For their vital force had spent itself more than a millennium ago.

Already, then, their civilization had in its deeper developments attained its stature, and has simply been perfecting itself since.

We may liken it to some stunted tree, that, finding itself prevented from growth, bastes the more luxuriantly to put forth flowers and fruit.

For not the final but the medial processes were skipped.

In those superficial amenities with which we more particularly link our idea of civilization, these peoples continued to grow.