Our Library Inheritance

Abstract

The individual expectation of life has greatly increased during the present century. The young man of twenty now has a life expectation of 50 years which is more than sufficient to take him to the currently accepted age for retirement; the young woman of twenty can expect five years more than the man. Much individual experience can be gained, and at first hand, during this lengthened life‐span but the total can never amount to more than a single grain of sand on the vast shore of human experience. I base my own faith in the value of historical studies primarily on the belief that they can help the individual to benefit, and benefit even four‐dimensionally, from the experience of those who have gone before. Of course I must also declare my personal interest. My interest in human history is prescriptive—memory runneth not to the contrary. The interest was there years before I was old enough to qualify for public library membership (age regulations are more liberal nowadays) and gained access to the shelves of G. A. Henty. I certainly remember nothing earlier than a toddler's history of England full of brightly coloured pictures, including a facing pair of “The White Ship” and “The King who never smiled again,” but that is far enough back for anyone.