284 A Century of Science 



set instead of taking that last fatal journey to 

 Alicante. 



It was chiefly with the political aspects of history 

 that Freeman concerned himself ; not in the old- 

 fashioned way, as a mere narrative of the deeds of 

 kings and cabinets, but in scientific fashion, as an 

 application of the comparative method to the vari 

 ous processes of nation-building. I do not mean that 

 his narrative was subordinated to scientific exposi 

 tion, but that it was informed and vitalized by the 

 spirit and methods of science. In pure description 

 Freeman was often excellent ; his account of the 

 death of William Rufus, for example, is a master 

 piece of impressive narrative. In description and 

 in argument alike Freeman usually confined his at 

 tention to political history, except when he dealt in 

 his suggestive way with architecture and archaeo 

 logy. To art in general, to the history of philo 

 sophy and of scientific ideas, to the development 

 of literary expression, of manners and customs, of 

 trade and the industrial arts, he devoted much 

 less thought. I believe he did not fully approve 

 of his friend Green s method of carrying along 

 political, social, and literary topics abreast in his 

 &quot; History of the English People.&quot; Few will doubt, 

 however, that in this respect Green s artistic grasp 

 upon his subject was stronger than Freeman s. 



