Ancient China Simplified (Classic Reprint)

BoswELL once remarked toD r. Johnson that the history of England is so strange that, if it were not well vouched as it is, it would be hardly credible. To which Johnson replied in his usual style: Sir, if it were told as shortly, and with as little preparation for introducing the different events, as the history of the Jewish kings, it would be equally liable to objections of improbability. Dr. Johnson went on to illustrate what he meant, by specific allusion to the concessions toP arliament made by Charles I. I f, he said, these had been related nakedly, without any detail of the circumstances which generally led to them, they would not have been believed. This is exactly the position of ancient Chinese history, which may be roughly said to coincide in time with the history of the Jewish kings. The Chinese Annals are mere diaries of events, isolated facts being tumbled together in order of date, without any regard for proportion. Epoch-making invasions, defeats, and cessions of territory are laconically noted down on a level with the princes indiscretion in weeping for a concubine as he would weep for a wife; or theE mperor sbounty in sending a dish of sacrificial meat to a vassal power by express messenger. In one way there -is a distinct advantage in this method, for, the historian being seldom tempted to obtrude his own opinion or comments, we are left a clear course for the formation of our own judgments upon the facts given.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)

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