Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-05-13
Watohman s. journal.
~~~~~-~~--~~--~~~~-~--~~-
WEDNESDAY, MAY Is, 1874.
For the Waterman.
Historical Views of LOndon---No. 4.


When thinking ceased TO be a crime, at the
dawn Of the Reformation, the secular world pro-
duced, and left as evidences Of the social con.
dition Of London, Chaucer, Ben Jonson, and the
earlier English classics, made transcript Of
their age not ilattering to its character for re-
inement or virtue. Yet bigotry in those
years would rather tolerate a corrupt and yul-
gar literature, that ignored religion, than
faithful inquiry into the doctrines of divine rev
olaton and the duties they enforced Of purity
and a holy life. And yet religion came to tri-
umph over the bgotry Of the past, and to
establish the rights Of conscience in this centre
Of intellectual development and progress, SO
that the English classical literature Of later
day came 10 respect the proprie,ies Of life, and
to inculcate refinement and virtue as a fruit of
Christian faith, and conservative power in
the State The writings Of Milton, Of Addison,
of Dr. Young and DR.. johnson, and of Cowper
and later poets, have associated moral and re.
ligious duty with the most glorious ilumina.
tions of classical thought and imagery. Life
as it should be is shown in association with
heaven, and its celestial gorics cast In living
light over degraded world. Yet we are not
to conclude that the people of London, 10 their
social status and relations, exemplifed the
pattern Of moral excellence set out by the bet
ter class Of English writer's of two centuries
gone by. Shakespeare, though an example Of
developed intellectual grandeur, painted not
the age in which he lived, but the dim and
shadowy past With greater power than the
Witch Of Endor, he called up the spirit. Of Old
iron kings and queenly saints, that played
their angel smiles midst plots, conspiracies and
treasous wrought in blood old icudal
days, when chiefs rebeIled against the royal
throne, and chiyalry, with proud conccit, de-
fed the hostile knight in armor clad and with
violence and sword and FIRE assumed 10 teach
morality in rough and troubled times. Yet
Shakespeare painted life in rude and vulgar
modes. If transcripts Of the then living age,
his pictures show a rude and vulgar herd as
peoplngall the land. His works survive as less
original in themselves, than as restored pic
lures Of times then ancient They were valued
as restored pictures of old masters are valued
now Mcpherson, at later age went still
farther back, aud sung old Ossian's songs - Of
woods and wilds, and wars and loves, a' flying
phautoms on the brow Of night
But whatever refining Influences came Of the
old English classics, bigotry and prejudice have
not died out from the hearts of a majority
Of the populace Of London. lnfielty has
been kindling its strange fires on the hills
and By the thoroughiares Of the town, and
IS cropping through all its dark retreats to
gather fuel to feed lis strange and unhallowed
flames True, material improvements in the
city, ir the opening OF Oxford and Baker
streets, have dsIodged the denizens oi the an
cient ST. Giles yet London has not thereby
become purified. You can find if you seek
them not only the abodes Of poverty, but the
haunts Of vice and orime-such q combination
Of misery and degradation as would have de-
fed the genius Of Dante in describing the iea-
lures Of such hell Even bis twentieth cir
Gle peopled with spirit, damned, would find
its still living counterpart 10 some sections Of
London. And still the Predominant power and
influence In the metropolis is in favor Of virtue
and religion. Churches are numerous, and
preachers are earnest and faithful, and the
| great missionary and moral oharitiss of tho
age are sustained by a faith and confidence that
embraces the world as the field Of their az
gressiye works and hoped-ior triumphs.
Bot, leaving our historic theme, we will close
/ by brief glance at the London Of to-day. In
the year 1900 the population Of London, with
the parishes then included in its corporate
limits, did no. exceed nine hundred thousand -
less than the population Of New York city TO-
day. How, then, has come this remarkable
growth, adding nearly three millions to is
population in seyenty-iour years? By the ell
ing up Of the building sites Of its outlying
parishes, and by adding other parishes with
increasing populations, so that, in point Of
population London has become the metropoli,
0f the world. But back Of these results arc
the physical and moral causes that have pro-
duced them. London may he regarded as the
index or dial plate Of the worlds progress
during the nineteenth century. 1t has moi
grown faster than the civilized and commercial
world of which it is the centre and counter
part. The discoveries in science and the spiri
of invention, Of which the electric telegraph
and the steam engine and railways and ma
chinery are the incidents or results, have mad'
the entire world different world from what i
was a century ago. And this vast population
arc gathered in London because London indus
tries and pursuits have use for them. Blu
back Of all these great facts, the established
freedom Of thought and opinion for the last twl
centuries have developed the modern London