Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-02-28
nj iSC Il L l. A N Y.
England as she was in the 18th Century, compared
with her present condition,
Ely T. u. MACAUI.EY.

In one respect it must be admitted that the pro-
gress Of civilization has diminished tho physical
comforts Of portion of the poorest class II has al
ready been mentioned that, before the Revolution
many thousand of square miles, inclosed and
cultivated were marsh, forest and heath. or this
wild land much ty law common, and much of
what was not common by law worth 80 little that
the proprieors suffered il 10 be common in fact In
such tract, squaters and trespsssers were toera-
led 10 an extent now unknown. The peasant who
dwet there could, at little charge, procure oc-
casionally some paiitabe addition to his hard fare,
and provide himself with fuel for the winter. He
kept flock of geese what is now an orchard
rich with apple blossoms He shared wild fowl on
the fen which has long since been drained and d.
vided into corn fields and turnips. He cut turf a.
mong the furze bushes on the moor which is now
meadow bright with clover and renowned for butter
and cheese The progress Of agriculture and the
increase of population necessarily deprived him of
these privileges. But against these advantages &
long list of disadvantages is 10 be set off Of the
blessings which civilization and philosophy bring
with them, large proportion is common 10 all
ranks. and would if withdrawn, be missed as pain
FULLY by the iaborcr as by the peer. The market
place which the rustic reach with his cart
In an hour, was, hundred and sixty years ago.
days Journey from him. The street which now
affords 10 the artisan during the whole night a Sc
cure, convenient, and brilliantly lighted walk,
was, a,hundred and sixty years ago so dark after
sunset that he would not have been able to see his
hand so ill-paved that he would have run constant
risks of breaking his neck, and so i'll watched that
he would have been in imminent danger of being
knocked down and plundered of his small earnings
Every bricklayer who falls from scaffod, every
sweeper of a crossing who is run over by carriage
now may have his wound dressed and his limbs set
with skill such a hundred and sixty years ago,
all the wealth of a great lord like Ormond, or of
merchant prince like Clayton, could moi have pur-
chased. Some frightful diseases have been extir-
pated by science and some have been banshed by
police. The term of human life has been length
ened over the whole kingdom and especially in the
towns. The year 1853 not accounted sckly :;
yet in the year 1855 more than one in twenty three
OF the inhabitants of the capital died. AT present
only inhabant of the capital in forty dies annu-
ally. The difference in saiubriiy between the Lon
don OF the nineteenth century and the London of The
seventeenth century is very far greater than the
difference between London in an ordinary season
and London in the cholera.
Still more important is the benefit which all or
ders of society, and especially the lower orders,
have derived from the modifying influence Of civil
lZatIOn on the natural character. The ground work
OF that character has indeed been the through
many generations, in the sense in which the ground
work OF the character of an individual may be said
10 be the same when he is n rude, a thouohtless
schooboy and when he is refined and accomplish
mind of England has softeued while it has ripened
and that we have, in the course of ages, become
not only wiser, but also kinder people. There is
scarcely page OF the history Of lighter literature of
the seventeenth century which does not contain
some proof that were less humane than
their posterity. The discipline of workshops of
schools, OF private families, though not more ciii
cient than at present, infinitely harsher Mas
tiers, well born and bred, were in the habit Of beat
ing their servants. PedagUgues knew no way OF
lmPariing knowledge but by beating their pupils
Husbands, OF decent station, were not ashamed TO
beat their wives. The implacibity of hostile fac
ton was such can hardly conceive who's
were disposed to murmur because Stafford was sui
Tered TO die without seeing his bowels burned be
tore his face. AS little mercy was shown by the
pOpulace to sufferers Of an humber rank. If an
offender was put into the pillory, il was well if he
escaped with life from the shower Of brick bats and
paving stones. If he tied to tho carts tail the
crowd pressed round him. impIorlng the hanpman
TO give 1t 10 the fellow well. aud make him howl
Gentlemen arranged parties of pleasure 10 Bride.
well on court days, for the purpose of seeinc the
wreched women who beat hemp there whipped
man pressed TO death for refusing 70 plead wo-
man burned for coming excited less sympathy than
is now felt for gallant horse or an over driven OK
Fights, compared with which boxing match is =
refined and human spectacle, were among the "a
vofe diversions of large part Of The town Null
tiihdes assembled TO glajiaors hack each other
to pieces with deadly weapons and Shouted whom
one of the combatants lost a finger or an eve. The
prisons were bells OH earth, seminares of every
crime and Of every disease. At the asszes the lean
aud yellow cUlpris brought with them from their
cells to the dock an atmosphere Of stencil and pes,I
lence which sometimes avenged them signav on
bench, bar, and jury. But on all this misery soci
ETY. looked with profound indifference Nowhere