My inductive survey of civilized societies is limited to the Sumerians, Babylonians (to twentieth century B.C.), Hellenes, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and English. I also make a few references to the Arabs (Moors), and a deductive suggestion about the Persians, Macedonians, Huns, and Mongols. The brevity of the discussion is chiefly due, as I have said, to the comparative scantiness of our knowledge of other ancient societies; but I also felt that if I descended into too much detail, the significances I wished to convey would be obscured. For these reasons I have refrained from discussing many societies which I should like to have discussed. Thus the Cretans, Hittites, Assyrians, and Hindus have been entirely excluded. I make a passing reference to the early vigour of the Teutonic peoples, but the subsequent lethargy of, for instance, the Visigoths, the Lombards, and the Merovingian dynasty, is not even mentioned. Teutonic law, indeed, is only described in its relation to Anglo-Saxon customs. I have also thought it better to omit any reference to the rise of the Sassanids, to the age of Heraclius, and to those other great changes that took place in western Europe, north Africa, and western Asia after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and before the Mohammedan conquest; and I have tried to avoid unnecessary controversy by cutting short the presentation of the Roman evidence as soon as I have summarized the legal changes that took place between the traditional foundation of the consulate and the principate of Augustus. Of the events of the next three centuries I merely offer a general indication; my reasons for doing so are stated or implied in the text. As for the Venetians, Portuguese, and Spaniards, I have done no more than hint at the apparent reason for the uneven energy they displayed at different times; and I have left the reader to judge for himself the relevancy of my conclusions to the historical careers of the Prussians, Dutch, French, and other modern societies. The sacrifice of some of this material was painful; but I thought that if I included it, the inductive character of my work would be violated, or at any rate imperilled.