CONTENTS
Magister Ludi
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Author: Hermann Hesse (1977-1962)
Year: 1943
"But how is one to deal with history without bringing order into it?" asked Knecht.
"Naturally one must bring some order into it," growled Jacobus. "Every science is among other things an ordering, a simplification, a making digestible of that which the spirit cannot digest. Whoever elects to study history... may bring to bear the most pathetic and childish belief in the classifying power of our spirit and methods, but apart from this and in spite of it he should have respect for the incomprehensible truth, reality and singularity of events. To deal with history, my friend, is no jest and no irresponsible game. History presumes in advance that one is striving with something impossible and yet necessary and of the greatest importance. To deal with history means to abandon oneself to chaos and yet retain a belief in the ordination and the meaning. It is a very serious task, young man, and perhaps also a tragic one.
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