Kings & rulers > History of the reign of the Emperor Charles V. > Volume 1

A VIEW OF THE
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men, in the original and moft fimple fcate of fo-
ciety, are fo few, and their defires fo limited, that
they relt contented with the natural productions
of their climate and foil, or with what they can
add to thefe by their own rude induftry. They
have no fuperfluities to difpofe of, and few necelfi-
ties that demand a fupply. Every little com¬
munity fubfifting on its own domettic flock, and
fatisfied with it, is either little acquainted with the
Hates around it, or at variance with them. Society
and manners muft be confiderably improved, and
many provifions mull be made for public order
and perfonal fecurity, before a liberal intercourfe
can take place between different nations. We
find, accordingly, that the firft effect of the fet-
tlement of the barbarians in the Empire, was to
divide thofe nations which the Roman power
had united. Europe was broken into many fe-
parate communities. The intercourfe between
thefe divided Hates, ceafed almoff entirely during
feveral centuries. Navigation was dangerous in
feas infeffed by pirates ; nor could Hrangers truH
to a friendly reception in the ports of uncivilized
nations. Even between diffant parts of the fame
kingdom, the communication was rare anddifficult.
The lawlefs rapine of banditti, together with the
avowed exactions of the nobles, fcarcely lefs for*
midable than oppreffive, rendered a journey of
any length a perilous enterprife. Fixed to the
fpot in which they refided, the greater part of
the inhabitants of Europe loH, in a great meafure,
the knowledge of remote regions, and were un¬
acquainted with their names, their fituations, their
climates, and their commodities [FEJ*
[FF] Note XXiX.
Various