Sublime

The age of historical criticism had begun.

Neither do we find, at any epoch in the life of the ancients, anything that resembled that multitude of villages so general in France during the twelfth century.

He ranked truth above custom, and justice above the law.

There were still classes, but men were no longer distinguished except by wealth.

We are not to suppose that this ancient religion resembled those founded when men became more enlightened.

The principle upon which the governments of cities were founded thenceforth was public interest.

In what precedes we have seen how the municipal governments were constituted among the ancients. A very ancient religion had at first founded the family, and afterwards the city.

In ancient times men knew of no other union than that which religion established.