Page:The history of medieval Europe.djvu/47

 THE STUDY OF HISTORY 15 of the parts of Asia and Africa adjacent to the Mediterra- nean and thus closely connected with Europe. It The Middle will trace the history of those lands from the Ages decline of the Roman Empire and of classical civilization, from the entrance of new peoples upon the stage of Euro- pean history, and from the beginnings of Christianity. It will carry that story to the discovery of the new continents of North and South America and of an all-sea route around South Africa to the Far East, to the eve of the revolt of the Protestants from the Church of Rome, and to the opening of the momentous and disastrous reign of Charles V of the House of Hapsburg in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, and large portions of Italy. This period of more than a thousand years is usually called the Middle Ages on the supposition that it lies between ancient and modern times. Such a division of the history of the world gives many thou- sands of years to ancient history and a disproportionate!} brief duration to the other two periods. It is not our purpose here, however, to quarrel with this familiar convention, which was adopted at a time" when ancient history had not yet been traced so far back in time. We may simply note that there is almost never a sharp break nor a total dis- similarity between periods which adjoin in time. Thus the Middle Ages inherited much from ancient times, and many features of our present civilization may be traced back several centuries into medieval history. This illustrates how one a£e dovetails into its successor, no sharp line being drawn between them, but some features of the old life con- tinuing for some time after innovations have been made in other respects. In medieval history we have the decline and then the recovery of civilization to note ; we have various lands and peoples in different stages of civilization to study, Method of and we shall have to distinguish progress in va- thls volume rious departments of human activity. Consequently the ! history of the Middle Ages will be here set forth partly in order of time, partly by regions, and partly in topical ar- rangement; and the reader must bravely endeavor to keep