ABSTRACT
It is well-known that these Western nations have no use of letters, and it is that which all them that have written of them do say they have most admired, to see that by a piece of paper I give knowledge of my will from one end of the world to the other; and they thought that there should be enchantment in this paper. But that is not so much to be wondered at if we consider that in the time of the Roman Emperors many nations of these parts knew not the secrets of letters, amongst whom Tacitus putteth the Germans (who at this day do swarm with men of learning), and he addeth a notable sentence, that good manners are in more credit there than good laws elsewhere.
