660 



ENGLAND. 



her numerous followers to believe ; the credulity was equal to the imposture. Among a great 

 many books written or dictated by her, is one giving a full account of her colloquy with the 

 Devil. They met by agreement to hold a dispute of seven days. It was agreed, that Joanna 

 should come alone, but that Satan might bring as many followers as he would. The confer- 

 ence was held in a solitary house, and Joanna has left a full report of it. The language, es 

 pecially on the part of Joanna, was not adapted to " ears polite." Satan complained of her 

 volubility, and reviled the whole sex. 



The Sabbath is much more strictly observed in England than in the rest of Europe, though 

 It is not uncommon to see athletic and other games on that day ; the laboring classes pour out 

 from London, to pass the day in the fields, and during the fashionable season, Sunday is the 

 time particularly chosen for promenading in the parks. Bibles are not in England so univer- 

 sally scattered among the people, as in New England. The right to print the Scriptures is 

 restricted to the two universities and to the king's printer. No others may print it without a 

 commentary. But a most splendid edition has been published in which the commentary was 

 contained in a single line on a page, and that so low in the margin, that it was cut off by the 

 binder. 



The marriages in England, to be lawful, must be solemnized by a clergyman of the estab- 

 lished church, and not without a previous publication of the banns, unless by a special license 

 from the primate. There is a superstition, that Friday is unlucky, and there are few marriages 

 on that day. The number of marriages is about 98,030 yearly, and I in 20 have no issue. 

 The married women outlive the single. In the country, the average number of children to 

 a marriage is 4 ; in the cities, it is 7 to 2 marriages. P^very sect bury the dead after their own 

 manner, and there is some pomp and parade, especially in processions at funerals. The dead 

 are deposited in the vaults of a church, or buried in the churchyard ; all are dressed in woolen. 

 Gray's elegy is the best possible description of a country churchyard. The yearly number of 

 deaths is 332,708, or 25,592 monthly, 6,398 weekly, 914 daily, and 40 hourly. One half die 

 before the age of 17, and 1 in 3,126 attains to 100 years. 



21. Government. The government of Great Britain is a limited or constitutional monarchy, 



composed of the King and Parliament. The 

 succession is limited to the Protestant line, and 

 females may succeed. The prerogatives of the 

 king are, to make war and peace, to conclude trea- 

 ties, and, in times of urgency, to levy soldiers, to 

 grant pardons, to impress seamen, to command 

 fleets, armies, forts, and magazines, to appoint 

 officers, and to assemble, prorogue, and dissolve 

 parliament. The king is the head of the church, 

 as well as of the state. His person is sacred, 

 and it is a capital crime to intend his death. 

 He can do no wrong ; that is, his ministers 

 only are answerable for his measures ; and the 



_ House of Commons may impeach them, and di- 



Royal Coach. rect them to be tried by the peers. The king's 



power is, however, much limited by the House 

 of Commons, which has the sole right of granting all supplies of money. Parliament is the 

 great council of the nation, and the members hold their seats seven years, unless the parlia- 

 ment be dissolved. It is composed of the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. 



The archbishops, and all the bishops of England except one, the bishop of Sodor and Man, 

 and all the peers of England, have seats in the House of Lords ; 16 peers, chosen for one par- 

 liament, in Scotland, represent that country, and Ireland is represented by 28 peers, chosen 

 for life. There are also 4 Irish bishops and archbishops representing the Irish Church. Some 

 of the privileges of peers are, exemptions from arrests, except for treason, felony, &,c. ; 

 they are tried only by a jury of peers, who return their verdict, not upon their oath, but upon 

 their honor. A peer'may vote by proxy ; a member of the House of Commons cannot. The 

 House of Peers at present consists of 24 Dukes, 20 Marquises, 1 1 1 Earls, 18 Viscounts, 196 

 Barons, 2 Archbishops, and 24 Bishops, beside the representative peers. 



The House of Commons, consists of 658 members, of whom 500 are from England and 

 Wales; 53 from Scotland, and 105 from Ireland. The members are chosen by counties, 



