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no secret of his indignation； and even contempt； it must be remembered
that indignation and contempt may well have been real with him； while
they were real with the soundest part of his countrymen； with that
reforming middle class； paratively untainted by French profligacy；
paratively undebauched by feudal subservience； which has been the
leaven which has leavened the whole Scottish people in the last three
centuries with the elements of their greatness。 If； finally； he heaps up
against the unhappy Queen charges which Mr。 Burton thinks incredible； it
must be remembered that； as he well says； these charges give the popular
feeling about Queen Mary； and it must be remembered also； that that
popular feeling need not have been altogether unfounded。 Stories which
are incredible； thank God； in these milder days； were credible enough then；
because； alas！ they were so often true。 Things more ugly than any related
of poor Mary were possible enoughas no one knew better than
Buchananin that very French court in which Mary had been brought up；
things as ugly were possible in Scotland then； and for at least a century
later； and while we may hope that Buchanan has overstated his case； we
must not blame him too severely for yielding to a temptation mon to
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all men of genius when their creative power is roused to its highest energy
by a great cause and a great indignation。
And that the genius was there； no man can doubt； one cannot read that
〃hideously eloquent〃 description of Kirk o' Field； which Mr。 Burton has
well chosen as a specimen of Buchanan's style； without seeing that we are
face to face with a genius of a very lofty order： not； indeed； of the loftiest
for there is always in Buchanan's work； it seems to me； a want of
unconsciousness； and a want of tendernessbut still a genius worthy to be
placed beside those ancient writers from whom he took his manner。
Whether or not we agree with his contemporaries； who say that he
equalled Virgil in Latin poetry； we may place him fairly as a prose writer
by the side of Demosthenes； Cicero； or Tacitus。 And so I pass from this
painful subject； only quotingif I may be permitted to quoteMr。 Burton's
wise and gentle verdict on the whole。 〃Buchanan；〃 he says； 〃though a
zealous Protestant； had a good deal of the Catholic and sceptical spirit of
Erasmus； and an admiring eye for everything that was great and beautiful。
Like the rest of his countrymen； he bowed himself in presence of the lustre
that surrounded the early career of his mistress。 More than once he
expressed his pride and reverence in the inspiration of a genius deemed by
his contemporaries to be worthy of the theme。 There is not； perhaps； to
be found elsewhere in literature so solemn a memorial of shipwrecked
hopes； of a sunny opening and a stormy end； as one finds in turning the
leaves of the volume which contains the beautiful epigram 〃Nympha
Caledoniae〃 in one part； the 〃Detectio Mariae Reginae〃 in another； and
this contrast is； no doubt； a faithful parallel of the reaction in the popular
mind。 This reaction seems to have been general； and not limited to the
Protestant party； for the conditions under which it became almost a part of
the creed of the Church of Rome to believe in her innocence had not
arisen。〃
If Buchanan； as some of his detractors have thought； raised himself by
subserviency to the intrigues of the Regent Murray； the best heads in
Scotland seem to have been of a different opinion。 The murder of
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Murray did not involve Buchanan's fall。 He had avenged it； as far as pen
could do it； by that 〃Admonition Direct to the Trew Lordis；〃 in which he
showed himself as great a master of Scottish； as he was of Latin prose。
His satire of the 〃Chameleon；〃 though its publication was stopped by
Maitland； must have been read in manuscript by many of those same
〃True Lords；〃 and though there were nobler instincts in Maitland than any
Buchanan gave him credit for； the satire breathed an honest indignation
against that wily turncoat's misgoings； which could not but remend the
author to all honest men。 Therefore it was； I presume； and not because
he was a rogue； and a hired literary spadassin； that to the best heads in
Scotland he seemed so useful； it may be so worthy； a man； that he be
provided with continually increasing employment。 As tutor to James I。；
as director； for a short time； of the chancery； as keeper of the privy seal；
and privy councillor； as one of the missioners for codifying the laws；
and againfor in the semi…anarchic state of Scotland； government had to
do everything in the way of organisationin the mittee for
promulgating a standard Latin grammar； in the mittee for reforming
the University of St。 Andrew's： in all these Buchanan's talents were
again and again called for； and always ready。 The value of his work；
especially that for the reform of St。 Andrew's； must be judged by Scotsmen；
rather than by an Englishman； but all that one knows of it justifies
Melville's sentence in the well…known passage in his memoirs； wherein he
describes the tutors and household of the young king。 〃Mr。 George was a
Stoic philosopher； who looked not far before him；〃 in plain words； a high…
minded and right…minded man； bent on doing the duty which lay nearest
him。 The worst that can be said against him during these times is； that
his name appears with the sum of 100 pounds against it； as one of those
〃who were to be entertained in Scotland by pensions out of England；〃 and
Ruddiman； of course； ments on the fact by saying that Buchanan 〃was
at length to act under the threefold character of malcontent； reformer； and
pensioner：〃 but it gives no proof whatsoever that Buchanan ever received
any such bribe； and in the very month； seemingly； in which that list was