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General definition | Civil history
| Ecclesiastical History | Composition of history
| Historical Chart
General Definition [560-561]
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HISTORY, in general signifies an account of some remarkable facts
which have happened in the world, arranged in the true order in
which they actually took place, together with the causes to which
they were owing, and the different effects they have produced as
far as can be discovered. The word is Greek  ;
and literally denotes a search of curious things, or a desire of
knowing, or even a rehearsal of things we have seen; being formed
from the verb  ,
which properly signifies to know a thing by having seen it. But
the idea is now much more extensive, and is applied to the knowledge
of things taken from the report of others. The origin is from the
verb ishmi, ‘I know’; and hence it is, that among the
ancients several of their great men were called polyhistores,
i.e. persons of various and general knowledge.
Sometimes, however, the word history is used to signify a
description of things, as well as an account of facts. Thus Theophrastus
calls his work in which he has treated of the nature and properties
of plants, an history of plants; and we have a treatise of
Aristotle, entitled an history of animals; and to this day
the description of plants, animals, and minerals, are called by
the general name of natural history.
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1. History
how divided. |
But what chiefly merits the name of history,
and what is here considered as such, is an account of the principal
transactions of mankind since the beginning of the world; and which
naturally divides itself into two parts, namely, civil and
ecclesiastical. The first contains the history of mankind
in their various relations to one another, and their behaviour,
for their own emolument, or that of others, in common life; the
second considers them as acting, or pretending to act, in obedience
to what they believe to be the will of the Supreme Being. Civil
history, therefore, includes an account of all the different states
that have existed in the world, and likewise of those men who in
different ages of the world have most eminently distinguished themselves
either for their good or evil actions. This last part of civil history
is usually termed Biography.
History is now considered as a very considerable branch of polite
literature: few accomplishments are more valued than an accurate
knowledge of the histories [561] of different nations; and
scarce any literary production is more regarded than a well-written
history of any nation.
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2. Of the study
of history.
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With regard to the study of history, we
must consider, that all the revolutions which have happened in the
world have been owing to two causes. 1. The connections between
the different states existing together in the world at the same
time, or their different situations with regard to one another;
and, 2. The different characters of the people who in all ages constituted
these states, their different geniuses and dispositions, &c.
by which they were either prompted to undertake such and such actions
of themselves, or were easily induced to it by others. The person
who would study history, therefore, ought in the first place to
make himself acquainted with the state of the world in general in
all different ages; what nations inhabited the different parts of
it; what their extent of territory is; at what particular time they
arose, and when they declined. He is then to inform himself of the
various events which have happened to each particular nation; and,
in so doing, he will discover any of the causes of those revolutions,
which before he only knew as facts. Thus, for instance, a person
may know the Roman history from the time of Romulus, without knowing
in the least why the city of Rome happened to be built at that time.
This cannot be understood without a particular knowledge of the
former state of Italy, and even of Greece and Asia; seeing the origin
of the Romans is commonly traced as high as Æneas, one of the heroes
of Troy. But when all this is done, which indeed requires no small
labour, the historian hath yet to study the genius and dispositions
of the different nations, the characters of those who were the principal
factors of their actions, whether kings, ministers, generals, or
priests; and when this is accomplished, he will discover the causes
of those transactions in the different nations which have given
rise to the great revolutions above mentioned: after which, he may
assume the character of one who is perfectly versed in history.
The first outline of history, as it may be called, is most
easily obtained by the inspection of an historical chart; and that
subjoined to the present treatise will answer the purpose as well
as any. Along with this it will be proper to peruse a short abridgement
of general history, from the creation of the world to the present
time; but in this way there have been but any few attempts attended
with any tolerable success. The following is collected from respectable
authorities, and may serve to help the ideas of the reader on this
subject.
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General definition | Civil history
| Ecclesiastical History | Composition of history
| Historical Chart
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