Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-03-29

nea and Leuctra, perishing in the midst Of victory
and that Thebes, without him, relapsed into her ORR
ginal nsignifcance. Well, this NEARLY the amour,
of what compends say gives really an admirable
notion OF one of the most Incompatible men tina,
ever lived Or take any other 'shining period Of
human affairs, and tell it TO without the details
that give il life, express its individuality lend true
instruction its facts through their causes and mo-
lives, and what will it all be but acquiring at much
trouble what was not worth recoleeting
The business, then, of him who composes histo
ry is to give all the facts essential to each event it.
self remarkable. More than this encumbers the
narrative, and renders it difficult to trace through i
the efficient facts; less thant his fails, on the oppo
site side, still more fatally.
In truth, we at present recall no example Of
an abridgment capable of teaching any history, ex.
cept the finely-conceived performances of Gold
smith, who may be said to be the only abbreviaor
that ever had the genius TO see how alone works Of
his sort could be made to serve their purpose. Oh
his method, his Roman History is the best example.
In that, he attempts not to play the annast and to
give regular narrative; but seizes, instead, the
striking events of each period presents them in the
velies manner; and thus carries forward the whole
Roman story by series of brilliant pictures, that
stamp themselves for ever on the mind.
AS well, we have always thought, get Blair's
Chronology, or LIE age's really Las Cases's) Atlas,
or g Lart de verfer les dates by heart, and call
that history, as expect to get it in this way. As
well look on geological map OF the world, trace
out the different formations, find that this is prm-
tive, that secondary, &c., and study the catalogue of
mineral and fossil substances which each affords,
knowing all the while nothing of mineralogy, che
mstry, or comparative anatomy, and then call your
self geologist, as study history in this way. Do
you know any the more for having learnt that such
and such events have occurred, or that such and
such substances found in certain places, when
you neither comprehend the events nor know what
the substances arei
An utter perversion is this system of getting
history any thing else without knowledge
of its details-the whole without its parts. There
be, by such means distinct dea useful knowledge
But since of history especially that speaking
let add that conpends have but value, application
teach those who ignorant Of parcuars-that Of
they debut refresh and systematic the
collection of those who have already made themselves familiar
with the details In the existing practice Of education the
process is precisely the
We may be asked whether them large histories be
used in schools, voluminous they are
The is, FIRST of personal you teach
nothing, except for examination days. the manner you
pursue But people study for the purposes of life for
school exhibitions only if this the best mode of teaching his
tory that is feasible, better let it alone and teach something
else that you can teach.
But secondly, you will teach Herodotus Thucyddes and
Putach in Greek history Livy and Tacitus Roman you
will impar your pupils great fund of real historical know
ledge; and if you have manage modern times in
the way you will at least have put them in condition
follow up and complete the study in the years of leisure that
almost always succeed the quitting schools To be candid
must add that modern history wide and complex it is is
scarcely to be adequately managed in school, fit for col
leges only, perhaps.
Whether be right wrong, two things must be confess
ed that for the young history is study of almost unva
led importance and that young folks of either
deporaby ignorant Of it, These facts alone abundanty
betoken the necessity Of an entire change of method.