Author's Note 47
The ancient historians are full of
opinions which may be useful, even if the facts which they present
are false. But we do not know how to make any real use of history.
Criticism and erudition are our only care; as if it mattered more
that a statement were true or false than that we should be able to
get a useful lesson from it. A wise man should consider history a
tissue of fables whose morals are well adapted to the human
heart.