MEDIEVAL LIFE IN EUROPE 295

a foremost place among the benefactors of humanity, as a
man who, himself imperfectly educated, knew how to value
education, in others; as one who, amid the manifold haras-
sing cares of government and of war, could find leisure for
that friendly intercourse with learned men which far more
than his generous material gifts cheered them on in theii
arduous and difficult work; and as the ruler to whom per-*
haps more than to any other single individual we owe the
fact that the precious literary inheritance of Greece and
Rome has not been altogether lost to the human race.
Every student of the history of the texts of the classical au-
thors knows how many of our best manuscripts date from
the ninth century, the result unquestionably of the impulse
given by Charles and his learned courtiers to classical stu-
dies." The degree of personal attention bestowed upon the
education of the young, by Charlemagne, is illustrated by
the rebuke he administered to the easy-going lads of a
school started under his own patronage: " You young
nobles", he said, "you dainty and beautiful youths, who
have presumed upon your birth and your possessions to des-
pise mine orders, and have taken no care for my renown;
you have neglected the study of literature, while you have
given yourselves over to luxury and idleness, or to games
and foolish athletics. By the King of Heaven, I care no-
thing for your noble birth and your handsome faces, let
others prize them as they may. Know this for cer-
tain, that unless ye give earnest heed to your studies, and
recover the ground lost by your negligence, ye shall never
receive any favour at the hand of King Charles."

As the demand for instruction increased with the growth
of peace and prosperity the cathedral and monastic schools
were found insufficient. Particularly, the merchant and
other professional classes were in need of secular education