THE COACHING AGE. 



and thought it right' to bring a just cause to the arbi- 

 trament of arms. Turning our backs on Boers was 

 not to the fancy of John Bull then, and the result 

 was that law was respected, which in these latter days 

 is despised ; so that we have evea lived to see a Prime 

 Minister of England point to an outrage as a reason 

 for legislation, with the natural resu^ that all over 

 the world lawlessness has gained a step upon law. 



In the period we are speaking of this was not so, 

 and when De Quincey, fired with the glory of motion, 

 wrote his famous paper, England was loyal to the 

 backbone, and united as, alas ! we cannot now say 

 she is. ' England,' says De Quincey, ' owes much 

 of her grandeur to the depth of the aristocratic element 

 in her social composition, when pulling against he'r 

 strong democracy.' Long may this be true, and yet 

 again may she triumph over the disloyal and dishonest, 

 who are aiming to destroy the Monarchy and House 

 of Lords, and repeat the errors of the Great Eebel- 

 lion ! 



The Courier was the great evening paper at the 

 time of Talavera, and as the mail went through 

 towns and villages the guard and passengers would 

 unfold the paper and point with exultation to the 

 words in large letters, 'Glorious Victory!' The 

 ensigns of triumph, too, were at once recognised — 

 laurel, oak-leaves, and ribbons; and as the mail entered 



