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HISTORY

OF

CIVILIZATION IN FRANCE,

FROM THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

LECTURE THE FIRST.

Object of the course-Two methods of studying in detail the history of European civilization-Reasons for preferring the study of the history of the civilization of a particular country-Reasons for studying that of France-Of the essential facts which constitute the perfection of civilization-Comparison of the great European nations under this point of view-Of civilization in England-GermanyItaly-Spain-France-French civilization is the most complete, and offers the most faithful representation of civilization in general -That the student has other things to bear in mind besides the mere study-Of the present prevailing tendencies in the intellectual order-Of the prevailing tendencies in the social order-Two problems resulting therefrom-Their apparent contradiction-Our times are called upon to solve them-A third and purely moral problem, rendered equally important by the present state of civilization-The unjust reproaches of which it is the object-The necessity of meeting them-All science, in the present day, exerts a social influence-All power should tend to the moral perfection of the individual, as well as to the improvement of society in general.

MANY of you will call to mind the nature and aim of a course of lectures which were brought to a close some months since. That course was cursory and of a general nature. I then attempted, in a very short period of time, to place before you an historical view of European civilization. I hastened, as it were, from point to point, confining myself strictly to general facts and assertions, at the risk of being sometimes misunderstood and perhaps discredited.

Necessity, as you know, imposed this method upon me; but in spite of this necessity I should have been much pained

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by the inconveniences which arose from it, had I n that in a future course I should be enabled to reme had I not proposed to myself, at the time, to comple future period, the outline which I then traced, and you to the general results which I placed before y same path which I myself had followed, an att complete study of the facts. Such is the end at wh aim.

Two methods offer themselves as tending to the of the proposed end. I might either recommence of last summer, and review the general history of civilization in its whole extent, by giving in detail it was impossible to give in mass, and by again pa with more leisurely steps that ground which before over in almost breathless haste. Or I might study of civilization in a single great country, in one of pal European nations in which it has been deve thus, by confining the field of my researches, be enabled thoroughly to explore it.

The first method seemed to offer serious incon It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to mai unity in a history with so extensive a range, and the same time, should be perfect in all its details. covered last summer, that there was a true unit through European civilization; but this unity is on in general actions and grand results. We must a highest mountain before the petty inequalities and of the surface will become invisible, and before we cover the general aspect, and the true and essent of the entire country. When we quit general facts to look into particulars, the unity vanishes, the again appear, and in the variety of occurrences sight of both causes and effects; so that to give history, and still to preserve some harmony, it is necessary to narrow the field of inquiry.

There is also another great objection to this meth immense extent and diversity of knowledge whic supposes and requires both in the speaker and his Those who wish to trace with moderate accuracy t of European civilization should have a sufficiently acquaintance, not only with the events which ha among each people, with their history, but likew their language, literature, and philosophy, in short.

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