38 



the comencoment of the eighth Century, as is testified by 

 Bede.* 



Daring these periods, marked by a continued series of intes- 

 tine broils, the continued invasions of the Danes, who finally 

 established their power in the island, A. D. 1017, and who in 

 their turn were succeeded by another conquering dynasty in 

 10G6, in the person of William the Isti, Horticulture continued 

 unimpaired and silently to advance. Nor is this a matter of 

 surprise, for the Saxons and Danes when they won a better 

 tome, than they had left in their native land, came as students 

 in thf^ arts of civilization, which their successive sovereigns, 

 (Alfred and Canute need alone be instanced,) used every means 

 in their power to foster and improve. They came not, as did the 

 Caliph Omar to Alexandria, to destroy those acquirements as 

 useless which he did not already possess. That the conquest 

 of a polished nation, by others more barbarous than themselves, 

 is not productive of that lamentable decay of civilization that at 

 first sight might be apprehended, is further instanced by the 

 result of the conquest of the Roman state by the Goths. The 

 estimable arts of civilization were prized and studied by the 

 brave and manly nations of the North, whilst the meretricious 

 ornaments spread over them by the effeminate Romans were 

 despised and swept away. It is only a savage, or a bigot that 

 conquers to destroy ; the Saxons, the Danes, and the Goths con- 

 quered to improve their own comfort and condition, which alone 

 could be effected by sustaining the superior arts pursued by 

 thenations they overcame. 



When success in Arms has established an empire as well as 

 extended it, the reputation of superior valour and power pro- 

 cures to the conquerors the security that always attends a com- 

 plete ascendancy ; such security leaves the mind at ease and 

 affords leisiu'e to cultivate the arts and sciences. Such conse- 



* Eccles. Hist, b. i. c. 1. 



