<w lemma="i%2Fkonto">ίκοντο</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w> <w lemma="a%29rxh%3Ds">ἀρχῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dunastei%2Fas">δυναστείας</w>. <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="h%28mete%2Fras">ἡμετέρας</w> <w lemma="pragmatei%2Fas">πραγματείας</w> <w lemma="i%29%2Fdion">ἴδιον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="qauma%2Fsion">θαυμάσιον</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="kairw%3Dn">καιρῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dt%27">τοῦτ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fstin">ἔστιν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fti">ὅτι</w>, <w lemma="kaqa%2Fper">καθάπερ</w> <w lemma="h%28">ἡ</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxh">τύχη</w> <w lemma="sxedo%5Cn">σχεδὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpanta">ἅπαντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhs">οἰκουμένης</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fgmata">πράγματα</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28%5Cn">ἓν</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fkline">ἔκλινε</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="neu%2Fein">νεύειν</w> <w lemma="h%29na%2Fgkase">ἠνάγκασε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fna">ἕνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="skopo%2Fn">σκοπόν</w>, <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dei%3D">δεῖ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="su%2Fnoyin">σύνοψιν</w> <w lemma="a%29gagei%3Dn">ἀγαγεῖν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29ntugxa%2Fnousi">ἐντυγχάνουσι</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="xeirismo%5Cn">χειρισμὸν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3D%7C">ᾧ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fxrhtai">κέχρηται</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="sunte%2Fleian">συντέλειαν</w>.
<w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="prokalesa%2Fmenon">προκαλεσάμενον</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="parormh%3Dsan">παρορμῆσαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolh%5Cn">ἐπιβολὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fgonen">γέγονεν</w>, <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftw%7C">τούτῳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mhde%2Fna">μηδένα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibeblh%3Dsqai">ἐπιβεβλῆσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="pragma%2Ftwn">πραγμάτων</w> <w lemma="sunta%2Fcei:">συντάξει·</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="h%28%3Dtton">ἧττον</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fgwge">ἔγωγε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="e%29filotimh%2Fqhn">ἐφιλοτιμήθην</w>.
<w lemma="nu%3Dn">νῦν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28rw%3Dn">ὁρῶν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmous">πολέμους</w> <w lemma="kai%2F">καί</w> <w lemma="tinas">τινας</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="pra%2Fcewn">πράξεων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w> <w lemma="pragmateuome%2Fnous">πραγματευομένους</w>, <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sullh%2Fbdhn">συλλήβδην</w> <w lemma="oi%29konomi%2Fan">οἰκονομίαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Ftwn">γεγονότων</w> <w lemma="po%2Fte">πότε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="po%2Fqen">πόθεν</w> <w lemma="w%28rmh%2Fqh">ὡρμήθη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pw%3Ds">πῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fsxe">ἔσχε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="sunte%2Fleian">συντέλειαν</w>, <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="ou%29d%27">οὐδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pibalo%2Fmenon">ἐπιβαλόμενον</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fna">οὐδένα</w> <w lemma="basani%2Fzein">βασανίζειν</w>, <w lemma="o%28%2Fson">ὅσον</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29de%2Fnai">εἰδέναι</w>,
<w lemma="pantelw%3Ds">παντελῶς</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%2Flabon">ὑπέλαβον</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%3Don">ἀναγκαῖον</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dnai">εἶναι</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="paralipei%3Dn">παραλιπεῖν</w> <w lemma="mhd%27">μηδ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29a%3Dsai">ἐᾶσαι</w> <w lemma="parelqei%3Dn">παρελθεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29nepista%2Ftws">ἀνεπιστάτως</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ka%2Flliston">κάλλιστον</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="w%29felimw%2Ftaton">ὠφελιμώτατον</w> <w lemma="e%29pith%2Fdeuma">ἐπιτήδευμα</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tu%2Fxhs">τύχης</w>.
<w lemma="polla%5C">πολλὰ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="au%28%2Fth">αὕτη</w> <w lemma="kainopoiou%3Dsa">καινοποιοῦσα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sunexw%3Ds">συνεχῶς</w> <w lemma="e%29nagwnizome%2Fnh">ἐναγωνιζομένη</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpwn">ἀνθρώπων</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fois">βίοις</w> <w lemma="ou%29de%2Fpw">οὐδέπω</w> <w lemma="toio%2Fnd%27">τοιόνδ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%28plw%3Ds">ἁπλῶς</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29rga%2Fsat%27">εἰργάσατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Frgon">ἔργον</w> <w lemma="ou%29%2Ft%27">οὔτ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%29gwni%2Fsat%27">ἠγωνίσατ᾽</w> <w lemma="a%29gw%2Fnisma">ἀγώνισμα</w>, <w lemma="oi%28%3Don">οἷον</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kaq%27">καθ᾽</w> <w lemma="h%28ma%3Ds">ἡμᾶς</w>.
<w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="grafo%2Fntwn">γραφόντων</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="ou%29x">οὐχ</w> <w lemma="oi%28%3Do%2Fn">οἷόν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="sunidei%3Dn">συνιδεῖν</w>, <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29pifanesta%2Ftas">ἐπιφανεστάτας</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="mi%2Fan">μίαν</w> <w lemma="e%28ka%2Fsthn">ἑκάστην</w> <w lemma="e%29pelqw%5Cn">ἐπελθὼν</w> <w lemma="h%29%5C">ἢ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nh%5C">νὴ</w> <w lemma="%2Adi%2Fa">Δία</w> <w lemma="gegramme%2Fnas">γεγραμμένας</w> <w lemma="xwri%5Cs">χωρὶς</w> <w lemma="a%29llh%2Flwn">ἀλλήλων</w> <w lemma="qeasa%2Fmenos">θεασάμενος</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="u%28polamba%2Fnei">ὑπολαμβάνει</w> <w lemma="katanenohke%2Fnai">κατανενοηκέναι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flhs">ὅλης</w> <w lemma="oi%29koume%2Fnhs">οἰκουμένης</w> <w lemma="sxh%3Dma">σχῆμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="su%2Fmpasan">σύμπασαν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="qe%2Fsin">θέσιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcin:">τάξιν·</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fper">ὅπερ</w> <w lemma="e%29sti%5Cn">ἐστὶν</w> <w lemma="ou%29damw%3Ds">οὐδαμῶς</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Fs">εἰκός</w>.
<w lemma="kaqo%2Flou">καθόλου</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fmoige">ἔμοιγε</w> <w lemma="dokou%3Dsin">δοκοῦσιν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="pepeisme%2Fnoi">πεπεισμένοι</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="metri%2Fws">μετρίως</w> <w lemma="suno%2Fyesqai">συνόψεσθαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fla">ὅλα</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsio%2Fn">παραπλήσιόν</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fsxein">πάσχειν</w>, <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2F">εἴ</w> <w lemma="tines">τινες</w> <w lemma="e%29myu%2Fxou">ἐμψύχου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kalou%3D">καλοῦ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmatos">σώματος</w> <w lemma="gegono%2Ftos">γεγονότος</w> <w lemma="dierrimme%2Fna">διερριμμένα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="qew%2Fmenoi">θεώμενοι</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fzoien">νομίζοιεν</w> <w lemma="i%28kanw%3Ds">ἱκανῶς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fptai">αὐτόπται</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29nergei%2Fas">ἐνεργείας</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%3D">αὐτοῦ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="zw%2F%7Cou">ζῴου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kallonh%3Ds">καλλονῆς</w>.
<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="ga%2Fr">γάρ</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="au%29ti%2Fka">αὐτίκα</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fla">μάλα</w> <w lemma="sunqei%5Cs">συνθεὶς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="te%2Fleion">τέλειον</w> <w lemma="au%29%3Dqis">αὖθις</w> <w lemma="a%29pergasa%2Fmenos">ἀπεργασάμενος</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="zw%3D%7Con">ζῷον</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="t%27">τ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29%2Fdei">εἴδει</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="yuxh%3Ds">ψυχῆς</w> <w lemma="eu%29prepei%2Fa%7C">εὐπρεπείᾳ</w> <w lemma="ka%29%2Fpeita">κἄπειτα</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pideiknu%2Foi">ἐπιδεικνύοι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="au%29toi%3Ds">αὐτοῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnois">ἐκείνοις</w>, <w lemma="taxe%2Fws">ταχέως</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="oi%29%3Dmai">οἶμαι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntas">πάντας</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="o%28mologh%2Fsein">ὁμολογήσειν</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="li%2Fan">λίαν</w> <w lemma="polu%2F">πολύ</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%29lhqei%2Fas">ἀληθείας</w> <w lemma="a%29pelei%2Fponto">ἀπελείποντο</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fsqen">πρόσθεν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraplh%2Fsioi">παραπλήσιοι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29neirw%2Fttousin">ὀνειρώττουσιν</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w>.
<w lemma="e%29%2Fnnoian">ἔννοιαν</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="labei%3Dn">λαβεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frous">μέρους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w> <w lemma="dunato%2Fn">δυνατόν</w>, <w lemma="e%29pisth%2Fmhn">ἐπιστήμην</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="gnw%2Fmhn">γνώμην</w> <w lemma="a%29trekh%3D">ἀτρεκῆ</w> <w lemma="sxei%3Dn">σχεῖν</w> <w lemma="a%29du%2Fnaton">ἀδύνατον</w>.
<w lemma="dio%5C">διὸ</w> <w lemma="pantelw%3Ds">παντελῶς</w> <w lemma="braxu%2F">βραχύ</w> <w lemma="ti">τι</w> <w lemma="nomiste%2Fon">νομιστέον</w> <w lemma="sumba%2Fllesqai">συμβάλλεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fan">ἱστορίαν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Flwn">ὅλων</w> <w lemma="e%29mpeiri%2Fan">ἐμπειρίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w>.
<w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fntoi">μέντοι</w> <w lemma="ge">γε</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fntwn">ἁπάντων</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllhla">ἄλληλα</w> <w lemma="sumplokh%3Ds">συμπλοκῆς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paraqe%2Fsews">παραθέσεως</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28moio%2Fthtos">ὁμοιότητος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diafora%3Ds">διαφορᾶς</w>, <w lemma="mo%2Fnws">μόνως</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="e%29fi%2Fkoito">ἐφίκοιτο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dunhqei%2Fh">δυνηθείη</w> <w lemma="katopteu%2Fsas">κατοπτεύσας</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsimon">χρήσιμον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="terpno%5Cn">τερπνὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="i%28stori%2Fas">ἱστορίας</w> <w lemma="a%29nalabei%3Dn">ἀναλαβεῖν</w>.
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<head>Comprehensive View</head>There is this analogy between the plan of my History<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note8">The need of a comprehensive view of history as well as a close study of an epoch.</note>and the marvellous spirit of the age with which I have to deal. Just as Fortune made almost all the affairs of the world incline in one direction, and forced them to converge upon one and the same point; so it is my task as an historian to put before my readers a compendious view of the part played by Fortune in bringing about the general catastrophe.<note anchored="yes" resp="fww" place="unspecified" id="note9">lines 8 and 9: "the general catastrophe" should read "her general purpose".</note>It was this peculiarity which originally challenged my attention, and determined me on undertaking this work. And combined with this was the fact that no writer of our time has undertaken a general history. Had any one done so my ambition in this direction would have been much diminished. But, in point of fact, I notice that by far the greater number of historians concern themselves with isolated wars and the incidents that accompany them: while as to a general and comprehensive scheme of events, their date, origin, and catastrophe, no one as far as I know has undertaken to examine it. I thought it, therefore, distinctly my duty neither to pass by myself, nor allow any one else to pass by, without full study, a characteristic specimen of the dealings of Fortune at once brilliant and instructive in the highest degree. For fruitful as Fortune is in change, and constantly as she is producing dramas in the life of men, yet never assuredly before this did she work such a marvel, or act such a drama, as that which we have witnessed. And of this we cannot obtain a comprehensive view from writers of mere episodes. It would be as absurd to expect to do so as for a man to imagine that he has learnt the shape of the whole world, its entire arrangement and order, because he has visited one after the other the most famous cities in it; or perhaps merely examined them in separate pictures. That would be indeed absurd: and it has always seemed to me that men, who are persuaded that they get a competent view of universal from episodical history, are very like persons who should see the limbs of some body, which had once been living and beautiful, scattered and remote; and should imagine that to be quite as good as actually beholding the activity and beauty of the living creature itself. But if some one could there and then<pb n="5" />reconstruct the animal once more, in the perfection of its beauty and the charm of its vitality, and could display it to the same people, they would beyond doubt confess that they had been far from conceiving the truth, and had been little better than dreamers. For indeed some idea of a whole may be got from a part, but an accurate knowledge and clear comprehension cannot. Wherefore we must conclude that episodical history contributes exceedingly little to the familiar knowledge and secure grasp of universal history. While it is only by the combination and comparison of the separate parts of the whole,—by observing their likeness and their difference,—that a man can attain his object: can obtain a view at once clear and complete; and thus secure both the profit and the delight of History.
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Walbank Commentary