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While conscious, all the time, of writing for many who will have no time to pursue the history further, I have endeavored, by going deeply enough into the subjects I have considered, to make the book of value to those who desire already, or to those in whom, I hope, it may inspire a desire, to continue the study and to make investigations for themselves. I have let the sources speak for themselves as far as possible, not only in order to be more accurate, but also because thereby a greater vividness and reality could be assured. I have dealt largely with the political side of the subject, as the title requires and as the nature of the history demands.
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