第3部分(第4/7 頁)

w。　He　designed　to　prepare　a　body　of　political　doctrines　for　the　instruction　of

princes；　governments　and　peoples　（he　formed　a　special　collection　of　doctrines　and　reflections；　…

frequently　giving　us　in　his　correspondence　the　exact　number　of　apophthegms　which　he　had

piled　in　a　week）；　but　he　cannot　reckon　this　part　of　his　labour　as　among　the　best　that　he

acplished。　It　is　only　a　thorough；　liberal；　prehensive　view　of　historical　relations　（such　e。g。　as

we　find　in　Montesquieu's　Esprit　des　Loix）；　that　can　give　truth　and　interest　to　reflections　of　this

order。　One　Reflective　History　therefore　supersedes　another。　The　materials　are　patent　to　every

writer：　each　is　likely　enough　to　believe　himself　capable　of　arranging　and　manipulating　them；　and　we

may　expect　that　each　will　insist　upon　his　own　spirit　as　that　of　the　age　in　question。　Disgusted　by

such　reflective　histories　readers　have　often　returned　to　a　with　pleasure　to　a　narrative　adopting　no

particular　point　of　view。　These　certainly　have　their　value；　but　for　the　most　part　they　offer　only

material　for　history。　We　Germans　are　not　content　with　such。　The　French；　on　the　other　hand；

display　great　genius　in　reanimating　bygone　times；　and　in　bringing　the　past　to　bear　upon　the　present

conditions　of　things。

3。　Critical　History

§　9

The　third　form　of　Reflective　History　is　the　Critical。　This　deserves　mention　as　pre…eminently　the

mode　of　treating　history；　now　current　in　Germany。　It　is　not　history　itself　that　is　here　presented。　We

might　more　properly　designate　it　as　a　History　of　History；　a　criticism　of　historical　narratives　and　an

investigation　of　their　truth　and　credibility。　Its　peculiarity　in　point　of　fact　and　of　inte