一部大书与时代的传奇——《启蒙运动的生意》述评

A Masterpiece and the Legend of Age——Commenting on the Trade of Enlightenment Movement

“新文化史”兴起于上世纪60年代末,罗伯特.达恩顿在70年代末出版的《启蒙运动的生意》一书是标志该史学流派在理论及技巧方法上臻于成熟的代表作之一。达恩顿教授在纳沙泰尔公司档案的基础上“隐匿”地运用文化史的方法,不但厘清了“百科全书”的历史,也勾勒出旧制度到大革命时代的整个法国文化史,该书反映了达恩顿教授观察历史的独特视角,这说明“新文化史”已避免了社会史研究中趋向“零碎化”的问题;而作者展示其对史料的解读与运用的史学功力,则为所谓“建构史实”提供了真正的典范。本文即在述评该书内容的基础上以达恩顿教授的治学经验为例,略涉“新文化史”的理论和史学方法,肯定了“新文化史”扩展历史学领域、探究历史学真谛的发展及意义。

The “new cultural history” came into being in late 1960s. The book, Trade of Enlightenment Movement by Robert Darnton published in 1970s was the representative work of this historical school, showing that its theories and skills were becoming mature. The work reflected the special perspective of Prof. Darnton in historical research. It also means that the new cultural history avoided the fragmentation of researches in social history study. The's ability to interpret and make use of history has provided a paradigm for “constructing historical facts”. This paper, while commenting on the book, gives an affirmative evaluation on the expansion of new cultural history, probing into areas of historiography and exploring the essence of historiography.