New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-13
PHOENICIA.
THE INVENTORS OF THE ALPHABET.


aeology Of Phoenicia. The remarkably fruitful
exnorations of late years, both in Phoenicia itself
and in its dependent colony, Cyprus, have, while
aaordjng the basis for dehnitive judgments upon
the ancient civilization necessitated radical re-
vision of preyious views and therefore demanded
such a restatement Of the evidence as Professor
Pawlinson has given in this work. BY far the
larger part OF the volume is occupied with In
ouiries into Phoenician art, architecture INDUS
tries language and literature. Tie reason is 3D.
vous The historical data are few, and dlscoV-
cries in that direction infrequent; whereas the
light which has been cast upon Phoenlclan ART oil
late years is so strong that IL is now possible 10
discuss this theme with the confidence arising
from measurably full knowledge
Nevertheless. il is observable that there is still
no agreement among authorities upon the chaIdc-
ter Of the PhOenicians. On the contrary, 'he
most diverse theories are founded upon identical
facts. All that 1t seems safe 10 answer Is that
they were Semitic people, with the peculiarly
Semitic genius of commerce; that they possessed
strong religious feeling; that though remarkably
quick in adopting and improving the inventions
of others they were not distinguished specially oy
inventive talent: that with an unrvalled ne
chanical skill and aptitude they were dehcleh' III
aesthetic tendencies, their own art ldeas being
crude and primitive; that every advance IN 'ihs
direction was the effect Of foreign ideas; and that
beyond the invention Of the alphabet they per
hans have no claim 10 creative work In navlga-
ton il is believed that they were the first 10 sail
by night as we'll as by day. Their selection OF
tbe mole star 10 steer by Professor Rawnson con-
siders not original with them but an imported
Fgvnfjan idea. As navigatOrs, seamen and trad
ers. they undoubtedly led the ancient world for
ages. and their maritime supremacy was MAIN
tanned until near the beginning Of the present era
Considering tie development reached by these
strange people in the handicrafts and all mechanic
arts and industries, their backwardness IN plastic
and graphic art is the more singular. They colh
make really beautiful jewelry, pottery ana glass
ware as abundant examples prove but they
could not make statue 10 surpass the most PRINT
tive period OF Greek art. One reason for TINS pos
sibly is that the conventional stiffness OF Egyp-
tian art weighed upon and paralyzed them puI
il Is also lust inference that the root Of the
matter was not in them. They could DO excel
lent wood and ivory carving, as witness Solomons
Temple and the public buildings OF Tyre ana
Sidon. Their textile fabrics and the dies with
which they colored them were celebrated all over
the world. They were equally famous for en-
broideries. They enjoyed a wellearned reputa-
ton for the manufacture Of arms, and all manner
Of metal work. Their carpenters, Joiners, snip
wrights, masOns, stOnecutters, were renowned
But in sculpture they lacked symmetry and deH.
cacy Of perception and the sense OF proportion.
Nothing can be clumsier or cruder than the ma
ioritv Of their slablike statues nothing worse in
drawing than their groups on sarcophagl. IN
architecture similar backwardncss distinguishes
such examples as are left for Us 10 study, though
it must be said that the Of research here Is
Il I'd mar n 9
ton. the Phoenicians exhibited largeness Of view
and boldness in design, but even their cycopean
walls and massive temples show a certain imper-
lection which evidently springs from the charac-
Ter of their civilization Thus we lind lmpor-
tant mural constructions carried forward entirely
without cement though they had a secret OF
better cement than the world possesses today
hydraulic cement, specimens Of which, haId as
rock, are to be seen in place to-day. Again, III
laying their courses they often s,perposed open
Joint upon open joint; method which no GOOD
architect would tolerate. In these things may nc
perceived a distinct note Of sava-ery, which Is
still more clearly sounded in their religious cult
Professor Rawlinson holds that the PhOcnicians
were originally monotheists. and that hy degrees
they fell into poytheism. The cult which was
peculiar 20 them and which most strlkinely re-
veals the character Of their civilization. was that
Of Malkarth Tie erOtIc worship with all It's
accretions, they borrowed from or shared with
Babylon and other Oriental countries. but tie
human sacrifices offered 10 the Phoenician Her
cules and deity Of generation indicate a sub
stratum Of hardness and ,ferocity IN tie national
character the existence Of which may help IS 10
understand why they failed 10 make a deeper
mark in art They We're hardy brave, intelligent,
shrewd in commerce. full Of adventure, polite.
faithful TO engagements, But they carried mat
Oriental faint which in all times has turned
Asiatic races toward the grOsser forms Of lust.
and f\ey fortified those tendencies in themselves
by giving 10 their Indulgence the sanction Of
religion. The same phenomenon may be observed
20 this day in connection with certain Hindu cults
The PhOenician mothers who stood by dryeycd
and calm while their children were rolling from
the outstretched arms Of Malkarth into the brazen
furnace glowing in the lower parts Of the statue
must have been scarcely human in their feelings.
The world was very rough then, but elsewhere the
maternal spirit would have reyOltcd against that
hideous sacrlfce-and there is no record Of any
such revolt in Phoenicia.
For long time this hard-working yet lux.
ury-loving, people were permitted T. amass
wealth by trading. 10 found colonies right and
left 10 build up their cities-each Of which was
at first autonomous: and 10 establish themselves
on the narrow strip Of Syrian coast which they
had appropriated But they had too many power
full and aggressive ncighbors 10 be LEI alone
permanently, and though PhOencia was difficult
Of access, the great Asiatic expeditions always
found their way 10 their goal eventually Ihe
experience Of the nation. if nation il should be
called which had 50 little conference. was sufiic-
iently exciting and varied II is intimatcd by
most modern historians that if the Phocnicisns
had held together they could have guarded
their independence. II is possible; but by
means probable The armies with which Assyria.
Babylonia and Persia in turn oyerran the whole
coast could 10 all appearances have swallowed
up the nation whether not it had been united.
The fall Of Tyre might perhaps have been de-
layed had Phocnician ships not served against
their own countrymen. but Alexander not the