New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-12
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
EGYPT AND ASSYRlA

the monuments. III - HoN I4''H'N'
a. a consecutive history. though all the
scenes are historical. The author explains MS
nurpose in the preface as follows: Il only wish
IN give the readers of this book some impression
of life under It's various phases amongst the TWO
most civilized nations which hOursncd upon our
earth before the Greeks ] have chosen iOr cach
OF them the epoch we know the best ana OF when
VIC possess the creates; number Of monuments
for Egypt, that of RamoScS II. fourteenth century
t. c.: for Assyria that OF Assuroanipal scVen'h
century" In order to lcighen the interest ana
10 lend more versim!ude 10 the narrative, VI.
Maspero has followed the fortunes of certain peo-
ple-high officers, peasants, merchants ana 80
forth. and has in this way found opportunities ior
describing the modes Of life popular customs, mlh-
tarv systems architecture, royal courts markets,
popular smusements funeral rites, treatment oil
disease astrological supersiltons, ana all the multi
form beliefs, practices and ways OF doing things
that constitute the life oil a nation. In general
the same plan has been followed for Egypt and
for Assyra OF course it must he understood
that there is certainty in many cases as to the
correctness OF the Interpretation of the monu-
uclIfs depended upon and not seldom NJ. Mas
sros construction, judging from the figures
Given in illustration is apt to appear somewhat
free.
Perhaps the most spirited parts of the book are
tHOSc WHICH IcIItc " Wall "Hu V''S '"'SN' -
account of Phoroah's campaign against tn" Anita
is remarkably vivid and full of detail and the
pcture of the Battle of Tuz. in which the
lieutenants of AsSurbanipal overthrow Tcumman
and the Elamics is equally lfcliIc and impressive
The chapter in the Egyptian division OF the work
devoted to the position and rights OF Amen. the
great god of Thebcs is another striking episode.
though it cannot be said that very clear general
view Of the Egyptian theocracv Is deriva0e from
it, and to obtain this reference must stlll De hao
10 the older and more extended works upon Egypt.
such as Bunsen Wilkinson. Birch. Brugsch Bey'
Sharpe or W. Maspero's own earlier books Inc
description of popular life in ancient Egypt bears
out the impression that existence for the common
noonle must have been hard and cherries. ana
that the Alsolutism of the Government was lar
moro strongly felt than in the time OF Imperial
Pomr As in all mi-civilzatlons. Ilttc or no
value was put upon human life, ard. as III All
Oriental countries cruelty was natlohal U"l''
Tho ancient Ecyutans were perhaps not quite so
orue ne the Assvrans though there was little room
for choice between them. In ''r the utmost
seventies were practscd. and prisoners taken "eI
only dispatched summary wren they pclons'u
10 the ranks
Military officers and all people of any conse-
ouence were reserved either for IMPEACHMENT or
for havipg alive The Clr'haginans, who were
very cruel people in their punishments preferred
cruciiyion rs the history of the Pune wars
shows: but all these Oriental people evidently held
in common the doctrine of our own red INDIANS.
that the death of enemy shonld be as painful
and nrotracted as possible The state OF nina thus
exhibited IN the ancient Egyptians. the Assyrlans.
the BabylOnans. the Car,hasinans, and the Norm
american Indians, is one and the same Inc ATT
can of today has not respect for lie, pu' lie
;s distinctly less prone to glut his Yenrciul appe-
If nc
lie kills hastily ard often upon small provocation
and sometimes he practiscs cannibalism: but he
is satisfied with the swift death Of his foe, ana
seldom resorts to torture. Even IN that blood-
Stained country DahOmey, the death given the
victims of the horrid customs is dccapltatIon
In the ancient civilization described here by NJ
Naspcro. as in the ancient civilization Of China,
there appears curious relish for the inficloh OF
pain nothing like which has appeared in he Western
world Chrislendom Of course cannot be exempted
from the charge of penetrating many and great
barbaritcs Massacrcs such as that typical one AT
the taking Of Masdcbur2, belong 10 European az
well as 20 Oriental history. and the fortunes IN
ficted by the agents OF the Holy Office during the
campaigns against hcresy and the witch-mana
might be compared 20 the practices of much oder
peoples But at least there was 4 strong religious
belief behind these crucltics. and this dneren
,iates them from the Egyptian, Assyrian and
other Oriental practices.
The worship of Moloch b. the Phoenicans was
OF course religious ahn0rmality, but the treat
Hent of prisoners of war, and often of slaves, in
those old times must he regarded indicating
general fcrocJy the like of which would happily be
sought in vain at present save among some pccu-
liarly savage Of Indians such as the Apaches.
though the fact that human nature has not wholly
risen above it is startlingy demonstrated occa-
sionally, in the worst cXcesses Of the Reign OF
Terror the still more modern Commune OF
Paris. One of the most dreadful of all fortunes
namely impalemcnt-appeGr3 to have been brought
into Europe by the Huns and It's practice fingered
in Poland and among the Slav people until less
than two centuries ago, when the Don Cossacks
still used it. Another subject well illustrated by
NJ Mas,ero is the dominance Of belief in astroloay
among the As>yrians, and iCs powerful influence
upon public opinion and the policy Of the Govern
ncnt. In regard TO foreign wars, indeed the two
things went together: for it never safe to
omen campaign unless the representations Of
the astrOlogcrs distinctly favorable to the
national If the aspect Of the heavens
such that the stars in their fought against
ASsurbanipa, for example, ard if this became
known TO the army, the courage and endurance Of
the troops would be sapped, and their fears would
almost certainly bring about the defeat appre-
hendcd.
Astrology, however, was capable Of much manip-
ulaton, and the royal policy as a rule Endorsed
by the most expert decipherers Of the planetary
aspects ard conjunctions OF course the enemy
had resort TO the helps and naturally obtained
the assurances which he sought; nor could any
thing but the event prove which Of the conflicting
predictions was tic true ore. This was super
stiton, but was it more so than the practice fol-
lowed when two Christian nations about TO 90 20
war appeal TO the God of Battles and each
one believes that it has secured divine protection
and aid After ell. what most strikes thought
full student Of life two three thousand years ago
is not much It's strangeEess is likeness -
modern existence and civilization. Only in ma