The herald., 1894-09-23

textile fabrics came into use. psrticu-
larly those made OF wool, and others
woven from fibrous plants.
That the family existed ID inferred
from the fact that houses were built
euited to the occupation OF families, and
from the fact that the oldest traditions
of historic times and the lowest savage
tribes known at the present day alike
recognize the family relation. The
grouping OF houses into villages implies
municipal organization and law, how
ever crude, and clustsr OF such villages
located on the margin OF tho same lake
or along the same valley would evolve q
system of mutual protection under o
common executive-the germ OF the
future state.
Trade and barter must have thrived
to some extent, leading to the exchange
OF commodities and tie growth OF dis
tnct branches OF business. The remains
OF rude water craft chow that boats
piled on the lakes aud rivers, facilitating
intercourse between neighboring towns.
But as no traces of wheeled vehicles or
even aledges have besn discovered. we
may presume that animals we're not
thought Of ior draught purpole and that
roads were unknown. The only high-
way was the blazoned path OF the horse
man adventurous enongh to visit die
tant lands for gain or to satisfy on
incipient thirst for knowledge. What
courage was required to traverse those
dark wiidernesses, infested by hostile
tribes. terrible beasts, or more frightful
STILL the phantoms OF ignorant supersti-
tion Under such adverse conditions
foreign commerce could scarcely exist;
yet some trade with foreign countries
was implied in procuring the raw mate
rials Tor their bronze manufactures.
The abundance and variety of warlike
implements as compared with those OF
utilitarian character attest the warlike
propensities of those ancient races.
Doubtless predatory bands from less
primitive countries made incureions
among the peaceful tribee, in some cases
despoiling them and passing on, in other
cases settling down among them, diffus.
ing their ecanty knowledge, and by mix-
ing the races, increasing their physical
and mental vigor.
Having no letters and consequently
no literature, the interchange of ideas
being exclusively oral, we may assume
that the mentality OF that age was in q
cised mainly In providing for material
wants. Perhaps the intellect at times
was Hluggishly moved by the awful phe-
nomena OF storms and other strange
Manifestations of nature. 1t may, in
deed, have been stirred by the recital OF
heroic acts and personal adventure,
wnich recital. repeated and exaggerated,
ultim ately settled into traditional lore,
fcr 10 IN "a it,u
to those of the Morse mythology. 1t is
even possible that rude sort OF elo-
quence and poesy existed, for who shall
cay there were no orators before Pericles
nor singers before Homer?
Lastly, we come to the moral aspect Of
this human and social being, evolved
from the toolesa and solitary wanderer
introduced at the beginning OF this pa
per. At what point in his upward
careor did coincidence begin to assert it's
sway? When did the hrst glimmering
sense of right and wrong lead him to
sacrifice hia individual passions and in
clinations for the comfort and security
OF an unorganized society?
The question suggests it's own answer.
Solitary man has no use for q conscience.
There 10 no one to whom he owes o
duty. Social man requires conscience
TO regulate his conduct towards his fell
low, and, as riaing higher in the scale of
s~.-ss isfSr rslntinne, with .enciety hacnma
delicate and complex. keener precep.
tiona quicken and enlighten his sense OF
duty and increase the binding force of
his moral obligations. Reasoning, then,
pricri. we must conclude that peo-
Pile living under the physical conditions
OF tho lake dwellers. and their oontsm-
porGries aa far north as the Baltic, pos-
sesesd moral sense considerably de-
veloped, possibly ready to take on re-
ligious phase. and to ultimately expand
under the iron age into spiritual capa-
bilities.
Such 10 an imperfect and desultory
sketch OF some OF the salient features
OF that picturesque ers in the history OF
man which we denominate 40 the age OF
bronze.