New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11

and stronc Government. He invented defensive
armor and Notifications. He used strategy anu
made beginnings in. tactics. He adopteo '"'o
logical creeds and ecclesiastical systems. lie "au
ceremonies Of worship and ruul'iie"'ai'
of morality" Thus the heritage ne oeque'
TO his betters was an ample one lie na'
.,,,,o, IN o,.or,, denartment Of culture II might
,rau no said that he outlined the boundaries OF
human endeavor and left to his successors the
,ae, Of working I'D the details. But IL Is iih-
nossibe 10 saw what country or what race was
6rst IN discover or invent the methods or apph-
auces of which he made use. Where hie was
first tanned by man, who invented eueeu 'oo''
and weapons who first bent the bow OF speu ''e
elusive boomerang are questions WHICH oa'"o'
be answered. On these points MODERN eui'os"S
stops Just where that of ancient lhVes'isa'oi' uD
And In the study of the origins OF naViga.oh '''e
modern ethnologist says in prose what C'''u'a"
said in verse:
Inyenta scout prmus qui nave Proiunuu''
t,t rlldibus renis solliciavit aqiaS 1880,
oni dubiis ausus commttere fatibus alnum.
Ouas natura negat. praebnt arte 5, Hia, n,rd,.
Tranquis primum trepdus SO crediuIt uHu'''
Ii,ora secure tramte summa legens;
Max longos tentare sinus. ct N H 'ei'''
Eft leni coept pandere veia No'o'
Obscure as it is. Tie Phoencian legend OF the
origin Of navigation IA, as one might expect, more
ventured upon names. For example one Usoos
,s said to have traversed the sea on log acci-
dentally adapted to his purpose by fire. and even
IN have discovered the principle Of the sail by
spreading a rawhide TO catch favoring breeze.
After him. or perhaps identical with him. came
Milicbios-the word Is said to mean skipper
who as the inventor of metal weapons. was in
position to carve out of the log what would
now in imitation Of certain modern saVages'
be called a pirogue. 1t was only after ac-
auaintance with agriculture that the kabeiro''
familiar figures to both Tyrian and Greek wor-
ship could cultivate hemp and make the Tow Tor
sails and cordage, and thus fit out real snip.
Other particulars in the narrative OF Phiio OF
Byblos are significant. II not conclusive. hintS
of the traditions relative to early Incidents In
human history. The primeval Csoos had to XIII
beasts without a weapon-that Is. without a
contrivance of his own-and he used their skins
for clothing; but a little later Agreus and
Halieus appeared real hunters with throw
sticks probably sharpened in the fire. The next
step remembered by the Phoencians was hunt
ing with net and hounds. That Is. they had
suddenly leaped from the most inefficient methods
to processes already long familiar to the
Egyptians Contact with an advanced race
had done for them what it always does for
savages.
The term "barbarlsm' as used by Mr. Hittell
includes the entire historic life of the Old World
down TO the time Of the Greeks and the nations
of the sub-tropcal regions in America. The most
| advanced countries Egypt, Phoenica, Syria
| Babylonia. Assyria, Hindostan and China. To
| these the author somewhat obviously adds
Sabaea in Southeastern Arabia. Burmah and
| Siam. lie points out that the advance from
| savagery to barbarsm only occurred in regions
| where the winters We're mild. or where there
was possibility Of contact with such races as
, had already made some progress. The imperial
| system dominating vast territories was indis-
! pensable to the evolution of distant tribes At
| the outset isolation served TO guard the germs
| Of early culture in regions like Egypt China
Babylonia. India or those inhabited by the Aztecs
and the Quichuans Tools Of bronze improved
the methods of hunting and tillage. favored the
growth of population and the collection OF armies.
Men now learned how to cut and quarry stone,
to raise vast buildings, 10 defend cities with
massive walls. to dig long canals and tunnels for
irrigation The barbarian artisans invented the
square, the level, the plumb-line and the car
penter's rule. They invented porcelain. glass.
paper, gem-cutting, and aiiithe forms OF writing
including the alphabet They discovered the elc-
mentary facts OF mathematics and astronomy.
IF WISH" says Mr.. Httel ito pick out a
few Of the greatest achievements of man while
| in the condition OF heather barbarism. we shall
find that they the production of bronze and
iron, the cutting of stone the invention OF the
| square. level and plumbne. the building OF
cities, the organizing of nations and the intro
duction OF the alphabet. These are worthy sue
cessors OF speech, tanned fire, edge tools Of stone
and tillage for which we are indebted To
savages. Public records and written laws be-
came part of the government The administra-
ton Of justice became the duty OF public
officials. and in Mexico was intrusted to judges
holding Office during good behavior and drawing
salaries. Even more wonderful was the
Ouichuan government. Its system of assimilat-
ing conquered communities and OF administering
public affairs that there should be no idleness,
| dissipation, extravaganza, pauperism. or profess
sional crime have never been equalled In civilized
| States"
! In coming TO the study of Judaea. Greece
| Rome. and Christianity. Mr.. Hlttel reaches a
| domain more familiar 10 the general reader. A
| prime necessity Of his system Is that all changes
| IN human history shall have taken place from
| purely natural causes lie eliminates the super
natural at every step. His discussion OF the
Jewish pOHty and of the literature OF the Old
! Testament and the New takes the form OF
minute. elaborate. painstaking and wide-reach
ing criticism, the object of which Is to show that
a divine revelation was not only impossible but
needless. His conclusions remind one or those
reached by Renan. Whatever controversy may
be raised by his book, IL will be acknowledged
that he has spared no effort and omitted few
details that strengthened his argument, lie asC
seeks to limit the claims for Christianity as the
creator OF modern civilization. His four volumes
are a monument of patient industry. In spite
of the multiplicity Of facts to be mentioned anC
considered they also highly attractive reading
They will be treasury for future workmen
Such summary was badly needed, as every on,
can testify who has medded with any one OF thu
themes which formed part OF Mr.. HitteTi
scheme. Indeed. the list OF books which the
author has used is proof OF the scattered con
dtion, OF knowledge on the supreme topic OF
humanity.