GOLD AND SILVER CHAP. ix. 



among them as to afford but insufficient resources 

 from whence to replace that part of the coined 

 money which was annually consumed. 



The irruptions of the barbarous nations, who, 

 during the latter part of this period, broke into 

 the boundaries of the Roman empire, would 

 naturally lead them to seize on the precious me- 

 tals wherever they could discover them. The 

 temples and other public edifices would be de- 

 prived of their most costly ornaments. Such 

 ornaments would be valued by the barbarians 

 only for the means they afforded to voluptuous 

 gratifications. The gold and silver when in 

 masses would be useless to those rude people ; 

 they would soon be converted into the more 

 transferable shape of coin. It is impossible now 

 to form any estimate of the addition that would 

 arise from this source to the quantity of money 

 then in circulation. The circumstances of the 

 world in that period would not lead us to esti- 

 mate this addition very high. 



The paganism of the Roman empire had given 

 way to Christianity. Those who had adopted 

 the new religion would treat with no respect 

 the objects of the devotion of those they had 

 supplanted; but as soon as they possessed power 

 they became, though by gradual steps, as eager 

 to amass the precious metals to decorate their 

 religious services as the pagans themselves. 

 The churches were as profusely supplied with 



