At first sight one is inclined to think that there has been no period in the world's history when it was so easy to stir up a population as the present, with our newspapers, our telegraphs, our aeroplane, our postal arrangements, and our railways.

But this is just one of those superficial notions that are not confirmed by history.

We are similarly apt to think that there was no age in which travel was so widespread and formed so great a part of the education of mankind as at present.

There could be no greater mistake.

The true age of travelling was the close of the Middle Ages, or what is known as the Renaissance period.