Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-07

Greece-the heroic or prehistoric, the transit
ton period, the Athenian supremacy, the
second transitional period, and the period of
decline and decay. He devotes section of
the work to mythology, which he deems
necessary to be understood to right reading
of the poets and tragedies, and in. that con-
nection he enters at length npon the subject
OF myths and the influence of Greek my
thology upon Grecian culture. We give an
extract or two:
In this childhood of the world when the Greek
myths came into existence. the was called a
shepherd, and the clouds where his sheep; or an
archer, and the sunbeams were his arrows, 1t was
easier then to think OF the huskyvoiced and
old man, whose true form none might
clearly know, because he changed so often and was
so secret in his ways, who shook the earth in his
GER and had the white named pillows of the deep
for his horses, than to form theory of the tides
The spring of the year became beautiful youth
beloved by the whole earth, or beloved, like Hys-
cnhus, by the sun, or, like Adonis, by the queen
Of beauty, over whom the fate Of death was sus-
pended and for whose loss annual mourning was
made. Such tales the Greeks told themselves in
their youth and it would be wrong to suppose that
deliberate fiction played any part in their creation
To conceive of the world thus natural to the
whole race and the tales that sprang up formed
the substance OF their intellectual activity. Here,
then, if anywhere, we watch the process of people
in its entirety contributing to form body Of imag-
native thought, projecting itself in common and
unconscious work Of art.
There was nothing in the consciousness of the
Greeks which did not take the form of myth. Con
sequently their mythology. instead Of being com
pact system OF polytheism, is really whole mass OF
thoight belonging to particular period OF human
history, when it was impossible to think except by
pictures, to record impressions OF the world eX-
cept in stories. To the apprehension Of infantine
humanity everything is a god Viewed even as a
Pantheon, reduced to rule ard order by subsequent
fhnn fhara nf
the most heterogeneous materials Side by side
with some OF the sublmest and most beautiful con-
eeptlons which the mind has ever produced, we find
IN 1t much that is absurd and trivial and revolving.
Different ages and conditions of thought have lett
their products imbedded in its strange conglomer-
ate While II contains fragments Of fossllized
stories, the meaning of which has either been MIS-
understood or can only be explained by reference to
barbaric customs, it also contains, emergent from
the rest and towering above the rubbish, the serene
forms of the Olympans. Those furnish the vital
and important elements Of Greek mythology. To
perfect them was the work of poets and scuiptor5
In the brief, bright, blooming time of Helas.
"Scribner's Monthly for February is the
midwinter number, and is replete with fine
illustrations and choice reading matter. The
most prominent feature is the paper on Edi-
sons Electric Light, by his mathematician,
Francis K. Upton, which is Endorsed as the
g first correct and authoritative account in
a letter from Edison, printed in fac-simile, in
this issue. The first of Eugene Schuyler's
illustrated papers on the life of Peter the
Great, given in this number, covers wide
range of interest. Mrs. Burnett's new story,
in four parts, entitled Louisiana" is also
begun in this number. Cables "Grandis-
shines is full of action and character, and
continues to reveal strong basis for the high
claims which are made for it. Two suggest
i've essays of more than transient value, on
topics now occupying much attention, are
8 Present Phases of Sunday school Work,
by Rev. Edward Eggleston, and The Polit-
ical Outlook" by an anonymous writer. A
biographical sketch of John Bright is made
timely by his recent speech on America, and
by the revival of political interest in Great
Britain. A rollicking holiday paper on BIZ
cycling appears, contributed by Charles L.
Pratt, of Boston, under the caption, A
Wheel Around the Hub"
''St. Nicholas" for February opens with
two Child-Songs by Alfred Tennyson, the
poet laureate of England. One of these is re-
printed near the end of the number with its
music, which also was sent by MIR. Tennyson.
The frontispiece, full page picture on fine
gray paper, represents the Princess in the
Tower, and was engraved on wood by u.
Kruell after a mezzotint engraving by Samuel
Cousins of the painting by j. E. Millais. Be
sides the installments of the two serials,
"Jack and Jill, - by Louisa NJ. Alcott, with
pictures by Frederick Dielman, and Among
the Lakes, by William 0. Stoddard, with
illustrations by w. Taber, there are six com
plete short stories. This number has also
"Edlthas Burglar" by Frances Hodgson
Burnett !; MARY Elizabeth" pathetic
temperance story" by Elizabeth Stuart
Phelps Saved from Siberia" by A. A.
Hayes, Jr., story of Nihilism in st. Peters
burg ga Faithful Friend" true story of
a wonderful dog, by John V. Sears. There
is a humorous rhymed alphabet by Helen j.
Ford, printed in large type for little readers,
and illustrated with tweLty-six pictures by
l.. Hopkins.
1.-The Antiquary," is the title of new
magazine, published by j. W. Bouton, New
York. 1t is devoted to the study of the past,
and is edited by Edward Walford, M. A.
late editor of the 'Gentleman's Magazine.
The contents of this initial number are:
" Prologue" by Austin Dobson; The
Value and Charm of Antiquarian Study, " by
G. C. Swayne; 50 Instructions from James III.
Talbot de Malahide David Mallet and the
Ballad of William and Margaret" by w.
Chappell, F. S. A; Historical Memories
of Tewkesbury Abbey"-Part l., by the Rev.
H. Hayman, D. D.; "Folk-Lere and the
Folk Lore Society,"" by Rev. u. l.. CONNIE,
F. S. A.; Last Relics of the Cornish
Tongue"-Part L., by the Rev. W. Lach-
Szyrma; 1.-THE Canterbury Coins of Edward
l., II. and I'LL" by H. w. Henfrey cold
Parochial Registers of England" by George
Seton, NJ. A; "The Siege of Colchester,
anda," by Major J. Bailie THE School
master Printer of St. Adams" by w. Blades;
"An Indian Money Cowrie' in q British
Barrow" by W. G. Borlase, +. S. A; The
Public Records of England;' y Reviews, etc.
The Atlantic Monthly" (Houghton, Os-
good 4 Co., Boston, for February, is nota-
bic number, containing in addition to its new
quota of IA pages, a supplement giving full
account of the Holmes Breakfast, with the
speeches, poems and letters of that very
interesting occasion. Several new chapters
are given of Mr.. Howells' serial, The I'm
discovered Country" Mr. Longfellow,s poem,
Helen of Tyre" in the measure of San
dalphon, is one of the most pleasing poems
Mr. Longfellow has written. Richard Grant
White has curiously interesting article on
" Antonus Stradiyarius and the Violin"
Goodwin Smith contributes an essay on Pes
simism." g. 2. Crauch, the poet, writes an
interesting and instructive essay on 'Words-
worth" Miss Woolson has short story,
1.-The South Devil" There is an unsigned
paper on "The Strong Government Idea"
There are in addition other poems and essays,
and criticisms Of Mr.. Fiskes new Essays,
Dickens Letters, etc.
The Brooklyn New Monthly lIagazine"
for February (H. Morford, n. y. is at hand.
It's leading papers are "Ismail," by Au-
gustus +. HI. Duganne; "Corahe's We'd
ding" by Margaret F. Preston; sin the
Heart of Rose" by Augusta de Bubna
"Our Western Indians and their Outlawry,"
by Lucien Birdseye; "Night-Winds in
Winter by Paul Hamilton Hayne a
Run Down to Margate," by the Governor
1.-THE Shining Way-As told by the Brook
lyn Blacksmith" by Henry Morford; "a
Little Spread-Esgle Woman" by Mrs. Scott
Romaine Song, " by NJ. Virginia Donaghe
" Horace Greeley at Chappaqua-How he
Carted Voters for Douglas, " by Mrs. Helen
NJ Walton. This number shows marked
improvement, and the magazine begins to
Go fot he front ranl-