A Compend of History From the Earliest Times, Vol. 1: Comprehending a General View (Classic Reprint) - Tapa dura

Excerpt from A Compend of History From the Earliest Times, Vol. 1: Comprehending a General View

But this is not its only excellence. The facts are well selected, and, in general, well arranged. We have most to regret, that the work is so short.

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This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from A Compend of History From the Earliest Times, Vol. 1: Comprehending a General View

Reverend Sir,

With little more claim on you than what the mass of society have on the benevolent notice of the learned, the wise, and the good, I have presumed to inscribe to you the following compend of history; the chief merit of which, I am highly sensible, must consist much in the motive of the author. Destined by Providence to be entrusted with the education of youth, I have long regarded it as an important inquiry, what branches of knowledge and what modes of instruction are best calculated to benefit the young mind - what objects will be most likely to arrest the attention, enlarge the understanding, strengthen the memory, and promote virtuous dispositions.

Whilst, on the one hand, I have not the vanity to think that I have made any important discoveries in this inquiry; so, neither am I discouraged, on the other, by the reflection that the wise and learned in every age have been more or less engaged in the same inquiry. If the lapse of ages has corrected the errors of Lycurgus, Solon, and Aristotle, it is presumed that the most approved systems of the present day, having endured a similar test, will also be found defective.

The study of history is too much neglected in our present course of education; and I am strongly impressed with the belief that children may lay a broad foundation for historical knowledge, while learning to read, and may become very generally acquainted with history, merely in a common course of school reading.

No species of instruction so easily or so deeply imprints itself on the memory of youth, as that which is clothed in simple narration and description; especially if that narration convey interesting facts - and if that description engage and delight the imagination. It has often been observed, that an early taste for reading is likely to enkindle in the mind a desire for general improvement; and, if I may be allowed to appeal to my own experience, the reading of history was the first thing which awakened in me a desire to study the sciences.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.