History of Civilization - 4 Volumes - Emory Allen -books
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| History of Civilization - 4 Volumes |
Contents:
v. 1. The prehistoric world; or, Vanished race.--v. 2. The ancient world; or, Dawn of history.--v. 3. The medieval world; or, Dark Ages.--v. 4. The modern world; or, Civilization of today
From the first volume introduction
In this volume, the author has sought to lay before the reader a description of life and times lying beyond the light of history. This is indeed an extensive subject, and calls for some explanation, both as to the work's general design and what steps have been taken to secure correct information. History is a word of varied import. In general, when we talk about history, we mean those accounts of past events, times, and circumstances of which we have written records.
Not necessarily mean alphabetical writing, because hieroglyphic records have furnished much true history. Hieroglyphic writing, which long preceded alphabetical writing, is itself a comparatively recent art. In no country do we find any records carrying us further back than a few thousand years before the Christian era?
We have every reason to believe that the historical part of man's life on the globe is but an insignificant part of the whole. This historic period is not the same in all countries. It •varies from a few centuries in our own country to a few thousand of years in Oriental lands. In no country is there a hard and fast line separating the historic period from the prehistoric?
In the dim perspective of years, the light gradually fades away, the mist grows thicker and thicker before, and we at last find ourselves face to face with the unknown past. This extensive period is not, however, utterly lost to us. We have simply to gather our information in some other way. Enthusiastic explorers, digging beneath the ashes of Vesuvius, have brought to light the remains of an entombed city.
Of this city, we indeed have historical records, but even if all such records had long since disappeared, "we would gather much information as to the nationality of the inhabitants, their customs, and manners, by a simple inspection of the relics themselves. Everywhere over the earth, entombed beneath the feet of the living, or crumbling on the surface, are the few relics of a past far antedating the relics of Pompeii. They are the proof positive that some people inhabited the land in faraway times.