New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-13
TIE RPITJSH GOLDEN AGE.

This lonoest reign In British history is also
the most glorious. Others have Deeh more Sen
sat;onal Not one has seen so great progress
made In the expansion Of empire, III poii'ical
development, in the industrial. social lhtei-
lcctual and spiritual advancement OF the people
The statement is a sweeping one. Dut IL Is war
ranted by the record. Space is given elsewhere
IN to-day's Tribune To reviews OF some OF the
salient features of British history for the last
sixty years. especially TO territorial CROWN po
iitical evolution and the march OF Scehce
These are necessarily brief and suggestive
rather than exhaustive But pernsal OF them Is
sufficient TO bring conviction that the victorian
reign has been pre-emincntly the Golden age oi
British history. An empire ON when l'erai!
the sun never sets, and which contains ohe-hl'h
of the population and one-ifth OF the lahd area
of the world, Is a majestic fact, unprecedented
and unapproachable The progress OF great
people calm and conservative. from scarcei!
constitutional monarchy TO advanced repuD-
licanism in less than two generations WITHOUT
q revolntion or any sudden uphcaval, but with
the smoOthness and continuity OF the procession
Of the eauinoxes Is one of the most impressive
spectacles In human annals. a nation wafiiKe
on occasion and aggressive at all Times the
worlds past master in manufacturing ana shol'-
keeping in commerce and finance, yet ABOVE
those material things attaining the foremost
rank in science and literature and a creditable
standing in the fine arts and all social culture,
"a a combination of the useful and the beautiful
approxmatlng to the highest known attain
ments Of human genius.
Elsewhere are recalled the names Of some OF
the great statesmen and scientists OF the Veto
rian reign; of Peel and Bright. OF Gladstone
and Disraeli of Spencer and Darwin Joule
and Faraday, Huxley and Tyndall, Dalton ana
Lister Bessemer and Kelvin. and their COM
peers IL from these we turn 10 the realm q
literature we find company no less lllus'rlous.
The names of Tcnnyson Browning. Arnold and
Swinburne among poets are followed by Eu-
merous host Of those who but for such impos-
ing contrast would themselves rank as great.
The roll Of dramatiss has been adorned WIN
the names Of Henry Taylor. Joanna Baillic, l"i-
fourd. Bulwcr and Knowles. history-mak'ng
reign has produced such history-wrltcrs as car
lyle, Hallam. Grote Macaulay, Freeman,
Froude Kinclakc. Arnold, Napier. Buckle
Green Knight. stanley Sceley. Bryce stephen.
Maine Forster. Mlmal Thirlwall. IaigraVe
Meryae. Martincau-an une1nmplcd Est In
various lines of philosophical writing there
have been Darwin. Spencer. Whcwoh' MIL
Whatcly. Babbagc. Owen. lycll Bagehot,
Herschen. Huxley. Tyndall S"dgwick and Syl-
ycster: among travellers. burton. Baker. Lay
ard Livingstone. stanley. Oliphant. Wallace.
Bird: among theologians. Maurice. Newman.
Pusey Wilberforcc. Lightfoot. Robertson. Mar
tineau: among cssayists and critics. Ruskin. De
Quincy, sydney Smith. Brougham. "Christ"-
,hcr North" I.alidOr. Jeffrey. llamerton
Jowett. Symonds Gladstone and Morley. Or. If
we turn 10 fiction. the Incompatible leadership
Of Thackeray, Dickens and Eliot Is followed ny
Kingsley. Rcade. Disracli, the Bronics. Lytton
Gaskell Oliphant ard Collins ana la'cr by
B,ackmore Stevenson, Hardy. kiplng ana
Wcyman with an army OF others equally well
known. mere mention Of whose names would
prolong this article 10 tediorsness
Great Britain is not commonly reckoned
lard of art as Italy and France have been.
Yet within this reign the achievements Of Cox
end Turner Of the pre- Raphaelite brethren
Millais. Rossetti, Hunt and BrOwn-of Watts
and Bnrne- Jones. Of Landscer. Leighton, Eos
ter. Cole. Linton Moore. Firth. Long. Maclise,
Butler Mulready and Prout, and OF Tenniel
I,eecl, Browne Keepe, Doyle and Du Maurcr.
are Sufficient to give IL permanent and enviable.
distinction In another department Chantrey
Boebm. Gibson and Woolner must also be re-
mcmbered AS an index Of popular progress In
artistic spirit II may be recalled that in the very
year of Her Mejestys accession the first Brit
ish school Of design was opened. while now
there are nearly three hundred OF them In the
Kingdom. with 10000 students. Meanwhile
art galleries and museums have been multiplied
and extended to the wonder and admiration