Introductory Lectures on Modern History

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-

markable example of misquotation from Mosheim's Ecclesi-

astical History.-Which quotation has inadvertently been

given by several successive writers.-Showing the danger

of quoting at second-hand.-Still a knowledge of past times

is insufficient and even incomplete in itself, without a lively

knowledge of the present.-Good effects of a knowledge of

the present, and generally of more than one period.-To

prevent our wrongly valuing one period.-Especially to

prevent us from decrying our own.-Recapitulation.—Sub-

ject of the ensuing lecture

Two periods of modern history.-Before and after the six-

teenth century.—The history of the first is simpler, of the

second more complicated.-Historians of the first period.

-Bede. Study of language in history.-Importance of

good habits of translation.-Difference of the classical and

later Latin.-Trustworthiness of historians.-Question as to

Bede's accounts of miracles.-Difference between wonders

and miracles.-Alleged miracles by far the most difficult.-

Their external testimony defective; and also their internal

evidence.—They are generally to be disbelieved.—Perhaps

with some exceptions.—But even if true they cannot sanc-

tion all the opinions held by those who work them.—Ques-

tions belonging to the thirteenth century.-Questions in the

study of the Chronicles.-Philip de Comines.-Advantages

of previous classical study.-Greater difficulty in the study

of the middle ages.-Importance of genealogies.-We must

look backwards and forwards.-Examples given.-Contest

for the throne of Naples.-Peculiar interest of the period

described by Philip de Comines.-Contrast between him

and Herodotus.-Conclusion

Magnitude of modern history.-Its different subjects of study.

-External history.-Geography.-Common notions of ge-

ography.-How it should be studied.-Examples of its im-

portance.-Geography of Italy.-Tendency of the last three

centuries.-Small states swallowed up by great ones.-

Excesses of this tendency. First, Spain.-Spain dangerous

to Europe. The Austro-Spanish power.-France danger-

ous to Europe.-Ascendency of England in 1763.-France

under Napoleon.—The dominion of Napoleon.—Its won-

derful overthrow.-These are merely external struggles;

although often mixed up with struggles of principle.—The

questions contained in them are economical and military.—

Economical questions. Difficulty of supporting a war.—

Temptation to raise money by loans.-Evils of the borrow-

ing system.-Examples of financial difficulties in France

and in England.-Are such evils unavoidable ?-Conclusion 147

[NOTES
170]

LECTURE IV.

Difficulty of speaking on others' professions.-How far it may

be done with propriety.-And where we must be ignorant.

-Whose campaigns are worth studying.-Discipline must

conquer enthusiasm.-Will some races always beat others?

-Not of necessity.-Mischiefs of irregular warfare.-

Irregular warfare not justified by the accident of our coun-

try's being invaded.-Certain laws of war considered.-

Plundering a town taken by storm.-General Napier's judg-

ment on this point.—Of the right of blockade.—Siege of

Genoa in 1800.-Importance of amending bad laws.-Of

wrong done in going to war.-Suspicion begets suspicion.-

Understanding of military operations.-What leads to battles

in particular places.-Great lines of road often change.-

Changes in roads and fortresses.-Mountain warfare.--

Transition to internal history.-General divisions of the sub-

ject.-Question of many and few.—What is a popular party?

-What is meant by the few and the many?—What is the

good of a nation ?-Principles intermixed with one another.

—Example of Hume.—What is the party of the movement?

-Not always a popular party.—Parties changed by time.—

Example of the Guelfs and Ghibelins.-Dread of extinct

evils; or of such as are the weaker.-Analysis of internal

history.-Period of religious movement.-Parties in Eng-

land first appear in the reign of Elizabeth.-Three parties.

-The party of the established church. The party of the

puritans.-Party of the Romanists.-Ability of Elizabeth.–

Church questions are often political rather than religious;
inasmuch as they have been questions of government.-
Questions of the priesthood are religious, but were not dis-
cussed in England.—Church questions in England political,
as the church and state were one.-Yet the church ques-
tions were in form not political till the reign of James I.—
Causes of the political movement.-Growth of the House
of Commons. Its growth owing to that of the nation.—
The intellectual movement stood aloof from the political,
being regarded by it with suspicion, especially by the re-
ligious movement.-Why the purely intellectual movement
inclined to the party upholding church authority; submitting
to it insincerely.-State of the contest hitherto.-It might
have been delayed but not prevented.-Change wrought in
the popular party; both in its religious party and in its politi-
cal.—Elements of the antipopular party.—Nobleness of its
best members. Lord Falkland.-Its other members.—
Those who are called meek and peaceable. They have no

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Introductory Lectures on Modern History: Delivered in Lent Term, MDCCCXLII ...