Why I have fixed upon this period as the clofcqntllt'. Treatife, is to be explained, paitly by tllc:codfid€i8tlqn that the law has from that time been nearly flationary 5 but chie?y becaufeit was the age of (31101105, to whofzeoil'rea tife little can be added, and from. Whom on anyqpoint it wouldbe almofi invainto differ. -bcf01e his time. The true principles of the. Law of Nations were fcarccly known.