The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1895-01-05
MISTAKES vF nIsroRr.

Errors That Cr~>p 1nto tho Popular Mind
and Arc iinr., q" Eradicate.
what is history but universally
accepted fable?" said learned Smith
sonian professor to writer for the
Star. II quote tho great Napoleon.
For example. consider Plymouth Rock.
In the town of plymouth is a rock
with fence around 1t. 1t Is sort Of
local fetish. On Norefathers' Day
every year exercises are held there
commomvratlng the alleged fact that
on this rock the pilgrims landed. As
matter Of fact. there Is no evidence
that such was the fact. Prof. Chan
ming, the historical expert Of Har-
ward, has traced the story back. and
believes it to have been started by an
old man named Faunce, who many
years ago pointed out the rock tc
some children, saying: Here they
landed Id
History states that the pilgrims ar
rived on Sunday, but refrained from
landing until Monday lest they should
break the Sabbath. That is pure nom
sense. AS mstter of fact, the wo-
men and children stayed on the ship
all winter because it was more COM
Portable.
The gorseousness and high civil
ization of the ancient Mexicans at the
time Of the Spanish conquest have
been perman, ..tly embalmed in his
| tory. The whole story Is a misrepre-
sentation. Cortez naturally wished to
give an impression at home that he
had conquered a great and rich ma
ton. In reality it was only half
civilized and untutcred people. The
mode Of living was patriarchal, whole
families Of 100 or more persons liv-
Ing in one house. The communal
dwelling was OF one story and neces-
sarily of large size. These structures
were described by the Spaniards a
'palaces.' The people ate only one
cooked meal each day, for the rest Of
their food depending on grub diet
picked up anyhow. The dinners, par
taken of by SO many individuals, are
reported in history as 'banquets.'
"The schoolboy learns that Colum-
tAs was the man who first conceived
the idea that the world was round
Nothing could be more nonsensical
The truth Is that he merely accepted
a notion on this subject which had
been handed down frNm classic times
by scholarly men Strab0, the Latir
author, was one of these. I'he con.
ception was for many centuries as 9
faint light glimmering In darkness.
LET me call your attention to an
instance Of the making Of fictitious
history. There are excellent reasons
for believing that the Norsemeu
reached the shores of North Americs
before Columbus. The records 0l
their sagas, however, give M
aotion Of the locality where they
landed. Only few such non-descrip'
tive facts are stated as that they found
grapes growing. Yet an enthusiasts
named Horsford, q trustee Of Harvard
a few years ago built on the Charles
river tower between Waltham AND
Newton to commemorate the landing
OF the Morse voyngcrs at that point
The sagns tell Of going up river, and
dorsford chose to assume that thu
Charles river was the river referref
to. Very likely the notion thus 70
corded by a monu;:.cnt Will gain {
general credit some day, though ther'
is no more reason to suppose that thu
river was the Charles than 1t was thu
Delaware or the Hudson. or any on'
OF dozens Of other rlTcrs.
II quoted Napoleon moment ago
Ycl probably know that no battle wa
ever fought at Waterloo. Waterl0'
WIS post dis2"tch station SOM
miles distant. Dispatches were sen
thence to England. and hence tn
name given to the battle.
"SheriGan's ride To Winchester wa
not twenty miles-hOt over ten miles
think. There never was any foun
dation in fact for HE story Of Barbar,
Frietchie. The same Is true of tn
yarns about Poru:lontns and yohl
Smith. ~ Star.