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actions he narrates; is one and the same。 He describes scenes in which he himself has been an

actor; or at any rate an interested spectator。 It is short periods of time; individual shapes of

persons and occurrences; single unreflected traits; of which be makes his picture。 And his aim is

nothing more than the presentation to posterity of an image of events as clear as that which be

himself possessed in virtue of personal observation; or life…like descriptions。 Reflections are none

of his business; for he lives in the spirit of his subject; he has not attained an elevation above it。 If;

as in Caesars case; he belongs to the exalted rank of generals or statesmen; it is the prosecution

of his own aims that constitutes the history。

§ 3

Such speeches as we find in Thucydides (for example) of which we can positively assert that they

are not bona fide reports; would seem to make against our statement that a historian of his class

presents us no reflected picture; that persons and people appear in his works in propria persona。

Speeches; it must be allowed; are veritable transactions in the human monwealth; in fact; very

gravely influential transactions。 It is; indeed; often said; 〃Such and such things are only talk〃; by

way of demonstrating their harmlessness。 That for which this excuse is brought; may be mere

〃talk〃; and talk enjoys the important privilege of being harmless。 But addresses of peoples to

peoples; or orations directed to nations and to princes; are integrant constituents of history。

Granted such orations as those of Pericles — the most profoundly acplished; genuine; noble

statesman — were elaborated by Thucydides; it must yet be maintained that they were not foreign

to the character of the speaker。 In the oration in question; these men proclaim the maxims adopted

by their countrymen; and which formed their own character; they record their views of their

political relations; and of their moral and spiritual nature; and the principle of their designs and

conduct。 What the historian puts into their mouths is no supposititious system of ideas; but an

uncorrupted transcript of their intellectual and moral habitudes。

§ 4

Of these historians; whom we must make thoroughly our own; with whom we must linger long; if

we would live with their respective nations; and enter deeply into their spirit: of these historians; to

whose pages we may turn not for the purpose of erudition merely; but with a view to deep and

genuine enjoyment; there are fewer than might be imagined。 Herodotus the Father; i。e。 the

Founder of History and Thucydides have been already mentioned。 Xenophons Retreat of the

Ten Thousand is a work equally original。 Caesars mentaries are the simple masterpiece of

a mighty spirit。 Among the ancients; these annalists were necessarily great captains and statesmen。

In the Middle Ages; if we except the Bishops; who were placed in the very centre of the political

world; the Monks monopolise this category as naive chroniclers who were as decidedly isolated

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