The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-11
5osed not an indefinite choice but simply II,

posed not an indefinite choice but simply nm
alternate curriculum. SIS e.,.ts
: The report was received and the. commit
tee discharged :
s,.,.s., NIGHT SESSION.
! The Association convened in the Baptist
church, where a irge and Intelligent au-
diencc greeted them. After prayer by Rev.
Dr.. kirkpatrick; Of Lexington, Colonel Viii
liam Preston Johnston, Washington and
Lee University, proceeded to address the
audience.
ADDRESS OF COLONEL WILLIAM PRESTON JOHN
sToN, OF WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY,
ON s.sTHE PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF TIE
STUDY OF HISTORY IN SCHEME OF LIBERAL.
EDUCATION"
He first considered the question, "What is
History ?"N BY a comparison of the views of
eminent writer's he showed the contradiction
in their definitions, and gave as his own
definition, "History is mans true record of
whatever is general, important, and asccr-
tanned in The living past of humanity"
He then proceeded to verify this definition
by first considering the widest possible meal-
ing that can be attached TO the term History.
pointing to that record of all the past of hui
manity, that absolute history, which is con-
tanned in the Book of Life alone. He then
tooka narrower view Of history as mans re-
cord of man, contrasting the slender threads
of human narrative first with the range of
absolute history, and then with the possibility
of human acquisition. He rejected from its
sphere all that is trivial and merely personal !;
all that cannot be used as an element in the
development Of society, OF man, or as sym.
Dol for some great moral fact, or as q factor
in the elimination of truth.
He Disseminated history from its auxiliary
sciences, and especially from those physical
sciences that do not touch the spiritual na-
ture, of which history is the record. History
says this was, but it also says this is. If Il
fact has perished it belongs to the archaolo-
gy, if it is perishable TO antiquities, while the
legacies of history have a perennial bloom.
History must at last define itself by the
standard of the permanent, the important,
and the general. 1t is always series OF
generaizatious. 1t is by this division that
biography is set apart from history. which it
aids, illustrates. and vcrifes. It is ut once
the mother and interpreter Of history. But
there is u life of society apart from the lives
of its members, so that we must say with
Arnold "that history is the biography of a
society,""
It, position is central in the circle of hu.
moIn knowledge because it is the interpreta.
ton of man, the central figure of creation.
We must discriminate between it and the
tangent, intersectinS, and included provinces
of knowledge. These auxiliary sciences are
the handnmidens of the queenly daughter oi
Memory.
But the most essential criterion of history
is its truth. All forms of the unreal, whether
fiction, or Justification. or fable, must be re.
jected from the limits Of history.
History, rs human record partakes Of
the error and falIibility of mans nature; blil
resting chiefly uEou human testimony, an(
having for Il principal purpose the moral guli
dance of men, its decisions are based upor
the prcpondcrance Of probabilities.
Still, there are many facts which are Ger
tain. TO narrate these and their attendan
circumstances and set upon them Il mora
value are among the offices of history.
The speaker then proceeded to divide tn
debatable ground between history and flb
into myth, legend, and tradition, discussin!
the nature of each. Myth is fable with it
slight alloy of fact unassayed. Tradition i
unwritten, llnsitted history. Between tin
two lies legend. with Il central core of fact
around which cluster the embellishments Q
| fancy and fiction.
The speaker having thus settled the limit
of History, proceeded to discuss its division.
| He showed that while its sources arc mutt
tudiuous and its riches scattered, still tina
the general student must look for History j
| Drofesscd histories. The authors of theS
have usually had for their object either, frs
to inform and please by simple narrative; ol
second, to further instruct man us to his ow
| soul: or, third. to instruct society us to inst
| tutions, which are the soul Of society. Bot
according to the object of the historian an
| the order of the development History ma
be divided into narrative, formal history, an
the philosophy of history.
In the first sequence is the governing EriI
ciplc i'm the second, which is the coniluenc
of narrative and moral philosophy, a didacti
| purp0sc is the main object; in the thir(
Generalization and the effort to discover Ia,
in the movement of the human mind are tn
| originating principles.
The distinction between atrue and aspur
| Gus philosophy of history was drawn-tll
| former proceeding cautiously, and by method
strictly scientific and historical, and bciD
satisfied with few and definite results.
Having marked out the divisions of hi
tory. the speaker asked, What is its placcan
imnortance in scheme of liberal education
| with such outooks for the soul. it is cCGXtel
siyc with human interest, and is in itself
| liberal education. Nevertheless. its stud
| and teachings must be coOrdinated with othe
branches.
Time forbade discussion of the be;
methods of instruction, and the textbooks [
he used during each phase of progress. Ii
pointcd out, however, that in the synmctiic,
adjustment of moral and intellectual force
necessary for sclf-culture, termed a libcl;
education, the chief offices of history are, frs
TO store the mind with information secOnt
to stimulate and regulate the imagination
with q third incidental duty of dlsclplln1n
the intellectual faculties.
In the teaching of history these function
must be kept clearly in view; the teacI1f
must follow the analogy of historical produ
ton; and as the childhood of nations lister
with large-eyed wonder to Myth only, SO tn
craving of the individual child for the fair
tales OF history must not be denied. Hel
the historic faculty has Its birth. When
has come into being it soon gains strengt
for the strong meat of reason, criticism, an
philosophy. The story-books Of history all
lives of great men are more philosophic
introduction than the barren and shadow
manuals of elementary history. Ahridg
ments and summaries arc but dry chips
knowledge, to which the teacher must supp
the lacking vitality. In the more advance
!. stages of study the relations Of time AT
space must be adjusted by the study of chr
nology and physical geography. In tn
phase of study the student should be ;
lowed quantity, range, variety, and choice
Ihis reading.
The reSnectiHa merits of ancient ar