Recapitulalion. 303 



from the press, during this period, than the accu- 

 mulated product of all preceding ages can dis- 

 play ; but these books have had a more general 

 circulation than in any former period. To read, 

 a little more than a century ago, was by no means 

 a general object of attention. At that time, 

 neither the middle classes of society, nor often- 

 times persons of high rank, thought ignorance 

 a disgrace. The female sex seldom resorted to 

 ?>ooks, either for amusement or instruction ; and 

 many respectable habitations scarcely contained 

 a volume excepting the Bible, and one or two 

 devotional books of standard value. In fact, as 

 books of science then rarely appeared, so " those 

 which did appear, containing the accumulateil 

 stores of profound research, and extensive read- 

 ing, were neither accessible nor intelligible, but 

 by a few who had leisure, much previous infor- 

 mation, and perseverance." It is true, as will be 

 presently acknowledged, that such as, at that 

 time, professed to devote themselves to study, 

 were, in general, at least equally, if not more 

 learned, than those who profess to belong to the 

 same class at the present day. But the number 

 of those at the end of the eighteenth century, 

 who were in the habit of reading a few books, 

 and who possessed a moderate and respectable 

 share of information, was certainly far greater 

 than in former periods of the history of man. ■.,.. 

 -" Some modern zealots, indeed, have gone be- 

 '^Ond all just bounds, in describing the illumina- 

 uon and refniement of this period. We are not 

 ^Q ijiuch .wiser than our forefathers, as the sa.n- 

 guiue and ignorant would sometimes represent 



