Modern History in mid- 19th Century England
"But if the life of every society belongs to history, much more does the life of that highest and sovereign society which we call a state or a nation. And this in fact is considered the proper subject of history ; — insomuch that if we speak of it simply, without any qualifying epithet, we understand by it not the biography of any subordinate society, but of some one or more of the great national societies of the human race, whatever political form their bond of connexion may assume. And thus we get a somewhat stricter definition of history properly so called ; we may describe it not simply as the biography of a society, but as the biography of a political society or commonwealth."
Thomas Arnold; Introductory lectures on modern history : delivered in Lent term, MDCCCXLII. With the inaugural lecture delivered in December, MDCCCXLI, Seventh edition. / London : Longmans, Green, and Co., 1885 p. 5.
