Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-09

and bloody minded devil. what a wronged
and blessed martyr. and what a wicked and
abandoned reprobate one woman could be.
After such an experience of what is often
called. as II in irony, the truth OF history
sweeping judgment of the British ID's States
man, who exclaimed, at the circulating
library. where. in quest OF a new book he
was asked If he would take Froudes latest
histories are lies-
SHpshe Methods.
All the more important is It. in our
historical investigations, while allowing for
the imperfections and the bias OF original
observers, to allow also a very liberal
margin of skepticism for the prejucices and
the idiosyneracies OF authors. Without this
the reader is in perpetual danger of being
misled, instead of being informed. He who
accepts unquestioned the statements or the
beliefs of al author is too innocent and un-
sophisticated for this world Even without
any conscious attenpt to conceal or to ex-
aggerate facts or influences. according as
they bear favo-ably or unfavorably upon
TINS. or the other hero Of the biography or
history, there is the honest and unconscious
bias OF individual character, investing some
persons with an unreal glarnor, and others
with an undeseryed odium. Add to this the
constantly besetting temptation to save time
and labor by taking reports at second hand
and, when quoting, to abridge or to para
phrase instead of citing the exact language
and what wonder is IL that our histories are
full of superficial work and OF errors9 Won
may sometimes trace a uisQuotation through
half dozen different writers, each copying
the errors Of his predecessor. without once
attempting to look up the original Con-
trast this too prevalent habit of careless
writers and superficial students with the
scrupulous and painstaking care OF some OF
the great historical scholars of the past
How many modern writer's Of so-called his
tory and biography have been discredited by
the labo-s Of close and critical inouirersg
On the other hand. how few errors OF judy
ment, or Tact or OF citation have been found
IN the great history of the Fall of the
Roman Empire as told by Gibbon? And
how many among the Greek and Latin
writers OF history have exhibited a perspi-
edness and an accuracy of statement which
might put to shame many noted historical
writer's or later days? If our writers had a
proper sense of the responsibility OF him
who misleads the public. IL they would act
upon the principle that historical inquiry
should never stop short OF a conviction OF
truth; IT. in all circumstances where no such
conviction can be reached. they would
simply and truly state the fact-and hold
their pens-we should then have fewer false
hoods in our histories But IL is hard TO
search deeply and to weigh deliberately: il
Is easy to dogmatise. 1t 10 dogmatism
which gives us so many sciolists, who put
forth impressions instead of demonstrations.
so many biographers and historians who
print eulogies In place OF facts. What In
known In art as the impressionist school has
invaded the realm of literature. and fancy
and Imagination too often usurp the place OF
eason. moderation and exact knowledge
Why Is IL that SO much OF our biograph-
ical literature Is so overloaded with eulogy.
as to threaten coming generations with an
insoiubie problem. namely. how TO separate
history from myth? The biographer who
willfully conceais all the faults and errors
OF his subject. and makes of his book an in
discriminate panegyric. falsifes history and
makes biography a farce.
Careful Editors.
In another direction. consider the re-
sponsibility OF those who deal with private
papers and public documents. Most Of the
reproductions OF the letters of our early
statesmen are not reproductions at ali, but
travesies lamentations and extracts in
which sentences are wrenchec out OF their
proper connection, and 50 abridged as TO
convey less or more than the meaning OF
the writer. When Mr.. Sparks, careful and
industrious scholar as he Was, undertook
10 edit the writings OF Washington, he not
only altered the photography OF the father
OF his country. which he had no right TO do,
but suppressed or amended characteristic
passages which appeared to him faulty or
inelegant. Thus he gave TO his countrymen,
not washington as he was, but Washington
as learned Cambridge professor would
have him TO be. l am happy TO be able 10
add, that through the disinterested labors
OF a member Of this society the unpub-
hshed private journals OF Washington are TO
be given TO the public with absolute idelity
IN every line and letter as originally writ
tea
In this connection. the admirable aid OF
the new processes for reproducing manu.
scripts. developed by photography, should
not be overlooked. BY this means perfect
facsimiles OF every original document are
procured. and already the originals OF multi
tudes OF pagers in our revolutionary an
nals, or priceless historical value, existing
only In European archives. may be seen In
absolute facsimile in the Congressional
Library ~ s.fS
other great collections.
''one reason OF the many historical srrorv
that abound may be referred 10. So great
Is the liability to error in reserting IN type
an early book or document that Il IS true
OF the reproduction OF the first folio OF
Shakespeare. 1913, reprinted In London in
lSo1. that the Volume contained no less than
30o errors. or departures from the original
In the more recent photographic copies OF
TINS precious editio princeps OF the immortal
bard, an absolutely faithful reproduction
I'm conclusion. while the great theme Of
the proper methods and aims OF historical
inquiry has been but lightly and imperfectly
touched, enough has. perhaps been here
suggested, and in the address which las
preceded. TO show how inexhsustible a .ieid
opens before us.
MANY other subjects Of historical invests.
CATION, or extensions of those referred 70.
VIII occur TO the fruitful minds here present
Laboring each in his own chosen sphere
we shall none the less work together to-
"oaO OhC ouJcCt-d lruInIGl record
or the past. We have for indictments a
national career of a century, identified with
the city in which we live, a civil and MILL
tary history singuiariy rich in documentary
annals an ample and beautiful metropolis
Graded In the wilderness a hundred years
ago, and planned with marvellous provision
as the permanent seat of government for
teeming population, a Capitol whose corner
stone was laid by the illustrious Washing
ton, and a heritage of freedom secured by
muniments erected by the hands OF states
men and baptized in the blood of patriots
Here, in temples consecratei 10 human Lib
erty. the sons OF our revolutionary sires are
to work out the great problem OF free gov
eminent. Be il ours TO bear a part how
ever humble in perpetuating the memorials
OF so glorious a past, and proving ourselves
worthy OF the noblest heritage which the
civilization OF ages has bestowed upor
man."
IITHER nav &c.,,