Materials also were wanting.

They gradually emerged out of manuscript all over Europe, during what may be called the great pedant age (1550-1650), under the direction of meritorious antiquaries, Camden, Savile, Duchesne, Gale, and others.

Still official documents and state papers were wanting, and had they been at hand would hardly have been used with competence.

The national and religious limitations were still too marked and hostile to permit a free survey over the historic field.

The eighteenth century, though it opened with a bloody war, was essentially peaceful in spirit: governments made war, but men and nations longed for rest.