Arthur M. Schlesinger (1888-1965) was one of America's mostdistinguished and influential historians. The basis of his conception of history, as he put it in anote found among his papers, isthat "nothing stands still," Themoral he drew from this was theneed for "a liberal, flexible attitude" on the part of both the historian and the citizen.

This volume, with an introduction by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., brings together eleven ofProfessor Schlesinger's essays notpreviously collected in bookform. Written between 1929 and1965, they fall into two sections--"The Scholar," which includesessays dealing with historicalquestions, and "The Citizen,"which includes those dealingwith public affairs. Illustratingthe wide range of ProfessorSchlesinger's professional andhumane interests, these essaysset forth some of his views on thenature of the historical enterprise and record his own involvement in and hopes forAmerican democracy.