Historical philosophy in France and French Belgium and Switzerland

Front matter

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Preface

Almost twenty years ago the Author published a volume in which he endeavoured to describe and criticise the principal attempts which had been made in France and Germany philosophically to comprehend and explain the history of mankind.

Had he not been called soon afterwards to a position which required for a considerable number of years almost exclusive devotion to a different order of studies, that volume would have been followed by one dealing in a similar way with the course and succession of historical philosophies in Italy and England. But before he could resume the work, he had become so convinced of the necessity of altering and enlarging his plan, as well as of endeavouring to improve the execution, that he has allowed the volume which he had published to remain out of print for nearly a dozen years, during which it has only been known through the excellent French translation of the late M. Carrau.

He now believes himself to be able to make his work, instead of simply a connected series of studies, a real and comprehensive history ; and, if life and strength be granted, to carry it on steadily, although not perhaps rapidly, to completion.

viu PREFACE

For tlic reasons slated in the Introduction the Author deems it impossible to describe the course of historical philosophy in a detailed, orderly, and useful manner, otherwise than by tracing it in the first place in its national channels. He desires so to do this that his work may be not merely a history of a department of philosophy, but the history of an interesting and instructive phase of the intellectual development of four great nations — France, Germany, Italy, and England.

Believing that in few, if any, spheres of activity are national tendencies and characteristics more clearly discernible than in that of historical thought, he hopes that the present volume will be found to be to some extent a contribution to the history of France, as well as of the philosophy of history ; and will equally endeavour to give to subsequent volumes not merely a general and philosophical but likewise a special and national interest and value.

The volumes being so far relatively distinct will be published separately, although they have a common subject.

The one now issued has been a considerable time passing through the press. Hence some writers treated of in it when alive are now dead. Hence also a considerable number of books which would probably have been referred to if they had appeared earlier are unnoticed.

The best thanks of the Author are due to his learned friend, the Rev. W. Hastie, B.D., for his assistance in revising the proofs of the entire volume, and for many helpful suggestions.

Edinburgh, 20th November 1893.

I. Aim and scope of the present work

The historical aim ......

The critical aim ......

Two different meanings of the word "history"

Distinction between history and nature

Some definitions of history examined

Historiography is an art with a history of its own .

Historical literature tends to become increasingly philosophical

Growth of discussion on the methods of historical inquiry .

The development of human history must be viewed in the light

of all science .

Refutation of the idea that there is no Science of History . And that there is no Philosophy of History . The relation of science to philosophy How history is both a science and a philosophy Why the author does not state at the outset his own theory of

history .......

Plan of the work ......

Consideration of objections to it .

Importance of nationality in history ....

16 17 18 19 21

23 24 25 26

II

The absolute origin of historical philosophy cannot be discovered . 28 How religious belief has influenced historical speculation . . 29

How philosophy includes historical speculation . . .31

How political disquisition leads to historical speculation . . 34

The dependence of historical study upon the general advance of

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Inlliience of economic phenomena upon the development of human

Historical philosophy a growth of history itself . . .40

III. The origins of historical narrative

Political conditions in Egypt and Assyria unfavourable to the

development of historiography ....

Historiography and historians in China

In Japan .......

And in India .......

The Jewish historical records ....

The Greeks first raised history to the dignity of an independent av Herodotus .......

Thucydides .......

Poly bins .......

The idea of a universal history was the result of the universal

empire of Koine .....

Caesar as a historian .....

Sallust .......

How the strength of national feeling among the Romans influenced

their historiography ....

Tacitus .

Christianity introduced the consciousness of a spiritual unity of the

human race, and enormously enriched history . Eusebius and the early Christian historians . How Christianity extended the field of history Wherein the medieval chronicles differed from those of early

classical writers .....

Medieval historiography was predominantly ecclesiastical Gregory of Tours .....

Bede

Adam of Bremen .....

Lambert of Hersfeld and Otto of Freisingen Matthew Paris ......

Vernacular chronicles .....

The medieval mind had not sufficiently comprehensive acquaintance with historical facts to frame a philosophy of history It was also credulous of such evidence as it possessed Inductive use of historical facts began to be made only at a late

period ......

The importance of a knowledge of Mohammedan history Mohammedan historiography and historians Tabari .......

Mas'udi ....

The philosophy of history in Arabia .

41 45

47 48 50 51 52 55

56 57

59 60

62 64

65 66 67

68 70 70 72 7:;

74 75

76 70 79

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