New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
PENNSYLVANIA


TIE LAND BEYOND THE FOREST FACTS cts FIGURES Ry 81
AND FANCIES FROM TRANSYLVANlh; p9 r.
Gerard. With map and Illustrations i@n'' PIP
403. Harper Brothers
Mrs. Gerard has written most interestingly ABOUT
. region so little known that almost any informa'
ZION AZ Int it would be interesting. Lying entirely
off the beaten lines of European travel ana pelhg
q difficult and broken country, protected Dy rugged
mountain ranges, Pennsylvania has escaped the
ubiquitous tourist and the equally indefatigapie
writer of travels Mrs Gerard was thrown INTO
this quantity old-fashioned region by the chances
of Austrian war department routine, her HUSBAND
an officer Of cavalry, being ordered to Hermansau'
ON garrison duty. There the author spent TWO
vears and made the most OF her opportunities IN
pickng ND ell kinds of information and especiany
FOLKLORE among the mixed population oil oaAons
Rumanians Hungarians, Gypsies, etc, VINO tnefc
keep up rnonners and customs which have centuries
since been abandoned elsewhere. The Saxons OIL
Transy lvania are an extraordinarily CONSERVATIVE
people, their whole life being regulated on the mosc
precise rules on a kind Of conmunlstlc plan wn'cn
one would think must be very irksome Inc peo-
ple are anything but an amiable race, ana enu'rey
wanting in hospitality. Indeed, there Is nafu-
ness and coarseness OF grain In them "nch 10
positively repelant, and after the novelty OF tneir
antiouated mode of life has worn off, strangers
-
amusement in the experience
The account of Saxon and Kumanian superstl-
ton, a,r. legends is full and curious. There IS
probably no part of the world whore so rich
store of folklore can be gathered as in this prac
caly isolated region, and Mrs Gerard's researches
show that superstition when untrammelled ends to
load the lives Of Its victims with such multiplied
bonds and shaclIlcs as appear intolerable to more
advanced peoples. It has indeed long been lSnewn
that there is less real freedom for the individual
in sayagery than under the most absolute OF
civilized governments; but in Pennsylvania we
find comparatively advanced stage OF develop
ment coincident with the rigid discipline OF Gen.
tral African tribes. There is not an act nor q
contingency of daily life which is not provided
for by some fantastic or irksome superstition,
TO neglect which is TO violate local convention
and bring down condign penalties upon the head
Of the contumacious person. The Rumamans
are far more picturesque and also more soclaoie
than the Saxons, but in no respect less super
stitlous. Mrs. Gerard evidently unable to pur-
sue her studies among the Tzganes or Gypsies with
freedom Indeed, it takes a student more like
George Borrow or Charles G. Leland to investi-
gate that strange and fascinating people. Mrs.
Gerard quotes List on Tzigane music, and she
might have cited Leland on the same subject
for he is in some respects fuller than List and
his personal experiences are delightful
The effect of the Gypsy music upon the Hunga-
rians is strilxngly described, but according TO Lee
land, the Russians are quite susceptible to this
wild melody, and yield themselves as completely
to its influence. In regard to both cases. how
ever, It must be said that the Gypsy
music which produces these powerful effects
is something quite different from that which the
regular Gypsy bands play in public IL is or ly
when they know their au 'ience thoroughly that
the Tziganes let themselves go, in short Mrs.
Gerard has some charming chapters on mountain
travel in Pennsylvania Probably the virgin
bloom Will soon be rubbed off those hitherto Sc
cluded retreats, now that their beauties have been
made known to the world, and not less certainly
the quaint Middle-Ages life Of the Saxon and Ru-
manian small towns and villages win before long
be replaced by the dead level OF commonplace
which the railroad and telegraph bring all the
communities they benefit in other ways down TO-
Meantime Mrs Gerard has made an extremely
interesting and even valuable book, which is spe-
cially important in its contributions to folklore
and its careful record of customs throwing new
light upon medieval life and manners. The
volume is quite fully illustrated, often from pho
tographs, and is furnished with good map.