PREFACE. Ill 



of England. In that treatise, short as it is, is com- 

 prised every argument that can be cited in favour 

 of the measure of which I am speaking ; every objec 

 tion is foreseen and satisfactorily confuted. The 

 lapse of two hundred and fifty years has increased 

 the necessity of the measure which Lord Bacon then 

 proposed, but it has produced no argument in favour 

 of the principle, no objection adverse to it, which, 

 to use the words of Cowley applied to Bacon him 

 self, from the mountain top of his exalted wit, he 

 did not anticipate. (/). 



Never was man more zealous for improvement 

 than lord Bacon. The froward retention of custom 

 is, he says, ( as turbulent a thing as innovation : 

 and they that reverence too much the old times, are 

 but a scorn to the new ; for time, the greatest in- 

 novater, alters all things to the worse, and, if wis 

 dom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, 

 what shall be the end ? (c 1 ), and, as if foresee 

 ing the present times, Kings, who are desirous 

 that a perpetuity of good may descend to their 

 country, will encourage the erection of tem 

 ples, tombs, palaces, theatres, bridges, making no 

 ble roads, cutting canals, granting multitude of 

 charters, and liberties for comfort of decayed com- 



(6) For the conclusion of Mr. Peel s Speech, see note A at 

 the end, page [i.] 



(c) Non progredi est regredi. An Indian being pursued, his 

 pursuers set fire to the dry grass. He saw the streams of flame 

 overtaking him. He struck a light : set fire to the grass before 

 him and escaped. 



