Introduction 
fact that, in human actions, we are really gazing on the work- 
ing-out of the will of the Divine author and ruler of the world, 
for the most part silently urging all things human on to issues 
quite unperceived until their full accomplishment, but now and 
again, at the great crises of the destinies of man, acting through 
the heroes of our race with manifest and startling energy and 
effect. 
4. The Eastern nations did not reach to the height of the 
Growth of idea that mankind is, and ought to be, free; they 
freedom. only knew of freedom for o%e—the despot—to whose 
caprices they became victims and slaves, The Greeks first 
became conscious of freedom as the right of mankind, but they, 
as well as the Romans, knew only of freedom for a part of 
mankind—their own citizens, and so had a system of slave- 
holding bound up with the free constitution which those citizens 
enjoyed. The Teutonic nations, aided by Christianity, first 
became conscious that ar, as such, is free, and by slow 
degrees slavery was abolished, and constitutional freedom was 
established in modern states, organized in a rational way. The 
history of the world is an account of the growth among mankind 
of this consciousness of freedom for the race. This is the grand 
aim which the world’s history has seen, at least in part, attained 
—the acquirement of freedom for the heaven-born spirit of 
man. On this altar have been laid the sublime sacrifices of 
patriots and heroes; to this pole-star, amid the constant change 
of conditions and events, the magnet guiding the track of this 
great labouring sorrow-laden bark of humanity has been, on a 
wide view, ever true. The springs of action in history are the 
various needs, characters, passions, and talents of men. 
5. Passing to the picturesque view of this great subject, we 
Pieturesque find that “the world’s history is a grand panorama 
side ofhis- of events and changes, the sight of which calls into 
tory. . 
play all the emotions of the soul of man—love of 
goodness, enjoyment of beauty, admiration of greatness; hope 
and fear for the results of struggles in which human action and 
suffering are involved; pity for the fallen greatness both of men 
and of empires; joy in the issuing of new life from the ashes of 
the funeral-pile of nations that have consumed themselves 
away.” 
6. If it be asked, “Why do we, in the studies of our colleges 
and schools, give such predominance to the history of ancient 
Greece and Rome, while we neglect in comparison the records