University Reform. 307 



forbids their becoming amenable to any such pro- 

 cess. Only in political economy, and to some ex- 

 tent in ethics, where the action of certain moral 

 forces is independently treated, can the student 

 be expected to comprehend general truths. Far 

 from being in a condition to appreciate general 

 views of historic evolution, he is usually ignorant 

 of most of the leading facts upon which they are 

 founded. Historical instruction, therefore, must 

 continue to consist chiefly in the exposition of 

 details. It is important, however, that the atten- 

 tion should be principally directed toward those 

 events which have constituted turning-points in 

 human progress. It is better to confine the atten- 

 tion to a few cardinal epochs, like the rise of the 

 Holy Roman Empire, the Crusades, the Refor- 

 mation, or the Revolt of the Netherlands, than to 

 try to commit to memory a compendium like 

 Michelet's " Precis," which is nothing but a dis- 

 jointed chronological table, a potpourri of un- 

 meaning dates and unexplained occurrences, 

 wherein trivial anecdotes and events of eternal 

 significance are incontinently huddled together, 

 without the slightest attempt at historical per- 

 spective. Above all, the essential unity and con- 

 tinuity of ancient and modern history should be 

 kept steadily in view ; and to this end, far more 



