Martyrs. 107 



either short or half. At least we were all in for long 

 commons at eleven pence. 



We drove past the martyrs' memorial, Latimer and 

 Ridley's. Cranmer does not deserve to be named with 

 them. A visit to such a monument always does" me 

 good, for it enables me to say to those who doubt the 

 real advancement of mankind : Now look at this, and 

 think for what these grand men were burnt ! Is it con- 

 ceivable that good, sterling men shall ever again be 

 called upon in England to die for opinion's sake ! That 

 Cranmer wrote and advocated the right and necessity 

 of putting to death those who differed from him, and 

 therefore that he met the fate he considered it right to 

 mete to others, shows what all parties held in those 

 dark days. I claim that the world has made a distinct 

 and permanent advance in this department which in no 

 revolving circle of human affairs is ever to be lost. The 

 persecution of the Rev. Mr. Green, of Professor Robert- 

 son Smith, and of Bishop Colenso in the present day 

 proves, no doubt, that there is much yet to be done ere 

 we can be very proud of our progress ; but these are the 

 worst of to-day's persecutions, and could occur only in 

 England and Scotland. There is a long gap between 

 them and burning at the stake ! Grand old Latimer 

 was prophetic when he called out from amid the fag- 

 gots to his colleague : " Be of good comfort and play 

 the man ; we shall this day light such a candle by God's 

 grace as I trust shall never be put out ! " 



