按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 pious
motto from St。 Augustine； and the approval of Pius VII was
distinctly implied； since the work was never placed upon the
Index； and could not have been published at Venice； stamped as it
was and registered with the privileges of the University； without
the consent of the Vatican。
The memory of Father Paul seemed likely now to be overwhelmed。
There was no longer a Republic of Venice to guard the noble
traditions of his life and service。 The book was recommended and
spread far and wide by preachers and confessors。
But at last came a day of judgment。 The director of the Venetian
archives discovered and had the courage to announce that the work
was a pious fraud of the vilest type； that it was never written
by Fontanini； but that it was simply made up out of the old
scurrilous work of Vaerini； suppressed over thirty years before。
As to the correspondence served up as supplementary to the
biography； it was concocted from letters already published； with
the addition of Jesuitical interpolations and of forgeries。＇1＇
Now came the inevitable reaction； and with it the inevitable
increase of hatred for Austrian rule and the inevitable question；
how； if the Pope is the infallible teacher of the world in all
matters pertaining to faith and morals； could he virtually
approve this book； and why did he not； by virtue of his divine
inerrancy； detect the fraud and place its condemnation upon the
Index。 The only lasting effect of the book； then； was to revive
the memory of Father Paul's great deeds and to arouse Venetian
pride in them。 The fearful scar on his face in the portrait spoke
more eloquently than ever； and so it was that； early in the
nineteenth century； many men of influence joined in proposing a
suitable and final interment for the poor bones； which had seven
times been buried and reburied； and which had so long been kept
in the sordid box at the Ducal Library。 The one fitting place of
burial was the cemetery of San Michele。 To that beautiful island；
so near the heart of Venice； had； for many years； been borne the
remains of leading Venetians。 There； too； in more recent days；
have been laid to rest many of other lands widely respected and
beloved。
＇1＇ For a full and fair statement of the researches which exposed
this pious fraud； see Castellani； Prefect of the Library of St。
Mark； preface to his Lettere Inedite di F。 P。 S。； p。 xvii。 For
methods used in interpolating or modifying passages in Sarpi's
writings； see Bianchi Giovini； Biografia di Sarpi； Zurigo； 1847；
vol。 ii。 pp。 135； et seq。
But the same persistent hatred which； in our own day； grudged and
delayed due honors at the tombs of Copernicus and Galileo among
Catholics； and of Humboldt among Protestants； was still bitter
against the great Venetian scholar and statesman。 It could not be
forgotten that he had wrested from the Vatican the most terrible
of its weapons。 But patriotic pride was strong； and finally a
compromise was made： it was arranged that Sarpi should be buried
and honored at his burial as an eminent man of science； and that
no word should be spoken of his main services to the Republic and
to the world。 On this condition he was buried with simple honors。
Soon； however； began another chapter of hatred。 There came a pope
who added personal to official hostility。 Gregory XVI； who in his
earlier days had been abbot of the monastery of San Michele； was
indignant that the friar who had thwarted the papacy should lie
buried in the convent which he himself had formerly ruled； and
this feeling took shape； first； in violent speeches at Rome； and
next； in brutal acts at Venice。 The monks broke and removed the
sim