New-York tribune., 1897-08-18
"CiTEN WITH HONOR.


"EITEN WITH HONOR.
=, Uo,rto,ooist never Jokes one might as
we'll think of the statue of Mcinnon u''crlhg
oinnont wtticism in its maiuiinal remarks. or
,hc Sphinx tipping the wink 10 favorite rs
She propoun,lcd her famous riddle. or the pyra-
mids shying their apex stones at ile barklhg
dogs of Egypt. familiar to that distinguished
Egyptologi>t the Hon. John W. l.eedy. NO:
with the awful eye Of forty centuries severely
upon him. the archrologst preserves dignl-
fed calm initiated from that of Totmes or
u Harnesses on thc shelf of II museum. This
genera aiZaton regarding the SERIOUSNESS oi
Ervptologis;S Is necessary before the discus
sion of Eaten with Honor an article on can
nibals in THE Contemporary Review by Dr.
Flinders Petrie the eminent EgyptOlogist. lr.
pptrir has taken up the defence Of cannibals.
Tho mon-cater has always laborcd under the
reproach of having bad moral character and
table manners rather worse than those of the
man who eats with his knife. Dr. Petrie clears
him of this stain and makes him as bright rs
n son of the morning from whom the so-called
civilized peoples might take lessons in chivalry.
lie had woman pudding. with baby sauce.
And little boy pie for a second course.
He ate them all without remorse,
Did the King of the Cannibal Islands
I'll. reading of this poctical menu of Poly
nesian royalty has always filled us Win SenS'-
,ons such that If we were an Egyptologist we
would think n scnrabrus of CheOps had come
to life and was crawling down our back. But
then we have always supposed that Il cannibal
ate human flesh from hunger. He does not,
saws Dr Pctrie. bur more often from love
and Affection. He has indeed Il peculiar way
of demonstrating his regard, and we may think
| orr own civilized manner much better. but with
tins new light upon motives the young mis-
sionary who knows that he is soon Ia play
| leading part in Il barbecue will doubtless ac-
cept the will for the deed. For. declares DR..
Perie it is sheer mental prejudice against
.strangencss which puts the innocent and af-
"fectionatc cannibal below the moral offender.
| We bow to This new moral hero and 10 Dr.
Perlc. whom he would doubtless delight to
honor in his own peculiar way
pr Pctrie goes on Ia classify the motives Of
cannibalism. They are
Honor kindness good love e............2O per cent
For strength magic resllts..........ls per cent
As ceremony per cent
From hunger and need Of food I........ls per cent
From preference as fJol...............2S per cent
The higher motives oc honor and kindness
prevail mostly in Asia. Australia and South
America. but seem 10 be unknown in Polynesia.
North America and Africa. The Tibetans con-
sidered IL glorious burial for their honored
elders 10 be- eaten: some Australians also eat
the dead with the greatest and most solemn
honor and the rupi and Capanahuas IN south
America did likewise. Besides this. II - ofteil
a matter Of kindness and love for the dead
The Cucumas of South America SAID that IT
was better to he inside a friend than To be
| 'swallowed mp by the cold earth. Ana VINO
viii say that they are wrong? such seems to
| hayo been the main sentiment in that quarter
| Of the world az ii appears again among the
| Botocudos. Tapuyas. MaE"rund' Muhdr"cu anu
| Guvanis.
ur p,trie's classification is as full and con
| viucing aS figures can max" 1t. ot course any
an. with refined and elevated feelings would
much rather be eaten with honor thah 10 sat
i.fv hunger. The only trouble is that Dr.
Peric's classification leaves room for Il haunting
doubt lest one may not 90 10 keep up the
| 1G per cent who are eaten from preference or
| from hunger
Does the uilitaran object" asks Dr. Pctric
.yet ono main purpose of the custom is util-
"ity: in its best and most innocent form II gives
"thr greatest satisfaction to the greatest num-
.ber" But we think it must be admitted that
from the uiliiarian viewpoint it seems as if
to eat 10 satisfy hunger is better than To eat
for honor. ANY of those who eat for honor
| "A
will confirm this opinion Moreover. he who
bv the process Of consumption leaves one mouth
to hunger where formerly there were two is as
great a philosopher as he who makes two
b;ades of grass grow where there one be-
fore. and for exactly the same reason
Courrship among the Yulugundis Of Australia
must be. according 10 Or. Petre. peculiarly
happy and satisfying indulgence of sentiment
free from the cares and alarms Of that of civil
izcd life. There can he no parting. In ease
of death The survivor eats the deceased Still
th. thought arises that even then the course
of true love may not be smooth. for if the sur
| viyor Weld 10 what must he great tempta-
| ZION and parakc too freely of the loved one. in
digestion. with lis attendant ills. must eisue.
We are too narrow too incapable of sympa
thy OH broadly human grounds. 10 appreciate
| This method Of honoring the dead We prefer
| tc put a stone over them and then scratch our
heads To remember what their virtues were ia
inscribc on it. We doubt. therefore. if This sys-
| tenn of making the survivors Il cooperative
| monument of the departed. with the obvious
| advantage Of the ease of keeping their graves
green with Grcwatcr will ever become popu-
lar Dr Petric has. however. done an excellent
| thing In thus rchabtatinc the credit of the
man-eatcr He Is deserving of all the honor
which the cannibals can give him. Dr. Petric
is however. not selfish. He has already n
great deal Of honor He Is willing to step aside
10 let som" younger and more ambitious man
have all the honor that comes that way.
-
The Count Of Turin and the Prince of Orleans