Leaves from a Madeira Garden 



way. And nothing breaks up the old regime 

 more effectually than the division by law of the 

 parents' property equally among the children, 

 now (with limitations) the rule here. It is 

 rather strange that there has never been any 

 serious movement in England for the adoption 

 of this system, which prevails in most Euro- 

 pean countries. No doubt the parents' right 

 of freedom of bequest is comparatively seldom 

 abused ; and among the upper classes the 

 custom of the eldest son succeeding to the 

 bulk of the family property, and the younger 

 children being left to shift, more or less, for 

 themselves is so engrained that no sense of 

 hardship is present. And it has doubtless been 

 a factor in creating British pre-eminence in 

 trade, and in the extension of the British 

 Empire. Before the establishment of a stand- 

 ing army provided them with a regular military 

 career ; before India and the colonies offered 

 a field for military, civil, and commercial enter- 

 prise, the country gentleman's younger sons 

 naturally went into trade at home — 



" Boastful ami rough, your first son is a squire, 

 Your next a tradesman meek, and much a liar." 



This custom after some eclipse during the 



io8 



