The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-23
ALL ABOUT SWORDS.
Gen. Guild Gives an
Interesting
Talk.
SHOWS MANY SPECIMENS.
Lecture at Pilgrim Church
and Before the Com
monwealth Club.

Gen. Curtis Guild, Jr., recently in
spector on the staff of Gen. Fitzhugh
Lee of the Seventh army corps, in Gu
ba, was the speaker at the meeting of
the Mems Association of Pilgrim
Church last night. The meeting was
held in the church auditorium, and
largely attended by members of mems
unions and associations and ladies of
many associations of the city.
Gen. Guild spoke upon Swords" and
illustrated his address by specimens of
swords of all nations and ages. He was
introduced by ]. Edgar Dickson, pres
ident of the association, who referred
briefly to Gen. Guilds service in the
Massachusetts volunteer militia and
United States volunteer army during
the Spanish war.
Gen. Guild opened his address with a
description of the9sword in the bronze
age as developed from the flint axe,
and showed by specimens the develop
ment of the blade of every period, in
GLIDING the Greek, Roman, Crusaders,
Spanish swords at the time of the con-
quest of Mexico and Peru, the English
and Spanish rapiers, double-handed
swords of the middle ages, the Scottish
ciaymore, swords of the revolutionary
period, British and American modern
swords, Cuban machetes, Turkish, Ser
Wan, Hindoo, and Japanese short types
of swords used by all nations from the
beginning down to the present day.
Some of the specimens shown are
among the most valuable in existence.
Nearly all have come down from the
time of their use and few are copies.
Some of the old blades are very valu-
able in intrinsic worth, several being
inlaid with gold and others being
wound at the handle with silver wire
Of g. fine texture. The sword exhibited
as type of the revolutionary period
was especially interesting, as it is the
weapon carried by Gen. Stark of New
Hampshire during the revolutionary
war
Gen. Guild spoke also of the method
of use of the sword by the Jews, Ro-
mans, knights of the middle ages and
duelists of all ages The manner of
use was illustrated with numerous quo
tations ranging from Josephus and Ia
cltus through Shakspere, down to Sir
Walter Scott
Referring to the modern sword, he
said that it might be taken as evidence
of the degeneration of man for the
weapon now carried by officers is fra
gile and light while that of ancient
times was strong and heavy, well ca
pable of defense of its bearer The
sword carried by the infantry officer
today is of no use in offense or defense
and its value may be deducted from the
order given the army when it was en-
tering Cuba. The officers were advised
to leave their swords on the transports
as they could be of no use to the men.
In conclusion the speaker said the
sword has various history. In the
hands of Tchinghis Khan and Tanner
lane it had spread barbarism over CT
vilization; in the hands of the Romans
it spread civilization over districts
which had been barbarous; in the hands
of the Saracens it established religious
despotism in the hands of the Jews it
fought for religious freedom; but
wherever it has been used the sword
has been the weapon not of the muir
derer, but of the soldier Whether it has
been carried at the sash of Pharaoh or
in the belt of Nelson A. Miles, it has al
ways been the weapon of the gentle
man.
After his lecture at the church, Gen.
Guild was escorted to the Common
wealth Club, where he repeated his ad-
dress. Afterward he was entertained
at the State Mutual restaurant by Of
fcers of the club. He remained in
Worcester last night and will return
| to Boston today.