vi PREFACE. 



novelists, and writers increased in numbers and grew in favour; savants, 

 philosophers, chemists and alchemists, mathematicians and astronbmers, 

 travellers and naturalists, were awakened, so to speak, .by the life-giving 

 breath of the Middle Ages; and great scientific discoveries and admirable 

 works on every imaginable subject showed that the genius of modern society 

 was not a whit inferior to that of antiquity. Printing was invented, and 

 with that brilliant discovery, the Middle Ages, which had accomplished their 

 work of social renovation, made way for the Renaissance, which scattered 

 abroad in profusion the prolific and brilliant creations of Art, Science, and 

 Literature. 



Such is the grand and imposing picture which we have attempted to bring 

 before our readers in a concise form, limiting ourselves to narrative and 

 description, and not plunging into the imaginary regions of theory and 

 historical discussion. The impartial and truth-loving historian confines 

 himself to narrative, and though his personal opinions must, as a matter of 

 course, show themselves in his narrative of facts, whether given in detail or 

 abridged, he should not seek to force them upon his readers by systematic 

 violence and by efforts of philosophical demonstration. The history of the 

 Middle Ages has, more than any other period, given rise to these excesses of 

 conflicting opinions. According to some, everything relating to the Middle 

 Ages is bad and blameworthy ; according to others, everything is admirable 

 and good. We are not concerned to pronounce between these two extreme 

 opinions ; we have written our narrative in all sincerity and truth, and our 

 readers can judge for themselves. Moreover, the greater part of our work 

 was done for us. With respect to this volume, as to the preceding ones, we 

 have simply analyzed several chapters of our first book, "The Middle Ages 

 and the Renaissance," completing, and in some cases amending, the collective 

 work of our former collaborateurs, and adding at the same time to this work, 

 which is now deservedly appreciated, the chapters which were wanting, and 

 the absence of which showed that it was imperfect. 



It is none the less a high honour for us to have had the planning of this 

 work, which is unfortunately left incomplete, and to have superintended the 

 execution of a literary enterprise which obtained the most honourable encou- 

 ragement, and almost unanimous praise. Our dear friend Ferdinand Sere, 

 who died while engaged upon it, had struck the right vein with regard to the 

 illustration of this magnificent book, in which were to be reproduced so many 



