"Not one priest in a thousand in Spain about the age of
Charlemagne, could address a common letter of salutation to
another."--_Hallam's Middle Ages_, vol. iii. p. 332.

And for this statement he refers to Mabillon, _De Re Diplomatica_, p.
52.

On referring to Mabillon, I find that the passage runs as follows:--

"Christiani posthabitis scripturis sanctis, earumque
interpretibus, Arabum Chaldæorumque libris evolvendis
incumbentes, legem suam nesciebant, et linguam propriam non
advertebant latinam, ita ut ex omni Christi collegio vix
inveniretur unus in milleno hominum genere, qui salutatorias
fratri posset rationabiliter dirigere litteras."

So that although Mabillon says that scarce one in a thousand could
address a _Latin_ letter to another, yet he by no means says that it was
on account of their general ignorance, but because they were addicting
themselves to other branches of learning. They were devoting all their
energies to Arabic and Chaldæan science, and in their pursuit of it
neglected other literature. A similar remark might be made of respecting
many distinguished members of the University to which I belong; yet who
would feel himself justified in inferring thence that Cambridge was sunk
in ignorance?

CANTAB.

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