New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
In Spite of Odds

In Spite of Odds
1t was said above that the para
mount fact about the Rumanian
nation is the preservation. in the
face of tremendous odds and
through nearly two thousand wears.
OF the Latin heritage handed down
by the soldiers and colonists of
Rome. The force of national indi-
vlduallty which made this UNIQUE
feat possible (it should be recalled
that Romanism has not survived in
places where it was comparatively
much better sheltered expressed it.
self historically in the tendency to
reunlte under one sovereignty the
lands comprised within the bound
aries of ancient Dacia. This ten
dency furnishes the proverbial red
thread that runs through Rumanian
history; 1t animates all the great
leaders Of the race up to our verv
day when at last its crowning sue
cess has been achieved. The idea of
Rumania irredenta antedates the
ltahan version by several centuries:
Rumanlan unity was the leit-motif
OF the princes of Muntenia and MOI
davia many hundred years before
the ideal OF German unity resurged
from the forgotten ruins Of the
Hohenstauf empire.
In the field of art this same exu-
Derant racial vitality demonstrated
itself by welding into a distinctive
entity number of varieeated ex-
ternal elements and influences: By
zantine, Gothic, Polish, Russian.
Bulgarian, Serb, Turkish. Venetian
even Arab and Armenian. Most re-
markable is the fusion of these heter-
ogeneous ingredients in novel re-
sultant that is Enthusiastically ind
vlduai and Rumanian in the domain
of architecture The exigencies Of
humanlan history produced a tvpi-
cal expression Of constructive renius
IN series Of monasteries which
built during the centuries of Turkish
wars, were at once fortresses and
places Of worship, rocks Of refuee
for the population routed bv the
oaroarous invaders. as well as CEN
ters of learning and repositories Of
artistic culture.
Surrounded bv Wall,
These monasterics, writes Marie
nongesco' Were encircled by forti-
lied walls, behind which were
grouped the buildings necessary for
the double life, religious and civic.
that unfolded within; cel's fcr the
monks, treasure vaults. refsetcra<
private chapels, apartments fo- .es
prince and sleeping quarters for the
people. In the center Of the in
closure stood the church. USUALLY
simple structure but of elegant
lines, with well proportioned spires
and turrets.
Princes, boyars, the common peo-
pie themselves, endowed these mon
asterles magnifcently When the
enemy attacked thither they fled:
when their hearts were stricken with
grief or their bodies wearied in the
struggle Of this world. in the midst
OF these holy places they sought re
pose and oblivion. They offered to
God the best and the most beautiful
of that which art could create
lkons vested in gold and silver. mag
curtains for the portals of
the lconstase, inscriptions upon
tablets embroidered with rich silks.
strings of pearls on gold and silver
thread; manuscripts with costly IL
jeweled crosses. crosses
covered with precious relief work
representing the sufferings Of Christ.
censers and beautiful lamps. richly
Our greatest princes of the ff-
teenth and seventeenth centuries Gov
cred Waliachia, Moldavia and Buko-
vina with monasteries and churches:
IN Bessarabia mostly fortified castles
were built"
Most Famous Monastery
Most famous of these ancient
monasteries is that of Curtea-de-
Argesh, in Wallachia, with cathe-
dral in neo-Byzantine style dating
from the seventeenth century. It's
most interesting feature, perhaps.
consists in a couple Of turrets. ris-
ing above the entrance and provided
with very narrow helicold windows
that give the turrets strange
clHnt1nc annanro ,,co