The New York herald., 1876-12-13

most
there reason whatever 10 question hts iru,hiui-
hess the only tear beng that he has oyeres'imated It's
value
In his letter 10 the King OF Greece published in the
HERALn or Sunday, he says THE tombs
rounded by double parallel circle with tablets I'M
uouoscily crccted IN honor oil the victims y The
Dac;or's language Is here somewhat vague Whether
he ucnd- say that these tablets were inscriptions
which fix beyond doubt the character Of their re-
mains, or thai they simply tablets wshout in
scripticns does not appear IN his letter.
HIS letter TO friend Leipsic, dated
a, Mycene November Is, published in the
HsRALp yesterday, docs not make ths
whom thew rs,er Inc discovery is most Important and
convincing nature although that there should be
any such inscriptions or tablets dating back to the
Homerlc period remarkable This discovery becomes
Of the greatest Importance, because Mycena rs the
anc'ens city Of Greece OF which there is any
archGoosisls and scholars certainly for the
las. thirty years what these subtcr-
that Pausan las states that they were treasure cham
bcrs and tombs and some OF those who have taken
erected Tor tombs family burial places, and
Of tho articles found there, especially the golden
helmets diadems, buttons and vases enumerated in
Or. Scbliemanns letter to friend In Lcpsc. would IN
dcate thai they were the tombs Of kings persons
OF great distinction. The discovery Of such objects
definite than IS furnished by either Of the Doctors
two letters Il is impossible to Judge TO what period
they belong NY recollection is that Pausanias refers
to having had pointed to HIM the tomb OF the twin
sons Of Cassandra. supposed TO have been also mnr
| dered BY Kgisthus and If DIR. Schcmann has found
tombs there with inscriptions which justify bis state
ment that they are the tombs Of Aeamcmnon, Cas-
sandra and the others the discovery Is OF grea. In
form any opinion wi.hou. moro p.rticu.
| lars than supplied either in tho letter TO
tho KING OF Greece the friend at Lcipsic Myccns
has been the subject OF much interest on account
the remains there. mentioned by Pausnnias, Strabo
aud Others that il very natural Dr. sohllemann's
attention should be directed TO that quarter. and that
no should be successful he alleges he has been, In
| making important discoveries there.
On being questioned AZ to bis opinion Of Dr. sche
mann's previous discoveries at Hissarik Judge Daily
said
..ly impression from reading tho controversy that
was occasioncd at the time by the report Of DR..
Troy and the tomb OF King Pram that the Doctor
had really identified the existence OF Troy. havc
his work and the American Biographies Society
has also received number Of communications tho
subject. have also read three articles conlcsting DR..
| Schliemann's Views TO The discovery OF the re-
mains Of the ancient city Of Troy and have
in addition read the Hon. Mr.. Gladstone's article
the same subject IN confirmation OF Dr. Schlemann's
discovery Mr. Gladstone's opnion upon 1t entitled
10 great weight. To my mind his argument, based
upon comparison OF many OF the things found with
! nassaxes in the lliad was much more Convincing
than tho arguments Of the objcctors and the impress
sion left upon my mind was tha! Mr. GAdstone's con-
clusion was correc-that Dr. Schlsmann had discov-
the vcritable site and remains OF ancient Troy
.Cassandra the prophetic daughter OF Priam, whose
cruel fato that her prophecies should be dis
believed fell Agamcmnon hts share Of the spoils,
alter the her father and heroic brother Hector
these later discoveries at Myccne justified ana
found be authentic the whole story Of the Trojan
famous event, related the llad, becomes matter
Of ancient history and longer be accounted
| fables"
Tho HERALD reporter who interviewed Mr. II. N.
Baird Professor o Greek IN the University OF tho Cy
OF New York. found him just dismissing twenty
young gentlemen after their morning lesson in Greek.
As tho above named savant is not only a first rate
Hcenis but has had the extra advantage OF sojourn
| OF year in Greece, the HEEALD man looked Tor
| ward to an interview with him with something
81 have come said tine reporter to Mr. Baird, "to
ask opinion touching the recent discoveries OF
IL shall lie very happy" answered the Professor,
| s,to give you any information ! may have at COM
mand; but you will, perhaps allow me 70 say that
your request is very general and indefinite. Upon
what points particularly DO you think can give you
| information? ~
| OF the account by DR.. schliemann.'
| swell, upon point, should desire to speak
with caution and reserve Is certain that DR..
scnliemann has IN tho past made important discov-
cries. But IL seems to me, as II has TO many others,
that tho German archDologist is slightly enthu-
siastic and 10 liable 10 DO led away by hts enthu-
1sBu. you do not think that that would invaidate
"By no meane il IS an impossibh,y for a man to
invent both and treasure found therein. Is
possible that he may have overestmacd what he has
iound but It is clear 10 me that he must have come
| upon something considerable from she tenor Of his
dispatches Whether he has has not iound the
grave or Aganemnon Is quito n. different matter
| | do not SEQ that Dr. Schlemann alleges that
he mas discovered any Inscriptions which would Justify
/ him IN absolutely asserting the tomb discovered
by him is that OF Agamemuon. II he mas not he can
onIv come TO that conciusor BY collateral evdsnce
For such evidence We shall have 10 wait until no says
/ all he has 10 say tourning his discovery
"But supposing him 70 have discovered the treasure
he alleges what would you deducc from Il -
81 should say that would be very striking confr
nation Of Hsmer's story. And this is point which
scholar remember that tho great epic poet makes
Mycena TO have been very powerful and important
| would certainly confirm This, inasmuch you are
that Agamemnon was King OF all Argos, but did
nos vo would show he power the
''Shoud you conclude anything else from this dis
| covery II vcrined2'
..Undoubtcdy. Those personages OF the heroic ago
| who have been sung the immortal verses Of Homer
would step out OF the twilight In which modern
historians have lett them, would assume form
distinct dentc that Of any Of the personagcs OF
modern history. Many OF the theories which have
been formed on the assumption that The Had was
myth will fall TO pieces, and much will have TO DO
admitted probable which was formerly condemned
.Can YOU in any way account for the sudden dis
appearance Of Argos from Greek history aher tho
heroic ageg
difficult account Tor that, because you viii probably
remember that the Greek authors tell Us they were
to this act OF destructive vengeance by
jealousy at the fact OF the inhabitants OF
AS 10 tho disappearance or portions Myccn there is
difficulty about that. Any one acquainted with the
East knows perfectly we'll that all the debris and rub
bish Accumulated IN tho cities, Tor the simple reason
that the inhabitants threw them into the street, and
the ancient cities or the East had no Street Cleaning
Bureau any more than the modern ones l havc
doubt that much OF the debris which accumulated
owing 10 the TACT that many OF the domestic vessels
represented to-day by the work OF the cooper were in
ancient times pottery, and is does require
an unimagInAnle OF brcakagc to do good deal
in the way filling up Then again, couple OF thou
sand years, during which the wind may have been
slowly driving the so irabe soil OF the East TO Tho
cities will account in for tho disappearance
OF oven considerable budingA Ono need not further
than Rome 10 see an excellent sample OF the accumh
Iation debris. The Forum iscf Is Tho best example
l can give you OF this y
ssI sI trouble you, Professor Baird, ..ith
question. How do you account Ior MISREPRESENTATION
OF much treasure, when u must be clear that tho
survivors OF buried these great tombs OF
tiQuty must, in q measure, have 5ccn cognizant Of
their contcntsyp
sThe explanation OF that nos SO difficult as would
appear sight Tho sanctity OF these rcccptaccs
the would certainly preserve them from viola
tion for many generations, and as time the
anlx aiming Mould b. that ihcY cnntoIned