THE

IMPERIAL

ENCYCLOPAEDIA.

HISTORY.

H la I may, m general,- be defined an account of themost remarkable events which have occurred in theworld, arranged in the true order in which they actuallylnnpened, together with the causes from which they ori-ginated, anc the different effects they produced, as far'as could bediscovered. I he word history (‘is-ogia.) literally denotes a searchfor curious tilings, or a desire of knowing, or even a rehearsal ofthings we have seen; being formed from the verb ‘irognv, whichproperly signUes to know a thing by having seen it. But the

!* much m™...!—---= ’ • •' . knowledge

the

....... . . . - ........ .... .in...... ta, aceral of

their great men vere called polyhistores, i. e. persons of variousand general knowledge. The word history is, however, some-times used to signfy a description of things, as well as an accountof facts. Thus Bieophrastus calls his work on the nature andproperties of plum'-, an history of plants; and we have a treatiseof Aristotle, entitle! a n History of Animals ; and to this day thedescription ot plant'., animals, and minerals, are called by the ge-neral name of Matmal History. But the term history is chieflyused to denote an account of the principal transactions of mankindfrom the beginning ot the world. This subject is generally clivid-■ ed into two parts, viz. civil and ecclesiastical. The first containsthe history ot mankind in their various relations to one another,and their behaviour, tor their own emolument, or that of others,in common life; the seemd considers them as acting, orpreft'nd-ing to act, in obedience ri what they believe to be the will of theSupreme Being. Civil hstory, therefore, includes an account ofall the different states thi.t have existed in the world, and like-wise of those men who in different ages of the world have mosteminently^ distinguished themselves, either tor their good or evilactions. 1 his last part of civil history, however, forms a distinctbranch usually stiled Biograliy. History is justly esteemed avery considerable branch of 'xilite literature. Few accomplish-ments are more valued than ai accurate knowledge of the histo-ries of differentiations; and scarce any literary production ismore regarded than a well writen history of awv nation : althoughthe truth of Idr. Goldsmith’s nmark in his History of England,must be acknowledged with resect to those of all nations; viz.that “ history is generally little nore than the register of humancontention and calamity.”

Foundation and Credbimty of History, .

As to the grounds on which the erdibiiity of an history is found-ed ; they are derived partly from lie events related, and partlyfrom the evidence and character of uch as relate them ■ whence

VOL. III. — no. 10 j. ’

arises an internal and external credibility. The interior credibili-ty consists not only in the possibility of the event reported, butlikewise in its probability; which last consists in this, that the cir-cumstances in which an event is reported to have happened beconformable or suitable thereto, or that there be some foundationfor it in the connection of the circumstances, and that in parallelcases the same had frequently happened. Hence it is easy to con-ceive, that many events may appear improbable, nay incredible,to some, through mere ignorance, or by separating them fromtheir circumstances. This is the case with the frequent charges ofincredibility brought against those numerous armies we read of inancient history, from confounding the regular armies of the mo-derns, with the tumultuous ones of the ancients; which were akind of militia composed of all or the greater part of the fightingmen of a country. Under the external grounds of credibility arecomprehended the genuineness of the original testimony, and thecapacity and integrity of those who relate it: the evidence alled-ged must not only be ascribed to its true authors, but these must'appear to be persons so circumstanced and inclined as to relatethe truth, so as to add to it nothing false, nor omit any thing ofconsequence to the event reported. The first of these, or thegenuineness of the original testimony, affects not only books andtracts, but public records and monuments of past events, statues,inscriptions, columns, edifices, &c. And to detect the fraudu-lent practices of former times in forging evidences of this kind,requires great knowledge in the history not only of human so-cieties, but of the opinions, sciences, languages, and customs, ofdifferent times. And hence appears the necessity of great penetra-tion, and capacity in an historian: but above all, of great integri-ty and sincerity in relating the truth. In trying the credibility ofan event by the number of evidences brought in support of itj weought to weigh: 1. How many historians, and other known sour-ces, are really extant of any particular event. 9, The actual di-versity of their testimonies. 3. Their agreement and contradic-tion ; and whether they cannot be reconciled. 4. The exteriorand interior credibility of the contradicting narrations. Fromwhat lias been said, we may draw the following inferences: 1,That there is a veal and demonstrable certainty of events, whichought not to be doubted or contested : and, indeed, scepticism inhistorical matters most commonlv, if not always, proceeds from: ignorance of the real nature of tint certainty and its criterion, or! from a consciousness of the indispensable necessity of unwearieddiligence, of farther helps, and deeper reflection in examining andproving, than the convenicncv of many will allow. 2, That thedemoustrabihty of a fact, the' credibility of an historian who re-ports, and the evidences of hit whole work, ought never to beH ~ confounded