Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-07


tant and filed larger space in the narratives than the
theories Of which those facts might be deemed the expo
nents but in modern times it would that the
is the case and history has degenerated into philosph
cal writing politics, religion, society, and art
while the facts few and sparse, swallowed up by
food of common-places IN which they appear, like the
shipwrecked mariners Of Eneas
&c. rari nantes in gurgite yaso."
French scholars, might have been expected are the
noted the width and wldness of their historical
concentrations Whatever subject the Frenchman nvcs
gates he Immediately subjects to this OF condesa
ton he would ain render knowledge portable, and
duce the se to a few easily remembered and
pendious formula; the aims to do for the sciences
what Luhn does for peumeries by reducing them to the
most concentrated the French historian says
Mchelet-hmself of the most sprghty and eloquent
of his countrymenoves collect facts from abroad, in
order afterwards subject them to the examination Of
his individual sense and perception. And it is in such
processes as this that the French eynce what NJ Guzo
calls the distinguishing attribute and pcerogatye of their
genus-to ecundate and viyify of Heterogeneous
facts and details in SCIENCE history, and criticism The
story Of thu who replied when told that the facts Of
certain period did coincide with his theory Of their
causaton ant pas pour les fats so much the worse for
the facts could have been told with equal degree
of prdiseUasce respecting any other than Frenchman
The French critics. says Sir James Stephen being pledged
discover the absolute perfection of dramatic genius in
Corneie, Racine, and Moiere the contamination of wit
and taste in Boeau and the refinement Of graceful
pleasantly in La Fontane maintain that the secret OF the
unrvaed beauty of them all consists in the sagaciy with
which they grasp universal truths and the precision with
which they express them We quote the passage in illus
ion of the French fondness for such wide generaza
! TONS oven in their literary critiques.
While highly appreoiating the philosophy Of history as
useful adjunct and supplement to narrative history, we
not of the number who greatly admire those phoso
phcal histories in which the author is perpetua teasing
with his lucubratons instead of giving facts We
would rather make theory from the facts than
feel that following the guidance of to whom
the facts of history only secondary to favorte
hypothesis and BESIDES have patience with those
clarvoyant historians who pretend resolve into their
constituent elements the moral sentiments and motives by
which the subjects of their narrative actuated in any
given circumstances If the secrets of any single
bosom battle the keenest human sagacity, how may
hope to penetrate the mysteries of those great social
changes in the production of which the wills of myrads
if not of Millions of independent agents were concur
rng The philosophy of history be best elucidaed
we think in series Of projections after the of Sir
james Stephen, in his dsqustlons French history 1t
supposed that the reader is acquainted with the great
external facts of which France has been the theatre and
connection which unite the various pochs of French his
tory and to penetrate far possible into the
springs of human actions In this the student of
history not at called upon TO learn the fact and
ceve the commentary of the historian, but after
ter induction of facts approaches the consideration of
the entire subject from higher stand point and with
special reference to its philosophical examination The
philosophy of history says author must be better
han much improbable dogmatsm to him who does not
know what the facts of history Truth viii
her vital and prolific energy except in minds which
accumulated digested and arranged the premises
rom which truth is be inferred the philosophy
history make objection but protest against that
popular style of historical composition which is phoso
phca the exclusion Of the facts upon which all sound
historical philosophy must be ultimately founded We
prefer to read Frossar Philip de Confines who makes
at spectators Of his simple and dramatic action
rather than be entertained by philosophical reflections
and moral observations that bear about the relation
narrative the homes chorus bear to the
drift of the play in Greek tragedy In perusing such
histories those last described feel much like the We
nerabe old lady who, after reading copy Of Bunyans
Pilgrims Progress, with scotts practical annotaons re
marked that she understood the whole book except the
notes"
That there is such thing in embryo as the Science
of History" is question respecting which entertain
doubt; but that the time has for this science to
be written is point that may be, think safely denied
few years ago the science Of Chemistry ag
gomeration Of ncoherent facts and it until the
great laws Of chemical combination were discovered in the
principle of definite and multiple proportions that this
most interesting branch Of human knowledge the
dignity and Importance Of legitimate science 1t seems
to exceedingly irrational and improbable that the
of history controlled by blind fate chance and
while making all due reservation for the free agency and
caprice Of the individual and social man. incline be-
eye that the development of history is subject laws
peculiar to ITSELF but which, for the present. destined
to elude the sagacty of the scientific investigator The
science Of history in conception is to be fully
and satisfactorily written in this world the great
problem Of eternal providence be truly solved until
the last syllable Of recorded time shall have furnished
its quota of significance TO the yet unfinished volume
history History, we are persuaded has its law: and
this law is the harmony of the universe but its seat
is the blossom Of God" The worlds story composes
plot intricate in its characters anddeta that he must
be keen specutt who has already caught the drift Of
the narrative and ventures to predict the denouement
Our readers will perceive that according principles
expressed the science of history becomes rather the
illogical than philosophical 1t allegory of the
heather poets that the highest link Of Natures chain
needs be tied to the foot of Jupiters chair and
surely it may be safely presumed that If there diyi
nifty that shapes ends the tangled complicated and
apparently divergent threads which compose web Of
history may yet be tied the throne Of Him who seeth
the from the bepinninr and regards not