New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-15

Of his cartoons of .The Industrious and Idle Ap-
prentices,, illustrated the temper of the age by
showing the cruelty and ferocity Of the Sports
which engaged the vicious boys. The truth Is
that there was not much difference between those
lads and savages, and when they grew up tney
did not become gentle or compassionate. Inc
whole English people, too were semi-parnariahs'
neither more nor less The Government mani
tested the utmost indifference to the suferings
of the army and navy. in both of which services
the discipline was shockngly cruel, while every
need and comfort of the soldiers and sailors was
habitualiy neglected. They were ill-fed, lll-ciad
ill-lodged, fogged shot, bullied and abused III
every way and they had no defenders and no
redress. The Government was mainly carried Oh
by men who despsed the common people. Inc
democratic spirit had not been born yet, and The
sufferers themselves had not begun to realize how
much they were wronged. The mutiny at the
More was the first symptom of disaffection In the
navy, and the authorities regarded that 1ormio-
able outburst as wanton wickedness for a time
1t may be said that the upper class. II they cared
nothing for the lives and comfort OF those peneath
them showed equally little consideration for their
own. 1t was indeed an age of duelling. Every
gentleman wore a sword and, Of course, every
fool was prone to use it, Duels were fought 1or
everything or nothing, and not seldom the results
were the most serious when the provocation had
been most trivial 1t is odd that Mr.. Sydney has
not more to say of the tribe Of professional
DULLES who fourished in the eighteenth century
pestent race who made themselves reared py
their skill of fence, and who lived by systematic
blackmail, safer, but less honorable, than high
way robbery.
The genuine highway robber was--as all bold
Iawbreakers have ever been-a popular hero Inc
people admired his pluck, and did net In the
least object to his fleeing those who rode IN
coaches. Sometimes, but more particularly IN inc
rural districts, the highwayman was power IN
the land but he always came to grief In the long
run. Politics was as corrupt as 1T has ever been.
Boroughs were sold exchanged like any other
property. Every man who had vote TRADED IL
to the highest bidder. Money was the root of
promotion, and the places Were without any dis
guise used by Ministers to strengthen their own
party Nor could anything better be expected
when the state of the Established Church proved
that it was, if possible, rotten than politics.
Mr.. Sydney points out that religion at this time
had fallen into general disesteem, and nothing else
should have been anticipated. 1t was fair
parallel TO the old regime in France to the state
of the French aristocracy before the Revolution.
Puralities were rather the rule than the exception
among the higher clergy. The state of the lower
clergy was very much the that Of the
parish priests in France. Macaulay's famous
picture OF the Anglican clergy in the rural dis
trcts has been often disputed, but the researches
of Mr. Sydney compel him to admit it's substan-
tial truth. But the plurasies were amazing.
For example, Archibald Alison, father of Sir
Archibald Alison, the illusrious historian. was or
dained to the curacy of Branscepeth, Durham. in
1884, obtained the perpetual curacy of Keraley,
in Shropshire, in 1890. prebendal stall in Sails
I al.
Shropshire, in 1894, and the living Of Rodding-
ton, in the same country, three years later
Nor was this anything extraordinary, as the
historian shows by giving long list of bishops
each of whom held half a dozen or more fat
beneficcs. Some of these bishops never much
as visited their sees. but lived in London and
spent their time hanging about The Court, in
triguing for more and better places. The Bishop
of LANDAU, Richard Watson, made no secret
! of the fact that he in receipt at the close
Of the eighteenth century, of an income of $4,000
| a year. which was derived from the tithes Of two
churches in Shropshire, two in Lecestershire, two
| in his diocese, three in Huntingdonshre; of five
other appropriations to, the bishopric, and two
! in the Isle of Ely appropriations to the arch
deaconry Of Ety." When such things were done
| in the Church it was only natural that the uni
verstics should be in a bad way; and so they
were. Learning they had almost ceased to rep
resent. The coarse manners Of the time had
taken possession of them. They were more noted
| for hard drinking than for the humanitieS. De-
grees were conferred in the most perfunctory
manner, in many specified Instances the examine
ton being mere sham and mockery. The ma
jorlty of the graduates only wanted the degree
as a social certificate, and having obtained it
the young men set off usually Oh the grand tour
| rhan in pnfa fnfnr uho nnf
vent them from acquiring all the Continental
vices, and missing, for the most part. the Cont
| mental polish OF course in such general cOndi-
tons private schools could not he very carefully
! conducted institutions. Mr.. Sydney's evidence
goes to show that Dickenss Dotheboys Hall
was q fair model of many of the eighteenth century
schools though his information upon this head
might be fuller.
We must not date upon those chapters in which
| London literary life is treated for while they
are extremely interesting, the subject is one con-
corning which more is known than almost any,
! thing else in that century. The account OF
| private life in the rural districts is, however
! curious and for most readers will have the charm
of novelty. Perhaps the most remarkable fact
| in this connection is the very close resemblance
between the conditions of the sixteenth and those
| Of the eighteenth centuries in England. Field
! ings Squire Western" the model Of the
provincial magnate, just as his "Parson Adams"
was the type of the rural minor clergy. lsola-
ton was the rule in the country. COmmunica-
| ton was difficult and infre4uent. There was no
society but that of rough fOxhunters who when
they were not in the field drinking them
| selves drunk chiefly with beer Books were
unknown in these houses, and the newsletters and
papers were little read. The prevailing life in
fact was in no respect in advance of that Of a
| Saxon thane of the tenth century. and in some
respects it was probably less wholesome and manly.
| The rural squire was ignorant. brutal. sodden and
| therefore he the soul OF conservatism in all
things. The peasantry who worked for such
employers were what might have been supposed.