New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-26
THE CONTEMPORARY.

Among the contents of this number, "Mr.
MallocRs Claim Behalf OF the Church Of Rome" dis
cussed by the Rev. Principal Reynolds and the Rev.
Enstaee b. COnder; "The Position and Influence Of
Woman in Ancient Greece" by James Donaldson;
"Johnson without Boswell" by William Cycles, and the
"Fature OF Judaism" by the Rev. W. H. Freemantle
will be found possess the greatest interest In the
first article. Mr. Maock's pretension that the only bull
wark against sceptism is TO be found in the Roman
Catholic Church, aud that the pillars on which
Protestant Christianity builds any remaining faith
in God in right, in immortality, in redemption
erumbo 10 dust in the atmOs of modern doubt is
submitted to a stringent and searching examination,
with the result that while Mr. MallOck Is engaged In an
internecne with the attempts OF Postiysm 10 solve
the problems OF human life he includes in the same con-
demnaton every form of the Christian faith when
apart the orders and saeraments OF the Church OF
Rome Gle Overwhelms with the same harsh abuse,
the missionary bishop and the hapless atheist"
In the paper Greeian Women, the writer presents
rather attractive picture OF their condition in the
Homerc period. They possessed very great degree OF
freedom. They might where they liked and do pretty
much what they liked II they wandered far from the
usual haunt they might be snatched up by strangers,
and carried of into slavery. But apart from this danger
they might about at pleasure. They had their own
rooms as the had theirs But there was a common
chamber in which they sat down when there was any
thing worth seeing hearing. They loved to gather
round bard who related the deeds Of famous heroes
OF the histories Of famous They fequented the
wide daucingplace, which every town possessed and
with their brothers and friends joined in the dance The
young and the maidens pressed the vines together
They mingled marriage feasts and at religious fest
walls. Even after marriage, they continued to
have the same liberty. Helen appears OH the battle
ments OF Troy, watching the conflict, accompanied
only by female attendants Along with this freedom,
there appears TO have been fine physical development
The education Of both boys and girls consisted in steD-
ing TO their elders attending the chants OF the bards
and 10 dancing the public dancing place Of the town.
There was no great strain their intellectual
They we're continually in the open air. The women
learned household work they made all the clothes
of the family and skilled in the art Of embroidery
They not merely made the clothes they also regularly
washed them ; and saw that the wardrobe Of their
friends was good order. These occupations did not
fan to the Of mensls alone the highest lady in the
land had her share in them aud expert
at the loom and the dstaf than the beautiful Helen
There is no vicious woman in the Had Or Odyssey.
There was an extraordinary number Of very beautiful
women. But their type Of beauty not the modern
type. Health was the first condition. The beautiful
woman was we'll proper toned in every feature and limb
II was the and harmony Of every part that const
tuted beauty We do not know how far Homers chaTac
tiers are historical doubt that the and
manners Of the men and whom he describes
like those OF the men and among whom he lived.
Even somewhat dealzed his OSCILLATIONS illustrate
the character OF his age.