The same man will be recognized in every ease; he will grow in greatness, without changing, as he appears under his various aspects.
There are often joined together, under the title of Capitularies (_capitula,_ small chapters, articles) a mass of Acts, very different in point of dates and objects, which are attributed indiscriminately to Charlemagne.

This is a mistake.

The Capitularies are the laws or legislative measures of the Frankish kings, Merovingian as well as Carlovingian.

Those of the Merovingians are few in number and of slight importance, and amongst those of the Carlovingians, which amount to one hundred and fifty-two, sixty-five only are due to Charlemagne.

When an attempt is made to classify these last according to their object, it is impossible not to be struck with their incoherent variety; and several of them are such as we should nowadays be surprised to meet with in a code or in a special law.