General History of Civilization in Europe: From the Fall of the Roman Empire ... - Guizot (M., François) - Google Books

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1.

CONTENTS.

FIRST LECTURE.

Object of the course-Two methods of studying in detail the history of

European civilization-Reasons for preferring the study of the history

of the civilization of a particular country-Reasons for studying that

of France-Of the essential facts which constitute the perfection of

civilization-Comparison of the great European nations under this

point of view-of civilization in England-Germany-Italy-Spain

-France-French civilization is the most complete, and offers the

most faithful representation of civilization in general-That the stu-

dent has other things to bear in mind besides the mere study-Of the

present prevailing tendencies in the intellectual order-Of the prevail-

ing tendencies in the social order-Two problems resulting therefrom

-Their apparent contradiction-Our times are called upon to solve

them-A third and purely moral problem, rendered equally important

by the present state of civilization-The unjust reproaches of which

it is the object-The necessity of meeting them-All science, in the

present day, exerts a social influence-All power should tend to the

moral perfection of the individual, as well as to the improvement of

society in general

SECOND LECTURE.

Necessity of reading a general history of France, before we study that of

civilization-M. de Sismondi's work-Why we should study the politi-

cal state of a country before its moral state, the history of society

before that of man-The social state of Gaul in the fifth century-

Original monuments and modern works descriptive of that subject-

Difference between the civil and religious society of that period-Im-

perial government of Gaul-The_provincial governors-Their official

establishments-Their salaries-Benefits and defects of the adminis-

tration-Fall of the Roman empire-Gaulish society: 1. The senators;

2. The curiales; 3. The people; 4. The slaves-Public relations of

these various classes-Decline and helplessness of Gaulish civil socie-

ty-Causes of this-The people attach themselves to the religious

Object of the lecture-Variety of the principles and forms of religious so-

ciety in Europe-Classification of the different systems, 1. According

to the relations of the church in the state; 2. According to the inter-

nal constitution of the church-All these systems assign their origin

to the primitive church-Critical examination of these pretensions-

They have all a certain degree of foundation-Fluctuation and com-

plexity of the external situation and internal position of Christian

society from the first to the fifth century-Predominant tendencies-

Prevalent facts of the fifth century-Causes of liberty in the church at

this period-The election of bishops-Councils-Comparison of reli-

gious with civil society-Of the chiefs of these two societies-Letters

of Sidonius Apollinaris

FOURTH LECTURE.

Object of the lecture-What must be understood by the moral state of a

society-Reciprocal influence of the social state upon the moral state,

and of the moral state upon the social state-At the fourth century,

civil Gaulish society alone possessed institutions favorable to intel-

lectual development-Gaulish schools-Legal situation of the profes-

sors-Religious society has no other mediums of development and

influence than its ideas-Still one languishes and the other prospers-

Decline of the civil schools-Activity of the Christian society-Saint

Jerome, Saint Augustin, and Saint Paulin of Nola-Their correspond-

ence with Gaul-Foundation and character of monasteries in Gaul-

Causes of the difference of the moral state of the two societies-Com-

parative view of the civil literature and the Christian literature in the

fourth and fifth centuries-Inequality of the liberty of mind in the

two societies-Necessity for religion lending its aid to studies and

Of the principal questions debated in Gaul in the fifth century-Of Pela-

gianism Of the method to follow in its history-Of the moral facts

which gave place to this controversy: 1st, of human liberty; 2d, of

the impotency of liberty, and the necessity for an external succor;

3d, of the influence of external circumstances upon liberty; 4th, of

the moral changes which happen in the soul, without man attributing

them to his will-Of the questions which naturally arose from these

facts-Of the special point of view under which we should consider

them in the Christian church in the fifth century-History of Pelagian-

ism at Rome, in Africa, in the East, and in Gaul-Pelagius-Celestius

-Saint Augustin-History of semi-Pelagianism-Cassienus-Faustus

-Saint Prosper of Aquitaine-Of predestination-Influence and gen-

eral results of this controversy

Object of the lecture-General character of the literature of the middle

ages Of the transition from pagan philosophy to Christian theology-

Of the question of the nature of the soul in the Christian church-The

ancient priests for the most part pronounced in favor of the system of

materialism-Efforts to escape from it-Analogous march of ideas in

pagan philosophy-Commencement of the system of spirituality-

Saint Augustin, Nemesius, Mamertius Claudienus-Faustus, bishop of

Riez-His arguments for the materiality of the soul-Mamertius Clau-

dienus answers him-Importance of Mamertius Claudienus in Gaul-

Analysis of, and quotations from his treatise on the nature of the soul

-The dialogue of Evagrius between Zacheus the Christian and Apol-

lonius the philosopher-Of the effects of the invasion of the barbarians

upon the moral state of Gaul

SEVENTH LECTURE.

Object of the lecture Of the Germanic element in modern civilization—

Of the monuments of the ancient social state of the Germans: 1. Of

the Roman and Greek historians; 2. Of the barbaric laws; 3. Of na-

tional traditions-They relate to very different epochs-They are often

made use of promiscuously-Error which results therefrom-The

work of Tacitus concerning the manners of the Germans-Opinions of

the modern German writers concerning the ancient Germanic state-

What kind of life prevailed there, was it the wandering life, or the

sedentary life?-Of the institutions-Of the moral state-Comparison

between the state of the German tribes and that of other hordes-

Fallacy of most of the views of barbarous life-Principal characteris-

tics of the true influence of the Germans upon modern civiliza-

EIGHTH LECTURE.

Object of the lecture-Description of the state of Gaul in the last half of

the sixth century-True character of the German invasions-Cause

of errors on this subject-Dissolution of Roman society: 1. In rural

districts; 2. In towns, though in a lesser degree-Dissolution of Ger-

man society: 1. Of the colony or tribe; 2. Of the warfaring band-

Elements of the new social state: 1. Of commencing royalty; 2. Of

commencing feudalism; 3. Of the church after the invasion-Sum-

Object of the lecture-False idea of the Salic law-History of the forma-

tion of this law-Two hypotheses upon this matter-Eighteen manu-

scripts Two texts of the Salic law-M. Wiarda's work upon the

1*

history and exposition of the Salic law-Prefaces attached to the

manuscripts-Value of national traditions concerning the origin and

compilation of the Salic law-Concerning its tendencies-It is essen-

tially a penal code-1st. Of the enumeration and definition of offences

in the Salic law; 2d. Of penalties; 3d. Of criminal procedure-

Transitory character of their legislation

Object of the lecture-Is the transitory character of the Salic law found

in the laws of the Ripuarians, the Burgundians, and the Visigoths ?—

1st. The law of the Ripuarians-The Ripuarian Franks-History of

the compilation of their law-Its contents-Difference between it and

the Salic law-2d. The law of the Burgundians-History of its com-

pilation-Its contents-Its distinctive character-3d. The law of the

Visigoths-It concerns the history of Spain more than that of France

-Its general character-Effect of Roman civilization upon the bar-

ELEVENTH LECTURE.

Perpetuity of the Roman law after the fall of the Empire-Of the History

of the Roman law in the Middle Ages, by M. de Savigny-Merits and

deficiencies of this work-1. Roman law among the Visigoths-Brevia-

rium Aniani, collected by command of Alaric-History and contents of

this collection-2. Roman law among the Burgundians-Papiani Res-

ponsorum History and contents of this law-3. Roman law among the

Franks-No new collection-The perpetuity of Roman law proved by

various facts-Recapitulation

TWELFTH LECTURE.

Object of the lecture-State of the church in Gaul, from the sixth to the

middle of the eighth century-Analogy between the primitive state of

the religious society and the civil society-The unity of the church or

the spiritual society-Two elements or conditions of spiritual society;

1st. Unity of truth, that is to say, of absolute reason; 2d. Liberty of

minds, or individual reason-State of these two ideas in the Christian

church from the sixth to the eighth century-She adopts one and rejects

the other-Unity of the church in legislation-General councils-Differ-

ence between the eastern and the western church as regards the perse-

cution of heretics-Relations of the church with the state, from the sixth

to the eighth century; 1st, in the eastern empire; 2d, in the west, es-

pecially in Frankish Gaul-Interference of the temporal power in the

affairs of the church-Of the spiritual power in the affairs of the state-

Recapitulation. .

THIRTEENTH LECTURE.

Of the internal organization and state of the Gallo-Frankish church, from

the sixth to the eighth century-Characteristic facts of the Gaulish

church at the fifth century-What became of them after the invasion-

The exclusive domination of the clergy in the religious society continues

-Facts which modify it: 1. Separation of ordination and tenure; priests

not ecclesiastics-2. Patronage by laymen of the churches which they

founded-3. Oratories, or particular chapels-4. Advocates of the

churches-Picture of the general organization of the church-Parishes

and their priests-Archpriests and archdeacons-Bishops-Archbishops

-Attempts to establish the patriarchates in the west-Fall of the arch-

bishops-Preponderance and despotism of the episcopacy-Struggle of

the priests and parishes against the bishops-The bishops triumphant-

Despotism corrupts them-Decline of the secular clergy-Necessity

for a reformation.

FOURTEENTH LECTURE.

History of the regular clergy, or the monks, from the sixth to the eighth

century-That the monks were at first laymen-Importance of this

fact-Origin and progressive development of the monastic life in the

east-First rules-Importation of the monks into the west-They are

ill received there—Their first progress-Difference between eastern and

western monasteries-Opinion of St. Jerome, as to the errors of the

monastic life-General causes of its extension-State of the monks in

the west in the fifth century-Their power and their want of coherence

-Saint Benedict-His life-He founds the monastery of Monte Cas-

sino-Analysis and estimate of his rule-It diffuses itself throughout

the west, and becomes predominant in almost all the monasteries

FIFTEENTH LECTURE.

The relations of the monks with the clergy, from the fourth to the eighth

century-Their primitive independence-Causes of its decline--1. In

proportion as the number and the power of the monks were augmented,

the bishops extended their jurisdiction over them-Canons of the coun-

cils-2. The monks demand and obtain privileges-3. They aspire to

enter into the clergy--Differences and contests among the monks

themselves upon this subject-The bishops at first repulse their preten-

sions-They give way to them-In entering into the clergy the monks

lose their independence-Tyranny of the bishops over the monasteries

-Resistance of the monks-Charters granted by the bishops to some

monasteries-The monks have recourse to the protection of the kings,

to that of the popes-Character and limits of the intervention-Simi-

larity between the struggle of the monasteries against the bishops, and

that of the commons against the feudal lords

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