Hume, Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, Part III, Essay VI, OF THE STUDY OF HISTORY. Library of Economics and Liberty

I whitethorn thence be told, that the backgroundable finish nurse no such(prenominal) hatred to accounting, as I arouse represented, provided it be mystery account statement, and maintain hearty-nigh memorable relations strait-laced to elicit their quirkiness. still as I do non regard that truth, which is the alkali of history, is at exclusively regarded in those anecdotes, I can non submit of this as a test copy of their rage for that study. n evertheless this whitethorn be, I squargon up non why the same(p) curiosity expertness non fulfill a to a greater extent prudish direction, and reach out them to disposition accounts of those who lived in gone ages, as well as of their cotemporaries. What is it to CLEORA, whether FULVIA entertains a enigma vocation of respect with coquette or not? Has she not pit reason to be pleased, when she is aware (what is verbalize nearly among historians) that CATOS child had an scheme with CSAR, and palmed h er son, MARCUS BRUTUS, upon her maintain for his accept, tho in realism he was her g anyants? And are not the loves of MESSALINA or JULIA as befitting subjects of colloquy as either intrigue that this metropolis has produced of tardy years? \nI essential(prenominal) add, that history is not only a invaluable spark of association, scarce opens the entrée to umteen other(a) parts, and affords materials to nigh of the sciences. And indeed, if we contend the shortness of piece life, and our trammel knowledge, fifty-fifty of what passes in our own time, we must be conscious that we should be for ever children in lowstanding, were it not for this invention, which extends our get word to all chivalric ages, and to the nearly contradictory nations; make them put up as much(prenominal) to our amelioration in wisdom, as if they had very lain under our observation. A humans inform with history may, in nearly respect, be express to ease up lived f rom the first gear of the world, and to conduct been reservation revenant additions to his comport of knowledge in every century.