f the best works were executed by Italians.
Germany appears to have made little progress in sculpture before the
seventeenth century; since that period, it has produced sculptors of
some eminence, although it is more celebrated for its writers on the
art, than for artists of eminence in its practice. In France,
sculptors of some talent are mentioned as early as the sixteenth
century. Girardon and Puget were the most celebrated artists of this
period. Spanish history gives a long list of native sculptors, from
the commencement of the same century, but many of them are but little
known beyond their own country. Berruguete, a pupil of Michael Angelo,
appears to have founded the first regular school of the art. Paul de
Cespides, and in the eighteenth century, Philip de Castro, were the
most eminent among them.

When was the use of Money first introduced?

It is not known with certainty: there is, however, reason to believe
that both gold and silver were very early used as money in Egypt and
Asia: it was afterwards introduced into Carthage and Greece; whence it
was brought to Rome; and from that city spread gradually westward,
through all the Roman dominions. Before the use of money was
introduced, the only means of trade was by barter, or the exchange of
one commodity for another, a custom long retained by uncivilized
nations. In time, however, men discovered the necessity of something
which would enable them to trade with greater facility; the first
mention of money is in the time of Abraham, who, we are told in the
Bible, paid "four hundred sides of silver of common current money,"
for a burying place.

_Current_, generally received, passing from hand to hand.

Where was Carthage?

Carthage, now Tunis, was a commercial city, situated on the Northern
Coast of Africa, which long contended for the dominion of the
Mediterranean with the Romans; but, after three wars, it was taken and
destroyed by the Roman general, Scipio Africanus, in the year 251
before Christ.

_Commercial_, carrying on commerce or trade.

Of what substances was Money usually made?

Of metals, especially the precious metals, because they possess great
value in small bulk; may be kept for any length of time without loss;
and their value, although not altogether invariable, yet, generally
speaking, changes only by slow degrees, and is less susceptible of
fluctuation than that of most other articles. At different times, and
amongst