24 ON THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS^ &C. 



joyment of the usufruct. This new doctrine, whatever its real 

 design might have been, was received by the mass of the people 

 with cheerfulness ; for its tendency appeared to be, the restoration 

 of order in the confused state of public affairs. Yet it cannot be 

 denied that the legislators, in promulgating the new doctrines, had 

 solely in view the advantage of the crown, and had as little at heart 

 the interest of the people, as the promoters of the former customs 

 had it in establishing the rights of the few landholders. The results, 

 however, proved a substantial national gain : a degree of stability 

 and centralization was infused into the government, and the op- 

 pressed multitude knew, at least, now, where to seek for redress 

 against the cruelties of the minor number of aristocrats. 



This second remodellation of the royal power had not made its 

 way to England, and for this reason, that the Roman law had not 

 only never attained a dominant and established ascendancy in the 

 island ; but also, and chiefly, because the rights of the crown had, 

 in that country, never undergone such revolutions as in the other 

 parts of Europe. In England the kings had always maintained the 

 ancient prerogatives, despite the increasing strength and power of 

 landed estates. The Norman expedition to England — the last scene 

 of the emigration of nations — happened at a period, and issued from 

 a country, when and where the original statutes of the feudal sys- 

 tem were yet fresh in memory and in full operation. Nor could 

 they have been greatly degenerated in a country like Normandy, 

 where the princes were as active as the people were of a young and 

 recent origin. William the Conqueror found in his right of con- 

 quest the best opportunity of setting in full force the principles of 

 feudalism ; and he did so, with much cruelty, among the newly-con- 

 quered people of England. Moreover, the frequent and violent 

 changes in the regal succession tended to furnish every new con- 

 queror and usurper with the means of renewing from time to time, 

 and with increased severity and violence, the ancient feudal rights 

 of the crown over the landholders and their possessions. Thus, 

 while in Germany and other parts of Europe the bonds of feudalism 

 were imperceptibly loosened from the people, in England that same 

 system of thraldom, as its force and vigour were reduced by the 

 hand of time, was resuscitated and refreshed, and every link 

 throughout the whole chain was kept bright and in perfect repair. 



In fine, England was the only country in Europe where the feu- 

 dal system was so universal as to connect the humblest subject im- 

 mediately with the crown : a circumstance to which we frequently 

 recur, because by it alone we shall be enabled to find the clue to 

 many obscure points in her history and constitution. 

 (To be continued J. 



