The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1849-05-09
ENGLAND AT THE ACCESSION or
JAMES ri

l.rls. IL ibe description q EnsiAtu ~ his
prri...l II The Accession
u. knew Of noihing Ike u N The
rn,ire r.nse II historical literature. The
vi i Intel np from he England ~ :
tsnlnrv and half sgo-ils geographical.
inJnsrrisl. social and moral condition.
i revealed; and as ihe panorama pas
sss before us of lonely heaihs. iorii-
lied farm houses. band ii robbers, rude
country sqaires doing ont lie odds and
ends Of their coarse fare 10 clerical de-
pendenis. rough roads. Fersicfable only
for horse back Iraselling-iosns with
unlighled streets. reeking with hlih and
offai-znd prisons damp, l0aihsUme. M
feeied with dlessse. and sssrming with
termin-we arc filled with wonder Al The
conIrssI which Il presents 10 The England
of our dsy. We no longer sigh for the
good Old DAYS" Tie most confirmed
gIumbler il compelled 10 admit that, bad
.. things now are. they were far worse a
lew generations back. Macanlay. in this
elaborate and carefully prepared chapter.
has done goad service 10 humanity, IN
iissbnsing well inlenlioned ignorance II
lie melancholy notion thai The world IS
growing worse, and in silencing The cant
oI blind, unreasoning conservatism.
Ia 1855. The enlire population Of Eng
land, our author estimates al from five
millions 10 i've millions five hundred
thousand. Of The s0O.00O families II
that period, one.half had animal fond
twice a week. The other half ale It
not al all, or AZ most, MT oitener Than
once a week. Wheaton loaves were
only seen At The iahles Of The compare.
lively whrallhy. RYE, barley and oats
were The fucd IL the vast majority. The
average wages then paid 10 working men.
was al least one.half less than IS paid ~
England Tor The same service al tile pre-
seni day. One fifth Of The people were
paupers. or recipients Of parish relief.
Clothing and bedding were scarce and
dear. Education was almost unknown
ioslhe vast majority. The houses and
shops were MOI numbered in the cities. for
pnrlers, coachmen, and Grand runners
coull not read. The shop keeper dis
iinguished his place Of business by painted
signs and craven images. Oxlord and
Cambridge Universities were lille better
than modern grammar and latin school
in a provincial village. The country mag.
isIraIe used on lie bench language too
coarse. brutal and vulgar for modern
tap.rnom. Fine gentlemen in London We'd
Mlh each other in the lowest rlbaldry and
the crosses, profanity. The poets 81 The
lime, from Dryden 10 Dnrfey, minisleIed
To The licenliousness. The most shame
less indecency polluted their pages. The
theatre and the brolhel were in strict uni.
son. The Church winked at The vice
which opposed itself TO the anslere mora.
liiy or hypocrisy Of Puritanism. The
superior clergy, with few noble excep.
tIons, were selfseekers and courtiers; The
inferior were idle, ignorant hangers. on up
on disappearing sqnires. The domestic
chaplain Of all men living, held the most
unensiahle position; j" The was permitted
10 dine with The family. he was expected
TO conten, himself with the plaine.t fare.
lie might Gil himself with the corned beef
and carrots; but as soon as the iarls aud
cheese.cakes made their appearance. he
Quilted his seat, and stood alaof I'LL he was
summoned 10 return thanks for The rcpast,
from a great part Of which he had been
excluded"
Bevund the Trent. the country seems
at lhls period To have been in state Of
barbarism. The parishes kept blood. /
hounds. Tor the purpose Of hunting iree-
hooters. The farm, houses were fortified
and guarded. So dangerous was the cond. !
Try, that persons about travelling thilher,
made their wills. Judges and lawyers
only ventured therein. escorted BY strong
CUR 81 armed men.
TIE term Of human life throughout the
king lon was much shorter than IT is al The
present time. The wear 1855 was not a
siykly year.-vel one IN tweny.three Of
The entire population Of London died. The
present annual mortality Of London. is only
one in forty. Filth was allowed TO accn.
pulate in the streets Of the capital 10 de-
gree which would be intolerahle to mod.
ern sensiiiyeness. The dwellings of the
peasantry we're loathsome as styes. Per
sonal cleanliness was little attended 10
Foul infectious diseases nov almost I'M
known, were common. Fleas and other
detestahle vermn abounded. The sense
If misery was Supplied nv enormous
tlraughis Of beer, almos, the only article
Of consumption that was cheaper than at
present,
Sectarian bigolry and persecution COR
opinions on matters about which often
neither prosecutor nor prosecuted could be |
certain, added to the evils Of the times. |
Neighbor acted as spy upon neighbour;
swearing and drunken cavaliers avenged
The persecution and plumber Of their faith
ers il Cromweli's time, by packing the
ials with the inheritors Of the faith. and
names Of Inc old Puritan zealots. When
the corpse OF some Independent preacher,
mr. 1uahan3ist inflammation of nronbecipS