, 1877-11-25

is hardly worth the having If it is not peoe-
tratcd and stirred by the acaven OF unrest
handed down from ADAM aud Noah. Everybody
cannot be an historian or scholar, but every
body can make honest efforts to diminish his
ignorance.
Reading By rote. or from q sense Of duty, IS
foolish practice. This is taking hold Of the
question at the wrong end. It is an assumption
that history is dangerous drug or soporlflc,
and that the proper way to administer 1t is oy
hypodcrnlic injections. Some teachers deal out
history in small doses, If they were trying to
accustom the system to it. Antipathy to his
torical reading is evidence OF depraycu taste'
or faulty method. In the former case, the
way to restore the tone OF the mind is to bring
aids to the assistance OF history. Clothe 1t, II
need be, in the garments OF romance sugar
coat it with the idyls Of the poets, or the tolk-
lore and myths that have sprung up
In every nation and country. No methoos
or devices, however, can repair fully the injury
OF long course Of bad reading, resulting IN
dissipatcd energies and feeble powers Ut con-
ccntration. Ii d faulty method be to blame, as
it generally is, the remedy is easier. Instead o1
taking one author or one book at tl.4e, anu
following no connected line Of investigation.
pursue the subject to its hidinSg-placcsfhb means
of ail the authorities that arc necessary Tor the
PURPOSE Take the literature OF the period as
the best Guide to its drift aud thought; but DO
not fall into the common and dangerous error
" Of making the literature an end. What
wonderful light is thrown upon long pcr'od OF
Gretan history By the tragedies OF SoruocLEs,
EUn1r1DEs, and d:sCHfLGs, the comedies OF
An1srornAsEs, the Dialogues Of PLATO, anu
memorabilia Of AENorHoN, in connection with
the marvellous history, which remains to this
day model, Of THucYD1DEs> and the
less trustworthy narrative OF HERopoTus:
The age OF AUGUSTUS is associated
with CICERO, VIRGIL, 0vIp, and HORACE, that
of LOUIS XIV with RACINE aud MOLiENE, and
that ol ELIZABETH with SHAKESPEARE, who has
illustrated faithfully in his plays nearly the
whole period OF English history extending from
Kinr JOHN to HENRY VIII. The student OF
history who knows not Of these things or knows
them inditIcrcptly, has studied to little pur-
pose.
Popular histories ;" often serve purpose in
creating taste for good reading, but they are
not to be sought for their own sakes. The
science OF history long since superseded them'
Simple narrative instead OF being adapted for
the Least disciplined minds is only used to the
fullest advantage by those who have learned TO
place ideas i'll their true relations, to reject thc
unimportant and the untruc, and TO elevate es-
s.utials into system. Facts arc abundant IN
the world, and the mere mention OF one IN a
book need not provoke humility Oh the part OF the
student. 1t is the rcview Of facts with reference
to present experience that is useful. For this
reason the study OF history need not be, and
ought not to be, q solitary employment 1t call
be best undertaken in the open family circle, or
i'll sf1lall clubs. Those who enter upon it in this
manner. and in the proper spirit, inviting COM
1nent, illustration, aud criticism from every
quarter, will find History as truly one OF tile
Muses. rs Poetry or the Drama, and the COIN
parionship which it affords as fascinating and
more profitable than that Of either OF the Others
With good beginning it Is matter Of COM
pa.atiye indifference what line OF Investigation
is pursued, provided the utility OF the study be
eyer kept i'll view. The order OF progression
ought to be from the History OF the United
States back TO the o:igin and Causes OF the ma
tion, through tho period OF the Puritans and the
English Revolution, to Normandy, Gasl, and
Rome There will be diversion into the his
tory Of the Angles, the Saxons, ana the Danes,
while the fierce Celt, cooped up in his mountain
Businesses, will not bc forgotten lhat history
of the United States which can be generally
accepted and approved has not yet been writ
ten. Perhaps the preference will be given to
H1LpREr11 over BANCROFT, merely because the
former is more complete. In European history
there is an abundance Of authority. One can
hardly 60 wrong in England. where so many
excellent histories have been written. In an
cient history, the abrdgncnts oil .G1BBoS,
MER1vALE, L1DDELL, and COKE are for some
nurposcs Invaluable. Among the weIrhticr au
thoritie5 arc ,luMsEN, CrRT1us, and GRoTE.
DR., SM1Tn's Universal History is u to!crably
accurate and satisfactory review OF the earlier I
period, and IN abridgenlent of the history Of
France By the same writer, or WHITES Com
pendulum, will be useful to beginners. Germany
can be studied in CoyE's j" "Austria," and Italy
in RASKE's ''Popes." There is not in any case
want of good authorities; it the zeal and indus
try are supplied. the rest will be insured. THE
TRIBUNE heartily seconds tic suggestions in
The Home, anti hopes to report the formation
Of many history clubs during the coming viii
ter,