Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives


Source: April 1940 Volume 3 Number 2, Page 26


Editorial

Plutarch, the Greek historian, wrote with dramatic vivacity and vivid imagination despite his credence of ancient and childish tales of pagan gods. His biographies of Numa and Timolean exhibit the best ideals of morality. His books so widely read and admired, are largely made up from traditional stories.

To chronicle local scenes and events of long ago sympathetically and authoritatively it would seem best that the writer possess a local background with his family tree deeply embedded in the soil, yet the late Dr. Julius F. Sachse, a transplanted citizen and our local historian of an earlier day, wrote ably of the "Wayside Inns on the Lancaster Roadside" from material gleaned from the traditional yarns of his Berwyn neighbors.

When we assume that imagination is requisite in the presentation of historical matter we must reject the ordinary definition of the word and accept that meaning which best expresses the ability to visualize the actual scene, action or period. In accomplishment of this, personality may prove difficult to obviate nor should it be eliminated entirely if it is sincere.

The difference between mediocrity and that which may be akin to genius is to be able to transport oneself and his readers mentally to the given period. To do this one would need to requisition all the faculties at his disposal, mindful that the authenticated traditions of one generation may become the history of generations to come.

 
 

Page last updated: 2012-03-30 at 14:24 EST
Copyright © 2006-2012 Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society. All rights reserved.
Permission is given to make copies for personal use only.
All other uses require written permission of the Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society.