Freedom and Power
Notes
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER II — THE HISTORY OF FREEDOM IN ANTIQUITY
NOTE: This address was delivered to the members of the Bridgnorth Institution at the Agricultural Hall, February 26, 1877 (Bridgnorth, 1877): reprinted in The History of Freedom and Other Essays (London: Macmillan Co., 1907), pp. 1-29.
CHAPTER III — THE HISTORY OF FREEDOM IN CHRISTIANITY
NOTE: This address was delivered to the members of the Bridgnorth Institution at the Agricultural Hall, May 28, 1877 (Bridgnorth, 1877): reprinted in The History of Freedom and Other Essays (London, Macmillan Co., 1907), pp. 30-60.
CHAPTER IV — THE PROTESTANT THEORY OF PERSECUTION
NOTE: This essay first appeared in The Rambler, New Series, I (July, 1862), 1-25; reprinted in The History of Freedom and Other Essays (London, Macmillan Co., 1907), pp. 150-87.
There has been some controversy about the authorship of this article. In a footnote to a letter written by Acton to Simpson, the editor of The Rambler, Gasquet, interprets the words, “your article,” as referring to “Protestant Theory of Persecution,” thus attributing the article to Simpson. The editors of History of Freedom, Figgis and Laurence, declare in their preface that this was an error and they include the article in their edition of Acton’s writings. The late G. G. Coulton revived the dispute in the English Historical Review of July, 1931. According to Coulton, Laurence and Figgis admitted the essay on the testimony of Wetherell, who had been associated with the journal but whose memory was not entirely trustworthy. Because the article does not impress him as “Actonian” (in style and content), Coulton agreed with Gasquet and assigned it to Simpson. The author of the introduction to the present volume maintains that the article, both in style and content, is entirely typical of the young Acton, and that many of its ideas, in embryonic form, may be found in his early journals and notebooks. Even if it could be shown, however, that the article was not actually composed by Acton, it is certain that Acton agreed with its sentiments, particularly if it is assumed that the author was Simpson. Acton and Simpson worked in close collaboration, so that it is sometimes difficult to assign exact responsibility for each contribution. (For example, the theme, development of the argument, and most of the illustrations for “Philosopher’s Stone” {Rambler, July 1860), originated with Acton, although the article in its final form was composed by Simpson.)
Before sentence was pronounced Bullinger wrote to Beza: “Quid vero amplissimus Senatus Genevensis ageret cum blasphemo illo nebulone Serveto. Si sapit et officium suum facit, caedit, ut totus orbis videat Genevam Christi gloriam cupere servatam.” — Baum, I, 204. With reference to Socinus he wrote: “Sentio ego spirituali gladio abscindendos esse homines haereticos.” — Henry, III, 225.
Peter Martyr Vermili also gave in his adhesion to Calvin’s policy: “De Serveto Hispano, quid aliud dicam non habeo, nisi eum fuisse genuinum Diaboli filium, cujus pestifera et detestanda doctrina undique profliganda est, neque magistrates, qui de illo supplicium extremum sumpsit, accusandus est, cum emendationis nulla indicia in eo possent deprehendi, illiusque blasphemiae omnino intolerabiles essent.” — Loci Communes, 1114. See Schlosser, Leben des Beza und des Peter Martyr Vermili, 512.
Zanchi, who at the instigation of Bullinger also published a treatise, De Haereticis Coercendis, says of Beza’s work: “Non poterit non probari summopere piis omnibus. Satis superque respondit quidem ille novis istis academicis, ita ut supervacanea et inutilis omnino videatur mea tractatio.” — Baum, I, 232.
CHAPTER V — SIR ERSKINE MAY’S “DEMOCRACY IN EUROPE”
NOTE: This essay first appeared in The Quarterly Review, CXLV, No. 289 (January, 1878), 112-42: reprinted in The History of Freedom and Other Essays (London, Macmillan Co., 1907), pp. 61-100.
CHAPTER VI — NATIONALITY
NOTE: This essay first appeared in The Home and Foreign Review, I (July, 1862), 146-74; reprinted in The History of Freedom and Other Essays (London, Macmillan Co., 1907), pp. 270-300.
CHAPTER VII — POLITICAL CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
NOTE: This essay first appeared in The Rambler, New Series, V, Part XIII (May, 1861) 17-61: it is reprinted here for the first time since its original publication.
CHAPTER VIII — THE BACKGROUND OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
NOTE: This lecture first appeared in Lectures on the French Revolution as delivered by Lord Acton at Cambridge in the academical years 1895-96, 1896-97, 1897-98, 1898-99 in view of the history tripos of those years (London, Macmillan Co., 1910), pp. 1-19, under the title, “The Heralds of the Revolution.”
CHAPTER IX — CONFLICTS WITH ROME
NOTE: This essay first appeared in The Rambler, New Series, IV (January, 1864), 209-44: reprinted in The History of Freedom and Other Essays (London, Macmillan Co., 1907), pp. 461-91.
CHAPTER X — THE VATICAN COUNCIL
NOTE: This essay first appeared in The North British Review, LIII, No. 105 (October, 1870), 183-229: reprinted in The History of Freedom and Other Essays (London: Macmillan Co., 1907), pp. 492-550.
