Ohio History Journal

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THE SOCIETY AND THE QUARTERLY

THE SOCIETY AND THE QUARTERLY.

 

THE past fifteen years have witnessed, especially in the

United States, a striking and continuing zeal for the pursuit

of historical study and investigation.  By the side of the

historical student the archaeologist has been pursuing his

studies with unflagging energy. The evidences of what we

may call the "new historic spirit" are seen on all sides.

Never before in the history of this country have there been

so many specialists pursuing various lines of historical and

archaeological investigation. Never before were there so

many enthusiastic young men entering into this work-not

as mere general students, but for their special life-work.

Never were the mines of historical truth being so carefully

worked.   Never were the. results of the delving richer in

treasure.

Probably no other decade in the history of civilization has

seen so many valuable contributions to historical knowledge,

as have been laid before the world during the past ten years

through books, monographs, historical magazines and re-

views.  Some of these contributions are unsurpassed in

merit, many are valuable fragments of historical truth, while

very few are totally devoid of value.  Most of them are the

results of careful and honest research and differ as widely

from the so-called historical works of a generation or a half

ago as a modern scientific treatise on Zoology differs from

Goldsmith's "Animated Nature."

The crowning evidence that this zeal for historical knowl-

edge is widespread and that it is no mere passing freak is

found in the organization or reorganization of State Histor-

ical Societies; and in the formation of an American Histor-

ical Association for the purpose of bringing together "those

writing, those teaching and those studying history." This

association, although but three years old is now said to out-

number in membership every national organization repre-

senting the other branches of intellectual pursuits.

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