Ridpath's history of the world; being an account of the ethnic origin, primitive estate, early migrations, social conditions and present promise of the principal families of men .. . by which the Monumental re-J mains the cer- eharacter and methods of tain evidence of . - prehistoric con- life of prehistoric peoples aitions. may be in some measure comprehended. The inquirer will, of course, in the first place examine all the existing remains PRIME I rA L MAX.—CONDITIONS c V- &1 VA GE L//?/:. 373 which the peoples of antiquity have left I indubitable as in the testimony deduced behind. A monume
Ridpath's history of the world; being an account of the ethnic origin, primitive estate, early migrations, social conditions and present promise of the principal families of men .. . by which the Monumental re-J mains the cer- eharacter and methods of tain evidence of . - prehistoric con- life of prehistoric peoples aitions. may be in some measure comprehended. The inquirer will, of course, in the first place examine all the existing remains PRIME I rA L MAX.—CONDITIONS c V- &1 VA GE L//?/:. 373 which the peoples of antiquity have left I indubitable as in the testimony deduced behind. A monument, unless misjudgedas to its design and character, consti-tutes the fundamental evidence with re-gard to the men who reared it. It givesthe only primary testimony, and may berelied upon with absolute faith as to itsverity and significance. Monumental remains are even more from monumental remains. But man-ners and customs are, nevertheless,trustworthy indications of the past con-dition of the human race. Mere tradi-tion may not be trusted. We have seenthe absurdity and brevity of the legend-ary part of barbarian history. Traditionalforms of thought, as they are passed. certain in their testimony, more absolute from tongue to tongue among the bar-in their fidelity to the facts which they j barous tribes of men, have an independ-represent, than are the best historical ent interest of their own, just as thewritings produced by man. The latter I fictions and extravagant imaginations ofare always in some sensewarped from the image oftruth. They bear the impressof the annalist or historianfrom whose brain they wereevolved. They are tinged witha thousand prejudices of thepassing age. But the monu-ment is unconscious. It hasno prejudices or passions. Itbelongs to no sect or party, andis unbiased in its evidence byany personal equation. Noconscious force of human caprice hasbeen impressed upon it. It stands innaked austerity a solemn witness of thepurposes and genius of the people who
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksub, booksubjectworldhistory
