New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-25

evidently been destroyed by fire. Schliemann hao
no hesitation in affirming 1t to be the Troy OF
Homer. In christening his finds Priams lreas-
nre Prjam's Palace" and the "Scaean Gate, ne
took one OF those ill-advsed steps which MS Ell
,husiasn, sometimes inspired and which lac WAS
often compelled to retract. Scholars were hP'
nrepared TO accept his discoveries at his own 'alu
ton all az once TO them the liomeric poems were
still poems only, and they refused to take MN
seriously. Eventually he called his discoveries
:" the great treasure" the city chieftains house,
and the great gate But when he turned MS
attention to the region on the other side OF the
Aegean Sea, excavated at Tlryns, in 1884, and al
Mycenae in 1886, he uncovered analogous ruins
which confirmed him in his first theories. Inc
shaft graves of Mycenae especially yielded
rich harvest of ornaments. weapons ana househoiu
vessels. These were subjected TO a severe examina-
ton. and startling smarties TO objects described
by Homer were developed. Everything warranted
the suppositon that the essentials Of the Homeric
drama, the plot and the scene, had
come from one side of the Aegean.
and the accidentals, the descriptions OF
costumes and manners, from the other. The
Had is a tissue of songs composed by men of
succeeding centuries Read in the light of Schlie-
mann's excavations it tells US of q civilization
stretching from 1900 TO 1000 b. c. Til last
poet, Homer perhaps, but at any rate he
who moulded the parts into one coherent and splen-
did whole, was nearer to the rich and decorative
civilization of later Mycenae than to that OF
ruder, simpler, and earlier Troy. He was true TO
the main outlines of the siege gave us faithful
picture Of the citadel and landscape. but foreign
matter naturally crept into his work. period
of culture interviewed between him and Priaus
and he could not help proiting by it. He en-
richcd the early design with later cOlors. This
hypothesis offers the most reasonable explanation
of the difference between the art Of Homers Troy
and that of DR.. Schliemann's. That those
two cities are really one is the conclusion most
widely accepted now. On such firm grounds has
the theory Of an authentic Homerc Troy been
placed by the excavations and the comparative
mode of dcang with them that to-day it must
be reckoned with by every serious student. The
chain of evidence is still incomplete but so many
Of the links have been recovered that it does not
seem too sanguine TO hope for perfect restora-
ton in the future of this dim passage Of the
past.
To popularize Dr. Schliemann's contributions to
the data of the subject is the purpose of DR..
Schuchardt's book This purpose Is admirably
fulfilled fin so far the spirit of thoroughness has
ministered to it. The necessity Of condensation
has not prevented the author from giving ample
details of each discovery. He is not a clear
writer however, and the translation of the present
edition of his work, for which Eugene Sellers is
responsible, is heavy and nle Aible The illustra-
lions are all that could be desired. both in guam
tity and quality. and the index is good one