LIGHTS OF TIII: in i;'U AND sciF.xn: vr 



of hi>t.ri > the ;iiis\vor is not doubtful : theyiuv all 

 only partially true. Even those venerable works 

 which be.ir tin names of some of the greatest of 

 .nici. lit (ireek and Roman writers, and which have 

 been accepted by generation after generation, down 

 to modern times, as stores of unquestionable truth, 

 liave been compelled by scientific criticism, after 

 a long battle, to descend to the common level, and 

 to ennfe.ss to a large admixture of error. I might 

 fairly take this for granted; but it may be well 

 that I should entivneh myself behind the very 

 apposite words of a historical authority who is cer- 

 tainly not obnoxious to even a suspicion of scepti- 

 cal tendencies. 



Time wa> ;ui'l that not very long ago when all the rela- 

 tions fit" ancient authors concerning the old world were received 

 with a ready Mief: and an unreasoning and uncritical faith 

 ied with ei|iial satisfaction the narrative of the campaigns 

 Maraud of the doings of Romulus, the account of Alex- 

 ander's inarches and of the conquests of Seniiraniis. We can 

 remember when, in this country, the whole story of 

 le^al Rome, and even the legend of the Trojan settlement in 

 Latiuni, were M-rioiisly placed before boy> as history, and ilis- 

 ifl unhesitatingly and in as dogmatic a tone as the 

 ''the Catiline Conspiraey or the ( 'omii'.est .of Britain. 

 li\it all thi-, is now change, 1. The last century has seen the. 

 birth and growth of a new science the Science of Historical 

 ( 'iiti ... The who],- world of profane history has 



involution: .! 



- '.' . on 'The Historical Kvid- i 



illltll of the SeliptuiV 1,'erolds slated alic\\, with Special 



to the 1 ),,iil,i, and 1 >i -i Mmlern Times," by 



M.A.. pp. 5-(J. 



