Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-03-02
ONE OF CLOS KIN
John Fiske Discusses Modern
historical Study.
BROAD PHILOSOPHICAL SPIRIT
Pervades Il and Ii WIN Result .
Thosough and More Detailed Knowl-
edge Of Worlds Gfes, Evenss.

John Fiske of Cambridge. America's .
great philosophical historian, 10 . guest
at the Morton. A reporter for The
HERALD who called on Mr. Fake yes-
terday found him busily ~ work over
pile of manuscripts. The learned
student of history u not the ideal
scholar in appearances, ia that respect
resembling most ether great men, He
slngulariy lacking in that dyspeptic ap-
pcarance winch is supposed 70 Be the
chief attribute of him who drinks deep
ly from the Pieyian spring. He 10 .
phyGcal as well as IN intellectual
giant. Like most thoughtful students,
his conversation is slow and deliberate
rather than spicy or brilliant. While
chatting with the reporter, Mr.. Fiske
said: "Pm busily engaged with my
literary work on this trip. As rule |
endeavor TO make my lecture trips =
sort of vacation; but this one has
proved an exception. l am at present
engaged with some memoirs OF my old
friend, Edward Youmans. late editor
of the Popular Science Monthly.
/ have finished . new work on the
discovery Of AmerIca which ] expect
will be put on the market in . week or
ten days. Houghton. Mifilin and CON-
pany are publishing 1t and they have
already sent me copy Of it. ! haven't
any other extended literary work in
preparation. suppose II live shall
write articles covering most of the
periods of American history. I find
enjoy that kind of work best. pre-
fer to deal with periods rather than
with history 40 whole, the style
adopted. My new book on the
discovery Of America 10 the one l have
spent the most time on. II 10 almost q
history of Europe. ! had the plan in
mind long before did any philosophical
writing. | was interested in the study
of the Spencerian philosophy and when
President Eliot of Harvard asked me TO
give course of lectures consent
ed. For some time after that devoted
my time to philosophical research; but
in reality that Was only preparation
for my studies in history.
/ think methods Of historical re-
search have changed very rapidly in
the course of \ few decades. The his
torian of today devotes more time and
space to the study of details and social
conditions. Modern historical study is
characterized by Q broad philosophical
spirit such as the world never saw be-
fore. History has always been too gen.
eral and not specific enough. For in
stance, 1t has been considered accurate
enough to say that America was dis
covered by Columbus, as if the moment
when ne set his foot on the shores of
San Salvador marked the discovery and
exploration Of thousands of miles Of
coast, something which required 200
years to complete. 1t ssn,t sn0ugh to
make the bare ttstemcnt, even if it
covered the facts. There are other
things involved. Great historical events
are produced only througl, great social
changes. The event in itself 10 only Al
effect of a powerful cause, which must
be understood before the event can be
made clear. : ~ 81
1t is for the purpose of developing
and enlarging this philosophy that
modern historians are striving, and by
means of it should come a higher. more
useful, more accurate form of histori-
cal work.
1t is for this reason that more fruit
ful work can be done by ttudying the
history Of some event or period. ] am
devotiug most OF my time now to his
torical study. have done no college
work At Harvard for years. give .
course of lectures at the Washington
University at st. Louis, but am not .
member of the faculty in true sense.
My lecture work is more in the line of .
recreation from my studies."