Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1852-03-04


consul and The Roman general the
comlta and the forum. but that we shall
also see Roman hearths and altars, the
Roman matron at the head oil her house
hold, Roman Children in their schools of
instruction, and the whole of Roman
lie lully presented to our view, so Tar as
the materials, now existing in separate
and special works, afford the means.
II is in our day only that the history
and progress ol the civil and social in
stitutions and manners of England have
b' come the subjects ofparticuIar a,ten-
ton.
Sharon Turner, Lingard, and, more
than all, Mr.. Hallam, have laid this age.
and all following ages, under the hea-
West obligations by their labors in this
field Of literary composition nor would
lseparate from them the writings Of
most learned and eloquent person,
whose work on English history is now
in progress, nor the author of the Pic
toral History Of England. But there 10
still wanting full, thorough and do
mestic, social account Of our English
ancestors; that is, a history which shall
trace the progress Of social lie in the
! intercourse of man, with man; the ad-
| vance Of arts, the various changes in the
habits and occupations OF Individuals:
and those improvements in domestic life,
which have attended the condition and
mellorated the circumstances of men in
the lapse Of ages. We still have not
the means of learning. to any great ex-
tent, how our English ancestors, at
their houses were led, and lodged. and
clothed, and what were their daily en-
pIoyments. We want history of fire.
sides, we want to know when kings and
queens exchanged beds olstraw for beds
o. down, aud ceased to breakfast Oh beef
and beer. We wish 10 see more, and
know more, f the changes which took
place, from age 10 age, in the homes OF
England from the castle and Tie pal
ace, down TO the humblcst cottage. Mr.
Henry's book, so far as il goes, is not
without its utility, but it stops too
| soon and, even in regard to the period
which II embraces, and il is not sufficient
ly full and satisfactory in its parlicu-
, lars.
The feudal ages were military and
agricultural, but The splendor OF arms
in the history OF The times, monopoIized
the genus OF writer's; and perhaps ma
terlals are not now abundant ior form
ing knowledge oi the essential indus
try Of the country. He would be pub
lie beneiacior, who should instruc, US
in the modes Of cultivation and iillage
prevailing in England from the conquest
down, aud IN the advancement OF manu-
iaclures from their inception in the time
Of Henry lVth, to the period OF their
considerable development two centuries
aiterward.
There are two sources oil information
on these subjects, which have never
yet been fully explored, and which, ncv-
ertheless, are overfiowing fountains Of
knowledge. | mean the statutes, and
the proceedings of the courts of law
At an early period OF life, | REQUIRED.
with some degree Of attention, 10 both
these sources Of information not so
much for professional purposes, as for
the calculation Of The progress of society.
acquainted myself with the object and
purposes. aud substance of every pub
lIshed statute in British legislatlon.-
These showed me what the Legislature
oi the country was concerned in, from
time to time, and from year TO year.
And learned from the reports of con-
troversies, in the courts of law, what
were the pursuits and occupations OF
individuals, and what the objects which
most earnestly engaged attention. |
hardly know anything which more re-
pays research than studies of this kind.
q l.a Ir1r hap ,l,at
cupicd men during the ieudal ages. We
see too. IN a most interesting manner,
the ingenious devices resorted to, TO
break the thraldom of personal slavery.
We see the beginning OF manufacturing
interests, and at length bursts upon us
the full splendor Of the commercial age.
Littleton, Coke Plowden, phat are
Mey' How their learning fades away
and becomes obsolete when Holt, and
Somers, and Mansfield arise, catching
themselves, and iniuslng all around
them, the influences and the knowledge
which commerce had shed upon the
world
Our great teachers and examples in
the historical art are, doubtless, the emf
nent historians OF the Greek and Roman
ages. In their several ways, they are
the masters TO whom all succeeding
times have looked for instruction and
Improvement. They nre the models
which have stood the test Of time, and,
like the glorious creations in marble, OF
Grccan genius, have been always ad-
mired and never surpassed.
We have our iavoritcs in literature,
as well as other things, and confess
that, among The Grecian writer's, my
estimate of ilcrodotus is great. His
evident truthlunoss, his singular SIM
plicny Of style, and his constant respect
and vencralIon for sacred and divine
things, win my regard. IL is true that
he sometimes appears credulous, which
caused Aristotle 10 say Of him that he
was story-teller. But, in respect TO
this two things are to be remarked the
one is that he never AYERS as Il fact that
which rests on the accounts OF others;
the other is that all subsequent travels
and discoveries have tended TO confirm
his fidelity. From his great qualities
as writer, as well us from the age IN
which he lived, he is Justly denomlnated
the "Fathcr Of History" Herodolus
was n CONSCIENTIOUS narrator oi what he
saw and heard In his manner there is
much OF the old epic style; indeed his
work may he considered as the connec-
ting link between the epic legend nnd
political history hut. on The other, cOn-
ceived aud executed in the spirit olpoe-
try, and not the proloundcr spirit Of po-
liilcal philosophy. IL breathesa a rever-
entail submission TO the divine will, and