The modern scientific ideal--Monographs--Right choice of subject--References--Chronological order--Unambiguous titles--Economy of erudition 303 General works--_A._ meant for students and specialists--Works of reference or "repertories" and scientific manuals of special branches of history--Their form and style--Collaboration in their production--Scientific general histories 307 _B._ Works intended for the public--The best kind of popularisation--The inferior kind--Specialists who lower their standard when they write for the public--The literary style suitable for history 311 CONCLUSION Summary description of the methods of history--The future of history 316 The utility of history--Not directly applicable to present conditions--Affords an explanation of the present--Helps (and is helped by) the social sciences--A means of intellectual culture 319 APPENDIX I THE SECONDARY TEACHING OF HISTORY IN FRANCE Late introduction of history as a subject of secondary instruction--Defective methods employed up to the end of the Second Empire 325 The reform movement--Questions involved relating to general organisation--Choice of subjects--Order of teaching--Methods of instruction--These questions to be answered in the way that will make history most useful as a means of social culture 328 Material aids--Engravings--Books--Methods of teaching 332 APPENDIX II THE HIGHER TEACHING OF HISTORY IN FRANCE The different institutions--The Collège de France--The Faculties of Letters--The École Normale--The École des Chartes--The École pratique des hautes Études 335 Reform of the Faculties--Preparation for degrees--The Examination question--Principles on which it is to be solved--The _Diplôme d'études supérieures_ 340 Influence of the movement on the other institutions--Co-operation of the institutions 345 INDEX OF PROPER NAMES 347 AUTHORS' PREFACE The title of this work is clear. However, it is necessary to state succinctly both what our intention has, and what it has not been; for under this same title, "Introduction to the Study of History," very different books have already been published. It has not been our intention to give, as Mr. W. B. Boyce[1] has done, a summary of universal history for the use of beginners and readers of scanty leisure.