The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-25
From hs Ns,c York Courier and Enquirer.
MIR. webster's Address before the Historical


The object OF your Association, gehlleiiie1'
like that of others of similar character, IS high
" important Historical societies are anNIlla'
ry 10 historical compositions They collect the
material from which the great narrative OF
events is in due time to be framed The
transactions OF public bodies, local histories,
memoirs of all kinds, statistics laws, ordl-
pances. public debates and discussions works
of periodical literature, and the public journals.
whether of political events, Of commerce, lite
nature, OF The arts. all find their places IN the
collections of historical societies. But these
collections are not history they are only ele
ments for history. History is higher name. and
imports literary productions OF the FIRST order
1t is presumptuous IN me, whose labors and
studies have been So long devoted 10 other Oh
lects to speak in the presence of those whom
see before me, Of the dignity and importance
OF history, IN It's Just sense; and yet ma plea
sure in breaking in upon the course OF daily pur
suits and indnlging for n time IN reflections upon
topics of literature, and in the remembrance oi the
great examples OF historic art. Wel written his
tory must always be The result OF genius and taste,
as well as OF attainment II stands next to Epic
poetry in the proiuc tons OF the human mind. II
il requires less of invention than that, il Is not be
hind il in dignity and importance. The power OF
the Epic consists III the narrative Of real or sup
posed events and the representa- ton OF real, or at
east natural characters; and history in its nobleSt
examples, IL an account Of occurrences IN which
great events re comlne Inorated and stingu
men appear as gents and actors. Epic poetry and
the drama are but narratives-the former partly
and the latter wholly in the form of dialogue; but
their characters and percentages are usually the
creations of the Imagination
Severe history sometimes assumes the dialogue
or dramatic form aud, without departing from
truth, is embeiiished by supposed coloqules or
speeches, in the production Of that great master
Titus Livius, or that greater master still, lhucy-
dides
The drawing Of characters. consistent with gene
raj truth and fidelity is violation of historical
accuracy ii is only an illustration or ornament.
w hen Livy ascrlbes an appropriate speech toone
of his historical persona e5 II ID only ne II he had
portrayed the same character IN language pro.
irssediy las own. Lord Ciarcndon's prrsen tatlYn
in his words, OF the character Of Lord Falk-
land, OF the highcs and most suct essul efforts
OF personal description, Is hardly different from
v hat il would have been if he had put Ia to the
mouth OF Lord Falkland speech exhibiting the
qualities OF the mind and the heart the same
opinions. and the same attachments. Homer de
scribes the actions ol persona (which II not real,
are so agined as 10 he cOnformable 10 the gene
raj characteristics OF men Ia the heroic ages. II his
relation be not historically true, 1t Is such, never
theess, as, making due allowance for poetical EN-
btllishmcnt, might have been trnc. And IN Mil
tons great Epic, which Is almost entirely made
up OF narratives and speeches there rs nothing re-
pugnant 10 the general conception which We iorm
ol the characters oi those whose aeutlments and
conduct he portrays.
But history. white II illustrates md adurns.
fines itself facts, and To the narrative ~ actual
events. Ii Is not far from truth To say, that well
written and classic history Is the epic Of real
life. IL places the actions OF men IN AN attractive
aud interesting light; rejecting what ls improper
aud superuous, il fills its picture with real, just.
and we'll drawn images.
And the dignity OF history consists in reciung
eycnts with truth and accuracy. and in presenting
audi In a,la and
partial light The fret element In history, there
fore, il ruthfunc5s md this truthfulness must be
presented in concrete form. Classical history is not
u memoir. Its not rude collection OF acts, occur
rences and dates IL adopts nothing that not true,
bat then IL does not embrace ali minor truths and
ali MINOR transactions IL IL n composition, pro-
ducton, which has unity Of design like work OF
statuary or OF painting and keeps constantly IN view
great end or result lis parts, therefore, are To
be properly adjusted and well proportional. The
historian 10 artist true 10 fact other artists
10 nature, and though he may sometimes EN-
belhsh, he never misrepresents he may occa-
slOnaly, perhaps color too highly, but the truth lie
sull Visible through the lghts and shades. Ihis
unity of design seems essential TO all great pro-
ductions. With all the variety oi the Had, Ho
msr kept the wrath of Achilles and it, conse-
quences alWays IN view when he sang Of the
exploits OF other hcfoos. they were silently subor
dinBted TO the son 81 lhcts, Sui more rcmsrka
bic DE- the unity variety Of the Odyssey, the
character Of which - much more complicated, but
all the psrts are Rrtiuliy ada pied TO each other
ana tnCy have common centre OF interest ana aC-
ton, tho great end icing the restoration Oi Ulysses
t. bic native Ithaca. Virgil, IN the -fneid, sang
OF nothing but To man and lld artr, ~ hO brought
the Troian gods 10 Italy. and laid the foundation
II the imperi1 wallis u Rome and Milton OF no
thing but
"Mlu's fret disobediencc. and the fruit
81 that forbidden tree, shose mortal taste
Brought death into the world"
And 10, beet historical product ons 81 ancient aud
Of modem litucs have been Wntteu 9th equal
tisHty 60 one leading thought or purp0se.
IL bls been said by Lord Bolingbrok, that "his.
tory j. philosophy teaching by example aud, be
Tor. BohngbrJke, >uaksp'ur" has said
There b. a history in alb meme lives,
Figuring the nature ct ihe tunes deceased.
The which Ob.ers'd. a man may prophecy,
With near ann, q the main chance IT tbipgs,
a. yet not come o. lite, which % their
Sreis, and weak beginnings, lIs cntrsaaufsi
Such things become toe hatch and brood 81 time
And, ly tbo u"s,.fary iofin oi THE,
King Richard might create "a perfect gusEs
That great northumberland, then false Co MIN.
Would Of that seed grow 10 a greater isla,nes-,
which shouId bot fad q ground 30 rect upon,
Unless you.
Are these things then uCCcssIuca.
Then lrt uB meet th6m like mere -sitIss."
And a wiser man than either Bobugbroks Of
Shak spear. bas DECLARED:
"Thc thing mat hath been, u ID that which shal
De-; and dat which s done. b. thst Win shall b,
done; and there j. DO new thing under the sun
Tbe-c 90 yings AZ jUst, and they proceed upJr
The idea THAT TIE esscHtial Charactcristcs 81 human
nature are the FfIu' 'trryVbtrc. and IN All age.
This dOubtl,s. 10 true; and so lar history pre-
ssnts the qualities bnd prupenEitics 81 humau ma
tore 81 dyss teach BY example. BylingJrOkc aide
with remarkable ppwcr ~ expression, "that the
school Of example D. tLc world, and h. great mss
ters or rutr- are hIstory and experience"
But the hasa. ter u man much ynfics, from
agc T. age, boil 90 bic individual and collective ca
pdcity, there CONES such change 81 cirCum
stanccs, ~ many ucW objects u desire and aver
SION and - many new and powerful mOuvcs SPRING
up boz bic rlind, shat the conduct ri men, boz 90,
age or under enc statc u circumstances j. no fur
and precise indication II what will be their con
duct whom umos and circumstance alter; - tia
tie example Of the past, before 1t can become
useful instructor e. The present. must be reduced
elementary principles 10 human nature. freed IRON
the Influence Of como itiOns which were temporary
and have changed, and applied 90 the came prin
,Iples under new relations, with different degree
u knOwledgc. and the impulEss arising from to-
altered state " things. a savagc has the passion
of ambition, revenge, love, aud glory; and ambi
t1n aud .oyc, rcyrngc and the hope Oi fcn0wn, are
alec elements IN the character 81 civilized HE bu
the development II thrsc passions, 30 state u bar
bansm, hardly Instrurts Us as 60 the manner Do
which they will exhibit thcmsclycs m a cultivated
period ui sYrIsiys
And ~ isUi r'ig.uua sentiment and feeling