Letters On the Study and Use of History ...

by Henry Saint John

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

322 pages, Paperback

Published February 22, 2010

About the author

Henry Saint John, first viscount Bolingbroke, English statesman, orator, and a Jacobite, spent much life in exile and wrote influential political treatises, notably The Idea of a Patriot King in 1749.

This Tory philosopher flourished.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_S...

Reviews

[Andie]

What I like most about reading this book was the experience: this was the first manuscript (an eighteenth-century copy) I read in one of Trinity College Dublin's reading rooms for early modern books.

I read it for my dissertation.

It was most interesting in regard to how people thought history should be written and what was expected of those who dare write it. It was evidently a profession only for men. Those that study it, however, could be all kinds --albeit, of men. They saw history as a practical guide to cultivate virtue and wisdom to live a happy life, and a guide especially dedicated to men that serve the country. But in his view, in a democratic government as Britain was supposed to be in the eighteenth-century, you didn't need to born for a post or have a special rank, or men should study the history of their country.