New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-09
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
ENGLAND AT THE ASCENSION OF VICTORIA

fsely illustrated $40. PIP. XVI, 2oS. Harper
4 Brothers
The England, and especially the London, pict-
ured by Mr. Besant in this volume-the England
and the London Of fifty years ago-arc so different
in nearly all respects from those which exist to-
day that even an Englishman finds some difficulty
in tracing the continuity Of identity. Mr. besant
maintains that the eighteenth century really I'M
gercd on until about s37, when Queen victoria
assembled the throne and the evidences OF archa-
ism he produces certainly give plausloility TO his
theory. The early years of the nineteenth century
saw the beginning of many revolutionary changes.
but from the locomotive to the Reform Bill IL
may be said that the country had not adapted Itself
10 the new conditions until the time mentioned by
Mr. Besant Looking back upon it the world OF
half q century ssc seems TO the new generation TO
have been queer and slow and dull and backward
in great many things: though on the other hand
H. is hi chly probable that the people Of that period
would have refused the characterization of i'm
provement to many of the innovations since intro
duced.
There were then no railroad systems, no tele-
graph, no fully organized mails, no ways OF NOV
ing or communicating quickly or cheaply. The
period was just closing In which the masses neither
travelled nor desired travel only the aristocracy
went abroad, and even the most enterprsing bus
mess man moved little. The average Englishman
uVc0 Ike lll1pct on ltS rocf>, Cohmohiy hHV"A"o
no other scene than the one he first the light
in minority of restless spirits found their way
to London and disappeared in its even then great
population. Stage-coaches were the prlnclpal
transportation agencies and the huge numbering
wagons which went from Scotland to London. tax
ing three weeks to the journey, were still on the
road. Mr.. Besant has a chapter on the People, out
Il is inadequate treatment OF the most interest
ing of all the subjects dealt with in his book No
doubt il was easier 10 compile "reminiscences OF the
bellies and beaux, the fashionable amusements and
vices, the life Of the men of letters, politicians.
lawyers and middle classes generally, and all TINS
is unquestionably entertaining But the people OF
England-the millions-how they lived and strug
ged and suffered fifty years ago-that is alter all
Abe question of deepest import.
In truth. they were in sorry plight enough
Perhaps Mr. Besant is somewhat cxtravagant in his
assertion that not only there no loyalty IN the
country when the reign of Queen Victoria began,
but that there had been none since the last of the
Stuarts was driven out. His implication seems
20 be that there was loyalty under the last OF the
Stnarts and that must be dcmurred to, while IL
is even more doubtful whether loyalty was extinct
under William and Mary, Anne and the early
Georges. But it is certainly true that the masses
mt the beginning of this century were densely lg-
norant, saturated with prejudices, stupid, coarse
and brutal Mr. Besant lays TOO much stress
upon the employment of force as means OF DIS
cipline and for the maintenance Of order, ana the
Draconian severity of the laws. lie does not seem
10 remember that force had always been so en-
ployed and that the discipline in the army ana
navy fifty years ago actually less severe than
half century earlier. The Stick supplied the
place of intelligent devotion, in both armies, no
doubt. but let Mr. Bcsant read the part played
l,oo1 in fhQ
era of Frederick the Greatand he will realize that
things had begun TO mend at the beginning of this
century.
When the old murderous code of laws was first
revised. under the stimulus of Romillyss ndig-
nant eoquence, and forgery, larceny, and half
dozen minor offences were taken from the category
of capital crimes, people thought the millennium
almost in sight. But before that public opinion
had applied an effective remedy in the refusal OF
juries to find verdicts carrying with them capitai
punishment just as in some western otaies'
where the prevailing sentiment against the gal
lows has tended, prior TO the formal abolition OF
capital punishment, TO give impunity TO high
crimes so in England the reluctance OF lurles TO
subject prisoners TO death often released guilty
persons without any penalties. When that ar
rived, reform of the law was imperative, for al
ready it had become dead letter. This strong
and coercive movement Of public opinion proves,
100. that civilization was working TO purpose
mt this time among the lower middle classes Inc
masses, however, were untouched Mr.. Besant
points out, and the fact is important that fifty
wears ago there was really not more leisure than
there is to-day for the workingman; that ON the
contrary there was less leisure then The
workingman was then driven like slave or worse
than an intelligent master would drive any slave.
Eighteen hours out of the twenty-four was no
uncommon STINT and the wages were low and their
purchasing power small.
But the case of the women and children was
awful There were then no factory acts. The
greed of employers was unrestrained, and ire
mendous illustration was afforded OF the need
of State influence for the protection of the help
less Never was q ghastlier falsehOod main
.e.rcd than that the conscience of employers could
be trustel to protect their hands. Experience
has PROVED over and over that trade competition
cfaces al considerations Of humanity, and that IN
the vile struggle for wealth, men even who pre-
tend to be Christians capable of the most
abominable systematic cruelty to their unpro-
tected employees. In England, trade greed was
very Moloch, TO which children were constantly
sacrificed. They were taken at SIX years Oh
age and put down coal mines, there to slt 1or
twelvt.hour spells in total darkness, opening ana
sh"'' ng doors for the cars to pass. drown
older they became tbrusters," and butted
ars along the tramways with their heads
was no distinction of sex in this work, ana
irown into women, still served as thrust
- or dragged loaded cars by belts fastened
.ound their waist, naked but for short pair OF
drawers. This was what entire freedom of trade
and industry produced, and, so easy is 1t 10 eS
tablish habit of seeing evil in even the worst
of wrongs, the coal-mne propretors really consid-
cred themselves ill-uscd when the law put stop
10 this treatment OF children and women.
1t must, however, not be forgotten that the gen.
eral sensibiiities very dull at this time Bru-
tally was, perhaps the most salient characteristic
Of the true Brton The normal intellectual
and phvscal condition Of the masses correspondent