ENGLAND. (SOCIAL STATE.) 



35 



The reign of Charles I. was distinguished by many 

 polemical publications. The state of the nation was 

 no less favourable to political than to theological 

 productions. The reformation in religion had roused 

 men from inaction, and the mysteries of government 

 began now to be discussed with a freedom formerly 

 unknown. Hobbes, about this time, rendered him- 

 self remarkable for his metaphysical productions. 

 Oughtred distinguished himself in mathematics, and 

 Dugdale, Selden, Spehnan, and Cotton, in antiquities. 

 Harvey acquired immortality by the discovery of the 

 circulation of the blood. Sir Peter Lely, Dobson, 

 and Gentileschi, were eminent painters. Inigo Jones 

 excelled in architecture ; and Suckling and Crashaw 

 successfully cultivated poetry; and in the same 

 career, were closely followed by Denham and 

 Waller. 



During the period of the commonwealth, and pro- 

 tectorship of Cromwell, flourished Harrington, the 

 author of the Oceana ; Walton, the learned editor of 

 the Polyglott Bible ; Pococke, the celebrated Orien- 

 talist ; and John Milton, whose name alone would 

 reflect a lustre on any age. About the same period 

 flourished three writers distinguished by the singu- 

 larity of their genius Sir Thomas Brown, Urquhart, 

 and Burton. 



Under Charles II. Wallace and Ward acquired 

 considerable reputation in mathematics. Sir Robert 

 Boyle added great improvements to natural philoso- 

 phy; and, by the invention of : the air pump, gave an 

 opportunity of making experiments, which greatly 

 widened the boundaries of that science. Sir Kenelm 

 Digby attached himself to similar pursuits ; but his 

 imagination was too active to permit him, in the way 

 of experiment, to make his inductions with sufficient 

 caution. Sir William Petty has been famed for his 

 calculations in political arithmetic ; and Shaftesbury 

 is still known by his Characteristics. This age can 

 also boast of Algernon Sidney, who published a book 

 on government, and of Cowley, whose fine poetry is 

 unfortunately marred by metaphysical affectations. 

 Butler's Hudibras displays great wit and originality. 

 Rochester, Buckingham, and Dorset, were also cele- 

 brated for the poignancy of their wit. In dramatic 

 writing, the unfortunate Otway displayed a vigorous 

 and pathetic fancy, which, to this day, commands 

 admiration. Wycherly, as well as Vanburgh and 

 Cibber, of* a somewhat later date, like all the comic 

 poets of their tune, had much wit, but little regard 

 to decency. 



Among the painters of this era, Sir Godfrey 

 Kneller held a distinguished place. Verrio is cele- 

 brated for the ease with which he painted indifferent 

 pictures, and the freedom with which he treated 

 Charles II. Varelist, a Dutchman, was an eminent 

 painter of flowers. William Vandevelde is said to 

 remain unequalled for the representation of battles at 

 sea. Cooper is admired as a painter of portraits. 

 Among the eminent engravers of this period have 

 been named William Faithorne, Payne, Pass, Hollar, 

 Lombart, Savage, Wliite. Sir Christopher Wren, the 

 noted architect, adorned this, and three succeeding 

 reigns. 



During the reign of Charles II. the Royal Society 

 was instituted ; but Sir Isaac Newton, who lived at 

 this time, added more to the knowledge of nature by 

 nis own exertions, than every class of philosophers 

 who liad preceded him had been able to effect. His 

 name alone would have been sufficient to render any 

 age remarkable. 



The short reign of James II. was distinguished 

 by few eminent men peculiar to itself. Many of 

 those who liad appeared in the reign of his predeces- 

 sor continued to flourish. 



The revolution, so favourable to the liberties of 



the country, gave a new impetus to the genius of Eng- 

 lishmen. Dryden, by the vigour of his imagination, 

 profound judgment, and fine ear for harmony, may 

 be said to have effected a revolution in the national 

 taste. The names of Locke, Steele, Addison, Swift, 

 Arbuthnot, Pope, and Gay, adorn the reign of Queen 

 Anne. At later periods, we have Thomson, Young, 

 Akenside, Collins, Shenstone, Grey, Johnson, Gold- 

 smith, Darwin, and others, until we reach Cowper, 

 who may be said to have closed the literature of the 

 last century, and opened up to the eyes of the pre- 

 sent " fresh fields and pastures new." 



Social State. The social state of England v during 

 the early periods of her history, has been already in 

 some measure adverted to, particularly in the sketch 

 of her ecclesiastical history and in the section Agri- 

 culture. On the modern composition of English 

 society, two able works have recently been published 

 one, by a lady, entitled ' A View of the Social 

 State of England and France, during the 17th, 18th, 

 and 19th Centuries ;' the other, by Mr Edward 

 Lytton Bulwer, entitled ' England and the English.' 

 To these works we can do no more than refer, as the 

 subject is much too extensive to be taken up here. 

 Were we to form our opinion of English character 

 from the numerous fashionable novels of the day, it 

 would be unfavourable. From these, society woidd 

 appear to be parcelled out into numerous castes, and 

 a paltry jealousy of each other to be the ruling 

 passion of all. We are too strongly persuaded of the 

 manly independence of the English mind, to believe 

 that such representations hold true of any but very 

 insignificant sections of the people. Perhaps the 

 most estimable quality of the English is their love of 

 justice the source of all honourable dealing among 

 the higher classes, and of what is called fair-play in 

 the transactions of humbler life. The principle that 

 a man's word should be his bond is acted upon rig- 

 orously where the greatest interests are at stake ; and 

 on its observance, more than on that of any law, the 

 financial and commercial prosperity of the country 

 depends. Benevolence is another conspicuous feature 

 in the English character. The interest taken in 

 England in behalf of the oppressed in every quarter 

 of the globe proves how much the enjoyment of free- 

 dom enlarges and liberalizes the mind. 



In their habits and modes of ordinary life, the 

 English are eminently domestic, especially when 

 compared with the French. Comfort and cleanliness 

 distinguish the abodes even of the poor cottagers. 

 In regard to food, their taste is inclined to that which 

 is solid and substantial. Beer and porter constitute 

 the staple drink of the great body of the people ; but 

 gin, of a cheap and pernicious kind, is still consumed 

 in great quantities. Among the middle classes, the 

 wines of Spain, Portugal, and Madeira, are in general 

 use, and the cellars of the rich are stored with 

 the choicest products of the French vineyards. A 

 great dinner, followed by a long train of toasts, forms 

 the bond of union to all political parties, and to all 

 patriotic, benevolent, and even religious associations. 

 The favourite amusements of the English nobility 

 and gentry, are horse-racing and hunting, and no 

 country rivals England hi the high excellence to 

 which she has brought the breed of horses. Boxing- 

 matches, which used to be popular, have recently 

 fallen into disrepute. The games of cricket and tennis 

 are very generally practised. 



Crime, in England, has within the last hundred 

 years, undergone a great change. Highway robbery, 

 so prevalent towards the beginning and middle of 

 last century, is now nearly unknown, but petty depre- 

 dations have greatly increased. The following table 

 exhibits the state of crime from the year 1820 till 

 inclusive. 



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