The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-10-01

The subject announced for Mr. Jamess fourth
lecture, last evening, was necessarily postponed.
the conclusion OF the previous interesting lecture
Of " Feudalem, Chivary and the Crusldes" en-
tiTey occupying the time. Mr.. James began by
dep citing the progress OF a crusadng host through
Eurcp, with all its wild, strange incidents, aad
heterogeneous materals-and Afterwards traced
the influence of the crusldes on civilization.
10 e.kiDg of the effect of the crusades upoa
civilization, Mr.. James pursued The plan which he
had hitherto pursued, tracing il separately in social
and in individual civilization The latter might be
again divided into general and special the coa-
side ration Of the last Of which-the Improvements
IN eu and science derived from the nations of tbs
East-wouid require a long treatise in itself.
social civilization was considerably affected ~
the crusades The social state of France, under
the ieudai systeai, is already before US. In Eng
ispo, at the end OF the eleventh century, the Nsr-
man conquest had strengthened, if il did not intro
duce, fendaiism, some forms Of which are yet
preserved In Anglo Saxon institutions, viz. the
obligation OF land owners to attend the king in
arms IN actual war-to aid in building and m ain
tanning royal castles, and to keep the 70 ads and
bridges in repair.
absorbed into the MASSES Of the conquered, aad
their feudal habits were influenced by the vast body
OF Saxons among whom they lived. The feudaI
sys,e m never WAS able to perfect itself in England
numerous inconeruiiies and complicated forms 81
tenure existed in 1.-THE germs Of psrliaments-and
many Of the Saxon freemen retained their free pos
session of the soil. The cities were more ude-
pendent than at the same period in France, and in
a thousand particulars are discovered the perma-
nent vgor Of he Anglo-S inst tutioos, mantaia-
ing their inert opposition to the Innovations of the
The first effect of the crusades was not so much
experienced In a country where the monarchcsl
element greatly predominated on the one hand, and
a subdued but powerful and unextinguished demo-
cratic element on the other. In France, no wever.
the ultimate effect was the direct reverse of that in
England, and tended rather to weaken the monar-
chcal element.
The crusading spirit became a moral epidemic
hy q Dery fnt al IN np
all interests, left wife and fasily, friends, home and
native land The more power ful could do this.
without any great sacrifice of property, but the pos.
of small feoiis in order to appear with bnl-
liancy, and satisfy their crussding enthusiasm.
obliged to sell their estates, which often went
TO swell the feos of greater and richer proprieors.
sold rights and privileges to the citizens, which
ultimately rendered the later independent. The
crown also often purchased those feohs which lay
convenient to the royal demesne.
This immense sale Of feeff, was terrible shock
to feudalism It's herarchical character was uaiIn-
paired small feofis infinitely diminished in nun
bers and great feotis increased in extent. Tho
monsrchcal element and the free communes wero
greatly developed the latter ready 20 support the
former against the great vassas and their abhorred
system.
civilization in France. The absence Of tn. f-uda
tories left their vassals open to the influences OF
monarchy. Few wise monarchs, except those
whom circumstances or enthusa forced to do 20,
joined the crusades. Philip Augu s,us was an ex-
ample of this; he went unwillingIy, but returned
soon enough to make himself, by policy, king Of
France, instead Of the mere head Of feudal con-
federacy. After the death Of his rival Richard L.,
he was enabled to turn his attention more fully to
increasing his kingly power. The great barons
were in Palestine, and by a series OF intrigues,
mingled with extortion aud armed usurpaon, he
succeeded in contracting their domains, and eu-
lsrging his own. An example can be given +
The great Count Of Flanders died in the Holy
Land, warning for the Holy Cross |; Philip at once
fp deceased
hero, and regardless OF justice or honor, claimed
the m as his own. Feotl after fecf was reunited 70
tance and in the battle Of Bovines, he trampled On
the enemies of his throne, and the feudal spint Of
the age In which he lived knIghts and nobles died
by the hands of the commons enlisted ia his ser
vice. and the success OF the day is much attri-
buted TO the knives Of the burghers of Scissors,
TO the lances Of Philips chiyalry.
Till the monsrchs Of England took part in the
crusades personally, the modified form Of feudalism
existing there remained almost unchanged. Bat
when Richard C9ur de Leon assumed the banner
of the Cross, the properly of the crown was sold.
the vassals Of the throne raised TO undue impor-
n. Of mouseSy
prevented the immeda conseQuencesof his fiultss
but when he died, and weaker manarchs ruled. IN.
great barons wrung charters and concessions from
During all this time the influence Of the Angle
| Saxon population and institutions was Increasing.
the Norman tongue was becoming extinct, cities
rons had intsrmarried with the Anglo-Saxoas
these influences were instrumental in giving 70 the
| Magma Chara wider views OF freedom, and Ia the
Bdron's war, which soon followed, de Mentfort
/ relied for support on the Commsns, and called to
the great councils Of the nation Representatives Of
population purely Anglo Saxon.
| Thus in frsnce and England the effect OF the
crussdes % civilization were different. In France
| u concentrated property in the hands OF the
great vaseals, developed monarchy, increased this
i power and resources Of the crown, aad aided the
rttt in strrs .flt h. - l..
the arisocratic element was streng ned the de-
| mocrniic revived, and mouarchcsl power dimi-
| nished. In the struggle between the sristocrauc
element and the menarchical. the democratic ele-
| ment still gained ground. The conquerors and
conquered became fused, and a new social policv
began 10 evolve ITSELF which, in the end, after ca
coun'ering many checks, obstacles and concus.
| s,ons, hnaiy obtained triumphant consummation.
The effect Of crusades on individual civili,a,iss
was in both countries almost the ssme. Fixed in
BIS isolation, surrounded only by his family and
| Dependents, on his own land, the feudal noble had
| no means OF communicating with his fel'ow-me
Whea he visited the court Of hs feud al superior he
was only brought into contact with others equally
| selfish, ignorant, and isolated Chivalry, as be-
fere remarked, rst broke this brutalizing itoe,
| and TO chivalry the crusades opened a new world.
| Comprehensive were formed in camp and fell
or on the march; generous emotions and ernula-
tons were ELECTED, and necessity produced union.
The crusaders came in contact with men from
every nation. and passed through lands Of every
| grade Of stion, from savace Hungary %
polished Greece. In Constsntinople, too, were
presented the wonders Of ancient arr riches, work.
| msnship they bao never dreamed of-new forms,
thoughts, characters, habits; new tastes, objecu,
Institutions surrounded them. And the con sequeat
perturbation Of long-sagnsnt intellect must have
| had great power 10 civiize.
Then, in the land Of the Moslem, against whom
| they wsrred, all was new, though not more civil
| lzed then Themselves at the time Of the frs .,
sade. The civilization Of thu n.as.el imam. CIV,
pp.h' eng,uIeo, anu Crushed with great men Ia,
hsn esn1apon Of the Caliphs and Of Malek Shah
ISL pas,ed away-that Of Saladin had not COM
ntp,ed. The Seljskian TURKS, whom they frss
encountered. had fallen Oft from their fret renows
new scenes, habits, and customs which prnauceJ
ue elNilizing impression Of the first crusaders.
| The second and third cmsades effected more