THE following Lectures are printed almost exactly as they were delivered. They were written with the expectation that they would be read in a room to a very limited audience; which may explain why the style in some instances is more colloquial than became the circumstances under which they were delivered actually.

Rugby, May 5th, 1842.

CONTENTS.

INAUGURAL LECTURE.

History often underrated.-It cannot be appreciated justly at

once.-Definition of history.-The biography of a society.

-Properly, the biography of a nation. And hence, gene-

rally, of a government.-But not always so in reality.-A

nation's life is twofold, partly external and partly internal.

-The internal life determined by its end.-This end moral

rather than physical.-Because a nation is a sovereign

society; and must therefore be cognizant of moral ends;

as it controls all actions.-End of a nation's life, its highest

happiness. This is the fruit of laws and institutions; which

together form its constitution; executive, legislative, and

judicial.-Institutions for public instruction.-Institutions

relating to property.-Their great importance.-Instances

given primogeniture, entails, commercial laws, &c.-

Other elements affecting national life.-Conclusion: the

greatness of history.-What constitutes modern history?—

It treats of nations still living.-When was the English

nation born?-National personality depends on four great

elements.-Peculiarity of modern history.-Its element of

the German race.-Spread of this race.-Is modern history

the last history?-Why it seems likely to be so.-Impor-

tance of its being so.-Value of the lessons of history.-

Conclusion

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APPENDIX TO INAUGURAL LECTURE.

Theory of the perfect state.-The supreme society must be

moral.-Why the moral theory is objected to.—What

should be the bond of societies.-Union of action rather

than of belief. When is government national?-Govern-

ment speaking the voice of the nation may choose its own

national law. Churches may infringe individual rights.—

Excommunication is a punishment.—All centralization has

its dangers.-Obedience to Christian law the way to arrive

at Christian faith.-But the end is not to be made the be-

ginning.—What the real difficulty of the question is.—

Agreement of the moral theory of a state with the true

theory of the church.-The one seems to require the other.

-Notice of some special objections.-The objections as-

sume as true what is condemned by high authorities.—

Confusion as to what is properly "secular."-Excommuni-

cation a secular punishment.-In what sense our Lord's

kingdom was not a kingdom of this world.-Conclusion

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LECTURE I.

Introductory remarks.-Contrast between ancient and modern
history.-Extreme voluminousness of modern history.-
Some one particular portion to be selected.-First study it
in a contemporary historian.-Or in those of more than one
nation. Other authorities next to be consulted.-Advan-
tages of the university libraries.-Collections of treaties to
be consulted.-Rymer's Fœdera.—Also collections of laws,
&c. Their value to the historical student-Letters or other
writings of great men.-Miscellaneous literature.-How
such reading may be made practicable, by reading with a
view to our particular object.-And yet will not be super-
ficial. What reading is superficial and misleading.-Re-