File:Great men and famous women - a series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in history Volume 1 (1894) (14596687019).jpg

Identifier: greatfamous01hornuoft (find matches)
Title: Great men and famous women : a series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in history Volume 1
Year: 1894 (1890s)
Authors: Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis), 1870-1942
Subjects: Biography
Publisher: New York : Selmar Hess
Contributing Library: Kelly - University of Toronto

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s, appearingin the list. On February 25, 1634, an entertainment was given to the whole body ofofficers by Gordon, who commanded the castle of Eger, where Wallenstein wasresiding. He himself being indisposed, had retired from the table to his cham-ber. He was roused by loud cries proceeding from the mess-room, where hisfaithful officers were being murdered by the traitors. He opened the window toinquire the cause of the disturbance, when Devereaux entered, with thirty Irish-men at his back. The cowards shrank at the sight of their great general, stand-ing calm and stern, unarmed, and at their mercy. But Devereaux, a callous andbrutal soldier, in a moment stepped forward, and cried : Art thou the traitorwho wilt ruin the Empire ? Wallenstein did not speak, but opened his arms,as if to accept the blow which was aimed at his heart. He was slain at the ageof fifty-one. His wealth was chiefly shared among his enemies. Though undoubtedly ambitious and intriguing, Wallensteins alleged treach-
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ID o- CO GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS 199 erv to the emperor, whom he kept informed of all his schemes, has never beenproved, and by ma^y recent historians is disbelieved. He fell a v.cUm to theLTousy of his rivals, which he augmented by his own pride. His fall, however,^eflects^asting disgrace on the character of the Emperor Ferdmand. and wasjustly avenged by the subsequent humiliation of the German Empire^ GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS* By Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen(1594-1632) THERE is a theory which has muchcurrency nowadays, that thegreat man, being a product of his cen-tury, exerts an influence upon his agewhich is but vanishing, compared tothe influence which the age exertsupon him. The great man is, accord-ing to this view, personally of smallaccount, except in so far as the tend-encies and ideas which are fermentingin the age find their expression in him.He does not so much shape the eventsas he is shaped and moulded by them.There is scarcely a hero to be foundin all the annals of history who is bet-ter

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