The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-31

was broken even In those days and to
any but the eyes OF the faithful it was
to its historic and religious associations
rather than to its beauty as a work OF
art that its great fame was attributed.
Its history was, however, most pic
turesque and its antiquity was never
disputed even when Its merits as work
OF art began to be questioned.
When in ll01 the crusaders under
Baldwin l. penetrated the mosque Of
Cesarea, the ancient temple OF Herod.
they found a wonderful green tinted
octagonal dish which was then believed
to have been fashioned out OF a single
emerald. A century later James dc
Voragine. Archbishop of Genoa, the
author Of the Golden Legend, declared
the vessel to be without doubt the Holy
Grail. According TO the Archbishop's
chronicles the victors OF Cesarea had
divided the war booty into three parts.
The first comprised all the land Of the
city. the second all movable treasure
and merchandise and the third was the
emerald dish. The Genoese crusaders
under Guglielmo Embrace chose the
latter as more valuable than all the
other spoils. Since the thirteenth CEN
fury the grail became the most
venerated relic OF Genoa. II was pre-
served with the most reverent care in
the Chapel OF ST. John the Baptist Of
the San Lorenzo Cathedral. guard
OF honor selected from the most noble
Genoese families was formed for It's
protection. The severest penalties were
imposed for touching the grail with Q
touchstone or any other object.
It was the popular belief that the
vessel was not made by the hand OF
man, but that Christ himself had FASH
Toned II miraculously out of common
clay on the day OF the Supper Others
maintained the view that its origin
dated back TO the times of the Queen
of Sheba. 1t was asserted that she
presented II as the most precious girt
among all her treasures 70 King SOLO
mon in Jerusalem, by whom 1t was used
in the ceremony Of the Paschal Lamb.
However much opinion differed as re-
CARDS the origin and composition OF the
relic, there was no divergence on the
point that the grail was the most priced
possession OF the mighty republic, nay
the greatest treasure in all Christen-
dom. Sceptics did not dare TO raise
, their voices until the eighteenth CEN
fury, when some French visitors. on
close lNsptNllOH' Cldliiltu W HoNO NV
covered air bubbles in the CLASSY sub
stance OF the basin.
Napoleon did not overlook the Grail
OF Genoa. He ordered It TO be con-
veyed to the Cabinet Of Antiquities OF
the National Library in Paris. A spe-
cial committee was then appointed Of
members of the French Institute OF
| Sciences, and they, after prolonged ex-
animation. declared the vessel 10 con-
/ s.st OF mere colored glass OF very little
| intrinsic value,
When Naroleon's spoils, after his
Anal defeat, were returned again to
their rightful owners the grail was, ~
| 1915, restored 10 its shrine in the Cattle
| dral OF Genoa but much OF it's mSSts>'
atmosphere had VANISHED, never 10 re-
turn. Lately the view was almost uni
versally accepted that although the eS-
treme antiquity OF the dish was not
dlsputed-it is now said TO be OF old
Oriental, probably Phnnician, origin
II had never been employed as table
utensi, but had probably served as
priests hand rinsing basin or an q
sacrificial vessel for casting fragrant
substances upon the altar.