The Delta independent., 1889-09-24
THE STUDY OF HISTORY.
How 1t Should Be Pursued |
Order to Obtain Good Results.


1t is OF course always allowable that
it is necessary in any course OF educa-
tion to give an important place to the
consideration of history, but there
remains still much to be done before
there will be any proper and general
appreciation of the great Importance
OF this branch of knowledge. This is
largely due to the fact that history has
too oftenl, been taught as mere dry
and repellent collection OF duties and
uninteresting details. Perhaps nine
men out Of ten are in their youth 80
strongly repelled by the method in
which an attempt is made to cram his
tory down their throats that they
never got to any thing like a fair con-
ception of the interest and richness Of
the study; and OF those who are moro
fortunate there are not many who un-
derstand what the true object OF study
ing history should be. This is espec-
tally unfortunate in a country like
ours, where all people are supposed
to take an intelligent interest in the
affairs of state, and where every indi-
vidual is more or less likely to come
sooner or later into active participa-
tion, at least by his vote, in tho grav-
est issues which present themselves for
the solving. To know what should be
done in any situation it is necessary to
know both what others have done, and
what was the result Of the course
which they took. The tried ad-
age that history repeats itself is
at least so far true that it is
not easy to find problem in govern
ment to-day which has not at some
time and in some place presented itself
before, and we have the advantage, il
we are but wise enough to avail our
selves of it, of living in an age so late
in the recorded history of the human
race that there is waiting for us the ac-
cumulated experience OF mankind for
thousands of years in graphing with
the problems that trouble and challenge
us to-day. II our predecessors have not
solved them all, they have at least
eliminated many Of the solutions which
might present themselves, and spared
us the labor of proving many things
false that are to the eye specious
and alluring. No better illustration of
this could be found than the SO called
Nationalist movement which is making
n somewhat brave show to-day. One
has only to study history to discover
that the greater part Of its proposed
reforms have been thoroughly tried be-
fore and their fallacy proven beyond
preadventure. 1t is certainly not the
part OF wisdom TO go over tho same
ground again, merely to demonstrate
once more the truth that socialism is
not the solution OF the riddles which
have vexed man from the dawn OF
civilization. 1t is pitiful waste OF
human energy to thrash anew the straw
that has already been again and again
SO thoroughly beaten that there has
not n grain Of wheat been left clinging
10 the bare husks.
The unframed mind is always liable
TO fall into the error OF supposing tn ut
because fact or theory is new to 1t,
is new to mankind; and one OF the most
important uses Of the study OF history
is to correct this natural mistake. In
the painful zeal which earnest souls
feel to right all that may be wrong, or
which may seem TO them wrong.
upon this complicated planet, they arc
almost inevitably led into this danger.
No man should dabble with the social
or the moral regeneration OF the race
until he has made himself tolerably
familiar with the experiments OF his
predecessors; and many a prophet
would have been spared much fruitless
and the world much mischevious
preaching had he but taken the pre-
cdution to assure himself that the
revelation he brought forward as new
was not in reality an old and long dis
proved dream OF the theorist. History
must be studded with q mind un-
prejudiced and willing to receive the
truth, even although it demand the
sacrifice of the dearest OF theories.
II is useless to go to history
with the determined purpose 10 es-
tablish some cunningly devised
scheme, as it useless TO go to nature 10
collect facts to prove some theory
framed beforehand. 1t must be exam
ined, moreover, as record OF human
experience and not as chronicle OF
the doings of unreal puppets. playing
their parts marionette like upon a
stage. History is not dates and wars
aud migrations; 1t is the record OF
human struggle 10 solve the riddle OF
existence. The dilemma has been the
same throughout the ages, and it can
only approach solution by the bringing
together the experiences OF mankind,
and taking advantage OF all that has
been done before. How often this prin-
ciple is forgotten or disregarded no
one need be told who has studied tho
history Of social and economic theories,
which perhaps afford the most striking
illustrations OF the sad results OF such
course. Clumsily handled, nothing
could be more senseless than tn G study
OF history; rightly considered, there is
nothing more important nothing more
pregnant with good results. -