The Cross im Tradition, History, and Art. By, the. Rev.
William Wood Seyineur,.; With' Illustrations: G. P. Putuarna -So= 31s. 641)--4217thbv comprehensive and- interesting-work the late Mr. Seymour-has-collected- agreat:sleal of information on the .subject, and given it to-us in a-very-readable form::. -He -takes these words of St. Augustine's as the keynote-of his first .chapter, and the idea runs through. the, book —"What ie, now called-the Christian religion has :existed among the _ancients; and' was not absent from the beginning of the human race until Christ came into the flesh, from- whic.htitne. the true religicer, _which _existed .alrettclY, Vegan_ te..be called hristiart." And Mr.- Seymour r,goes on to say that the "symbol of the Christian 'creed and hope has- beefr.recog- nised as, sacred in the very earliest records of antiquity." The cross often appears en Egyptian inscription andmonume.nts, and the chief triad -of. gods, Ita, Anion-Aa, and Anion, arealways shown holding the Tau cross. On high "festivals the. p,riests:: and- ,wonthippers partook" of a sacred eake`impressetwith a cross. In Greece, too, the same kind of sacrificial cake was offered to the gods, and it is said to have. been Introduced by •Cecrops, tvlio;acoording to some writers, came from- Egypt; Mr. Seymour poiiitt- out the connection between these cakes. and- our crossbar's.- -A--sym- bolical meaning is also connected with the cross in Asia, and it is constantly found among the prehistoric remains in Europe and in America.. Queen Semiramis-is-said-to have first used the cross-as an instrument of death, but the tradition is so vague that it is hardly fair to accuse her of-it. -The-chapters on the early Christian legends relating 'to the -cross are 'interesting, particularly that on rood screens, Of which 'the rfdnibolisni is in some cases very elaberate. Durandus gives the-church- at Cleve, in Soniersetshire, as a notable iiisThanee of this eYaibollini. Mr. Seymour touchesn the historical side of the preaching and- 'market crosses in which England -is so rich; ea-wends on the wayside and churchyard crosseit. We cannot do=moie than call4tir-readere attention to IheOlavters on pictorial and ornaniental-ClOises,- and on the cross in heraldry. The book is fall of --iihiStrationic-Many of them photographs and reproductions of old woodetrts, and these add much to theinterest of the volume.
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