New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-16
THE "IFSn OF HISTORY.
Mr.. Andrew Lang In The London illustrated News

Mr.. Andrew Lang In The London illustrated News
Is or once vas fayort tie plan o1 sc.
andsuch event had not occurred y scope was
thus given to the historical nd ana our % o%n
lives We know how much hangs on tribes. You axe
Sn % OF might have BEEN had taken
the other side. You neglect to answer letter, you
pav Won look up and see your Fate nstead Of look.
Ing down and missing her-and all your life is ateZd.
20 1t Is too in the history Of nations suppose Tho
King had not halted at Varennes suppose James's
nose had bled at salisbury; suppose somebody.
%h9se ee name Hnne eGe death mao suppose the had
at Marathon or the Saracen' at Tours or Hssdruosl
at the Metaurus; suppose that Napoleon had not
sn ered from indigestion at Waterloo, or that Grouchy
had not mislnterprcted his orders-and where Is His
and which suggests reflections which every one can
make for himself. Suppose certain Roman governor
There is a kind OF fanc.fu pleasure in answering
these problems: but. the whole. would the turn
OF straw. which seemed to be 50 momemto,s nave
shapes our lives, and doubt whether accident is
and sD marry anhappy Would you have been ucer
with another Fate Say you miss fortune by
series OF slight neglects You take up a tract and
are converted you have vision IKE CoSnei
er's conversion had long been rpenng one Gay or
another the vision would have come, whether ne wa:
not that tract some other tract would have produced
It's results you were nDH ing fSr that M
stead Of individual e it may appear that the acct
dents were not so very momentous. say that the
pour iui, but the Revolution would have gone on;
Say that Grogcy had Ip ana that Napoleon
not so near the end OF resources as France was
we should still have beaten the CorsIcan on another
field Besides, Grouchy's blunder was not an accl'
dent. It was part Of habit Of missing chances
which had sprung up in the French army ever since
ON sae Sa srs Undertaking too much him
Say the Persians had won at Marathon Coud ts hsy
Greek civilization would have expredi In all prob
ability TINT was quite impossible for Persia nor
woud have been united in resistance: she might even
have gained by the struggle Say that Cartnss e, asa
u They could not have held italy: they could not
Civilization on the world Had Edward II been
mould ,d 1ss 's snn 0 vt: a s"s
hold Afchanistan: i Charles had marched ls ON on
london from Derby T. the Welsh S9u as na s%a f 1s
hearted sl in n very few years. James and his
priests would have been sent packing again. History
woud have gained n romantic page but r.neiano
would be much what she IS at present. The King King
not have had better wra ha 5sSs tnan GSr
his opportunities as readily taa .me for a,"a but
% % Of t S "radc Would " @ SPAIN asa
Had Charles Martel been defeated the Saracens IN
the long run y oau h1ys e ng Of the world
NAV hc deferred, but not actually diverted , Inc
great stress Of national character ana sss
council nj Derby, whatever opinion prevailed 70
advance To retreat, II couid not aNer 'he causS
which made for Professionalism and commercial me-
as opnosed to Catholicism and the patrarchal High
land ideal. -, 4. -. ..,..
This way OF looking at history robs 1t OF romance
to some extent. and fear encourages poiiisssii
fataism What can do against a great udai
wave OF influence. rising far away In the deeps OF
the pas, and sweeping gradually up and breaking on
us Well we can do what we may. we can no'ly
the impact of the wave. We can adapt ourselves 70
lis MT and stress. OR. can decline 10 recognize
H. England was fated 10 absorb scotland, 10
great extent: hut she struggled so well. and refused
so long to obey destiny in one particular forni mat
another and honorable form at last overlook her
She wa, not dragged under by the swell. but rode
cooking on tie crest OF the tide. II Is something
to recognize that not slaves OF the TURN OF
straw but are obedient TO wide and probably
salutary laws: King James might have come 10 hls
the other glass AT a tavern. Yes, but they we're
always stopping for that other glass. That was
the general rule OF their natures. and the consuu'
lion OF things was against It and them. II was
not merely the one extra tass Of brandy that dd
th. tucfp