The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1879-07-09
WEEKLY EDITTO.
HISTORY AND IT'S LESSONS.
WHAT My DE TELRNED BY Il
PER US.IL or IIS pIGES.

An Grafton Delivered by Major Il. w
Woodward, of Fairfield, Before tho
tiitOrnry Societies of Furlunn Univor
sity.
Adclphian and PhloSoptinn Societies
Let mo state, in tho beginning
that I am not here for the purpose
Of displaying oratory, nor with at :
tempt ut metaphysical disquisition
When l received your kindly letter
of invitation, I stated frankly that
1 had grave doubts whether would
properly meet the requirements ol
this occasion, but I also stated that
T profcssed to belong to that old
school, that glorious old school, OF
Carolina which, amongst other
things, taught mo that the polite
invitations of gentlemen were not
to be disrcgarded. Coming, then,
sololy in response to lifelong prin-
cipie, 7 do feel authorized to ask
your kindly consideration, cyon
though it be demonstrated that am
untitled for the task before mo.
There ore those who deny that
there is my such thing as history,
and othcrs who admit tho truth of
history, but deny that it 1cpoats
itself. Of tho former of these was
the groat Napoleon, who said that
history was but fiction agreed upon.
Faust, in reply to q student who
was growing enthusiastic over the
spirit Of past ages, said tho times
which are gone are book Of seven
seals, and what YOU call the spirit of
past ages is but tho spirit of this or
that worthy gentleman in whose
mind those ages arc reflected.
Froude asserts that history never
repeats itself. lie contends that tho
most reasonable anticipations fail
us; that antecedents the most oppo-
site misload lis, because the condi~
tions of human problems never
repeat thcmSclvcs-som new feature
alters everything. Searching for
the truth Of history in times with
which wo are acquainted, and for
record Of facts which have como
under our own observation, wo arc
not disinc]ined to coincide somewhat
in the above propositions, for there
exist two separate and distinct
accounts Of important events occur
ring in tho recent past-tho state,
ments Of historians of our two Soc
tiOns differing SO WILDLY that they
cannot bc regarded as treating Of
the same thing. If these things arc
so, thoro are no texts to be drawn
from tho past-no philosophy of
hiftory, which, like other philoso~
phies, teaches by example.
Tho study of history, therefore,
whether for tho purpose of storing
the mind with valuable information,
or with view to profting by the
good or the i'll fortunes Of the geno
rations who have preceded us, or for
tho still moro valuable faculty Of
enabling us to Judge of tho future
by the past, would be, to say the
most for it, prccarious undertake.
ing.
Nor could it's study be recon-
mended rs offering greater advan'
tages for tho improvement of STYLE,
and as showing higher specimens of
literary art, than works of fiction,
many of which are superior in elegant
phraseology to most of the valuable
histories now in existence.
But those who advocate this
theory overlook tho common place
through sound maxim, that like
causes produce similar results, which
is true, whether in reference to the
multitudinous emotions of the heart,
and to tho intricate combinations Of
the brain, and their influence on
human action; or rs to the more
easily understood and satisfactorily
explained laws which regulate the
physical and govern the mechanical
In all cases where emotions influence
actions, or where physical and
mechanical intricacies exist, satisfac
tory explanation can be had by the
proper study of O. fow of the loading
traits of humanity in the one in
stance, and by consulting tho rules
of hygiene and the laws of philoso-
ply in the other. The laws of nature
must be general and arc no rospec
ters Of persons or of timos. Society
it is true, is ever changing the
human race ever progressing; ant
although it is rare that circum'
stances combine precisely as in the
past, still, amidst the infinite diver
sity, thore arc certain general prin'
ciples of universal application, an(
the neglect or observance of which
has in all ages been attended Will
tho snme results.
Self-intorost is to-day tho mail
spring of human action, has eve
been, will evor be.
Ambition and avarice doom theil
millions to destruction and want
as in tho days of Agamemnon an
Of Alexander.
''Altornato follies tako tho sway,
Licontious passions burn"
now, as in tho times Of Caligula an
Of Moro. It is only necessary, ther
that ,,,o oho1l poto tho nfrooE of fb