The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-07-01

yer abroad" may claim to have discovered =
the statement % pase IA thas in thu th,r-
teenth century Barcelona had been recently
Moorish" A scrutiny even OF his guide book
ought to teach Mr.. Day that the countship Of
DAreetona was made mark. or frontier dis
trict. OF Charloma9ne's empire. and that for
four CENTURIES bsfore the Albeensfan cru
ssde the city OF Barcelona had beeu free
from Mostom domination. Indeed Barso-
iona mover WAS Moorish exeept for q part
OF the eighth century. although II was tsm-
norarf'y Submerged now and again under
tho wHvss OF Moslem invnsioa which turing
the continuanee Of tho Corlovn eallphass broke
Wpon the Pyrenees. Another striking illustra-
tion Of Mr. Days competence 10 discuss me-
diWvHl Spanish history h supplied By tho fol-
Iowing remark apYopos u Burgos: Here,
after the irru peton ~ tho Moofs. Shs scattcreti
remnants Of the Cloths began to easter thor
forces. and ct last became consolidated into q
new kingdom. until. under 81. Rerdinand, II
becomo power capable Of coping with the
Moors." Now. II any clear imprsssion b to be
drawn from this ssntsncs. the ryzder would
certainly conclude that In old Castillo.
OF which Burgos Was the capital, the
fugitive 0oths flrss mAds . stand, aad tAsG
throughout tho Ave and Qusrter centuries
which elapsed between the battle Of 0uadaiete
and tho rsoceupstiop Of Cordova CASTLE was
the most prominent Of the Christian States In
the peninsula. The truth. Of course. " that
CASTLE WIS long mcrcly . countship aad for
the first time acquired remarkable prominence
BY the recapturo OF the old Gothic capital. To-
ledo. toward tho close Of the eleventh century
Up to that time the kingdom Of Asturia. the
kingdom Of Leon. sAd the kingdom Of pampe-
luna had oil played far more conspicuous
role In Iberian history.
Two other facts which Mr. Day may claim to
havs manufactured should here ba mentioned.
On page 2O2 we are informed that tho Rock Of
Gibraltar has been associated not only with the
contest between Christianity and Mohamme-
danism. but with the sarlior " great struggles
between Paganism and Christianity" We
should be glad To hear the author name the
struggle between Paganism and Christianity
with which the rock KAlps was in any WAY con-
necte+l. OF Cadiz we learn on page ITO that 1t
was the only port Of the Romans on the At
Anttc. Before putting forth this re-
markable assertion II might have been
we'll for Mr.. Day to run his eye over
some ordinary school map of the Roman em-
pire. and observe how widely his opinion dif-
fsrs from that Of most geographers. But per
haps the reader has had enough Of tho histor-
icai Information offered him by this lawyer.
who seems to be literally all abroad" We
will morey add. In taking leave Of this sdifying
volume. that In n chapter relating to Cordova
and apropos OF the dome. by which Christian
bishop did his best to ruin the mosque. Charles
v. 10 represented ns making pertinent and
perfectly just observation. to which. indeed.
but one objection can be raised. namely. that
at the time when he Is said to have made 1t
Charles v. had been buried about half CEN
fury.
On the WHOLE we would advise lawyers. or.
for that matter. doctors. not to assume too
hastily. because in tho particular field wherein
they earn u livelihood they feel themselves
moro proficient than their clients or their pa
tients. that they arc for that reason qualified
to figure US masters Of historical erudition and
a. accomplished men Of letters.