There was certainly vast room for improvement.

Nevertheless he was wrong in his views of the leading tendencies of his age.

Holland and England, self-helping, self-moving, were already inaugurating a new era in the history of the world.

The spirit of commercial maritime enterprise--then expanding rapidly into large proportions--was to be matched against the religious and knightly enthusiasm which had accomplished such wonders in an age that was passing away.

Spain still personified, and had ever personified, chivalry, loyalty, piety; but its chivalry, loyalty, and piety, were now in a corrupted condition.