Noble enthusiasm of the Christians in the cause of charity Indiscriminate almsgiving.—The political economy of charity. History of the modifications of the old views about charity Beneficial effect of the Church in supplying pure images to the Summary of the philanthropic achievements of Christianity General characteristics of their legends Astounding penances attributed to the saints History of the relations of Christianity to patriotism Influence of the former in hastening the fall of the Empire Permanent difference between ancient and modern societies in Influence of this change on moral philosophy Historians exaggerate the importance of civic virtues Distinctive Excellencies of the Ascetic Period Asceticism the great school of self-sacrifice Moral beauty of some of the legends Their Tendency to produce Humanity to Animals Pagan legends of the intelligence of animals Relation of Monachism to the Intellectual Virtues The notion of the guilt of error, considered abstractedly, absurd The Church always recognised the tendency of character to Total destruction of religious liberty The Monasteries the Receptacles of Learning Preservation of classical literature.-Manner in which it was Charm of monkish scholarship The monasteries not on the whole favourable to knowledge Independence of the Western clergy.—Compact of Leo and First stage of progress the cessation of the sale of wives.- The Courtesans Elevated by the worship of Aphrodite And by the æsthetic enthusiasm And by the unnatural forms Greek vice assumed General estimate of Greek public opinion concerning women Roman Public Opinion much purer The flamens and the vestals Position of women during the Republic. Dissolution of manners at the close of the Republic Unbounded liberty of divorce.-Its consequences Amount of female virtue which still subsisted in Rome Moralists begin to enforce the reciprocity of obligation in mar- riage Asceticism greatly degraded marriage Disapproval of second marriages.-History of the opinions of |
