The Washington times., 1901-06-30
snnin and Her People.

Their Origin. Growth. and Innuence, b
Martin a 5. Hume. Il is a valuable ref
erence book and viii certainly be interest
ing reading fov the student Not the leas
delightful part of the book is the intro
duction. in which the general view an
object Of the author are SO clearly indi
Gated that il Is worth quoting in part:
AN attempt is made in this book to
trace the evolution of a highly compo-
site people from its various racial
units. and to see in the pecullariues OF
its origin and the circumstances Of its
development the explanation OF ITS
y character and institutions, and of the
principal vicissitudes which have be-
fallen it as nation. There are sew
erai reasons which render this process
less difficult and more interesting in
the case of the Spaniards than in that
of any other of the epoch-makinS races
of Europe. Situated at the extreme
western point of the Continent, the
1berian peninsula received in each
case the last wave sent out at the
highest point of Vigor by the success
siye influences which pervaded Europe
from the ancient East Each race,
each civilization, which in turn reached
this ultimate peninsula could get no
farther, and there had, of necessity, to
stand, fight, and finally to fail, before
the dispensation that supplanted 1t.
Spain consequently became not only
the balIltSFeuDU upon WHICH Was ut-
cided the torm into which modern ziv-
ilization should be molded-whether
Aryan or Semitic. Christian or Mos
leIn-but also the spot where the traces
and traditions of each succeeding sys-
TEN fingered long after its onward i'm
petus was spent. The country thus be-
came the preserVer and tranSmitter to
the modern world of many survivais of
vanished ancient systems, and the cul-
ture of Spain itself was, IN some sense,
an epitome of the various rival syS-
TENS that in historic times have di-
Yided the world.
Although at first sight the early
history Of the Spanish people may ap-
pear hopelesSly complicated, as pre-
senting the form of a number OF con-
current histories of different peoples
possessing but little in common with
each other. a close consideration of
the aggregate national movement viii
show that thera are certain character
istics more or less conspicuous in the
whole of the lberian peoples, and
that these common characterls-
ties. derived from the numerically
predominant root races, have invaria-
bly, been appealed to on the compara-
lively few occasions when the whole
nation has been moved by one united
inspiration.
ION the other hand. the progress of
the Spanish people generally-and es-
pecially in the matter Of their insti-
tutions-assumed a regional character.
This has aided the geographical
causes in preventing the complete fu-
sien of the peoples. and has retarded
the organization of the nation on the
usual modern lines of unity Of race
and soil. because the separate region
a units have retained traditions Of
their primitive institutions and have
resisted political absorption, as strong
" as their circumstances have run
counter TO chronological amalgamation-
This explains the strong centrifugal
a.Fa ~enW~u .
the peninsula. a tendency which pro-
vides a key to many historical events
which would otherwise be incompre-
hensible.
This want of unity between the COM
Donent parts Of the nation would. in
ordinary cases, have prevented Spain
from exercising a controlling politi-
cal influence in the world: but there
are reasons peculiar to the race which
made il possible for this group Of an
tagonistic little peoples to bulk before
the world as q very Colossus. and TO
WELD an imperial sway which. for a
time. reduced all other modern powers
10 DigFnies It is the business of this
book to portray the origin and devel-
opment Of these special racial quail
ties. and to show how this disunited
people were able by virtue of them TO
be swayed TO great united action, and
then, when the common inspiration had
passed. TO fall again into disintegra-
ton and impotence
..Gifted with q vehement vividness of
imagination and fioridness of word
SURPRISING that Of the Italians of the
South and derived from similar
sources. the Spaniards. nevertheless,
are endowed with certain characteriS-
tics OF their Afro-Semitic root race,
which. except in times Of uncontrola-
bic excitement and social decadence,
keep in check the bUbblins viyacity of
the southern Latin. The keynote of
this primitive racial character Is over
whelming individuality: and all that
the SpaniardS have done IN the world,
their transient imperial greatness and
their permanent tenacity. is owing to
this quality in its various manifesto
tons"
It VIII thus be seen that the work il
far from being mere record of events
or of the careers of individuals, but Il
rather study in historical evolution anC
Of the character and institutions of +;
people. In these days OF warning race
and civilizations, there is great need 70
Just such books The time has passed
when the individual great man can b.
studied separately, without relation TO hi
age. Such a view is ever partial and i'm
perfect The modern student Of historl
must study impartiaIIy. forces and racia
characteristics, institutions, and system
Of thought and of government, not in tn
light Of their relation to this person o
that. but in connection with the evolu
ton of civilization as whole. In sucl
study work like that of Mr.. Hume vii
be of the utmost assistance
This author overlooks no phenomenon
which contributed anything tothe though
or customs of the Spanish people H
takes up art and literature as well a.
and shows how first th'
OF Rome, then the vigorous
theocracy of the Goth and the Crusades
then the bigotry Of the Inquisition, ant
the Renaissance appealed TO the stronl
feeling OF individual pride which he de
clares 20 be the keynote Of the Spanish
character. and thus welded the people
together for a time. He also points ou
the contributions which Spain has mad'
to the civilization of Europe (New York
D. Appleton & Co. Sl-50)