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OF THE BEFORMATION. 261enced rather by the doctrines of Zwingle than those of Luther, yet the political sphere of these two reformers was sonearly the same, that it would be impossible to define thatof the one without ascertainingthat of the other also. In noother country of Europe, not even in Germany, had theReformation been so speedily advanced as in Switzerland.The energetic character of these mountaineers leads themto a rapid decision ;and the more confined the ideas of arace of herdsmen may be the more?earnestly do they clingto those which they have once adopted. While in Germanythe two parties were stillengaged with capitulations, thecivil war broke out inthe cantons, (1530,) and seemed tothreaten a total dissolution of the confederacy.Fortunately,however, a short stragglesufficed to produce a lasting peace jand although the mutual hatred of the parties did not immediately pass away, it was not again thought necessary to shedblood for its satisfaction. Bitter feelings gradually subsided ;public attention became directed to other subjects; and theenviable fate of this country, which general opinion seemedto agree in considering holy and inviolable, removed it froma participationin the affairs of the rest of Europe, whichmight easily have litup the flame of discord anew.The numerous relations which existed between Switzerland and France, afforded peculiar facilities of access to theReformation from this quarter could it have been; expected then that a nation, which perhaps may be said to exceedall others in the quick perception of ideas, should long remain indifferent to it ? Francis L, however, knew too wellhow much the kingly power had to fear from a party whosechurch principles were almost purely democratic, to allowof his encouraging it; the oppression and persecutions ofhis son gave it consistency, and prepared it for resistance ;and when under Ms weak descendants it lent itself to theambitious purposes of men in itpower, assumed the character of a formidable opposition. The history of the bloodyware which were thus prepared, and which occupied thelatter half of the sixteenth century, down to the edict ofNantes, (1562 1598 5 )is so well known that we need notdo more than allude to them the ; permanent influencewhich they exercised upon the political 'Condition of France^is* however, too important to be passed over. THs influence