Lectures And Essays

""Lectures and Essays"" is a collection of writings by Goldwin Smith, a prominent 19th-century historian, journalist, and political commentator. The book includes a selection of Smith's lectures and essays on a variety of topics, including history, politics, literature, and culture. The writings cover a wide range of subjects, from the history of England and the United States to the role of women in society and the importance of education. Smith's writing is characterized by his clear and concise style, as well as his insightful analysis of the issues of his time. This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the history and culture of the 19th century, as well as those interested in the work of one of the period's most influential intellectuals.Supposing that man has ascended from a lower animal form, there appears to be ground at least for surmising that vice, instead of being a diabolical inspiration or a mysterious element of human nature, is the remnant of the lower animal not yet eliminated; while virtue is the effort, individual and collective, by which that remnant is being gradually worked off. The acknowledged connection of virtue with the ascendency of the social over the selfish desires and tendencies seems to correspond with this view; the nature of the lower animals being, so far as we can see, almost entirely selfish, and admitting no regard even for the present interests of their kind, much less for its interests in the future.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.