New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-11

Imported by Charles Scribner's Sons.
Scepticism must hide It's diminished head in
the presence of this book. In the midst OF an ag"
which has swept away the myths of Greece and
the whole period of the kings In Roman history
which laughs at Tell and his arrows. at Roland
and mis- horn. at Dietrich and Guy Of Warwick
md Helias Knight Of the Swan. Miss Trevelyan
calmly tells of IIu and Lud and Prydain and
Arthur. Of the visit of the Apostle Paul to Britain
and that of Madoc to the continent beyond the
Atlantic Ocean.
After all this is perhaps. as good method for
dealing with the history Of remote times as can
be found. 1t furnishes a morality unexception-
able and a narrative never too heavy to be read
able-a thing that the philosophical and sceptical
historians sometimes forget And the reader must
accept these ancient Celtic heroes as real be-
cause they are interesting Even Hu-whose
name in this abbreviated form looks like that OF
Chinese worthy. but in the form Hugh is as
common and, familia, as Il ever was-claims
rightly as much attention the Odin OF the
Scandinavians Odn. it Is said by those who
must have historical background even for
myths. was a chieftan in the Euxine region.
and only became god after he emgrated to the
northwest. So HUI led his fellow tribesmen from
Gau to Britain, 10 the Island of Green Hills. He
had the gift of song and poesy, as Odn had. and
II was by his song that he encouraged his people
to brave the perils OF the narrow He tanned
his wandering hordes ami gave them laws and
taught them how 10 plough their lands So. after
he was dead. they deifed him and associated him
with the goddess Ceridwen. he as the sun. she
the moon; the one with an OK the other with
COW and a boat marching In endless procession
the Island of Green Hills. accompanied by
the three bull demons of Britain. the demon of
,lo tx.bir tla Of fha md no
demon of the earth. This may not be history. but
II is easier reading than some dryasdust might
give If he tried to find out what relics Of animal
worship had been used = make up the character
Of the first British hero
Miss Trevelyan willingly grants that there was
a real Arthur and mythical Arthur But her
real Arthur is by no means the insignificant sec
ondary chieftain whom some historians men,
ton, nor even the border warrior of Stuart Glen
mic. whose fame travelled from Scottish Low
lands to the Loire. He had his Round Table and
his chivalry. Nothing Is to he abated from his
fame that is not plainly miraculous beyond belief.
Deprived Of his magic sword he neverthe
less the invincble defender OF all the British
West. the faithful friend Of his people. the hero
with lofty and patriotic soul. He skilful in
war. magnanimous In all his acts, answering in
the cause Of freedom and royal TO his f1nger-tps.
The highest authority for this ideal is Tennysor.
and the character has the quality of the nine
tenth century. But there is none that deny
Arthur. flower Of kings" these high traits. No
body knows enough about him to say what he
was. The author OF this book may be quite right
In transferring to her pages picture Of British
social life in the sixth century delineated by the
glowing Imagination of the twelfth century
mancers. But this cannot be done without some
mythmaking. Thus the whole wonderful story
Kings birth the dra wing OF the sword from the
stone, the twelve great battles in the North the
conquest Of Rome. the mystic Journey to the ISL
and Of Avalon, and the tabled epitaph Of Glaston-
bury with the bones of a giant beneath in the
coffin Of followed oak. These things are not
history. but they have had more influence on his
tory than many tale the truth Of which Is
doubted 1t is paradox and yet a fact that the
only thing real about Arthur is the romance. lie
may have been stern unflinchng command
err" he may have been "devotedy beloved by his
people for his courage and generosity, his amla-
bility Of temper and his real goodness Of dspo-
sition; but outside OF the mythical tales there Is
no proof that he anything but a name.
1t takes a nimble Imagination, however to
follow Miss Treveyan when she pictures the
British King Caractacus and the Apostle Paul
walking the streets of Rome together and con-
versing about Christianity. But If St. Pail
became intimate with Seneca, he might easily
have enlarged the circle Of his acquaintance
TO take in famous British captive. In argu-
ing at length in favor Of the belief that st.
Paul preached In Britain. Miss Treveyan might
have mentioned also the legend that St Peter
visited the island. merely for the sake of the
humorous note always added that he
verted many Jews there. Leaving all these
matters, IT is only after the observant Nor
come upon the scene that the narrative
Of events in the Celtic part Of England becomes
historical There is room for myth in the
hard and hopeless fighting against fate Of the
Welsh princes-hght:ng that ended with the
defeat and death Of Lewelyn ap Griffith (Gruf-
fydd) to whose Immortal memory" this book
is dedicated.
Among these unfortunate leaders men
whose descendants in the person Of the
Tudor sovereigns avenged Wales by being the
most capable rulers except Cromwell that Eng
land had between William the ConQueror and
Victoria Moreover. there is figure in this
period Of gradual subjugation which is finer
than even that Of the legendary Arthur
Learned far beyond the measure Of his time
a polished courter, trained lawyer. a natural
soldier, Owen Glendower (Owain Gyndwr) com
bined few men have done the merits OF
the student and man Of the world. His book
ishness we'll known that 1t earned for
him repute a magician while his military
skill sufficed to win victories men who had
been in arms all their lives. His personal ad-
ventures, his battles, his plans Of constitu-
tional government all contribute to a charao
ter that epitomizes the traits. the history and
the misfortunes Of the Cymrc race
MISSIONARY IN PERSIA.
PERSIAN LIFE AND CUSTOMS With Scenes