the last stage of the Thirty Years' War France under
Richelieu played her part so well that the house of Austria was
humbled, and, although the great Cardinal died before the end
of the war, in the final settlement France received territorial
and political benefits which greatly added to her prestige.

White, our eminent historian, educator, and diplomatist, has
given to the world, in the following narrative and analysis,
the best account of Richelieu's administration to be found in
English.

Thus far the struggles of the world have developed its statesmanship
after three leading types.

First of these is that based on faith in some great militant principle.
Strong among statesmen of this type, in this time, stand Cavour, with
his faith in constitutional liberty; Cobden, with his faith in freedom
of trade; the third Napoleon, with his faith that the world moves, and
that a successful policy must keep the world's pace.

The second style of statesmanship is seen in the reorganization of old
states to fit new times. In this the chiefs are such men as Cranmer and
Turgot.

But there is a third class of statesmen sometimes doing more brilliant
work than either of the others. These are they who serve a state in
times of chaos--in times when a nation is by no means ripe for
revolution, but only stung by desperate revolt. These are they who are
quick enough and firm enough to bind all the good forces of the state
into one cosmic force, therewith to compress or crush all chaotic
forces; these are they who throttle treason and stab rebellion; who fear
not, when defeat must send down misery through ages, to insure victory
by using weapons of the hottest and sharpest. Theirs, then, is a
statesmanship which it may be well for the leading men of this land and
time to be looking at and thinking of, and its representative man shall
be Richelieu.

Never perhaps did a nation plunge more suddenly from the height of
prosperity into the depth of misery than did France on May 14, 1610,
when Henry IV fell dead by the dagger of Ravaillac. All earnest men, in
a moment, saw the abyss yawning--felt the state sinking--felt themselves
sinking with it. And they did what in such a time men always do: first
all shrieked, then every man clutched at the means of safety nearest
him. Sully, Henry's great minister, rode through the streets of Paris
with big tears streaming down his face; strong men whose hea