TheDeclineoftheWest.doc

THE DECLINE OF THE WEST [DER UNTERGANG DES ABENDLANDES] BY OSWALD SPENGLER VOLUME ONB FORM AND ACTUALITY [GESTALT UND WIRKLICHKEIT] VOLUME TWO PERSPECTIVES OF WORLD-HISTORY [WELTHISTORISCHE PERSPEKTIVENJ PERSPECTIVES OF WORLD-HISTORY BY OSWALD SPENGLER AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION WITH NOTES BY CHARLES FRANCIS ATKINSON VOLUME TWO LONDON : GEORGE ALLEN UNWIN LTD. RUSKIN HOUSE, 40 MUSEUM STREET, W.C 1 Tu- Originally published as Der Untergang des Abendlandes Welthistorische Perspektiven Copyright 1922 by C. H. Becksche, Verlagsbuchhandlung, Munchen V- V PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TRANSLATORS NOTE IN the annotations to this volume I have followed the same course as in the first namely, that of giving primary references to the Encyclopedia Britan- nica as being the most considerable work of the kind that is really widely distributed in both the English-speaking fields, though occasionally special encyclopaedias or other works are referred to. Owing to the more definitely historical character of this volume, as compared with its predecessor, and particularly its stressing of a history that scarcely figures as yet in a regular education the Magian such references are necessarily more numerous. Even so, more might perhaps have been inserted with advantage. The Trans- lators notes have no pretension to be critical in themselves, though here and there an argument is pointed with an additional example, or an obvious criticism anticipated. In each domain they will no doubt be resented by an expert, but the same expert will, it is hoped, find them useful for domains not his own. In the first volume of the English version, references to the second were necessarily given according to the pagination of the German. A comparative table of English and German page numbers has therefore been inserted. A list of corrigenda to Vol. I is also issued with this volume. London, July 1928 C. F. A. Vlll TABLE OF GERMAN AND ENGLISH PAG