CHAPTER VI. HISTORY. "And he whose heart is weary of the strife MRS. HEMANS. HISTORY is the scroll of time-the mighty record of the transactions of man, in all ages and climes. It tells of the foundations of empires-their progress from the first outlines marked out by the ploughshare, to that exalted pitch of grandeur which calls forth wonder and admiration. It shows what constituted their true glory and happiness, and the causes of their decline and fall. History makes us acquainted with the great and good of all nations, and the great and bad, for "Les grands crimes immortalisent thus stimulating by example to virtue and warning against error. The laws, genius, customs, manners of mankind, history reveals-furnishing to all coming ages the principles of government and the maxims of civil society. From history we acquire a knowledge of the progress of the arts, science, and literature of every age and country, from the first rude hut of a savage, to the glorious Parthenon; from the first idea of numbers, to Newton's Principia; from the rude minstrel's strain, to Milton's Paradise Lost. History proclaims the power, the wisdom, and the justice of the Almighty, and proves that He who created still controls this world as its Sovereign Lord. History may be read for amusement. Facts are always agreeable to the human mind; "if any moral feeling be instinctive, it is respect for truth." The little works of fiction, which too often constitute the first intellectual food, would lose half their value with children, if they suspected they were not true. Let it not be supposed that we would on this account prohibit all works of fiction at that early age. They often inculcate lessons of wisdom, and furnish bright examples of moral excellence, which may be of lasting benefit; they sometimes afford to those of riper years that knowledge of refined and elegant society, which cannot be gained in any other way. But tales and romances often induce a disrelish for history; which to the reflecting and philosophic mind furnishes a rich fund of intellectual enjoy ment. The study of history strengthens the judgment. The observation and experience of every individual must be limited; we see only minute parts of the great whole, even when interesting events pass before our own eyes. "The immortal hero of three revolutions," although an actor in soul-stirring events that would fill many folios, could not relate from his own experience what history will unfold to future ages. The collected testimony of many witnesses must make up the whole train of causes, with their results. The impression made upon the mind by passing events is more vivid, but the knowledge we derive from authentic history is more correct; because, seeing them at a distance, we have neither the partiality of an actor, nor the prejudices of an eyewitness. The close study of character, and the investigation into causes and effects, increase discrimination and invigorate the judgment. The knowledge that we gain from history is various and important. But, in order to make the knowledge thus acquired of any real value, it must be made the subject of mature reflection. We should have a specific object in view in reading a particular history; name this object or subject, and make it a leading one. For example: The causes that have advanced religious liberty. The progress of civil liberty. The influence of laws and government upon national character. The gradual improvement in the useful arts The progress of the fine arts. The evils of war. The influence of literature upon the character of the age. All these subjects may come under cognizance in reading the history of a single period; but to give clearness and precision to our ideas, and to methodize what we read, a leading subject may thus be taken, and, after finishing a book, an abstract of all the knowledge gained on this particular subject may be written in your Mnemonica, in its proper place. This will serve as a chain to bind the whole together. Geography, ancient and modern, it is presumed, has been sufficiently studied at school; yet maps should be always used in reading history. Some remarkable eras should be chosen, and imprinted in the memory, as landmarks in chronology. The intervening events may be placed in their order, and thus save the memory from being burdened. For example: B. C. 4004 2348 2234 2221 2188 1996 1728 1718 1582 1571 1556 1252 1174 1012 926 753 696 538 481 436 429 339 19 Rome at the meridian of its glory, under Augustus Cæsar, The birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, four years before the common era, termed Anno Domini. If these dates are not numerous enough, a larger selection might be made; these, surely, can be perfectly committed to memory. Sacred and profane history are here mingled as they should be; the events recorded in the Bible are too apt to be disconnected in the mind from all others —to stand apart, as if they belonged to some other world. A chronological table of the same kind should be made out for modern history. It is better for each one of you to select the events for yourself, and their number will depend upon the confidence which you have in your own memory. The general outlines of history being thus fixed immoveably, separate portions may be read and referred to in their chronological order, without difficulty. Most young ladies are ignorant of everything in Sacred History but a few leading characters. It should be taken up now, and read with the same attention that you would bestow upon a new study. Read it for the sake of fully appreciating its valuable treasures. Take separate portions for perusal; for example, the reign of David. Learn everything relative to the laws, conquests, mode of warfare, government, manners, arts, literature, customs, music, poetry, religion, of that memorable reign. Compare the condition of the Israelites with other nations at that period; compare it with their condition under the Judges. See if David, the "monarch minstrel," the warrior, the generous friend, the noble foe, will not bear a comparison with the brightest heroes of profane history. Read the wonderful reign of Solomon, and other portions, in the same manner. A rich fund of historical truth may thus be collected from the Old Testament. It is presumed that young ladies become familiar at school with general history, ancient and modern, and they will now fill up the grand outlines as they have time and oppor-. tunity. The history of our own country should be well understood. This is too often neglected. The wonderful achievements of "Macedonia's madman, and the Swede," the pomp of Eastern magnificence, the splendour of thrones and coronets, have dazzled the imagination, until the history of our own country seems tame and insipid. In the best times of the Roman republic, an intimate acquaintance with the history of their own country was deemed requisite for all who expected to occupy elevated stations, or to administer public affairs; but in later times and more degenerate days, it was said that "they did not begin to read the history of their country till they were elevated to the highest offices of the state; they first obtained the employment, and then bethought themselves of qualifications necessary for the proper discharge of it." May this disgraceful reproach never be deserved by the young men of our country! May their sisters set them a noble example, by making the deeds and characters of the heroes of our native land as familiar as household words! The history of our own country presents to the Christian and the philanthropist heart-stirring events, which need no false colouring to give them a thrilling interest. Specimens of moral excellence, equal to any the world has ever produced, adorn its annals, and the benign light of liberty and religion encircle it with a mild halo of glory. The French introduced that kind of historical writing, which they termed Memoirs. For example: Sully's Memoirs of the Reign of Henry the Fourth. Numerous works of the same kind have appeared in English: Roscoe's Lorenzo de Medici, and Leo the Tenth; Watson's Philip the Second and Third; Miss Aikin's Courts of Elizabeth and James; Scott's Napoleon; Irving's Columbus; Prescott's Ferdinand and Isabella, and Conquest of Mexico and Peru;-all affording agreeable and profitable reading. |