The Life of Savonarola. By E. L. S. Horsburgh. (Methuen
and Co. 3s. 61).—Savonaraa. By the Rev. George McHardy, D.D. (T. and T. Clark. 33.)—The first of these volumes belongs to the series of "Little Biographies," the second to that of the "World's Epochmakers," appearing under the editorship of Mr. Oliphant Smeaton. Both are good books ; the view taken of Savonerola's character and work is substantially the same in both. The two writers agree in thinking that the cause of the immediate dominance of the great preacher and of his ultimate failure is to be found in the political side of his career. It was this that brought him into conflict with the Pope, and in the end cost him the support of his fellow-citizens. Indeed, the most obvious lesson of the whole history is the warning against the "temporal power" creed. Roman apologists are sorely put to it when they have to champion such a Pontiff as Alexander VI. against such an inspired prophet as Savona- rola. Bad as Alexander was, it might have been possible for him to have been brought to a bettor mind by the influence of the Florentine preacher. It was the temporal power that made it hopeless, all the more so because the French proclivities of Savonarola gave the Pope a certain vantage ground of patriotism. On the other hand, the Reformer's position was compromised by similar errors. In both of the two Lives Savonarola is defended with success against the charge of vandalism and indifference to culture that has been brought against him. Both agree in preferring Poliziano's account of the last interview between Lorenzo de Medici and the Reformer to the more dramatic narrative which commonly holds the ground. The evidence of the latter is not without weight, and were it in sole possession of the field could not be challenged, but Poliziano is much superior as a witness. We must not forget to say that Mr. Horsburgh's volume is well illustrated.
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