The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-06-26
STATUE OF ERIKsoN.
A Monument to the Discover of Labrador
and Vinland.


and Vinland.
The conception of the ulptor pre-
cents to us full-grown giant, with
strong but intellectual and beardless
face, rather Roman than Greek, and
distinctly not of recognized barbaric
Z type. He has just set foot, in advance
of his companions, upon an unknown
shore, where he stands, sailor-fashion,
with his legs somewhat apart, but
firmly poised upon his left, in the att
tude of one eagerly scanning the dis
p lance. The left hand shades the eyes;
the right, resting upon his hip, holds a
signal horn, bravely bedecked with
Runic device, like a drinking-cup of
the Skalds. He is clad in a short,
sleeveless jerkin, or coat of scale
armor, closely fitting around the hips,
and adorned with two round bossed
pilates upon the breasts. Beneath it a
linen tunic descends halfway down
the thighs. He wears a decorated belt
and sheathed dagger at his waist
Upon his long, shaggy locks is set a
small, round cap of steel. The power
full arms are bare, and skin-tight
loggings reveal the strong anat-
-omy of the lower limbs. Upon
the feet are shoes, apparently of
slashed leather, and the legs are not
cross-gartered. The general expression
of the figure is one of alert and vigor-
Gus manhood; it is modelled on heroic
scale, and posed like one who pauses
for a moment and for definite purpose
in the midst of an active career. Left,
however, is portrayed as a man OF
thought as well as of action; in the
whole conception of him there is not
only more of civilization than barbar'
ism, but more of classic than romantic
sentiment.
II is evident that upon this funda.
mental point the sculptor is ready tc
take issue with those who conceive thai
out of Scandinavia, in the tenth century
nothing better could issue than manly
virtue of a brutal sort, and very say
age and coarse-fbred energy.
According to the Sagas Left Eriksor
was Prince, son of Erik the Red, Jar
y of Norway. 1t may fairly be assumed
that this rude court had received some
reflection, however faint, from the civ
ilization of the South 1t was four or fivt
centuries before the era of Left whel
dhe hordes from this northern hive
overran the Roman empire, and hi
own ancestors may have occupied tn
Palatine among the conquerors. fire.
by the narrative of Bjarne, who in 9S
first visited the coast of North America
he set out with thirty-fve men in tn
year 1000, and discovered Labrado
and Vinland. A few years later h
was sent to Greenland to spread Chris
tianity among the Morse settlements
He is described by the Sagas as d"
great and strong man, grave and wei
favored, Herewith sensible and model
ate in all things" No act of piracy G
rapine is recorded of him
Upon the basis of these records,
would seem that the artist is historical
justified in associating certain degre
of intellectual and moral force, if NJ
of actual refinement, with the propC
physical characteristics of her sem
barbaric hero. The burden of pro,
lies with those who are disposed
typify the reputed discoverer of Mass
chusetts Bay and the islands of MAJ
tucket and Martha's Vineyard as
Hun or Goth of the third century,
Henry Van BrUat, in atlantic.