Protestantism in France From Death of Francis I to Edict of Nantes - James Aitken Wylie

France and deepening infamy to herself, till almost
her last hour. This long delay, although it appeared
to be adverse, was in reality in favor of the Queenmother.
If it gave her power late, it gave it her all
the more securely. When her hour at last came, it
found her in the full maturity of her faculties. She
had had time to study, not only individual men, but
all the parties into which France was divided. She
had a perfect comprehension of the genius and
temper of the nation. Consummate mistress of an
art not difficult of attainment to an Italian--the art
of dissembling--with an admirable intellect for
intrigue, with sense enough not to scheme too
finely, and with a patience long trained in the
school of waiting, and not so likely to hurry on
measures till they were fully ripened, it was hardly
possible but that the daughter of the Medici would
show herself equal to any emergency, and would
leave behind her a monument which should tell the
France of after times that Catherine de Medici had
once governed it.
Standing as she now did on the summit, it was
natural that Catherine should look around her, and
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