ThemiserableconditionoftheSpanishpeopleunderthisterriblereign，andthecausesoftheirsubsequentdegeneracy，havebeenwelltreatedbyMr。Motley。ThecausesofthefailureofSpanishcivilizationarepartlysocialandpartlyeconomical；andtheyhadbeenoperatingforeighthundredyearswhenPhilipsucceededtothethrone。TheMoorishconquestin711hadpracticallyisolatedSpainfromtherestofEurope。IntheCrusadesshetooknopart，andreapednoneofthesignaladvantagesresultingfromthatgreatmovement。Herwholeenergiesweredirectedtowardthrowingofftheyokeofhercivilizedbut“unbelieving“
　　oppressors。ForalongertimethanhasnowelapsedsincetheNormanConquestofEngland，theentireGothicpopulationofSpainwasengagedinunceasingreligiousandpatrioticwarfare。Theunlimitedpowerthusacquiredbyanunscrupulousclergy，andthespiritofuncompromisingbigotrythusimpartedtothewholenation，areinthiswayreadilyaccountedfor。Butinspiteofthis，theaffairsofSpainattheaccessionofCharlesV。werenotinanunpromisingcondition。TheSpanishVisigothshadbeentheleastbarbarousoftheTeutonicsettlerswithinthelimitsoftheEmpire；theircivilinstitutionswereexcellent；theircitieshadobtainedmunicipallibertiesatanearlierdatethanthoseofEngland；andtheirParliamentsindulgedinalibertyofspeechwhichwouldhaveseemedextravaganteventoDeMontfort。SolateasthetimeofFerdinand，theSpaniardswerestilljustlyproudoftheirfreedom；andthechivalrousambitionwhichinspiredthemarvellousexpeditionofCortestoMexico，andcoveredthesoilofItalywithSpanisharmies，wasprobablyinthemainahealthyone。ButtheforcesofSpanishfreedomwereunitedattoolateanepoch；in1492，thepowerofdespotismwasalreadyintheascendant。InEnglandthecasewasdifferent。Thebaronswereenabledtocombineandwrestpermanentprivilegesfromthecrown，atatimewhenfeudalismwasstrong。ButtheSpanishcommuneswaitedforcombinedactionuntilfeudalismhadbecomeweak，andmoderndespotism，withitsstandingarmiesanditscontrolofthespiritualpower，wasarrayedintheranksagainstthem。TheWaroftheCommunes，earlyinthereignofCharlesV。，irrevocablydecidedthecaseinfavourofdespotism，andfromthatdatetheinternaldeclineofSpainmaybesaidtohavebegun。
　　Butthetriumphantconsolidationofthespiritualandtemporalpowersofdespotism，andtheabnormaldevelopmentofloyaltyandbigotry，werenottheonlyevilresultsofthechronicstruggleinwhichSpainhadbeenengaged。Formanycenturies，whileChristianSpainhadbeenbutafringeofdebatableborder-landontheskirtsoftheMoorishkingdom，perpetualguerillawarfarehadrenderedconsecutivelabourdifficultorimpracticable；andthephysicalconfigurationofthecountrycontributedinbringingaboutthisresult。ToplundertheMoorsacrosstheborderwaseasierthantotillthegroundathome。ThenastheSpaniards，exemplifyingthemilitarysuperiorityofthefeudaloverthesultanicformofsocialorganization，proceededsteadilytorecoverdominionovertheland，theindustriousMoors，insteadofmigratingbackwardbeforetheadvanceoftheirconquerors，remainedathomeandsubmittedtothem。ThusSpanishsocietybecamecompoundedoftwodistinctcastes，——theMoorishSpaniards，whowereskilledlabourers，andtheGothicSpaniards，bywhomalllabour，crudeorskilful，wasdeemedthestigmaofaconqueredrace，andunworthytheattentionofrespectablepeople。AsMr。
　　Motleyconciselysays:——
　　“ThehighestindustrialandscientificcivilizationthathadbeenexhibiteduponSpanishterritorywasthatofMoorsandJews。Wheninthecourseoftimethoseraceshadbeensubjugated，massacred，ordrivenintoexile，notonlywasSpaindeprivedofitshighestintellectualcultureanditsmostproductivelabour，butintelligence，science，andindustrywereaccounteddegrading，becausethemarkofinferioranddetestedpeoples。“
　　ThisisthekeytothewholesubsequenthistoryofSpain。
　　Bigotry，loyalty，andconsecratedidlenessarethethreefactorswhichhavemadethatgreatcountrywhatitisto-day，——themostbackwardregioninEurope。Inviewofthecircumstancesjustnarrated，itisnotsurprisingtolearnthatinPhilipII。’stimeavastportionoftherealestateofthecountrywasheldbytheChurchinmortmain；thatforty-ninenoblefamiliesownedalltherest；thatallgreatestateswereheldintail；andthatthepropertyofthearistocracyandtheclergywascompletelyexemptfromtaxation。Thustheaccumulationandthediffusionofcapitalwerealikeprevented；andthefewpossessorsofpropertywasteditinunproductiveexpenditure。HencethefundamentalerrorofSpanishpoliticaleconomy，thatwealthisrepresentedsolelybythepreciousmetals；anerrorwhichwellenoughexplainsthetotalfailure，inspiteofhermagnificentopportunities，ofSpain’sattemptstocolonizetheNewWorld。SuchwasthefrightfulconditionofSpanishsocietyunderPhilipII。；andasifthisstateofthingswerenotbadenough，thenextking，PhilipIII。，attheinstigationoftheclergy，decidedtodriveintobanishmenttheonlyclassofproductivelabourersyetremaininginthecountry。In1610，thisstupendouscrimeandblunder——unparalleledeveninSpanishhistory——wasperpetrated。
　　TheentireMoorishpopulationwereexpelledfromtheirhomesanddrivenintothedesertsofAfrica。Fortheawfulconsequencesofthismadactionnoremedywaspossible。Nosystemofnativeindustrycouldbecreatedondemand，totaketheplaceofthatwhichhadbeenthuswantonlycrushedforever。FromthisepochdatesthesocialruinofSpain。Inlessthanacenturyherpeoplewereriotouswithfamine；andeverysequesteredglenandmountainpathwaythroughoutthecountryhadbecomealurking-placeforrobbers。Whoeverwoulddulyrealizetowhatalamentableconditionthisbeautifulpeninsulahadintheseventeenthcenturybeenreduced，lethimstudytheimmortalpagesofLesage。Hewilllearnafreshthelesson，notyetsufficientlyregardedinthediscussionofsocialproblems，thatthelawsofnaturecannotbeviolatedwithoutentailingapenaltyfearfulinproportiontotheextentoftheviolation。ButlethimcarefullyrememberalsothattheSpaniardsarenotandneverhavebeenadespicablepeople。IfSpainhasproducedoneofthelowestcharactersinhistory，shehasalsoproducedoneofthehighest。ThatmanwaseveryinchaSpaniardwho，maimed，diseased，andpoor，brokendownbylongcaptivity，andharassedbymalignantpersecution，livedneverthelessalifeofgrandeurandbeautyfittobeapatternforcominggenerations，——theauthorofabookwhichhashadawiderfamethananyotherinthewholerangeofsecularliterature，andwhichfordelicatehumour，exquisitepathos，anddeepethicalsentiment，remainsto-daywithoutapeerorarival。
　　IfPhilipII。wasaSpaniard，so，too，wasCervantes。
　　Spaincouldnotbefree，forsheviolatedeveryconditionbywhichfreedomissecuredtoapeople。“Acutenessofintellect，wealthofimagination，heroicqualitiesofheartandhandandbrain，rarelysurpassedinanyraceandmanifestedonathousandbattle-fields，andinthetriumphsofamagnificentandmostoriginalliterature，hadnotbeenabletosaveawholenationfromthedisastersandthedegradationwhichthemerewordsPhilipII。andtheHolyInquisitionsuggesttoeveryeducatedmind。“NorcouldSpainpossiblybecomerich，for，asMr。Motleycontinues，“nearlyeverylaw，accordingtowhichtheprosperityofacountrybecomesprogressive，washabituallyviolated。“OnturningtotheNetherlandswefindthemostcompletecontrast，bothinhistoricalconditionsandinsocialresults；andthesuccessoftheNetherlandsintheirlongstrugglebecomeseasilyintelligible。TheDutchandFlemishprovinceshadformedapartoftherenovatedRomanEmpireofCharlestheGreatandtheOthos。
　　TakingadvantageoftheperennialcontestforsupremacybetweenthepopesandtheRomanemperors，theconstituentbaroniesandmunicipalitiesoftheEmpiresucceededinacquiringandmaintainingapracticalthoughunrecognizedindependence；andthisistheoriginalreasonwhyItalyandGermany，unlikethethreewesternEuropeancommunities，haveremainedfragmentaryuntilourowntime。Byreasonofthepracticalfreedomofactionthussecured，theItaliancivicrepublics，theHansetowns，andthecitiesofHollandandFlanders，wereenabledgraduallytodevelopavastcommerce。TheoutlyingpositionoftheNetherlands，remotefromtheimperialauthorities，andonthedirectlineofcommercebetweenItalyandEngland，wasanotherandapeculiaradvantage。ThroughouttheMiddleAgestheFlemishandDutchcitieswereofconsiderablepoliticalimportance，andinthefifteenthcenturytheNetherlandprovinceswerethemosthighlycivilizedportionofEuropenorthoftheAlps。Forseveralgenerationstheyhadenjoyed，andhadknownhowtomaintain，civicliberties，andwhenCharlesandPhilipattemptedtofastenuponthemtheir“peculiarinstitution，“theSpanishInquisition，theywereripeforpoliticalaswellastheologicalrevolt。
　　NaturallawswerefoundtooperateontheRhineaswellasontheTagus，andattheendofthegreatwarofindependence，HollandwasnotonlybetterequippedthanSpainforaEuropeanconflict，butwasrapidlyoustingherfromtheEastIndiancountrieswhichshehadinvainattemptedtocolonize。
　　ButifweweretotakeupalltheinterestingandinstructivethemessuggestedbyMr。Motley’swork，weshouldnevercometoanend。Wemustpassovertheexcitingeventsnarratedintheselastvolumes；thevictoryofNieuport，thesiegeofOstend，themarvellouscareerofMaurice，thesurprisingexploitsofSpinola。
　　WehaveattemptednotsomuchtodescribeMr。Motley’sbookastoindulgeinsundryreflectionssuggestedbytheperusalofit。Butwecannotclosewithoutsomeremarksuponagreatman，whosecharacterMr。Motleyseemstohavesomewhatmisconceived。
　　IfMr。Motleyexhibitsanyseriousfault，itisperhapsthenaturaltendencytoTAKESIDESintheeventswhichheisdescribing，whichsometimesoperatesasadrawbacktocompleteandthoroughgoingcriticism。WitheveryintentiontodojusticetotheCatholics，Mr。MotleystillwritesasaProtestant，viewingallquestionsfromtheProtestantside。Hepraisesandcondemnslikeaveryfair-mindedHuguenot，butstilllikeaHuguenot。ItisforthisreasonthathefailstointerpretcorrectlytheverycomplexcharacterofHenryIV。，regardinghimasasortofselfishrenegadewhomhecannotquiteforgiveforacceptingthecrownofFranceatthehandsofthePope。NowthisveryactionofHenry，intheeyeofanimpartialcriticism，mustseemtobeoneofhischiefclaimstotheadmirationandgratitudeofposterity。HenrywasmorethanamereHuguenot:hewasafar-seeingstatesman。Hesawclearlywhatnorulerbeforehim，saveWilliamtheSilent，hadevendimlydiscerned，thatnotCatholicismandnotProtestantism，butabsolutespiritualfreedomwasthetrueendtobeaimedatbyarighteousleaderofopinion。
　　ItwasasaCatholicsovereignthathecouldbemostusefuleventohisHuguenotsubjects；andheshapedhiscourseaccordingly。
　　Itwasasanorthodoxsovereign，holdinghispositionbythegeneralconsentofEurope，thathecouldbestsubservetheinterestsofuniversaltoleration。ThisprincipleheembodiedinhisadmirableedictofNantes。WhataHuguenotprincemighthavedone，maybeseenfromtheshamefulwayinwhichtheFrenchCalvinistsabusedthefavourwhichHenry——andRichelieuafterwards——accordedtothem。RememberinghowCalvinhimself“dragooned“Geneva，letusbethankfulforthefortunewhich，inoneofthemostcriticalperiodsofhistory，raisedtothehighestpositioninChristendomamanwhowassomethingmorethanasectarian。
　　Withthisbriefcriticism，wemustregretfullytakeleaveofMr。
　　Motley’swork。Muchmoreremainstobesaidaboutahistoricaltreatisewhichis，onthewhole，themostvaluableandimportantoneyetproducedbyanAmerican；butwehavealreadyexceededourlimits。Wetrustthatourauthorwillbeassuccessfulinthefutureashehasbeeninthepast；andthatweshallsoonhaveanopportunityofwelcomingthefirstinstalmentofhis“HistoryoftheThirtyYears’War。“