This essay studies some works written about the reading of history in the modern period, from the 18th to the 20th century. Considering, hypothetically, that the legitimacy of the historical knowledge lies not only upon the practice of writing made by historians, but also upon the approach by its readers, as a "reading pact" established in the historiographical text, some reading modalities are noticed, indicating the different expectations which constitute modern historiography.
Modern historiography; reading of History; historical discourse legitimacy