The barbarians that invaded the Roman Empire at the end of the fourth century were savages who realized the utility of land and wanted to reserve to themselves the advantages it could offer. Most of the Roman provinces they attacked were populated by men, already long accustomed to cultivation of the soil, where morals had been refined among the peaceful work in the fields and in whom civilization had nevertheless not yet made enough progress to enable them to fight against their enemies' primitive impetuousness. Victory placed not on the the government, but a third of the property into the hands of the barbarians. The farmer, once an owner, became a tenant. Inequality passed into the law; it became a right after it was a fact. Feudal society formed and the Middle Ages began. If one pays attention of what happened in the world since the origin of societies, one will readily discover that equality is only found at the two extremes of civilization. Savages are equal among themselves because they are equally weak and ignorant. Highly civilized men can all become equal because they all have at their disposal similar means to attain comfort and happiness. Between these two extremes is inequality of condition, wealth, knowledge, the power of some, the poverty, ignorance, and weakness of others.
Skilled and wise writers have already worked to make the Middle Ages better known; others are still working in this field and among them we may include the secretary of the Academic Society of Cherbourg. I leave this task to be fulfilled by those more capable than I; I only want to examine a corner of the immense picture that the feudal era reveals before our eyes.
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