Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-06-13
Prof. Shedd's Lectures on History.
A. B. WHITING

Andover, Mass, June +th.
Mn. EDIroR:-lt will doubtless be pleasant to
the friend, Of the University Of Vt, to learn that
Prof, Shedd has given to the public his Introductory
course Of lectures in his department Of History
To that large class Of young men, who have listened
to his instruction at the University, these lectures
will be both a guide and stimulant in the study Of
'this most comprehensive Of the Sciences The
theory which he gave to u. then, in his of-hnudlec-
lures, from the old yellow armed-chair, is here fully
and briefly brought out. He characteristics history
as a process Of deveiopment, which, like any legitimate
development, is marked by the necessary the natural,
and the organic connection of its parts. Thus re-
moving history out of tle sphere of the chronicle, he
makes it a ,~cisnce-which investigates not the mere
form of facts, but the steps of process. On this
point he says;
Again, is not history like any other organic de-
velopment, characterised by an inward and increas-
ing movement Is there any stagnation, or immo-
bility init Seize the process of human life at any
point you please, and do you not find it stirring
like a force, ard beating like a pulse' Even the
most externally motionless period, has its fierce pas
sions and intense emotions. The darkest Of tho
dark ages. the more it is studied, the more is it seen
to have a human interest. The most stagnant stra-
tum Of the Dead sea undulates. 1t has been said
that the savage has no history that there is in this
form Of society only a dead monotony, uneulivened
by the play Of the human feelings, and the struggle
of huuan passions. But this is not SO. As, accord
ing to DR.. johnson, the biography of the most un-
important individual on the globe, if fully written
out so that the life would appear just and full, as
it was, would overflow with interest and entertain
ment for all men, so the real everyday life Of
even a savage horde would be an addition to Uni
versal History which would awaken earnest atten.
ton. What a charm and a light would be thrown
over the carly history Of Greece and Rome if a suit
able account Of one or more branches of that Pelascic
racc-thut sar1gc source of 90 the Teauty that was
Greece, AMI the Grandeur that was Rome, " should
be discovered among the manuscripts Of a cloister."
The student who reads this little book will find it
full of nervous thoughts on a subject which is sell
dom treated in this original and al man
ner.
The friends of Professor shedd will be glad to
learn that he has just published a volume Of Essays
and Addresses, including his celebrated paper on
original Sin. Jp.K
VI. Eifor-Whcro is Gov. Fletcher's decliu.-
ton ; As l know that it was written May Slst, and
forwarded to the Committee early in the present
week, l am curious to know why the Committee
don't publish it,
Is there no newspapers Franklin county
Burlington, June 9Th. SUBSCRIBER.
We have seen a letter of Mr.. Fletcher 10
"a Subscriber, in which he said he had sent
his declination to Messrs. Jeptha Bradley and
[. II, Penniman, the Committee who notified
HIM of his appointment. Why they keep 1t
out of the papers is lest known to themselves
we surnose.