e, came from the East and wrought much evil among the
newly-settled Germans.

From the third to the tenth century there were incredible changes among
the European nations. Gone were the gleaming cities of the South and
the worship of art and science and the exquisite refinements of the
life of scholarly leisure. Gone were the flourishing manufactures
since the warrior had no time to devote to trading. Gone was the love
of letters and the philosopher's prestige now that men looked to the
battle-field alone to give them the awards of glory.

Outwardly, Europe of the Middle Ages presented a sad contrast to the
magnificence of an Empire which was fading to remoteness year by year.
The ugly towns did not attempt to hide their squalor, when dirt was
such a natural condition of life that a knight would dwell boastfully
upon his contempt for cleanliness, and a beauty display hands innocent
of all proper tending. The dress of the people was ill-made and
scanty, lacking the severe grace of the Roman toga. Furniture was
rudely hewn from wood and placed on floors which were generally uneven
and covered with straw instead of being paved with tessellated marble.

Yet the inward life of Europe was purer since it sought to follow the
teaching of Christ, and preached universal love and a toleration that
placed on the same level a mighty ruler and the lowest in his realm.
Fierce spirits, unfortunately, sometimes forgot the truth and gave
themselves up to a cruel lust for persecution which was at variance
with their creed, but the holiest now condemned warfare and praised the
virtues of obedience and self-sacrifice.

{11}

Whereas pagan Greek and Rome had searched for beauty upon earth, it was
the dreary belief of the Middle Ages that the world was a place where
only misery could be the portion of mankind, who were bidden to look to
another life for happiness and pleasure. Sinners hurried from
temptation into monasteries, which were founded for the purpose of
enabling men to prepare for eternity. Family life was broken up and
all the pleasant intercourse of social habits. Marriage was a snare,
and even the love of parents might prove dangerous to the devoted monk.
Strange was the isolation of the hermit who refused to cleanse himself
or change his clothes, desiring above all other things to attain to
that blessed state when his soul should be oblivious of his body.

Women also despised the claims of kindred and retired to co