New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-09-26

up Calvary under the load of the cross But this
is pursuing speculations into regions that ave
shadowy and vague. Let IL suffice for this branch
of study that Mr. Burnand has given express
sion to the theory that the scene OF the adoration
of the Grail and the Love Feast may also have
relationship with the ceremony of installation In
the Masonic orders of chvalry. in which cup
of brotherly love IS presented to the Grand Com
mander who drinks and asks the Sir knights to
pledge him in theecup lin cOmmemoTatlon OF the
Last Supper of our Grand Heavenly Captain, with
his twelve disciples whom he commanded thus to
remember him" Here says Mr. Burnand. there
Is pretence to sacrifice. Participation in the
wine Is symbol of a particular and peculiarly
close intercOmmunlon OF brotherhood.
To get the least offence from "ParsifaF it ought
20 be accepted in the spirit of the time In which
Christian symbolism grated on the old tales
of the quest of talisman which lie at the bottom
Of it. The time the last quarter of the twelfth
century and the first quarter of the thirteenth IL
is the period of the third and fourth crusades-
Relic worship at it's height Less than a hun
dred years before Gin IOD the GenOese crusaders
had brought back from the Holy Land as part
OF the spOils of CesaTea. which they were helpful
IN capturing under Baldwin. three eornered dish.
which said be the veritable dish used at the
last supper of Christ and his Apostles The belief
that II cut out of solid emerald drew Bona
parties attention to it, and ne carried II away to
Paris in 1906 and had il examined. 1t proved TO be
nothing glass; and he graciously gave II back 10
Genoa in 1914. There il still reposes in the church
OF St John, but ii is longer object of worship
though II might fairly excite feeling or venera-
ton.
For 372 years Nuremberg possessed what the de-
vout believed to be the lance of LOnginus. with
which the side of Christ was opened The rehc'
like objects OF its kind (the holy coat Tor IN
stance) had a rival which. after inspiring victory
at the siege Of Antioch. found its way TO Paris
with the most sacred relics, for which Louis IN
built the lovely Saint Chapele; now II is IN the
basilica of the Vatican, at Rome. The Nuremberg
relic however. enjoyed the advantage OF hstorlcal
rlffna V-1E
because It was of Wagner's historical char
acters who added il to the imperial treasure OF the
Holy Roman Empire. This was none other than
Henry the Fowler. the king who is righteous IN
Judgment and tunefuI of speech in the opera
"Iohengrin." Henry. runs the story, wrested
the lance from the Burgundian King, Rudolph III,
time about a d. 929. After many vicissitudes
relic given for safe keeping TO the imperial
city of Nuremberg. in 1924. by the Emperor Sigs-
mund. II placed in casket, which was
fastened with heavy chains to the walls Of the
Spitalkrche. There II remained until 1875 One
may read about the ceremonies attending It's annual
exposition. along with other relics. in the old his
tory Of Nuremberg, by Wagensei which was the
source of Wagners knowledge Of the master
singers The disruption Of the Holy Roman Empire
caused scattering Of the jewels and relics in the
imperial treasury. and the present whereabouts OF
this sacred lance is unknown The casket and
chains however. preserved in the Germanic
Museum at Nuremberg this day. and there have
been seen. doubtless by many who are reading
these lines.
There is nothing in 'ParsifaI.' neither parsonage
incident thing. principle Of conduct.
which did live in legendary tales and philo-
sophcaI systems long before Christianity existed 4
universal religion. The hero in his first estate
was born. bred went out in search OF adventure,
rescued the suffering and righted wrong. just as |
Krishna, Perseus, Theseus Qdipus. Romulus. Re |
mus Siegfried and Wolf Dietrich did before him.
He is Aryan legendary and mythical herotype 1
that has existed for ages The talismanic cup and i
spear are equally ancient; they have figured in 1
legend from time immemorial The incidents Of |
their quest the agonies wrought by their sight, /
their mission invtters Of sympathetic interest. \
and the failure Of a hero to achieve a work OF 1
succor because Of failure 10 show pity all /
elements in Kettle Quester Quest stories which
antedate Christianity. Kundry, the loathly dam
sci and siren. has her prototypes in classic fable
and romantic tale. Read the old English ballad |
of The Marriage of Sir Gawain-" So has the 4
magic castle of Knngsor, surrounded by it's beau
tiful garden II is all the things which I have \
enumerated in the Vignette devoted to Tam |
hauser" 1t is also the Underworld where prevails
the law of tabu-"Thou must or Thou shalt |
not whittier Psyche went her errand for \
Venus and came back scot free; where Peritheus |
and Theseus remained grown to a rocky seat till 4
Hercules came 20 release them with mighty wrench \
and a loss Of their bodily integrity. The sacred
lance which shines red with blood after it has .
by its touch healed the wound OF Amfortas is the
bleeding spear which a symbol of righteous |
vengeance unperformed in the old Bardic day OF 1
Britain; it became the lance of Longinus which \
pierced the side of Christ when Christian SYM
bolism applied TO the ancient Arthurian |
legends; and you may read in Malory's ''Morte /
dArthur' how a dolorous stroke dealt with il by !
Balm opened wound in the side of King PELHAM /
from which he suffered many years. till GaIahad 1
healed him in the quest Of the SangreaI by touch
ing the wound with the blood which flowed from
the spear
These the folklore elements in wagner's !
"Parsifal" 1t is plain that they might have been
wrought into drama substantially like that which 4
was the poet-composers last gift 70 art without
loss of either dignity beauty Then his drama /
would have been like goriied fairy pay imposins.
and or gracious loneliness and there would have /
been nothing TO quarrel about. But Wagner was
philosopher of sort. and a sincere believer IN /
the idea that the theatre might be made TO occupy
the same place in the modern world that il did in
the classic 1t was to replace the Church and teach
by direct preachments as we'll as alIesor,, The J
philosophical notions which he thought essential 20
the salvation of humanity. For the chief of these
ne went to that system of philosophy which rests
on the idea that the world is to he redeemed bv
hesaton or the will To live. the Conduering of all
desire-that the highest happiness is the achieve
ment of Nirvana, nothingness This concsption
mas It's highest expression in the auetisnl and In
diHerentSm OF the old Brahmanc religion off such
II can ne caIIedl. in which holiness was TO he oh
talheu oN speculative contemplation which seems
20 l' "'e Gui''eSsence of selhshnCss. In the re-
FORMED brahmanism called Buddhism there an
peared along with the old principle of selFeras,,r
a compassionate sympathy for others Ascsticisy,,
was not put ASIDE but regulated and ordered
wrought INTO communal system II ,ros
puseu OF some OF It's sefshness by appreciation az
W 'vieSs OF compassionate love as exemplifed
1" the NE OF Cakya-Auni and those Iabors which
made him one OF the many redec,ners on, -, /
oi Whlch Hindu literature is full Son,atbtr,- - /
ms "as tN'deh'N In the mind Of Wagner as Ions, /