Chapter 4

GENERAL CONDITIONS OF HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE

Direct and indirect knowledge of facts 63

History not a science of direct observation--Its data obtained by chains of reasoning 64

Twofold division of Historical Criticism: _External_, investigating the transmission and origin of documents and the statements in them; _Internal_, dealing with the content of the statements and their probability 66

Complexity of Historical Criticism 67

Necessity of Criticism--The human mind naturally uncritical 68

SECTION I.--EXTERNAL CRITICISM