XXIV. A CENTURY OF DECLINE, 1598-1700 258 XXV. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS, 1516-1700 272 XXVI. POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS, 1516-1700 287 XXVII. RELIGION AND THE CHURCH, 1516-1700 303 XXVIII. ECONOMIC FACTORS, 1516-1700 324 XXIX. THE GOLDEN AGE: EDUCATION, PHILOSOPHY, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE, 1516-1700. 338 XXX. THE GOLDEN AGE: LITERATURE AND ART, 1516-1700 351 XXXI. THE EARLY BOURBONS, 1700-1759 368 XXXII. CHARLES III AND ENGLAND, 1759-1788 383 XXXIII. CHARLES IV AND FRANCE, 1788-1808 399 XXXIV. SPANISH SOCIETY, 1700-1808 411 XXXV. POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS, 1700-1808 425 XXXVI. STATE AND CHURCH, 1700-1808 443 XXXVII. ECONOMIC REFORMS, 1700-1808 458 XXXVIII. INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITIES, 1700-1808 471 XXXIX. THE GROWTH OF LIBERALISM, 1808-1898 488 XL. THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY, 1898-1917 508 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 527 INDEX 541 MAPS GENERAL REFERENCE MAP _Frontispiece_ DEVELOPMENT TOWARD NATIONAL UNITY, 910-1492 67 INTRODUCTION The fact that this book is in great part a summary, or selection, from one of mine, as is stated in the Preface, makes it almost a duty for me to do what would in any event be a great pleasure in the case of a work by Professor Chapman. I refer to the duty of writing a few paragraphs by way of introduction. But, at the same time, this circumstance causes a certain conflict of feelings in me, since no one, unless it be a pedant, can act so freely in self-criticism as he would if he were dealing with the work of another. Fortunately, Professor Chapman has incorporated much of his own harvest in this volume, and to that I may refer with entire lack of embarrassment.