The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-03-23
Books And Manuscripts Be.
lieVed To Be Hidden
New York. Herald)

New York Herald)
Frederic Harrison, veteran writer
and positivist philosopher has made a
lifelong study of Byzantium "Teo-
piano. his historical novel, deals
with the fall of Constantinople, and
is, indeed, very much more than a his
torical romance, being actually his
tory of the period written by an author
saturated with his subject.
Mr.. Harrison is anxiously awaiting
the fall of Contantinope. He believes
that treasures of the past exist in the
city, hidden since the time of the con-
quest by the Turks, that will amaze
the world when they are brought to
light. Already, Mr.. Harrison remarks,
some of the objects discovered in the
city by the Golden Horn surpass any
thing else in Europe, while the Serpent
Column in the Hippodrome in Constan-
tinople is unique.
1t was on the 29th day of May, 1453,
that, after one of the most famous sieg-
es in history, Constantinople surren-
dered to the Turkish conqueror, the
Sultan Mohammed II (Mohamed eliza
thu The beautiful city had twice pre-.
viously been captured, once by the
Venetians and the second time by the
Crusaders.
After the Islamic conqueror had en-
tered Constantinople in triumph, fol-
lowing combined land and sea attack
incredible barbarities were committed
by the Turks--barbarities commensur-
ate with their anger at the long delay
they had been obliged to suffer. There
had been the celebrated triple walls
to storm, with a broad moat and with
8 towers. The brave Greek Emperor
Constantine XI (Palaeologos) died in
the thick OF the fighting, and the Turks
poured in over his corpse to plunder
and devastate his capital. The for.
tunes of war had gone against the de-
tenders almost from the beginning The
Byzantines were commanded by a
Genoese nobleman, Clan Giustiani, who
was badly wounded early in the fight
ing, and whose loss proved severe
blow. No detailed story of the terri
BILE siege and its still more terrible Sc
quel was ever written.
The cultivation OF the world, it must
be remembered, was centered in Con-
stantinople-the old tradition, the old
learning. To considerable extent
scholarship, it is true, had run to seed,
but there were many Greeks who read
the ancient language. Had all these
scholars been killed by the Turks
there would have been no Renaissance
1t was the survivors among them and
their predecessor who fled to Italy and
who, carrying with them many pre-
cious manuscripts, took the ancient
learning to the West.
How much did they leave behind ?
Expedition after expedition was sent
from Italy when learning had become
fashionable, financed by the wealthy
Princess of the Italian States. Few
scholars returned empty handed, sc
rich, so marvelously rich, was the
mine to be worked. There were not
only ancient manuscripts but gems
statues, art objects of every descrip
tion.
There had, in the ninth century
been well-defined movement among
the Greeks of Constantinople to revive
Hellenic or, rather Hellenistic culture
Leo the Philosopher, Constantine Por
phyrogenitus, Sobaeus, Photius ant
Suidus were the leaders of the move
ment. The debt that scholarship owes
to these men Is very great. Had 1t moi
been for their revival of the old learn
ing the flame might very probably have
disappeared entirely. These Greeks
indeed, played similar part to tha
which, In another direction, was playet
by the monks of the West in preserv
ing historic records.
There is no doubt that when tn,
Turks entered Constantinople the In
habitants concealed their principa
treasures. Now, it would appear. Con
stantiLople is about to be captured
again, this time by the forces of Grea
Britain, France and Russia. The posi-
bilities in the way of discovery in thu
ancient city are fascinating, Th'
Turks cannot have destroyed every
thing. Indeed, as soon as the Caliph'
secured their conquests they becam,
patrons of art and literature. Greel
manuscripts We're eagerly sought ant
translated into Arabic, and colleges
and libraries arose, The Royal Ii
brary of the Patimites, In Africa, Il
said to have possessed 100000 manu-
scripts. and those collected by thu