New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-02
SCHLTEMANN IN THE TRO4D.

We present this morning in the admirable
letter of Mr. Bayard Taylor, the first complete
and systematic account yet published OF the
momentous discoveries made by DR.. Schliemann
in the Troad, during the last five years. The
letter is the result Of careful and elaborate
study of the proof-sheets of the remarkable
work in which DR.. Schliemann has recorded
the results of his labors, which has not yet
been translated or published. The readers of
THE TRIBUNE can gain to-day fuller and
more Ineligible account of what has been
accomplished by the indefatigabe German inves-
tigator upon that historic plateau of Asia Minor
than they could derive from his own volumes,
for MI Taylor has taken his confused and frag-
mentary narrative, and woven its scattered
facts into o connected and harmonious whole,
which presents at a glance the entire slgnih-
canoe and value of what has been achieved.
DR.. Schliemann is too much scholar an0
enthusiast to do full justice to his own
marvellous story. Our readers will have
reason to congratulate themselves that Mr..
Taylor is not only scholar and
man of genius but an Incompatible journalist
as well, who can condense into single page
the essential features of a volume. The draw
by himself and engraved in this city with the
utmost expedition. Those who read this en-
pertaining paper can form perfectly intelli-
gent opinion upon the most important question
of ancient history which the present genera
ton is called upon to consider.
It is not necessary for us to accept the un-
hestating deductions of DR.. Schliemann, or even
the more cautious though sympathetic views
of Mr. Bayard Taylor, to be convinced OF the
enormous importance and interest OF these
new contributions to the study of tho classic
writings and of primeval history. We need
not share the exalted faith of the dlscoveIer,
who is az sure of Priam'S palace as of the
residence of the Kaiser William,
and who has been led by the ex-
perience of years of study to accept every
line of Homer as absolute truth, whether it
treats of geography, history, or human nature.
But even to those who differ from him, to
those skeptical scholars who deny HOmeI's
existence and who have scattered his heroes
and his demi- gods into the stardust of Aryan
myths, the treasures he brings back from the
Troad are of incalculable value and fascina-
ton. The successive strata of ruin
which he found in his excavations at
Hissarlik, indicating continually an order
of civilization advancing in proportion
to its antiquity, until he came to the massive
foundations of the town which he thinks was
Ilum, offer the material of endless research
to those more leiSuSely savants who may wish
to investigate Troy and demolish Dr. Schlie-
mann in the retirement of their own Libraries.
And his discoveries go farther than Troy.
farther than Homer and Hector and the
gods they worshiped and fought with.
Below Dr. Schliemann's Troy, covered by
the rubbish of uncounted centuries, lie
the ruins of an elder city, unknown
and forgotten az the time when Homer intOned
his swelling hexameters on the shore of Chios
One fact mentioned by Mr.. Taylor. in passing
seems to open an endless vista of investiga-
ton into the field of Asian history. vase
found by DR.. Schliemann at Hissarlik was sent
by him to NJ. Burnouf, to see if that eminent
0rientalist could make anything OF belt
of ornament which seemed Ph9nician.
1t turned out to be perfectly plain and legi-
BILE inscription in Early Chinese. Who knows
but some combatiye scholar may one day
brandish this fact over the head Of the great
Investigation IN an attompt w pIoYe that not