cognizance of them. It is one of the " humanities" as well as a social science.
History is not a mere record of events, but tries to understand the life of the past. The pilgrim seeking the way to the past must first of all, like Christian at the wicket gate, free himself from the burden of all his present prejudices and even principles. He must forget for the time being The
historical
attitude is
sympathetic
whether he is a socialist or capitalist, an imperialist or a democrat, Protestant or Roman Catholic, German-American or Scotch-Irish. To see the scenes of the past he must borrow the eyes of the past. What men did then will mean little to him unless he comprehends their motives, their ideas, and their emotions, and the circumstances under which they acted. One of the greatest benefits derivable from the study of history is this entering into the life and thought of other people in other times and places. Thereby we broaden our own outlook upon the world as truly as if we had traveled to foreign countries or learned to think and to express ourselves in another language than our own. History, indeed, alone makes it possible for us to travel both in time and space.
The student of history should, however, be critical as well as sympathetic. Truth is always his aim, a thorough understanding of the past as it really was. He must not believe everything that the men of the past tell him about themselves. He must get to know them well enough to tell The
historical
attitude is
also critical
when they are trying to deceive him or themselves. He must be aware of their failings and prejudices as well as of their motives and obstacles. He must not allow himself to be swept off his feet by excessive enthusiasm for some one man or ideal or institution of the past; he must always retain his sanity and preserve a cool, impartial, and open-minded attitude. He will be suspicious of sensational and miraculous stories and of dramatic dénouements. He will make allowance for the universal tendency of human nature to exaggeration and to make a good story whenever there is the slightest opportunity.
To know the past truly, to appreciate the men of long ago
