77 



place, is particularly explained by Montesquieu.* In the 

 barbarism of those times, there was no magistrate who 

 possessed the power to bring criminals before him, or en- 

 ftrce his decisions. Luxury, greedy and expensive, though 

 rude; and artificial wants, importunate and wasteful, in 

 proportion as they were few in number; required and pro- 

 duced great inequality of property. Each petty chief re- 

 garded himself as the equal of his prince. In time of 

 war, the power of the sovereign was considerable; in time 

 of peace, it was nothing. As property became vested in 

 few hands, the evil became enormous. The great feudal 

 barons of Europe, despising the feeble authority of the 

 sovereign, carried on private wars against each other. Such 

 a state of society was not favourable to the progress of arts 

 and refinements: and the existing arts, such as they Avere, 

 all accoi'ded with the state of society, and were subservient 

 to the taste and pursuits of these turbulent and ferocious 

 times. In the pt/iod, after the Norman conquest, archi- 

 tecture-f- Avas most diligently cultivated: but its style and 

 destination were influenced by the political circumstances 

 of the country. Partly, through the warlike spirit and 

 insecurity of social life in general; partly, through the 



wealth 



* See Spirit of Laws, B. XXXI. Chap, viii.; the title of which is, « in 

 what manner allodial estates were changed into fiefs." 



t From the estimation in which architecture began to be hdd, arose that 

 extraordinary institution of free-masonry ; at least, it gave name to the secret ' 

 regulations, which were adopted, for the correspondence and mutual aid of 

 strangers and pilgrims, in these times. 



