New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-28
4 MORAL FROM MYKEN.f.

Whether or not the body Of the man with
rShnd head, large eyes, and thirty-two fine
teeth, unearthed by DR.. Schiemann, be that
of the veritabe dndr dndron, Agamemnon, IL
is at least certainly Greek warrior Chief VINO
cannot have received sepulture at mucn
later period than that ascribed to the fro1an
war; There can hardly be doubt that the
tOmbs which have now yielded up their mar
yelOus treasures are the same which were
famous when Mykens was depOpulated and
destroyed, 2,340 years ago, and described by
Pausanias nearly six and half centuries
later. The discovery, therefore, carries back
the Homeric tradition to a period of not less
than three thousand years ago, and justliies
us in accepting historic originals for the char
acters of AgamemnOn, Clytemnestra, and that
strong-minded Trojan, Cassandra. Their names
may have been different: the events in which
they were actors may be partly invented; but
we now know that those names and events
were familiar to the people, at period not
further removed from the Trojan war than
we are from the Discovery of America.
Onesingle circumstance ccOuntsfOr DR.. Schlie-
mann's illustrIous success: he believes IN Homer.
When, after all his labors, privations and pc
cuniary sacrifices in the Troad, he announced
TO the world that he had uncovered the Sc9an
Gate of Troy, and called the store OF golden
ornaments which he found in the adjoining
citadel "the treasure of Priam," general smile
passed over classicalIy educated circles, and
many scholars were ready with sneering COM
ments. The question whether Hissarlik or
Bounarbashi was the site of Troy was again
vehemently discussed, especially by those who
had never visited either place. The discoveries
faith in Homer was referred to as q weakness
which cast doubt upon the trustwOrthiness OF
all his statements. But, little by little, his
views in regard to the site of Troy have won
the respect to which they are entitled. Mr..
Gladstone, in his last work, "The Time and
"Place of Homer" unreservedly accepts them.
But, if doubt and ridicule could have clouded
his enthusiasm, DIR. Schliemann never would
have opened his trenches at Myken9. Should
he now announce that he has found the VERT
able bodies of AgamemnOn and Cassandra,
there will be fewer sneers. The discovery Is
so astonishing and important as to silence much
of the former incredulity.
1t is very easy to make mans intense,
pervading faith in purpose or principle
appear ridiculous; but there is in reality no
more precious element III INC cCOhony VI tho
world. There is a very general tendency, In
this country, to brand any appearance of earn
estness, or enthusiastic devotion, as "senti-
"mentaism,n and TO characterize the express
sion thereof as "gush." More than one journal
which crculates among our young men, and
aims to shape their views of social and polit-
zeal life, steadily and contemptuously dis
parages any utteraEce of warm and vigorous
feeling, itself setting the example of con-
demning with limitless assumption of author
ity, yet never praising without reservation.
We are in danger of forgetting that there is
nothing nobler or manlier than fine enthu-
siasm. A little excess of faith is far less need
full to be suppressed or concealed than the
readiness of a carping spirit or the fiippancy
of assumed wisdom. A young man who has
taught himself how not to admire, or to
believe except in negations, or to feel beyond
certain defined limits, has already lost the
best part of his life. Better that faith should
he sometimes diluted into sentiment" and
the utterance of strong feeling occasionally
degenerate into "gush," than lose the fire
that mets obstacles and fuses the crude ore of
life into implements and weapons. MI adDai-
rari is the motto of q heartless and goddess
world.