Thereappearedafewyearssincea'ComicHistoryofEngland，'dulycaricaturingandfalsifyingallourgreatnationalevents，andrepresentingtheEnglishpeople，formanycenturiesback，asamoboffoolsandknaves，ledbythenoseineachgenerationbyafewarch。
　　foolsandarch—knaves。Somethoughtfulpersonsregardedthebookwithuttercontemptandindignation;itseemedtothemacrimetohavewrittenit;aproofof'banausia，'asAristotlewouldhavecalledit，onlytobeoutdonebythewritinga'ComicBible。'Afterawhile，however，theirindignationbegantosubside;theirsecondthoughts，asusual，weremorecharitablethantheirfirst;theywerenotsurprisedtohearthattheauthorwasanhonest，just，andablemagistrate;theysawthatthepublicationofsuchabookinvolvednomoralturpitude;thatitwasmerelymeantasajestonasubjectonwhichjestingwaspermissible，andasamoneyspeculationinafieldofwhichmenhadarighttomakemoney;whileallwhichseemedoffensiveinitwasmerelytheoutcome，andasitwereapotheosis，ofthatmethodofwritingEnglishhistorywhichhasbeenpopularfornearlyahundredyears。'Whichofourmodernhistorians，'theyaskedthemselves，'hashadanyrealfeelingoftheimportance，thesacredness，ofhissubject？——anyrealtrustin，orrespectfor，thecharacterswithwhomhedealt？Hasnotthebeliefofeachandallofthembeenthesame——thatonthewhole，themanyalwayshavebeenfoolsandknaves;foolishandknavishenough，atleast，tobecomethepuppetsofafewfoolsandknaveswhoheldthereinsofpower？Havetheynotheldthat，onthewhole，theproblemsofhumannatureandhumanhistoryhavebeensufficientlysolvedbyGibbonandVoltaire，GilBlasandFigaro;thatourforefathersweresillybarbarians;thatthisgloriousnineteenthcenturyistheoneregionoflight，andthatallbeforewasouterdarkness，peopledby'foreigndevils，'
　　Englishmen，nodoubt，accordingtotheflesh，butinspirit，inknowledge，increed，incustoms，soutterlydifferentfromourselvesthatweshallmerelyshowoursentimentalismbydoingaughtbutlaughingatthem？
　　OnwhatotherprinciplehaveourEnglishhistoriesasyetbeenconstructed，evendowntothechildren'sbooks，whichtaughtusinchildhoodthatthehistoryofthiscountrywasnothingbutastringoffoolishwars，carriedonbywickedkings，forreasonshithertounexplained，saveonthatgreathistoriclawofGoldsmith'sbywhichSirArchibaldAlisonwouldstillexplaintheFrenchRevolution—
　　'Thedog，toservehisprivateends，Wentmad，andbittheman？'
　　Itwillbeansweredbysome，andperhapsratherangrily，thatthesestricturesaretoosweeping;thatthereisarising，inacertainquarter，aschoolofhistorybooksforyoungpeopleofafarmorereverenttone，whichtriestodofullhonourtotheChurchandherworkintheworld。Thosebooksofthisschoolwhichwehaveseen，wemustreply，seemjustasmuchwantinginrealreverenceforthepastastheschoolofGibbonandVoltaire。Itisnotthepastwhichtheyreverence，butafewcharactersorfactseclecticallypickedoutofthepast，and，forthemostpart，madetolookbeautifulbyignoringallthefeatureswhichwillnotsuittheirpreconceivedpseudo—ideal。
　　ThereisinthesebooksascarcelyconcealeddissatisfactionwiththewholecourseoftheBritishmindsincetheReformation，and（thoughtheyarenotinclinedtoconfessthefact）withitswholecoursebeforetheReformation，becausethatcoursewasoneofsteadystruggleagainstthePapacyanditsanti—nationalpretensions。Theyaretheoutcomeofanutterlyun—Englishtoneofthought;andtheso—
　　called'agesoffaith'arepleasantandusefultothem，principallybecausetheyaredistantandunknownenoughtoenablethemtoconcealfromtheirreadersthatintheagesonwhichtheylookbackasideallyperfectaBernardandaFrancisofAssisiwerecryingalldaylong——'Othatmyheadwereafountainoftears，thatImightweepforthesinsofmypeople！'DantewascursingpopesandprelatesinthenameoftheGodofRighteousness;BoccaccioandChaucerwereliftingtheveilfrompriestlyabominationsofwhichwenowareashamedeventoread;andWolsey，seeingtherottennessofthewholesystem，spenthismightytalents，andatlastpouredouthissouluntodeath，inonelonguselessefforttomakethecrookedstraight，andnumberthatwhichhadbeenweighedinthebalancesofGod，andfoundforeverwanting。Toignorewilfullyfactslikethese，whichwerepatentallalongtotheBritishnation，factsonwhichtheBritishlaityacted，tilltheyfinallyconqueredattheReformation，andonwhichtheyareactingstill，andwill，probably，actforever，isnottohaveanyrealreverencefortheopinionsorvirtuesofourforefathers;andwearenotastonishedtofindrepeated，insuchbooks，theoldstockcalumniesagainstourlayandProtestantworthies，takenatsecond—
　　handfromthepagesofLingard。IncopyingfromLingard，however，thispartyhasdonenomorethanthosewritershavewhowouldrepudiateanyparty——almostanyChristian——purpose。Lingardisknowntohavebeenalearnedman，andtohaveexaminedmanymanuscriptswhichfewelsehadtakenthetroubletolookat;sohiswordistobetaken，noonethinkingitworthwhiletoaskwhetherhehaseitherhonestlyreadorhonestlyquotedthedocuments。ItsuitedthesentimentalandlazyliberalityofthelastgenerationtomakeashowoffairnessbylettingthePopishhistoriantellhissideofthestory，andtosneerattheilliberaloldnotionthatgentlemenofhisclassweregiventoberathercarelessabouthistorictruthwhentheyhadapurposetoservethereby;andLingardisnowactuallyrecommendedasastandardauthorityfortheyoungbyeducatedProtestants，whoseemutterlyunabletoseethat，whetherthemanbehonestornot，hiswholeviewofthecourseofBritisheventssinceBecketfirstquarrelledwithhiskingmustbeantipodaltotheirown;
　　andthathisaccountofallwhichhaspassedforthreehundredyearssincethefallofWolseyismostlikelytobe（and，indeed，maybeprovedtobe）onehugelibelonthewholenation，andthedestinywhichGodhasmarkedoutforit。
　　Thereis，indeed，nointrinsiccausewhytheecclesiastical，orpseudo—Catholic，viewofhistoryshould，inanywise，conducetoajustappreciationofourforefathers。Fornotonlydidourforefathersrebelagainstthatconceptionagainandagain，tilltheyfinallytrampleditundertheirfeet，andsoappear，primafacie，asoffenderstobejudgedatitsbar;buttheconceptionitselfisonewhichtakestheverysameviewofnatureasthatcynicconceptionofwhichwespokeabove。Man，withtheRomishdivines，is，ipsofacto，thesamebeingasthemanofVoltaire，LeSage，orBeaumarchais;heisaninsaneanddegradedbeing，whoistobekeptinorder，and，asfarasmaybe，curedandsettoworkbyanecclesiasticalsystem;andtheonlythreadsoflightinthedarkwebofhishistoryareclericalandtheurgic，notlayandhuman。Voltaireistheveryexperimentumcrucisofthisuglyfact。EuropeanhistorylookstohimwhatitwouldhavelookedtohisJesuitpreceptors，hadthesacerdotalelementinitbeenwanting;whatheathenhistoryactuallydidlooktothem。Heeliminatesthesacerdotalelement，andnothingremainsbutthechaosofapesandwolveswhichtheJesuitshadtaughthimtobelievewastheoriginalsubstratumofsociety。Thehumanityofhishistory——evenofhis'Pucelled'Orleans，——issimplythehumanityofSanchezandtherestofthosevingtquatrePereswhohanggibbetedforeverinthepagesofPascal。Heissuperiortohisteachers，certainly，inthis，thathehashopeforhumanityonearth;dreamsofanewandnoblerlifeforsociety，bymeansofatrueandscientificknowledgeofthelawsofthemoralandmaterialuniverse;inaword，hehas，inthemidstofallhisfilthandhisatheism，afaithinarighteousandtruth—revealingGod，whichthepriestswhobroughthimuphadnot。Letthetruthbespoken，eventhoughinfavourofsuchadestroyingAzraelasVoltaire。Andwhatifhisprimaryconceptionofhumanitybeutterlybase？Isthatofourmodernhistorianssomuchhigher？DoChristianmenseemtothem，onthewhole，inallages，tohavehadthespiritofGodwiththem，leadingthemintotruth，howeverimperfectlyandconfusedlytheymayhavelearnthislessons？
　　Havetheyeverheardwiththeirears，orlistenedwhentheirfathershavedeclareduntothem，thenobleworkswhichGoddidintheirdays，andintheoldtimebeforethem？DotheybelievethatthepathofChristendomhasbeen，onthewhole，thepathoflifeandtherightway，andthatthelivingGodisleadinghertherein？AretheyproudoftheoldBritishworthies？Aretheyjealousandtenderofthereputationoftheirancestors？DotheybelievethattherewereanyworthiesatallinEnglandbeforethesteam—engineandpoliticaleconomywerediscovered？DotheirconceptionsofpastsocietyandthepastgenerationsretainanythingofthatgreatthoughtwhichiscommontoalltheAryanraces——thatis，toallraceswhohaveleftaughtbehindthembetterthanmeremoundsofearth——toHindooandPersian，GreekandRoman，TeutonandScandinavian，thatmenarethesonsoftheheroes，whowerethesonsofGod？Ordotheybelievethatforcivilisedpeopleofthenineteenthcenturyitisaswelltosayaslittleaspossibleaboutancestorswhopossessedourviceswithoutouramenities，ourignorancewithoutourscience;whowerebred，nomatterhow，likefliesbysummerheat，outofthateverlastingmiddenwhichmencalltheworld，tobuzzandstingtheirfoolishday，andleavebehindthemafreshracewhichknowsthemnot，andcouldwinnohonourbyowningthem，andwhichowesthemnomorethanifithadbeenproduced，asmidden—fliesweresaidtobeofold，bysomespontaneousgeneration？
　　Itisnotprobablethatthiswriterwillbelikelytoundervaluepoliticaleconomy，orthesteam—engine，oranyothersolidandpracticalgoodwhichGodhasunveiledtothisgeneration。Allthathedoesdemand（forhehasarighttodemandit）isthatrationalmenshouldbelievethatourforefatherswereatleastasgoodasweare;
　　thatwhatsoevertheirmeasureoflightwas，theyacteduptowhattheyknewasfaithfullyaswedo;andthat，onthewhole，itwasnottheirfaultiftheydidnotknowmore。Evennowtherealdiscoveriesoftheagearemade，asofold，byaveryfewmen;and，whenmade，havetostruggle，asofold，againstallmannerofsuperstitions，lazinesses，scepticisms。IsthehistoryoftheMinierifleonesoverycomplimentarytoourage'squicknessofperceptionthatwecanaffordtothrowmanystonesattheprejudicesofourancestors？Thetruthisthat，asofold，'manymentalkofRobinHoodwhonevershotinhisbow';andmanytalkofBaconwhoneverdiscoveredalawbyinductionsincetheywereborn。Asfarasourexperiencegoes，thosewhoareloudestintheirjubilationsoverthewonderfulprogressoftheagearethosewhohaveneverhelpedthatprogressforwardoneinch，butfinditagreatdealeasierandmoreprofitabletousetheresultswhichhumblermenhavepainfullyworkedoutassecond—handcapitalforhustings—speechesandrailwaybooks，andflatteramechanics'instituteofself—satisfiedyouthsbytellingthemthattheleastinstructedofthemiswiserthanErigenaorRogerBacon。
　　Letthembe。Theyhavetheirreward。Andsoalsohasthepatientandhumblemanofscience，who，themoreheknows，confessesthemorehowlittleheknows，andlooksbackwithaffectionatereverenceonthegreatmenofoldtime——onArchimedesandPtolemy，AristotleandPliny，andmanyanotherhonourablemanwho，walkingingreatdarkness，soughtarayoflight，anddidnotseekinvain，——asintegralpartsofthatgoldenchainofwhichheisbutonelinkmore;
　　asscientificforefathers，withoutwhoseaidhissciencecouldnothavehadabeing。
　　Meanwhile，thisgeneraltoneofirreverenceforourforefathersisnohopefulsign。Itisunwiseto'inquirewhytheformertimeswerebetterthanthese';tohanglazilyandweaklyoversomeeclecticdreamofapastgoldenage;fortodosoistodenythatGodisworkinginthisage，aswellasinpastages;thatHislightisasnearusnowasitwastotheworthiesofoldtime。
　　Butitismorethanunwisetoboastandrejoicethattheformertimeswereworsethanthese;andtoteachyoungpeopletosayintheirhearts，'Whatcleverfellowsweare，comparedwithourstupidoldfogiesoffathers！'Morethanunwise;forpossiblyitmaybefalseinfact。TolookatthepoliticalandmoralstateofEuropeatthismoment，Christendomcanhardlyaffordtolookdownonanyprecedingcentury，andseemstobeinwantofsomethingwhichneithersciencenorconstitutionalgovernmentseemsabletosupply。Whetherourforefathersalsolackedthatsomethingwewillnotinquirejustnow;
　　butiftheydid，theirwantofscientificandpoliticalknowledgewasevidentlynotthecauseofthedefect;orwhyisnotSpainnowinfinitelybetter，insteadofbeinginfinitelyworseoff，thanshewasthreehundredyearsago？
　　Athome，too——ButonthequestionwhetherwearesoverymuchbetteroffthanourforefathersMr。Froude，notwe，mustspeak:forhehasdeliberately，inhisnewhistory，sethimselftothesolutionofthisquestion，andwewillnotanticipatewhathehastosay;whatwewouldratherinsistonnowarethemoraleffectsproducedonouryoungpeoplebybookswhichteachthemtolookwithcontemptonallgenerationsbuttheirown，andwithsuspiciononallpubliccharacterssaveafewcontemporariesoftheirownespecialparty。
　　ThereisanancientHebrewbook，whichcontainsasingularstoryconcerningagrandsonwhowascursedbecausehisfatherlaughedatthefrailtyofthegrandfather。Whetherthereadershallregardthatstory（aswedo）asaliteralfactrecordedbyinspiredwisdom，asaninstanceofoneofthegreatroot—lawsoffamilylife，andthereforeofthatnationallifewhich（astheHebrewbooksocunninglyshows）
　　istheorganicdevelopmentofthefamilylife;orwhetherheshalltreatit（aswedonot）asamereapologueormyth，hemustconfessthatitisequallygrandinitssimplicityandsingularinitsunexpectedresult。Thewordsofthestory，takenliterallyandsimply，nomorejustifythenotionthatCanaan'sslaverywasanymagicalconsequenceoftheoldpatriarch'sangerthantheydothewell—knowntheorythatitwasthecauseoftheNegro'sblackness。
　　Hamshowsalow，foul，irreverent，unnaturaltempertowardshisfather。Theoldman'sshameisnotacauseofshametohisson，butonlyoflaughter。Noahprophesies（inthefullestanddeepestmeaningofthatword）thatacursewillcomeuponthatson'sson;
　　thathewillbeaslaveofslaves;andreasonandexperienceshowthathespoketruth。Lettheyoungbutseethattheirfathershavenoreverenceforthegenerationbeforethem，thenwilltheyinturnhavenoreverencefortheirfathers。Letthembetaughtthatthesinsoftheirancestorsinvolvetheirownhonoursolittlethattheyneednottakeanytroubletocleartheblotoffthescutcheon，butmaysafelysitdownandlaughoverit，saying，'Verylikelyitistrue。Ifso，itisveryamusing;andifnot——whatmatter？'——Thenthoseyoungpeoplearebeingbredupinahabitofmindwhichcontainsinitselfallthecapabilitiesofdegradationandslavery，inself—conceit，hastyassertion，disbeliefinnobleness，andalltheother'credulitiesofscepticism':partedfromthatpastfromwhichtheytaketheircommonorigin，theyarepartedalsofromeachother，andbecomeselfish，self—seeking，divided，andthereforeweak:
　　disbelievinginthenoblenessofthosewhohavegonebeforethem，theylearnmoreandmoretodisbelieveinthenoblenessofthosearoundthem;and，bydenyingGod'sworksofold，come，byajustanddreadfulNemesis，tobeunabletoseehisworksinthemenoftheirownday;tosuspectandimpugnvalour，righteousness，disinterestednessintheircontemporaries;toattributelowmotives;
　　topridethemselvesonlookingatmenandthingsas'menwhoknowtheworld，'sotheyoungpuppiesstyleit;tobelessandlesschivalroustowomen，lessandlessrespectfultooldmen，lessandlessashamedofboastingabouttheirsensualappetites;inaword，toshowallthosesymptomswhich，whenfullydeveloped，leaveagenerationwithoutfixedprinciples，withoutstrongfaith，withoutself—
　　restraint，withoutmoralcohesion，thesensualanddividedpreyofanyrace，howeverinferiorinscientificknowledge，whichhasaclearandfixednotionofitsworkanddestiny。Thatmanyofthesesignsarethemselvesmoreandmoreominouslyshowinginouryoungmen，fromthefinegentlemanwhoridesinRottenRowtotheboy—mechanicwholistensenrapturedtoMr。Holyoake'sexposuresoftheabsurdityofallhumanthingssaveMr。Holyoake'sself，isafactwhichpressesitselfmostonthosewhohavewatchedthisagemostcarefully，andwho（rightlyorwrongly）attributemuchofthismiserabletempertothewayinwhichhistoryhasbeenwrittenamongusforthelasthundredyears。
　　WhetherornotMr。Froudewouldagreewiththesenotions，heismoreorlessresponsibleforthem;fortheyhavebeensuggestedbyhis'HistoryofEnglandfromtheFallofWolseytotheDeathofElizabeth。'Itwasimpossibletoreadthebookwithoutfeelingthecontrastbetweenitstoneandthatofeveryotheraccountofthetimeswhichonehadeverseen。Mr。Froudeseemstohavesettoworkupontheprinciple，toomuchignoredinjudgingofthepast，thatthehistorian'ssuccessmustdependonhisdramaticfaculty;andnotmerelyonthatconstructiveelementofthefacultyinwhichMr。
　　Macaulayshowssuchastonishingpower，butonthathigheranddeepercriticalelementwhichoughttoprecedetheconstructiveprocess，andwithoutwhichtheconstructiveelementwillmerelyenableawriter，aswasoncebitterlybuttrulysaid，'toproducethegreatestpossiblemisrepresentationwiththeleastpossibledistortionoffact。'Thatdeeperdramaticfaculty，thecritical，isnotlogicalmerely，butmoral，anddependsonthemoralhealth，thewidenessandheartinessofhismoralsympathies，bywhichhecanputhimself——asMr。Froudehasattemptedtodo，andaswethinksuccessfully——intotheplaceofeachandeverycharacter，andnotmerelyfeelforthem，butfeelwiththem。Hedoesnotmerelydescribetheiractionsfromtheoutside，attributingthemarbitrarilytomotiveswhichareprettysuretobethelowestpossible，becauseitiseasiertoconceivealowmotivethanaloftyone，andtocallamanavillainthantounravelpatientlythetangledwebofgoodandevilofwhichhisthoughtsarecomposed。Hehasattemptedtoconceiveofhischaractersashewouldiftheyhadbeenhisowncontemporariesandequals，acting，speakinginhiscompany;andhehasthereforethoughthimselfboundtoacttowardthembythoserulesofcharityandcourtesy，commonaliketoChristianmorals，Englishlaw，anddecentsociety;namely，toholdeverymaninnocenttillheisprovedguilty;