Ignorance is the first requisite of the historian -- ignorance, which simplifies and clarifies, which selects and omits, with a placid perfection unattainable by the highest art.

Summary

This quote suggests that historians can benefit from a degree of ignorance in order to effectively simplify and clarify the information they present. By not knowing every single detail, historians have the capacity to select and omit specific elements, thus achieving a sense of perfection that even the greatest works of art cannot attain. This ignorance allows historians to organize and present the complexity of history in a more digestible fashion for their audience.

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