THE use by readers and students of those original documents from which our knowledge of history is so largely drawn has come to be valued in recent times at something like its true worth. The sequence of past events, the form and spirit of institutions, the characters of men, the prevailing habits of thought, obtain their greatest reality when we study them in the very words used by the men to whom the past was the living present. Even historians who have not been characterized by a close dependence on the results of patient investigation of the sources have recognized the superiority of an appeal to original testimony. Mr. Froude says, "Whenever possible) let us not be told about this man or that. Let us hear the man himself speak, let us see him act, and let us be left to form our own opinion about him." And in "Stones of Venice," Mr. Ruskin writes, "the only history worth reading is that written at the time of which it treats, the history of what was done and seen, heard out of the mouths of the men who did and saw. One fresh draught of such history is worth more than a thousand volumes of abstracts, and reasonings, and suppositions and theories." Experience has proved, not only that the interest of students can be more readily obtained through the vividness of a direct and first-hand presentation, and that knowledge thus gained is more tangible and exact; but that the critical judgment is developed in no slight degree, and the ability as well as the interest for further study thus secured. The utilization of the original sources of history, has, however, been much restricted by their comparative inaccessibility. A great proportion of such documents as illustrate European history exist only in more or less unfamiliar languages; many are to be found only in large and expensive collections, or in works that are out of print and therefore difficult to obtain or consult. The desire to overcome in some degree this inaccessibility, especially for their own classes, led the editors of the present series of translations and reprints from the original sources of European history to undertake its publication. During the past four years evidence has been given of the usefulness of the documents in several directions. Their most considerable use has naturally been with college classes. One or more of the issues has been used in twenty-five of the principal Universities and Colleges, and four Divinity Schools. In addition to these and their use in lower schools they have been found to give increased value to University Extension courses and reading circles. During the current year the series will take on a somewhat different character. Instead of five or more numbers of 32 pages, there will be issued two numbers, each of about 100 pages. The first of these is the present number. The remaining number, edited by James Harvey Robinson, of Columbia University, will appear in November. Titles of the numbers and further particulars are given on the third cover page. |