The sun., 1882-01-08
SOME NEW BOOKS.
The Origins Of English History.

r-chiatorct than OF historical research andwhich
surulements the lahors OF Freeman. Stubs.
Pe!.rsve. md Turner. is offered us under the
Tito of Origins Of English History. by CHARLES
ELTON tLondon. Bernard Quaritch) The time
has gone by for assuming that English history
begins with the nvasions of the Jutes and
Angles and this volume ia tho result OF mn at
tempt to collect and rearrange what is known
about the inhabitants OF the island Of Britain
from those obscure nges which preceded tho
Roman conquest to the epoch when the English
accepted the Christian religion. 1t is true
enough that our principal ancestors came. in
tho nth century Of the Christian era. from tho
shores and flats between the Rhine and
tho peninsula OF Jutland. but tho Eng
ish nation is Compounded of the blool
Of many different nations. and Mr.. Eiton's
chief object is not to go over tho ground OF tho
Anglo-Saxon conquest. already carefully ex-
pored. but to show how riGhtfully we may
claim personal interest. not only in tho Gaelic
md Begc Tribes. who struggled with the Ro-
man lc.,ons in Britain. but even in the iirst
cave mon. who sought their prey by the slowly
retreatng ice fields. AMI in the many forgotten
peoples whose relics ara discovered in the sites
OF lake villages or seaside refuse hears. or in
funeral mounds. or whose memory is barely
preserved in tho distorted names OF mountains
and rivers. Mr.. Elton entcrtains no doubt
that tho long headed men who built
long fnrrows and POLISHED their wcn-
pons OF stone and the rounl-heaied men
who were buried in round tombs, ana had
learned 10 work in metal have lett abiding in
huences oa the population Of Great Britain and
that the survivas OF thcir primitive religion
and laws appear in the form OF local super
sttions and customs. which have descended
even to modern times. For tho earlier and pre-
historic part OF the long period traversed in this
book. the author IL. Of course. constrained to
have recourse to the technical processes and
approximative results Of archaeology When,
however. he comes to epochs later. though still
seen but dmly through the dawn Of history. his
labors arc lightened 10y the narratives OF the
Greek travellers who ili ST. after the Phnnicians.
explored tho northern world. and especially Ivy
the account OF tho voyage Of Pytheas. whose
visit to the Amber Islands and whose stories OF
the brilliant Arctic summer laid the foundation
for the fantastic tales Ultima Thule. At still
later dato the compiler has derived assistance
from the poems and annals OF the Welsh
scribes. and his investigation OF Celtic and
Gaelic customs is followed by a concise history
OF the Roman province OF Britain.
The authentic history OF Britain begins in the
ago OF Alexander the Great. when the Greeks
acquired an extensive knowledge Of the west
cru and northern countries, from Gibraltar to
the mouth OF the Vistula. and rs far north rs
tho arctic circle. Mr.. Elton shows how the
knowledge was derived from the Greek voy-
a9cr. Pytheas. and how it was afterward OBJ
scured by tho inability OF Strnbo and other
geographers to distinguish between tho facts
oftravel aud the incidents o. popular romanccs.
1t appears that about tho middle of the fourth
century before Christ. the merchants OF Mar
seilles and the other Greek colouists the Iicu-
rian shore were anxious to strike n blow at their
Carthaginian rivals VINO had almost u COM
picte command OF the mineral wealth OF Spain
which was. 1t must always he remcm berei, the
Mexico OF the ancient world. Barred out as
they were from Spain. the Greeks and Romans
were at this time still more completely hindered
By the jealousy Of the Phrnicans ami Cartha-
gnians from learning the secrets OF the seas
west Of the Pillars Of Hercules. The knowledge
indeed. OF the tin deposits in Galicn and
Cornwall was the most valuable secret OF Tyre
and Carthage. Tor tho difficult manufacture OF
bronze was the most important art OF the
ancient world before the Cets discovered tho |
method Of making the hard Noric steel. 1t was
the hope. therefore. OF finding tin which made
the project OF n voyage Of discovery popular at
Marseilles and led to u committee OF mer-
chants engaging tine services OF Pytheas. |
an eminent mathematician OF that city. |
who was already famous for his measurement
OF the deciuation of the ecliptc. and for the
calculation OF tho latitude Of Marseilles. |
Pytheas was also known for his studies on the !
influence Of the moon upon the tides. and for |
his proposition that there is no star precisely |
at the pole. but vacant spot marked at u point |
which makes a square with the three nearest |
stars" He was chosen. accordingly. to be the |
leader OF an expedition to explore the lberian |
coast and to proceed north as lar as the Celtic |
countries. and as much further as might seem
expedient The account of his voyage |
was preserved late the fifth
tury OF our in tho shape OF diary. |
and o comparison of the fragments which still |
exist shows thar his course Was from Cadiz |
round Spain to Brittany. thence to Kent and |
several other parts OF Britain. next from the |
Thames to the Rhine round Ju,and along the
Baltic 10 the Vistula. thence back through the
Baltic and ~ the Norwegian coast TO the arctic
circle. then 10 tho Skotands and the north OF
Scotland. and aiteruard to Brittany again. and
30 to the mouth OF the Garonne where PytGeas
found routa leading across the country 10
Aarseilles. The whole of this remarkable yoy-
age is traced by Mr.. Elton in detail but We shall |
touch only on those parts OF it which brought
the traveller ia contact with the island OF Great
Britain. We will merely mention that he en-
tirely refuses to identify tho Cassiteriies or
Tin Islands with the Scilly Isles. but thinks
they should DO recognized in some islands
lying of the Iberian coast near N!so.
When Pythea5 rounded Cape Fiuisterre he
the Cornish tin country of which he wGs in
search, but there is no hint Of any direct tgaie
then existing between the Britors and the peo-
pie OF the Cornish coast. Ii seems DR. battle
that the regular mode Of communication vas
by coasting rs far as the Straits OF Dover. where
the passage was less perlous than q voyage
from Brittany straight across the broad and
stormy channel. P5theas himself sailed up the
channel as far as the North Foreland, and noted
that Britain was several days journey from
Celtica." and that II lay about 40 miles TO the
north Of the Isle Of Ushant. Il appears that the
whole group OF islands Was called tho Bri-
tamil; Isles. the two largest being even then
distinguished by the names Of Albion and
Jerne. PStheas remained Tor soma time IN
Britain. ths country 10 which. AS he said. lie
paid more attention than 20 any other 10 which
he came in the course of his travels. and he
averred that LIS visited most ot the accessible
parts of the island and cJasteI along the whole |