New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-12

Octave pD xi 312 Charles ScriDner'S Sohs
To reaninate the dry bones of history and
withdraw from the catalogue of merely scholastic
possessions a name that Is full OF human po-
tcrtiaities is an achievement SD rare that IL
communicates thrill to the reader when II Is
actually encountered Such a thrill is conveyed
by Mr. Hogarth in the humanized and imagi-
native work Of scholarship which he has dedl-
Gated to the two great heroes of Macedonian an
tiGuity. 1t is true that a whole literature mas
been raised around Alexander. bot there is
nothing in all his photography more vivid more
flexible, more personal and lifelike. than Mr.
Hogarths portrait. and in the study OF Phiiip
the latter has given rs a work fairly unique.
J,nio;e through its novelty-fOr there is no
other. biography Of Philip concerned with MN
soely-it Furthermore has the unusual charm.
indicated above of bringing an antique figure
close TO our modern sympathies. The observer
who travcrses the Macedonian history OF our
own day with its incidents as tangible as cur
rcYt Journalism can make them. is not unnatu-
rally disposed to regard the earliest years OK the
region as bordering on the academic, II not On
the NEUROLOGICAL. Mr. HOgarth changes all this.
IL his pages the Macedonia OF Philip Is no less
alive than the Macedonia Of our own time
There is a curious resemblance between the
old State and that southeastern section or Eu-
rope in which tribal antipathies are to this day
impossible to Quench. Philip. nheritir5 the
Macedonian throne 3S2 years before our era Is
met by the same conflict OF geographical with
political and religious limits which renders SO
difficult the tasks Of our modern princes all the
wa from the ECrthernmost Balkans to the
Pireus 1t in his management of that con-
fct that Philip showed his greatness and it Is
in the clarity and animation Of mis- record that
Mr.. HOcarth makes an absorbing historian. He
paints the peculiar balance. or rather. lack OF
balance. which distinguished the Macedonian
State Toward the coast the people were homo
gencous ard disposed to render the allegiance
demanded by the Macedonian prince. They were,
or believed the msclves to be- of the true Hellenic
stock In the hills there were peOples-Orestans,
Lynccstians Elimiotes, PROnians and others.
who regarded by the pansmen as barDa-
rians and held by the throne feudatories, but
their chief characteristic seems to have been a
turbulent independence. Hence. It was I'M
stable realm upon which Philip set his foot.
"Our cardinal point is this" says Mr.. Hogarth.
that between the MacedOnianS' OF the coast
plain and the free men OF the hills. before the
time of Philip the Second. there was not that
community OF tradition and hope which alone
consummaies the identity OF nation" Crcum
stance and various kindly strokes of fate were
added to Philips natural genius and aided him
In the fusion OF his tempestuous vassalages into
something having the sembance Of a unit The
chief circumstance. in fact one OF the pillars Of
his success, the relation Of the Macedonian
ruler to his people Given autocrat. with a
strong people behind him, or even a weak one
and the mere strength Of his authority will do
much to win battles. Philip, line his predeces-
sors. was essentially an autOcrat All fayors
came from the sovereign, not a privilege in the
land but was rooted in him. and we find, signif-
cantly that "the whole body Of Macedonians
distinguished themselves from the semi-subju-
gated 'Macedonians of the hills as the Kings
companions" The exact constitution Of what
might be called the court Of the monarch Is
cieverly indicated by Mr. Hogarth, and survey
OF its details. all pointing to the King rs not
only the ruler but the owner Of the State is
eingulariy instructive, but it is sufficient e,
point out that while the "Companons' could in
certain cases approach their chief with a. show Of
equality. he was really much their master that
he could handle them as so much plastic ma
terial. In other words. Philip striving to conso.i-
date his rule might have to contend with in
Vulnerable difficulties. but in the long run ne
was certain to find the people ready to his hand
for internal development or for conquest.
Anteccdent to his entering into possession of
that ductile body of men comes one of those
kindnesses OF the gods TO which we have re-
fcrred. At an early age. in his fifteenth year in
fact Philip came to spend three years in Thebes
practically as a hostage. but in far as his
future history was concerned. as pupil in the
Theban school OF military science. The people
were at bottom ingrained with a coarse animal
ism, bat being. as Mr. Hogarth points out like |
the Spartans. "a conquering caste in an alien |
land" they were forced TO keep their citizen |
soldiery upon a sound basis. They had fur |
thermore. the tremendous advantage OF possess |
Iaod d,