ItwillbeseenfromthismagnificentpassagethatMr。FroudeisdistinctlyaProtestant。Heisone，tojudgefromhisbook;andallthebetterone，becausehecansympathisewithwhatsoevernobleness，evenwithwhatsoevermereconservatism，existedintheCatholicparty。Andtherefore，becausehehassympathieswhicharenotmerelypartyones，buthumanones，hehasgiventheworld，inthesetwovolumes，ahistoryoftheearlyReformationaltogetherunequalled。
Thishumansympathy，whileithasenabledhimtoembalminmostaffectingprosethesadstoryofthenoblethoughmistakenCarthusians，andtomakeeventheNunofKentinteresting，becausetrulywomanly，inherveryfollyanddeceit，hasenabledhimlikewisetoshowustheheartsoftheearlymartyrsastheyneverhavebeenshownbefore。HissketchoftheChristianBrothers，andhislittletrueromanceofAnthonyDalaber，theOxfordstudent，aregemsofwriting;whilehisconceptionofLatimer，onwhomhelooksastheheroofthemovement，andallbutanEnglishLuther，isasworthyofLatimerasitisofhimself。Itiswrittenashistoryshouldbe，discriminatingly，patiently，andyetlovinglyandgenially;rejoicingnotinevil，butinthetruth;andrejoicingstillmoreingoodness，wheregoodnesscanhonestlybefound。
TotheecclesiasticalandpoliticalelementsintheEnglishReformationMr。Froudedevotesalargeportionofhisbook。Weshallnotenterintothequestionswhichhediscussestherein。Thataspectofthemovementisaforeignandadelicatesubject，fromdiscussingwhichaScotchperiodicalmaybeexcused。{2}NorthBritainhadasomewhatdifferentproblemtosolvefromhersouthernsister，andsolveditinanaltogetherdifferentway:butthiswemustsay，thatthefactsand，stillmore，theStatePapers（especiallythepetitionoftheCommons，ascontrastedwiththeutterlybenightedansweroftheBishops）whichMr。FroudegivesaresuchastoraiseouropinionofthemethodonwhichtheEnglishpartoftheReformationwasconducted，andmakeusbelievethatinthis，asinothermatters，bothHenryandhisParliament，thoughstilldoctrinalRomanists，weresound—headedpracticalEnglishmen。
ThisresultisofthesamekindasmostofthoseatwhichMr。Froudearrives。TheyformaltogetherageneraljustificationofourancestorsinHenrytheEighth\'stime，ifnotofHenrytheEighthhimself，whichfreesMr。Froudefromthatchargeofirreverencetothepastgenerationsagainstwhichweprotestedinthebeginningofthearticle。Wehopehonestlythathemaybeassuccessfulinhisnextvolumesashehasbeeninthese，invindicatingtheworthiesofthesixteenthcentury。Whetherheshallfailornot，andwhetherornothehasaltogethersucceeded，inthevolumesbeforeus，hisbookmarksanewepoch，and，wetrust，ahealthierandloftierone，inEnglishhistory。Wetrustthattheyinaugurateatimeinwhichthedeedsofourforefathersshallbelookedonassacredheirlooms;
theirsinsasourshame，theirvictoriesasbequeststous;whenmenshallhavesufficientconfidenceinthosetowhomtheyowetheirexistencetoscrutinisefaithfullyandpatientlyeveryfactconcerningthem，withaproudtrustthat，searchastheymay，theywillnotfindmuchofwhichtobeashamed。