The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-24

The GLORY AND SHAME ENGLANp."--By
G. Edward Lester. . vois, .htio York, Huper &
Brothers, 1912
Few books which have lately issued from the
American press have attracted SO large share Of
public attention "T The Glory and the Shame of
England" We rejoice that it is so The very fact
that such book receives warm welcome in our
country speaks volumes for the soundness and large
ness Of the American heart. This book could never
receive extended circulation, except in country
where Freedoms affairs thronged with heart
ed worshppers, and where there are deep and wide
spread sympathies with the wronged, and wretched
and degraded Where human rights Ore best under
stood and most regarded the topics treated of in
these volumes occupy large space in the minds Of
all who think and Mr. Lester deserves the thanks Of
the friends of liberty, that through the medium of
his book they have been presented TO thousands who
had hitherto given them but little heed while those
who have made them subject of investigation, will
find here amount of statistical and other intorma-
ton which has before been presented in one
view to the American public Mr. Lester has almost
entirely deserted the great beaten highway of tour
lists described often, that know all the " mile
Stones, and bridges, and hotels, and are acquainted
with all the roundfaced coachmen and pory guards
Whoever opens his book, expecting to meet there
eloquent description Of nothing, elegant prale about
the hourly trivial occurrences of the day perfumed
sentences, +" written with crow-quill pen upon the
finest veum, will be grievously disappointed. The
great treasure house, or toy-Sop,n from which
ny of our sketches" and "glancesn and 'sglean-
ngs,n and " notes." have been furnished with mat
ter has been lightly drawn upon. If any "i Incl
dents" encountered, and pers by flood and
field Mr.. Lester has not endeavored to confer upon
them immortality at the hands Of the printer. His
mind appears to have been occupied with other and
higher speculations. Many books which have been
written about England, give us the same kind of in
formation that derive from landscape painting
and present TO the mind the same objects which
would be most conspicuous in the picture. There
are "noble avenues Of oaks and 90 old ems, and
gray ruins, y and noble mansions" and venerable
cathedrals," and green lawns" and Z" trim hedges
gardens, and fountains; and if a cottage is in the
back ground, it is baskng in much sunshine with
sweet vine at door and window. All these things
and much more, are certainly to be in the ia.
therand" and all these the author of these volumes
any one may know by reading the letter on West
engrossed his attention than all Others and that
was man-man in circums stances that awakened I'M
wonted emotions in his Republican bosom, In our
youth and ignorance of true civilization we of Amer
lea accustomed to think that, if man is willing
to labor, he may also have the liberty to eat TO eat
his fill, Of such provision as may well supply the
waste of muscle But Mr.. Lester soon discovered
that when nation has reached the highest sum
mts of civilization, it by follows, with any
tolerable certainty, that man shall feed himself or
children, because he is willing to endure even the
most exhausting toll lie found that there is depth
Of poverty and degradation below the lowest
deep that had been discovered on his native
shores, and he supposed it not unmportant
to investigate the causes which had scooped our
the deep, dark, filthy abyss in which he found
so many of the /" bold pedsantry Of Nerrie
England Contrary to many great and notable ex-
ampIes he has dared to feel deeper interest in the
fate Of starving child lis emacatcd and desparng
parent than III regard To the number and condition of
Lord ---- horses, of the deer in his park or the
rabbits in his warren the color of his iveries,
OF the mountngs of his carriage. Though thorough