New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-26
THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE.
A NEW. But NOT TRuE, VIEW OF IT.

g. L. Pntnams sons.
Mr. oman In the preface TO his story OF the
Byzantine Empire intlmateS his intention to write
from the points Of view of Finlay and Bury and 10
avoid the errors Of Glbbon, who in his opinion IS
greatly overrsted historian, and who has zone
nagrant injustice to the Byzantine Empire. mas
much as Ffnay IS Of the scvercst critics OF tine
Greek Empire this programm" might be thousht
somewhat difficult. and Notwithstanding the lact
that Gibbon has often been attacked. II has TO be
said that he has seldom boen cOnfutcd. After more
than a hundred years of full exposure 20 the woridS
criticism, 1t can still be sad Of him by dlSuhsiSh'i
scholar professor c. X Adams: "IhOush "iDDoh
history completed nearly a century ago. us
great importance has not declined, and 1t Is prop
ably stIn entitled to be esteemed as the greatest
historical work ever written. The mnutehcSs
and comprelcnsivcncss OF Gibbon historical Know"
edge are somewhat appalling 10 the scholarship OF
the present day. And 50 thorough Were MS
methods that the labolious Investigation Of German
scholarship the keen criticisms of heolo-ical zeal
and the steady researches century have brought
TO light very few important errors in the results OF
his labors" Much has been written on MS anu
Christian bias. vet Cardinal Newman declared that
Cihbon is the only Church historian worthy OF the
name who has written IN English. Professor frc'>
man. another good authority, declared tlat "'"V
ever else Is read, Gbbon must be
Gibbon however, is not the only an'hcr cohueInn'u
by Mr. Oman. lie Is very angry with Mr.. Lecky for
having made m "lnitating statement to the ehect
thai the Byzantine civilization was at very low e'o
The words quoted follows; "Ihc uhNcrNni W.T.
diet history Is that IL constitutes the HoS' pdS' an"
desracahe form that civilization ever assumed ana
that there has been no other enduring CIVILIZATION :"
absolutely destitute of all the forms and elements
OF greatness none 10 which the erthet mean may
be 50 emphatically applied. II is monstrou' story
of the intricucs OF priests, eunuchS ana women "
ycasonnc consplracies Uniform ngiHtude. perpetual
frntricden Now whether not this citation Is open
GRAFTON *
M such charge is brought home by Mr. oman Nj?
Leckv considers Byzantine life at considerable leng'h
I'm the volume quoted, but lie lnvaratN gives HIS
authorities. Mir Oman does nothing OF the hnu'
On the other hand, the nst Of authorities gwen py
him in bis preface is restricted as to raise doubt
as TO the adequacy OF Ms preparation ioF 'ne WI"
he has here undertaken.
Neither does Mr. Oman appear to have NOTED
Iecky's careful ANALYSIS of byzantine life, In when
full allowance IS made for the influence OF certain
conditions apt he ignored by mSty Investigator
We must remember, he SAYS. " tDat 'hrisuhhlN H'"
acquired the ascendancy among nations when "eic
already deeply tainted by the irveterate vices OF
corrIrt and dccayins civilization, and also that many
Of the ccnsors from whose pages We are Obliged u
form our estimate of the age were men WHO lhuseu
human fraltes with all the fastdiOuncs OF asceucs
end who expressed their judgments with al 'le
declamatory exaggcrt0ns Of the pulpit
we find. 100, a frequent disposition on the part OF
some trivial custom which they regarded as ind"c-
orous for the most part. cXtavaeant dcnunciaton'
g. magnify SIS Importance In manner winch
I'm later age II Is tcut even 10 understand
He proceeds 10 give Illustrations OF TINS khd
of exaggerated condemnation. Then he adds: BIT
although the vehcmencc of the Fathers on such trvia
matters might appear at first sight to imply the eN
istence Of q society In which grave corruption was
rare such a conclusion would BE- totally untrue. Inc
pictures Of the Roman society by AmIniannS Marcel
linus Of the society Of Mar>oleN by savla'l OF inc
societv Of Asia Minor and Of Constantlnople, by
Chryso, TOM a. we'll the whole tenor OF history. ana
innunc9ble Incidental notices in the writers Of the
times, exhibit, after every legitimate allowance mas
been made Al condition Of d"PaVit', and eSpecAiN
of dc;Iadaton, which few societies have Surpassed"
Mr. Oman remarks that with all their faults the
monk, and hermits Of the fifth century are a coed
substitute for the priests OF Cybce and MthIs OF the
..condn Perhaps so: but what were the Agapac
good substitute for? OF Them Lecky says; Inc
Agarc or Love Fcnste, which formed one OF the most
fouching symbols Of Christian unity. had become SCENES
of drunkenness ard riot. Denounced by the f"thef''
condemned by the Council Of LaOdicca in the fourth
century and ofterward by the Council Of Carthage,
they fingered as = scandal and offence til they
wore finally suppressed by the Council OF lruI) al Ae
end OF the seventh century" But enough OF THESE
Instances initiating against what may be calico the
new view Of byzantine Clvizton which could DE
multiplied almost indefinitely: and lei rs turn to an
examination Of the manner in which Mr.. Oman car
rjes out hi, nndelta king generally. After the state
ment Of his purpose it might not unimlnialN have
been supposed that h. had discovered some new ah
thorit.5 or facts. But this is not the case. Like
all his prodeccsscrs-uule, Fnay should BE- excepted
he follows GbbOn in the main lie can indeed do no
oii,.~Nise To show a different line Of thought he
eau only apply new opinions. the origin of which Is
obscure to tlc and the events which he chToh-
lcles.
Now In his eleventh chapter he gives an estimate Of
BYZANTINE society which be marshalo all his forces
for the confutaOn Of the old views concerning th"'
period. lie SAYS: 1.-THE vices Of which the EAST
Romans have most commonly been accused are coward
ice frvoly ana trcachery. ON each of these points
they lave been grossly wrUngcd." And how does
he preIarc 10 prove this BY such observations rs
follow: "COwardicc certainly not the chef char-
Rctcristc of the centuries that produced empcros Ike
1hcodCsus j. and IIeIaclus prelatcs Ike AiiAhasln'
and Chrysostom, public servants like Belsarius and
pn,cus" go b demonstrate the character Of a whole
nation during several centuries he gives Us to con
tcnplate inst six individuals. IL THIS is not enough,
We are invited to consider the unanly circus factions
Of the Blue and the Green and their behavior In the
great Nika riot. What would be thought OF an his
toran who should cite III" Draft Riots OF New YORK as
evidence Of the vaOr Of the American people
Again We must quote this remarkable defender OF
Bvzantine bravery: II military virtue wanting
to the East Roman armies, how came the
OSrOgoth and valda to be conquered, uc
Persian and the Hun 10 be driven of, nov" ABOVE all
was the desperate struggle against the iaha'lcii
saracen protIc,ed for four or five hundred years tl
at last the Caliphate broke up?" Perhaps the DeN'
answer 10 this would consist In referring the authcr
To his own text. for it has been his duty there to SHOW
how the employment Of alien merccnarles secured inc
Greek empeiOrs their chief military successes ana al
the time sapped the native strength ana bS
degrees brought II 10 wreck and ruin. OF course ne
knows perfectly we'll that the victories he cite, canho
with nrur1 forf ne
In the main 70 Greek VaiOr. A> "
The charge OF fnvOlity and Injury IL
seems hardly worth while 10 consider 1t alter WHAT
has been an0ted from Lecky ,bn Mr. Oman chooses 10