New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08

On hove bcen prineval and those who dom-
mated the later centuries OF Northern hehthen-
ism But one OF the picturcs-copied from n
paIntlng perhaps-which illustrate his book
embodIes a strong argument. IL IL represen-
tation Of the god OF light Balder; but with
features similar TO those attributed by ira
d,,ton IN Jesus OF Nazareth The whole myth
ology OF the North. as commonlr told. turns
on. the fate OF Bladder. and his story Is certainly
a strange one to have been Invented without
the aid Of civilization. But II he belongs to the
time subsequent TO the first sea-rovlng OF the
Baltic tribes then the whole tragedy OF the
GODS the destruction OF Valhalla. the descent of
Odln into the nav OF the Fenns Wolf, and the
restoration OF the world under new deities, are
more likely to be late than early fances of the
Teutonic mind
The question IL interesting because 1t affects
and is affected by passing Incidents OF the pres
ent day-like the Messiah Craze, as It was
called of the Sioux. In which many observers
saw a distorted reflection OF Christian ideas. 1t
also affects the credbty Of witnesses like
Caesar and Tactus as 10 what the Teutonic
religion was in their time: and II necessitates
a division among the details Of northern myth
ology so that what Is late may not be reckoned
on the same line with what Is primeval So far
as Mr.. Guerber is concerned the legends seem
to be all of the same value. He takes the
mythology in the form given 1t at the last mo-
ment of its existence. He could hardly nave
done otherwise without adhering to one school
or another of mythologists The result Is
clever study of each divinity and OF each class
Of supernatural beings, Of the beginning OF
all things and the end Of the Odinic world. and
finally an entertaining comparison between the
Greek and the Northern mythologles. Those
who really wish TO dip into the controversy
that has been going on since the time of
Grimm Will have to go beyond this book
Another book by the same author gives
legends Of places on the Rhine. beginning with
the Zuyder Zee, at the mouth Of the historic
river and ending with story from Coire. near
its source Many of these tales refer to salrts.
The legends of AK la Chapelle belong mostly
to the cycle Of Charemagne. those OF Cologne
to famous places In the city, those OF Stras-
burg to It's cathedral. those Of Heidelberg to
It's castle The devil ~ the, usually unfortu-
nate, hero of many tales In this volume. He
is more abject idiot when II comes to playing
his own game than even the giants or dwaffs.
whose characteristics he borrows He builds
cathedfals and bridges for architects who have
more luck than intelligence. and then is invar-
ably beaten out of his pay, which. according
to the contract. should be the soul or the artist
Mail-clad knights and imperIlled damsels fig
ure too in these legends. and there Is OCCASION
ally a modern anecdoc which can hardly be
called legend on the other there are tales
Of the Napoleonc wars. which pure
legend as any Of those handed down from the
medieval period. The book is copously Illus
trated.
new edition Of Mr. Knowless Legends OF
King Arthur" ought to be welcome. 1t brings
order out OF the confusion Of Mallory. and
adds 10 the tales OF chivalry those OF an earlier
time which connect the romancos with Celtic
tradition. The book pleased Lord Tennyson
and was dedicated to him In 1862. Though 1t
passed through seven editions. the work has
been long out Of print.
Mr. Cnruss 1.-THE Gospel OF Buddha," has al
ready passed through not only its second but
It's third and fourth editions. 1t Is remark
ably compact and yet complete summary Of
the teachings and the legends Of Buddhism,
showing the condolences between the faith OF
the Orient and the Christianity Of the West
A table Of references at the end OF the volume
enables those who wish to do so to compare
Mr.. Caruss paraphrases and abridgement with
his sources. In addition to what religious
value the books may have II Is Of utility to the
folk-lorlst. because OF the numerous legendary
comparisons which II suggests.