When I was at Nantes, the Cardinal of Rouen told me that the Italians did not know how to conduct a war: I retorted that the French did not understand statecraft, or they would not have allowed the Church to gain so much power in Italy.

Experience showed that I was right; for the French wrought their own ruin by aggrandizing the Papacy and introducing Spain into the realm of Naples.' This criticism contains the very essence of political sagacity.

It lays bare the secret of the failure of the French under Charles, under Louis, and under Francis, to establish themselves in Italy.

Expeditions of parade, however brilliant, temporary conquests, cross alliances, and bloody victories do not consolidate a kingdom.

They upset states and cause misery to nations: but their effects pass and leave the so-called conquerors worse off than they were before.