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ENGLAND.
CHAPTER I.
THE CONQUEST.
The Heptarchy a confused State. - Conquest of England by the
Duke of Normandy the last territorial Conquest in Western
Europe. A Step gained towards Civilisation by the Re-
sults of the Conquest. Social State of England after that
Event. Slavery under which the English People were held
by William
-
Page 81
CHAPTER II.
THE CHARTER.
Magna Charta of little Service at the Time it was granted.
Useful in Theory but not in Practice. - Immorality of the
Feudal Barons. — Degraded and ignorant Lower Class.
No Constitutional Form of Government in existence
CHAPTER III.
WARS OF THE ROSES.
101
The Factions of York and Lancaster. -Great Part of the Eng-
lish Barons perished in these Wars. - Policy of Henry VII.
-Legal Sanction given to the Feudal Chiefs to alienate their
Lands.- Great Advantage to the Cause of Civilisation.
Absolute Power of the Monarchs of England
CHAPTER IV.
THE REFORMATION.
--
114
Its Origin. — Selfish Motives of Henry VIII. — His Persecution
of Protestants. The Bloody Statute.-National System of
Belief dictated by the King, Luther and Leo the Tenth.
Cruelty and Folly of Henry VIII. - Slow Progress of Civi-
lisation. Wickliffe's Failure and Luther's Success. - The
Reformation forwarded by the Art of Printing. - Commercial
State of England under Henry VIII.
Middle Class
Augmentation of the
Page 123
CHAPTER V.
State of the Nation.
THE REBELLION.
Undefined Power of the Crown incom-
patible with the Growth and Increase of the Middle Class.—
Absolute Power of James I. - Policy of placing Persons of
Property in possession of political Influence. - Mistakes
committed by Charles I. — Great Property of the third Par-
liament
137
CHAPTER VI.
CIVIL WAR.
The Nation adverse from proceeding to Extremities against their
Sovereign.-A Change required by Public Opinion.-Crom-
well's Government more despotic even than that of Charles.
- Puritan Sentiments prevalent. - Middle Class not trusted
by the Government of Charles 154
CHAPTER VII.
RESTORATION OF CHARLES II. AND ABDICATION OF JAMES II.
Reaction in favour of Charles II.
Oversight of the two
Branches of the Legislature in not making Conditions on the
Monarch's Return. - Moral Character of Charles not in his
favour. Ballads of the Day. Increase of Public Opinion.
James II. - His Conduct not in accordance with Public
Sentiment. James's Unpopularity much increased by his
conduct towards the Church of England. - James's private
Character not unamiable 182
CHAPTER VIII.
ACCESSION OF THE PRINCE OF ORANGE.
Little Liberty in England previously to the Revolution in 1688.
The greatest Instance of the Influence of Public Opinion
that had hitherto been manifested in the civilised Part of the
World. William not popular in his Manners, and a Jealousy
of Foreigners entertained. The Prince of Orange supported
by nearly all Classes, even the Officials of James.- William's
Desire to become absolute. He is frustrated by Public
Opinion. Jealousy of the French King entertained by the
Nation in consequence of his Acknowledgment of the Pre-
tender as King of England
Page 206
CHAPTER IX.
QUEEN ANNE.
Jacobite Party. -
Peace of Utrecht.
Constitutional Speech of Queen Anne.
Public Spirit of the English People.
Letter from the States General to Queen Anne. Bishop
Burnet's Interview with the Queen. State of Affairs pre-
viously to the Peace. Political Animosities. - Jacobite
Conspiracy in Anne's Court.-Lord Bolingbroke. - Public
Opinion in favour of the House of Hanover. - The Queen
herself desirous of her Brother's Succession. - Jacobite Docu-
ments. Hope entertained by the Pretender's Party on the
Death of Anne
216
CHAPTER X.
GEORGE I. AND GEORGE II.
House of Brunswick support the free Constitution of Great
Britain. Apprehension of the People of England from the
Power and Ambition of the Monarch of France. - George I.
not popular in his Manners. Dread of the Return of the
Stuarts. All the populous and manufacturing Towns in
Great Britain declare for the Hanoverian Succession. The
ignorant Part of the remote Districts the only Population in
favour of the Pretender
229
CHAPTER XI.
GEORGE III.
Length and Importance of this Reign. - General Warrants
declared to be illegal. Letters of Junius. - Fate of the
Toleration Bill. Riots of 1780.- Bill to reform Parliament.
Peace-ministers and War-ministers. The American Re-
volution.-Public Opinion on this Subject.-Its Vacillations.
- Unpopularity of the War with America. Its Impolicy.-
Declaration of the Commons. The India Bill. The Trou-
bles in Holland. Attempts to abolish the Slave Trade.
Mr. Pitt's Speech in favour of the Abolition. Measure for
Relief of Roman Catholic Disabilities
CHAPTER XII.
- Page 242
Effect on Public Opinion of the Revolution in France. - Ex-
cesses of the French Demagogues denounced in England. -
Public Opinion supports the Government in commencing Hos-
tilities with France. - Popular Clamour enlisted in the same
Cause. Mr. Pitt's Policy. -
England of Cash Payments.
Suspension by the Bank of
Effect of this. - Republican
Societies in Great Britain and Ireland. — Voluntary Contri-
butions of the English Community.-Failure of Negotiations
for Peace. Policy of the ruling Powers in France
CHAPTER XIII.
Serious State of Affairs in England.
264
Threats of Invasion.-
England's Attitude of Defence and Defiance.— Enrolment, as
Volunteers, of almost the entire Male Population. - Mr.
Pitt's Speech on this subject. - Unparallelled Exertions of
Britain. Paramount Influence of Public Opinion. - Peace
of Amiens. - Renewal of War. Absurd Demands of the
French Government. - Austerlitz. — Trafalgar. - Downfal
of Napoleon. Change in the Prospects of England
CHAPTER XIV.
PRESENT STATE OF CIVILISATION IN BRITAIN.
275
Present State of Society contrasted with that of the last Century.
- Former Indecorum of Manners. - Street Outrages. ·
Deficient Police. Horrible Frequency of Capital Punish-
ments.- Gibbets in the Highways. - Feeble Attempts in
1763 to organise a Constabulary Force. Destitute Class.
- Alteration in the Proportion of the several Classes of
Society. Tendency of the last War, and the Increase of the
Public Debt, to augment the Middle Class and to diminish the
Upper. Effects of Steam Power. Condition of the
Working Class. Personal Property
CHAPTER XV.
THE MONARCHICAL POWER.
Page 290
Strength of Constitutional Authority. - Genuine Loyalty. -
Opinion of Frederick the Great on the Sovereigns of his Day.
Uncertain Tenure of Despotism. Succession of Females
to the English Crown. Necessity of upholding the Mo-
narchical Power. Effects of the Reform Bill. - Increase of
- Proper Functions of a
Influence in the House of Commons.
-----
Sovereign
320
CHAPTER XVI.
THE HOUSE OF LORDS.
The House of Lords sanctioned by the Voice of the Country.—
Admission to it a high and distinguished Reward for Ser-
vices to the State. Its Importance as one of the Branches
of the Legislature. Influence of Personal Property. - An-
tiquity of the Separation of the People into Classes.
Advantages and Faults of Aristocratical Government 333
CHAPTER XVII.
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Powerless State of the Commons in former Times.-Conduct of
the Tudors and Stuarts towards the Commons' House.-Peter
and Paul Wentworth. Subserviency of the Commons.-
Advance of the House in Power. -Early Desire for repre-
sentative Government. Influence of Property.-Curtail-
ment of the Privileges of the House. - The Commons act in
accordance with Public Opinion
339