Cautions as to Sources

THE intelligent teacher or student or writer will scarcely need to be told that he must keep his eyes open in dealing with original materials. In such a collection as this, a part of the danger is, or ought to be, eliminated by careful editing; and series of extracts ought in general to include only writers of tried veracity and weight, so that the question of truthful intention need not come in. It has not been intended to include forgers or liars except upon due notice of their untrustworthiness; but of course we are not looking for a statement of historical fact in Brackenridge’s satire on the objectors to the constitution (No. 70), or in Major Jack Downing’s revelations from the presidential kitchen (No. 160). Since it is the object of this work rather to establish tendencies than to detail facts, it has not been thought necessary to compare the minutiae of narratives or to point out small errors. The care of the scientific student must be to be sure that he has an accurate text; that it was written by the man whose name it bears; that he had the opportunity to know whereof he wrote; and that he had the intention of speaking the truth. The attention of pupils may well be called to such criteria of historical facts; but no sensible teacher will raise difficult controverted questions, or attempt to reconcile widely differing narratives, with school-children. Some things must be taken on faith, and yet it is a service to make clear to the child’s mind that faith without discrimination and vigilance may lead to error.