The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-23

general tendencies. Against these views
there came a spasmodic reaction. which
asserted that history is nothing but the
biographies OF great men. The former
view Is most conspicuously represented
by Buckle, the Inter by Carlyle and Froude,
Concerning the point at issue between
them il may be said that, since general
tendencies are manifested only in the
thoughts and actions Of men, il is these that
the historian must study, and that. as casual
agencies, a Cromwell or Luther may
count for more than a million ordinary
men; but, after all, our ultimate source OF
enlightenment still lies in the study OF the
general conditions under which the ac-
tivity of our Cromwell or Luther was
brought forth"
Our author finds not her important differ
ence between the old and the new methods
Of historical writing in the propensity ex-
hibited by the old-fashoned student Of
history TO conine his attention TO the So
called classical period in the evolution OF
given race or nation such as the age OF
Pericles. or of Augustus. or Of Elizabeth.
or OF Louis XIV Such a habit is pro-
nounccd fatal to the requirement of any
thing like true perspective in history
What should we say Of the botanist who
should confine himself to Jacqueminot roses
and neglect what gardeners call weeds?
How far would the ornithologist ever get
who should only study nightingales and
birds Of pardise' In truth, the dull ages
which no Homer has sung or Tacitus de-
scribed have sometimes been critical ages
for human progress" An exclusive devo-
ton to literary or so-called classical periods
to mi. iufpa Csar n
as well az certain ages. our perspective
thus gets warped in space rs we'll a. in
time Few persons realize the great inn
portance of the Roman Empire Of the East,
al! the way from Justinian to the iniquitous
capture Of Constantinople by the French
and Venetians in 1904 In these ages Con-
stantinople was the chief centre of cult
ure; through her commercial relations
with Genoa she exercised a civilizng IN
fuence over the whole Of western Europe,
and she was the military bulwark Of Chris
tendon, first against Saracen, then against
Turk, until at last, she succumbed in an
evil hour. which we have not Yet ceased
to mourn" The grievous undertaking OF
the so-called Byzantine Empire is attrib-
uted partly TO its lack OF period OF CLASH
cal literature, though partly. also, Of course.
to the ill-feeling Of western Europe toward
the Greek Church.
In our authors opinion, however. the worst
distortion Of perspective in our study OF the
career Of mankind Is one Of which We have
only lately begun TO rid ourselves. What
he has in mind is the distortion caused
by supercilious neglect Of the lower races.
We have been accustomed loosely to apply
the name savages 10 a vast number OF
groups Of men In widely different sta ges Of
culture, but all alike falling far short Of
the European level. II II only recently
that the manners and customs, the ideas and
institutions, Of savage and barbarous
peoples have been subjected to serious
study, comparison and analysis. In our
authors opinion, this has wrought greater
change In our conception Of human history
than all other causes put together. Some
thing like a new Renaissan nee was begun
when FL gishmen in India began 10 study
Sanskrit, and were struck with its resem-
blance TO the lar guages Of Europe. The
first result Of such studies was the be-
ginning Of comparative philology in the
| establishment of the Aryan family Of
languages; pretty soon there followed
| the comparative study OF myths and folk
| tales: and then came comparative Juris-
prudence, which, for the world Of English
readers, Is chiefly associated with the beau
iful writings Of Sir Henry Maine, Next
it began TO appear that many problems
| hich remain insoluble 80 long as We con-
! fine our attention to the Aryan world soon
yield UP their secrets if we extend our COM
| parison 80 as to include the speech, the be-
| liefs and the customs Of sa wages. II is now
proved beyond doubt that the institutions
| Of civilized society are descended from
institutions like those that We may at the
present time observe in savage societies.
-Savages and barbarians are simply races
that have remained in phases Of culture
which more civilized races have outgrown n.
and hence one helps to explain the other.
J Certain obscure local Institutions. for ex-
ample in ancient Greece and Rome Law been
made quite ineligible blythe study Of similar
institutions among American Indians. In
these ways history. without ceasing to be a
study Of individuals and nations. has come
| To be in the broadcast sense, the study Of the
growth and decay Of Institutions