, 1870-05-09
NEW BOOKS,

Lesion: a. Williams 4 Co 1874.
Tho author Of this little book has evidently
made nonhaticism carefcl study, and in his
researches has explored vide and compare
lively untrodden field. He acknowledges in
biz preface that he WIS led to this study by
profound love and admiration for the monks,
and by q long cherished desire to bo initiated
intothe mysteries md religious duties Of the
Tue very proscss OF rose.rch,
however, had the opposite effect. fo' it dis
closed condition Of things among tho monks
which tissuaded him from enrolling himself
amcns their number. The book besre coz
slant Indications OF beng tho work OF
an enthusiast IN this pIiicular study |
Muu1sticism has evidently become |
ns much maria With him rs coins are vtth |
the numismat;st OK f]owers VIII the bosAnist. |
In s.ct, having exhausted the subject OF mo-
nasticis1n before Christ he promises us ar I
other volume, which will be devoted to the
car1y Christian monast,ci6m or formation pcri-
cd; the pc1iod Of Saint Benedict, the law
giyer, [429), to the founding Of the first greAt
order Of Beggar MonLs (l2lo); the history OF
the GegGnr Monks to the Reformation; and
the period from the Reformation down to tho
p:esent; subject, which, we approhend. il
much larger th2o tee autso. realizes. Jrd5-
ing from TIE present volume, he Is not pos
kcssed Of the requisite qualifications for suc-
cessiul historian Of mona~tic:sm. He is very
exact and comprehensive in his collection o.
facts and statistics, and ve-y interesting
in his statements OF them; but, In his
theorizinE. he 10 sometimes lamo aud always
superficial. He does not seem to be p >sessed
Of that coolness Of judgment, co1scs ness OF
an1lysis, and critical estimate Of motive, which
50 10 make up the accurate historian. But ~
we hive said. he ia always interesting in his
statement, Passing by the opening chapter,
in which he traces the Foundation OF the spirit
OF asceicism ard its grounds, the poculiari-
ties OF positive and negative ascoEoism, and
tLe three great manifestations Of the moaAatic
spirit, viz, Celib.-y, Poverty, and Obedience,
we come directly 10 his historical narrative,
ard hcse it VII be pleasant to follow the
writer, IS his researches have led him over
ground not accessible to the general reader:
Tho author aeu.bcs = much greater antiqui-
t. to monastic'sm than it IL generally supposed
to possess. Chn'dea WAS its birthplace, aa is
proven BY monumental and biblical intorm&-
tion. Az.ds, apo-t1s OF Saturn, was the first
great monk. aad attcr him, in the ye1r 1000
D. c., came Dhegrit, wto-e principal theory
Was that it Was poca.ble to preserve the hu-
man body from decay After de.th by Religious
exercises, especially bJ p-ayezs during the
night and fas5 during the day. Tae monGsh
life OF theee two deso.ees, however, Is wrapped
in g1eat uncertainty; but after them tho wEitel
dr7wH his conclusions from historical
records OF ungueztiocablo cta-a:te-. Chiei
among these recor1s arc tho We'd,
and tho Law Of Maui (sacrcd books Of ths
B1nhmins), the Zend-Ave-t. (sa:rod book q
perh:ans or Zorpasti.ays), and the Chou-kiut
sacred book Of Chins). The Beda is mainly
liturgy, and yet many parts Of the work bea
the stamp Of asceticisn. It entoias peaance
commands that the tora1ro sio1ld bo pc-
formed, and other practices which cosnci.
with those Of the Christian monks who inhab
tied Ihebaid The Law o; Manu- is very 81
picit in the statement Of regulations to be oh
served by those VINO wish to attain to the u(t
mate good by the practice Of 1nonAstic ol,ser
ancea. It is divided into twelve books. The S:1t
Book is entitled "Dutica Of tho Ancho1itc an
Of tho Ascctic Devotce," and tho Ele,
enth Book, "Fcnjtencea aud Expiat,ons.
The Dnidja., for whom these rule
are principally laid down, arc describe
as so1t OF monk who were tons1y
and gir11e, carried staff, asked aims, fastet
lace1ated The body, and dwe1t for the mos
paul in the forests and deserts. Soma Of th
regulations are very severe, as, for Instance
"The Dwidja, who dweI1s alone, should de
liver himself to austeritiea increasing cor
stantly in their severity, that he may withe
up his mortal substance"
't The Dwilja, who updergoes the ord:ndz
penitence, called P1aljupatya, ought to Q.
during three days only in the morning; du
ing the next three days only at night; durin
tho following thee days hc should pcrtas
only Of such food AZ persons may give hi
voluntarily, without his begging for it; AM
finally, let him fast th-ee days entirely"
He who, master Of his senses and perfcc
II attentive, supports fast Of twelve day
makes the penitence called Pa1oka, whtch o!
PiAtes all Of Ills faults"
"Dy reciting the HovichyanGza Oh the Nj
tamanha ei1teen times q day for month. I
BY repeating, inaud,bly, the hymn Poronch
be who has deflcd the bed OF his spi1itu
Master, ia abeolved from all fault"
Among the Drah1nin:cc, woks were Il
Esnaprastha, wcose Practices put to OPP
atatue the Christian monks They inhabit
the deserts, lived on veget:bles, d
voted thcmselve1 to contemplate
maceratcd the body, fought with devils a
giAnts (ns natlral coascqucnee), and were
sensible to heat and cold As the proc.sah
CT 1t least one child is strictly cnjoinod
Israhne;nis7q. II i eoms took their wives slong, b
never had 1dteTC0ufzu ~t4.- than, axrar.
such tirnc3 a. thc5 were mot Fkc1v ~
ceiye They consumed tho mort dissrsd
ttirgs, ard le1t the deaeets o:ly to beg. Th
we're called liter by the Grecks 0ymnos
pt5sts; and, notwithstanding they went p
fectly naked, no th-ob or involuntary mo
ueut xas ever seen many part OF their bodie
Buddha WIS monk, ard the religion which
established, after = lapse Of 2,00 5ea1e
now professed by one-third Of the snhaoata
OF the entire globe. The law "1nch
31vo his order is called tho VIM
Pitaka, md contains tules for every conce!
bic naonastic observance 10 Ame-S1s1
Buddha attached an ext-aorains,7 } impo1.an
Re declares that, Tne-e IS 70 reward. 81
in this world OF in tic next, that may no.
received through n.ms-sivins' He NJ
csIibacv, povert!, the tonsure, pa1tics
.rb, confession Of sins, !&o, compulsory,
Does not make tie yoxs pe-pesun'. Ofe
Ten1d1,a.s mookn WIS 60 profoundly sunk
conte.uplation, that he did no: wa1h his fec
thi,tr years: 20 TINT, at last, tho d'vius bel
.ea1,od Ie,cas could smell him thousand N
on. II Is to bs presumed that waeo he
it vas not in the odor OF s2rceaty.
The Zend,Ayesta, written abods 500 4
.conta,ns no a.!uaion to asce:ic rite1, bit
.nthor clsiuas this does not dispvove the
e;rce. according to tie old LoniAn h'sts
there was a greet Eng Of th.t brzrcl OF
Aryan people, known as hai-Ahuefo'
vto was a uro1he. tud IN ascetsc- he
no children, aad. after rci31'as sixty y
Ia ,h7icated in favor OF subordinatc Pr
.,so an .1eatic. Tha3o Kings re- gned I
..entn,;e. before Persia became ~ indele1
I;rc5on,. WHICH would place TIE oiiS:
In VcYoHSfn~. who L