The ancient Greek historians (Harvard lectures) by J. B. Bury.

VIII HISTORICAL RELATIVITY

253

said that the judgment of a wise man at any time
might be final or absolutely valid. Older Christian
historians thought that they were in possession of
absolute criteria; and the illusion that a historical
judgment may be the last word is still prevalent.
It must ultimately yield to the principle of historical relativity which, as the experience of the
race grows, will be more and more fully recognised.
Before I pass from this principle I may note
another point. One might think a piori that the
study of history is eminently adapted to form an
antidote to chauvinism, self-satisfaction, and intolerance. It cannot, however, be said that
hitherto it has actually done much to counteract
these habits of mind; it has been more inclined to
subserve them. But it seems probable that it may
be more effective in the future. The new historical
conception, which we have been considering, is
evidently calculated to promote the spirit of
tolerance, and cool the spirit of self-satisfaction,
more efficaciously than any previous idea. Tle
tolerance of the ordinary man who naively urges in
excuse of the heathen that they " know no better "
must be applied, on the principle of historical relativity, to ourselves; that principle bids us remember
that we "know no better," that we stand within
the strict barriers of our historical conditions, and
that we shall be judged hundreds or thousands of
years hence by critics who look forth from a higher
specular platform of civilisation.
The thought of the judgment of a distant