The palaces of _Peru_ or _Mexico_ were certainly mean and incommodious habitations, if compared to the houses of _European_ monarchs; yet who could forbear to view them with astonishment, who remembered that they were built without the use of iron?
The _English_ nation, in the time of _Shakespeare_, was yet struggling to emerge from barbarity.

The philology of _Italy_ had been transplanted hither in the reign of _Henry_ the Eighth; and the learned languages had been successfully cultivated by _Lilly, Linacer_, and _More_; by _Pole, Cheke_, and _Gardiner_; and afterwards by _Smith, Clerk, Haddon_, and _Ascham_.

Greek was now taught to boys in the principal schools; and those who united elegance with learning, read, with great diligence, the _Italian_ and _Spanish_ poets.

But literature was yet confined to professed scholars, or to men and women of high rank.

The publick was gross and dark; and to be able to read and write, was an accomplishment still valued for its rarity.
Nations, like individuals, have their infancy.