The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-27


world. has long since been abandoned by class
zeal scholars; 80 that, unless Shakespeare be
the sole example. the history Of mankind
affords no instance Of n man devoid OF educa-
ton producing a literary work OF the highest
excellence. This Is, however. what we are re-
Quired to believe In the case OF Shakespeare.
but Mr.. White declines to credit it
. For man who quotes extensively from the
Greek and Latin literatures and who pro-
fesses to subject tho text OF Shakespeare to a
rigorous scrutiny from the viewpoint Of a
thorough scholar. Mr.. White makes some
strange mistakes in history. Thus we read Oh
his very first page that 1.-THE reGnlightcnmcnt
OF Europe began with the invention OF printing
in the middle OF the fifteenth century. and was
greatly accelerated by the overthrow Of the
lower empire n century later t1543. when the
treasures Of Greek literature were carried into
the West By tho fugitives from Constantine
ple."" +, Everybody knows that Constantinople
Was.taken in 1853. but the context OF the pas
sage quoted shows that the blu6der is no mere
misprint. On page S5.6 We read: Toward
the close OF the seventh century the great
SarAcen invasion tof the 1bcrian PENINSULA
took place. when tho south OF Spain was seized
By Abdulrahma Of Mauritania. one Of the con-
federate Saracen princes. whose followers
were thenceforth known as the Moors.
It was In these days that tho Spanish drama
arose and obtained its highest degree Of ex-
eellence The principal dramatsts at that
time were Jews invited from Alexandria by the
Moorish rulers. and who became the fathers OF
Spanish literature" This passage is full OF
errors The Arab invasion OF Spain took place
not toward the close OF the seventh century.
but In the first quarter Of the eighth. Abdur-
rahman cannot be described as one OF the
confederate Saracen princess" he was sim
ply the delegate and General OF the Caliph
Of Damascus. His followers were mainly
Arabs, and it was much Inter when the
African invaders Of Spain became known as
Moors. There is not shred OF evidence
that lin these days"-the period Of some
three centuries covered by the Emirate and
Callphate Of Cordova the Spanish drama
arose and obtained its highest excellence"
Neither is there any proof that Jews were in
vited from Alexandria by the Arabic or the
subsequent Moorish rulers OF the Iberlan Pc
ninsula. The Spanish cities were full OF Jews
at the time Of the first Mohamm edan invasion.
and the rapidity of tho contest was largely due
to their disafection. caused by the persecu-
ton which they had suffered after the WISH
goth kings had been converted from tho Arian
heresy to the orthodox Athanasian creed. We
may point out another egregious error on
page 100. in the authors attempt to explain
the combination OF Greek names. like Theseus
and Hippolyta. with the fairies. characteristic
OF the Teutonic mythology in the "Midsum-
mer Nights Dream" Mr. White says that
this admixture Is quite natural. because the
Cloths. having become masters Of Italy toward
the close Of the sixth century. would. like true
barbariAns have insisted on those they spared
adopting their rude sunerstitions in which
fairies OCCUPIED conspicuous place" 1t was
ip the latter part OF tho fifth century that the
QstIogoths became masters OF Italy. and be-
fore tho close OF the sixth they had been ex-
PEELED from It by the Generals OF Justinian.