HISTOEY 



OF THE 



ENGLISH LANDED INTEREST 



im CUSTOMS, LAWS, AND AGRICULTURE. 



Z\)z £iGbtecntb Century, 



CHAPTER I. 



THE LASTING EFFECTS OF FEUDALISM. 



As our History is about to emerge from the shadow of Feudal- 

 ism into a more enlightened economy, it would be well if we 

 pause for a space to consider what lasting effects this old 

 medieeval system has had upon the national character. In 

 order to see these the more clearly, we must discover — firstly, 

 whether, since Feudalism was common to all the Germanic 

 nationalities, it was not less a polity peculiarly distinctive 

 of them than a necessary adjunct of their existence ; and, 

 secondly, how far their ethnic idiosyncrasies influenced its 

 growth. 



Without entering again upon the question of a Roman 

 origin to account for all its principal features, it is possible, we 

 think, on even a cursoi-y examination, to prove that race peculi- 

 arities of character had very httle to do with its evolution, and 



II. ' B 



