thon's relations with Luther were strained, but to the last his spirit held captive that fiery heart. He looked forward to death as "escape from the madness of His last prayer was "that the churches might be of one mind in Christ." Ile died April 19, 1560.
Melt seems from one point of view to have been horn before his time. and has been hung in coming to his rights. In a period of fanatical strife, he earnestly strove to bring about Chris. tian unity. But on the honor-roll of the Refor mation hi. is conspicuously the historical. ju dicial, progressive spirit. Ili-. one great weak. nes: was his consenting With Luther and others to the bigamy of Philip of Ilesse, and his regret for it threw him into a dangerous illness. De clining invitations to other tient= cities, to France, to Denmark. to England, he stood un flinchingly to hi. post in stormy Wittenberg. The churches he found it impossible to reconcile now unite in honoring him. Lacking the dra matic element, which draws the popular heart to Luther, his blending of progress :Ind tolerance. of sweetness and light, attracts the cultivated mind.
BIBLIOGRApIRY. NIelanclithon's works, includ ing his correspondence, fill volumes L-xxviii. of the
Corpus lerformatorum, edited by Bretsehneider and Bindseil (Halle, 1832-50). The Wittenberg' edition of his works was published in 1562-647 11 is Loci Com»Hines, edited by Plitt (Erlangen, 1864), was reedited by holde (Erlangen. 18901. In German consult his Lebcn und Wirken, by Matthes Altenburg (1841; 2d ed. 1846) ; his Leben tool Nehriften, by C. Schmidt (Elberfeld, 1861). For biography consult his Life (in Latin) by his friend Ca merarius (Leipzig. 1566), edited by Nun lider in Quathtor' Reform forum (Berlin. 1846) ; also ]hotel's English translation of the Life by Led(1erbosc (Philadel phia, 1855 ) . .1. W. Richards, Philipp thou (New York, 1898) is both popular and at curate. Valuable in special points of view are: Ilartfelder, Philipp ilelanehfhoat Prweeptnr Germania. (Berlin, 1889) ; llerrlinger, Dic 7'he ologir ch Mons ( Leipzig, 1878) ; ( akteristik ilehinehlhnrus (Halle. 1840). Volumes vi. and vii. of St-hairs history of the Christica Churrh (New York. 1890) and volume WI. of Scha ff's Creeds of Christendom (New York, 1890) contain h valuable biographical and gical matter concerning Melanclithon.