New-York tribune., 1900-01-07
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
THEN AND N 1859 THE END-oF-THE-
CENTURY. DISCUSSION RACED.

-lff
5sr January ! 19oo or viii begin on January
1oo7 Most of those interested in the discus
- seen, "a have overlooked the circumstance
-r,+ ehether the world is in the nine
nth century or in the twentieth. il certainly
* not in the first or the second, and that any
,r,ssfiIe doubt as 70 the century to which 1900
t.l,nrs is likely 70 have been periodical in the
course II the era
# the new wspapers Of a hundred years ago had
bae, ANYTHING Ike those Of to-day il might have
hen possible 10 find voluminous records of
observation-disclosures century controversy in
letters 10 their editors But the newspapers
and their readers were very different. even If
flies n that age were not difficult to get at.
7, Is less difficult 10 look into bound volumes Of
The JIentIeulans Magazine English peri /
o6iceI old enough 10 have supplied from its
cover design the motto e PluribUs Unum' Of
this Republic and Of the London Annual Reg
is1er" In both Of these works the century dis
pute Is 10 be found the year 1900; and. what
Is more there is some indication that substan-
italy The same problem had presented itself in
The year 100.
The bound volume Of The Annual Register
fl- ISD0 begins with a preface written in 1901 /
when the volume was completed. This preface !
opens with the proud boast: We close the
century without being one volume in arrears" /
showing plainly ~ uhich side # the century con- ,
rr0gersy the editor takes # there be any such
controversy 4 history Of Europe follows in
which facts il European history. as The An
-ra- Register saw them. are noted and com (
-.ent-5 or at large and al length. \ learned /
discourse upon centuries in general is thus ap-
preached.
The never ceasins lapse Of time has. in all
ases- beer divided into different periods, not
Only # Gag and night the most obvious, but
other dIYlsloIs-
Ard this leads 10 the century question:
There Is a question not a little agitated. |
whether The century was completed at the be /
ginning. NJ not I'll the end OF. the year 1900; !
hat =. whether IN reckoning time from The /
hi--h ~ Christ. year Of the century is sup
posed 10 have passed a the Nativity. or only 10 /
have begun We are Of those who incline 10 the /
last opinion But the decision Of that question /
is 1f ID manner Of Importance on the present (
So. j-1-. We leave II wholly TO the priests and
IN pa~r-lzureats On whom II Is. no doubt. in I
c---llar- 70 TX with a. much precision as pOssi-
bic -L- true period Of the Jubilee and the Car /
1+1 S=cu-ar=.
II The las- period here quoted there is an aIu- +
sil1 p the Papal jubilee. which began in 1900
5us- PaPal Jubilee began last week; but
.-le---aureats'' and Carmen SecuIare" are
special illusions Tor the explanation Of which
T.z----ry must search. This explanation is 10
b. found in The Gentleuan's Magazine" Vol
LENGEIL where there Is q review Of Carmen
Sael-ar=" Tor the year 1900 by Henry James
Fy=. P L" No one who has read much Of
what vas written IN Mr.. Pye's time need have
J. explained that this title is only one instance
10 the classical tendencies then prevalent fol-
lowing the fashion of Horace who wrote the
Carmen Seculare" for the great Secular" or
Century, Games Of Rome il the reign OF Au-
Eusrus- But few people. even Of those who
have read much Of the writings Of that day are
aware that Nj Pye was tho -+Poet-Laurea1'
Cl the year 1Sy0. Though Nj Pye was not one
OF the most distinguished Of the English lau-
reares. Dryden was. until he was deposed at the
E.evolution in 1855. and he had written A
Secular NasQue'' which was performed at
Dr-ry Lane Theatre ii the year 170e-a still
closer following Of the AugUstans. Mat Prior /
wrote z Secular Ode" for the same year Mr. !
Fy= supposed that he was following the exam /
pies II Dryden and Prior in putting the begin |
ming # the new century al the beginning Of the /
year 1900 He also alleged the authority Of the /
the next century. that Is. from the year 1900 10
tLe year 1929, inclusive" and cIinched MS con-
t=---ou vith q quotation from the French En- /
cy-l1gaa1ia then regarded as the criterion OF
universal enlightenment
The reviewer II The Gentleman's Magazine" I
arguments than 10 his ode, and avoiding the /
maze u mathematics and historical reference. /
ironically remarks The worthy Laureat has /
certainly got into scrape. and We wish him /
vel out u II which cannot have heen com |