THE DECLINE OF THE WEST [DER UNTERGANG DES ABENDLANDES] BY OSWALD SPENGLER VOLUME ONE FORM AND ACTUALITY [GESTALT UND WIRKLICHKEIT] VOLUME TWO PERSPECTIVES OF WORLD-HISTORY [WELTHISTORISCHE PERSPEKTIVEN] THE DECLINE OF THE WEST PERSPECTIVES OF WORLD-HISTORY BY OSWALD SPENGLER _AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION WITH NOTES BY_ CHARLES FRANCIS ATKINSON VOLUME TWO MCMXXVIII: ALFRED A KNOPF: NEW YORK COPYRIGHT 1928 BY ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC. _Originally published as Der Untergang des Abendlandes Welthistorische Perspektiven_ _Copyright 1922 by C. H. Becksche, Verlagsbuchhandlung, München_ MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TRANSLATOR’S NOTE In the annotations to this volume I have followed the same course as in the first--namely, that of giving primary references to the _Encyclopædia Britannica_ as being the most considerable work of the kind that is really widely distributed in both the English-speaking fields, though occasionally special encyclopaedias or other works are referred to. Owing to the more definitely historical character of this volume, as compared with its predecessor, and particularly its stressing of a history that scarcely figures as yet in a regular education--the “Magian”--such references are necessarily more numerous. Even so, more might perhaps have been inserted with advantage. The Translator’s notes have no pretension to be critical in themselves, though here and there an argument is pointed with an additional example, or an obvious criticism anticipated. In each domain they will no doubt be resented by an expert, but the same expert will, it is hoped, find them useful for domains not his own. In the first volume of the English version, references to the second were necessarily given according to the pagination of the German. A comparative table of English and German page numbers has therefore been inserted. A list of corrigenda to Vol. I is also issued with this volume. C. F. A. _London, July 1928_ TABLE OF GERMAN AND ENGLISH PAGES