large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_01_yonge_64kb_52
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_01_yonge_64kb
English
12344
In the duchy of Aquitaine, much more of the old Roman civilization survived, both among the cities and the nobility; and the Normans, newly settled in the north, had brought with them the vigour of their race. IN THE DUCHY OF ACUTEN MUCH MORE OF THE OLD ROMAN CIVILIZATION SURVIVED BOTH AMONG THE CITIES AND THE NOBILITY AND THE NORMANS NEWLY SETTLED IN THE NORTH HAD BROUGHT WITH THEM THE VIGOUR OF THEIR RACE
come, was supposed to exist; but this had never been used by their subjects, whose law remained that of the old Roman Empire. Both of these systems of law, however, fell into disuse, and were replaced by rude bodies of "customs," which gradually grew up. The habits of the time were exceedingly rude and ferocious. The Franks had been the fiercest and most untamable of all the Teutonic nations, and only submitted themselves to the influence of Christianity and civilization from the respect which the Roman Empire inspired. Charles the Great had tried to bring in Roman cultivation, but we find him reproaching the young Franks in his schools with letting themselves be surpassed by the Gauls, whom they despised; and in the disorders that followed his death, barbarism increased again. The convents alone kept up any remnants of culture; but as the fury of the Northmen was chiefly directed to them, numbers had been destroyed, and there was more ignorance and wretchedness than at any other time.  WHENCE THE FRANKS HAD COME WAS SUPPOSED TO EXIST BUT THIS HAD NEVER BEEN USED BY THEIR SUBJECTS WHOSE LAW REMAINED THAT OF THE OLD ROMAN EMPIRE BOTH OF THESE SYSTEMS OF LAW HOWEVER FELL INTO DISUSE AND WERE REPLACED BY RUDE BODIES OF CUSTOMS WHICH GRADUALLY GREW UP THE HABITS OF THE TIME WERE EXCEEDINGLY RUDE AND FEROCIOUS THE FRANKS HAD BEEN THE FIERCEST AND MOST UNTAMABLE OF ALL THE TEUTONIC NATIONS AND ONLY SUBMITTED THEMSELVES TO THE INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY AND CIVILIZATION FROM THE RESPECT WHICH THE ROMAN EMPIRE INSPIRED CHARLES THE GREAT HAD TRIED TO BRING IN ROMAN CULTIVATION BUT WE FIND HIM REPROACHING THE YOUNG FRANKS IN HIS SCHOOLS WITH LETTING THEMSELVES BE SURPASSED BY THE GAULS WHOM THEY DESPISED AND IN THE DISORDERS THAT FOLLOWED HIS DEATH BARBARISM INCREASED AGAIN THE CONVENTS ALONE KEPT UP ANY REMNANTS OF CULTURE BUT AS THE FURY OF THE NORTHMEN WAS CHIEFLY DIRECTED TO THEM NUMBERS HAD BEEN DESTROYED AND THERE WAS MORE IGNORANCE AND WRETCHEDNESS THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME
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