhathashappenedsinceinSpain，inSicily，inNaples，inPoland，inIreland，andinsundrySouthAmericanrepublics。
TherangeofSarpi’sfriendlyrelationswasamazing。Theyembracedstatesmen，churchmen，scholars，scientificinvestigators，diplomatistsineverypartofEurope，andamongtheseGalileoandLordBacon，GrotiusandMornay，SalmasiusandCasaubon，DeThouandSirHenryWotton，BishopBedellandVossius，withagreatnumberofothersofnearlyequalrank。
Unfortunatelythegreaterpartofhiscorrespondencehasperished。InthetwosmallvolumescollectedbyPolidori，andinthesmalladditionalvolumeofletterstoSimonContarini，VenetianAmba...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：