He has taste, common sense, love of
facts, impatience of humbug, love of history, love of splendor, love
of justice, and the sentiment of honor among gentlemen; but no life
whatever of the higher faculties, no faith, no hope, no aspiration,
no question touching the secret of nature.
The favorable side of this research and love of facts is the
bold and systematic criticism, which has appeared in every department
of literature. From Wolf's attack upon the authenticity of the
Homeric Poems, dates a new epoch in learning. Ancient history has
been found to be not yet settled. It is to be subjected to common
sense. It is to be cross examined. It is to be seen, whether its
traditions will consist not with universal belief, but with universal
experience. Niebuhr has sifted Roman history by the like methods.
Heeren has made good essays towards ascertaining the necessary facts
in the Grecian, Persian, Assyrian, Egyptian, Ethiopic, Carthaginian
nations. English history has been analyzed by Turner, Hallam,
Brodie, Lingard, Palgrave. Goethe has gone the circuit of human
knowledge, as Lord Bacon did before him, writing True or False on
every article.
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