IF WE WERE GREEKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 82

IF WE WERE GREEKS.

Bt Cokstan-cb Clyde.

It has been the custom among certain cultured people to sigh for the good old days of Greece, and to put that country on a high plane a'3 regards simplicity and high thinking. It might be interesting to stroll through a modern English city and wonder what changes would occur, and how it would realiy look if a Hellenic revival took place and the populace were actuated by Greek instead of Saxon ideals. Many differences would be noted. For instance,, in going through the richer quarters of the town, say (of London) Park Lane, one would be astonished to see an array of pheasants', plovers', or peacocks' feathers strewn outside the pavement of some wealthy parvenu's house. This was the Grecian manner of proclaiming to the public what dishes had been oaten at the banquet overnight. Probably it was quite excusable in an age which boasted not the society press ; yet we are glad that the real elite of Greece during the period when this custom was known laughed at the ostentation of these nouveaux riches. Leaving this wing and feather strewn parts of the road, however, we look round on the suburbs and are struck with amazement; foi the gardens have disappeared. A great deal has been said concerning the Greeks' love of beauty; but it is rarely realised, as Ruskin pointed out, that with them utility ranked far above appearance. Thus, as l Mahaffy points out, the Greek "suburbanite" did not hide his kitchen garden in the background, but placed it boldly in front, friends making their way to visit him through the admired odours of onions and garlic. Possibly, boweA-er, the admirer of Hellenism would be equally shocked on entering the house, for there, if the right Greek period were 'revived, he might see among nobler forms of art that special abomination of the Victorian, age—Wax flowers under a case ; for these were household ornaments hundreds of years ago, associated though they are in our minds with the nineteenth century. A great deal is being said just now regarding the censorship of plays and the fitness of certain musichall songs for the public ear. If the Hellenic revival really took place we might fee surprised to notice that it would be the music, not the words, that would be carefully censored. It was held by the Greeks that certain melodies were in themselves demoralising, anything in the majol- scale being specially taboo. We might imagine our chief magistrate, therefore, clear ing the court before trying over some new tune to see whether "it were fit for the barrel organs. Certain is it that the "Merry Widow" waltz would have to be played in secret—a musical orgie forbidden by the law. There are other amusements, however, over which our Hellenised legislation would exercise control. Thus the number of times a citizen might go to a theatre were regulated, and, given modern conditions, a true analogy would be the peregrinations of our chief magistrate round the city to inspect the theatre queues and take away in Black Maria those that had visited the theatre already that week. The police magistrate's duties would increase, greatly with this Hellenic revival. In quite English days he had merely to sit in the court and cases were brought to him. Now the whole city is his police court, .and he must go out and catch his criminals as well as judge them. During the evening, again (if the right Hellenic age is chosen), lie jroes round to dinner parties to see if the host has gone beyond the limit which the law allows in the matter of guests, for this Hellenic ideal, like others in the past, does not wait till you have committed a misdemeanour in ordeir to set the law in motion against you. It presumes that if certain temptations are put in your way you will certainly succumb. One of these temptations* is an over-abundance of guests, so if these prove too many, one is peremptorily ordered to go home. One pictures a dinner party if, say, Bernard Shaw were selected 'by the police magistrate as the one most likely to cause too much mirth and therefore ordered home. Women under the Hellenic revaval would find their powers much curtailed. In Greek times the good wife stayed within doors; her places of amusement, for instance, were iimited, tragedies being permitted her at the theatres, but comedies never. She had her compensations, however, for frequently the husband took over the business of housekeepino- and went out to the markets accompanied bv his man servant. Girls in Hellenic times married very young, scvoung, indeed, that the real eligible parti was he who could teach bis bride everythincr and oromise to do so gently. Ihe ianorant and highly unaccomplished wife was very much in demand at a certain period of Greek history. Not very exceptional was the gentleman who informed his son-in-law that he had decided out of compliment to that future relative not to teach his daughter anything, so that he miqrht acquaint her with such studies as he himself cared for. The economically-minded father of England might very well like to get out of school and college fees and earn a reputation for delicacy at the same time if only this Hellenic revival which has been imagined really took place. He mi<dxt find disadvantage as well as advantage in the Greek system, a*, if hisdaughter did not marry I*. would have to support her always, no woman above the working classes ever having any interests or any occupations outside heir own doors.