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progress in the blending of Anglo…Saxon with the Norman blood；
should first cast a glance at the condition of the country before
the reign of Edward III。 Where were then the diligence and the
habits of thrift of the nation？ Those again who would look for them
in the constitutional liberties enjoyed by the people will do well
to consider how Henry VIII and Elizabeth treated their Parliaments。
Wherein did England's constitutional freedom consist under the
Tudors？ At that period the cities of Germany and Italy enjoyed a
much greater amount of individual freedom than the English did。
Only one jewel out of the treasure…house of freedom was
preserved by the Anglo…Saxon…Norman race before other peoples of
Germanic origin； and that was the germ from which all the English
ideas of freedom and justice have sprung the right of trial by
jury。
While in Italy the Pandects were being unearthed； and the
exhumed remains （no doubt of departed greatness and wisdom in their
day） were spreading the pestilence of the Codes amongst Continental
nations； we find the English Barons declaring they would not hear
of any change in the law of the land。 What a store of intellectual
force did they not thereby secure for the generations to come！ How
much did this intellectual force subsequently influence the forces
of material production！
How greatly did the early banishment of the Latin language from
social and literary circles； from the State departments； and the
courts of law in England； influence the development of the nation；
its legislation； law administration； literature； and industry！ What
has been the effect upon Germany of the long retention of the Latin
in conjunction with foreign Codes； and what has been its effect in
Hungary to the present day？ What an effect have the invention of
gunpowder； the art of printing； the Reformation； the discovery of
the new routes to India and of America； had on the growth of
English liberties； of English civilisation； and of English
industry？ Compare with this their effect upon Germany and France。
In Germany discord in the Empire； in the provinces； even within
the walls of cities； miserable controversies； barbarism in
literature； in the administration of the State and of the law；
civil war； persecutions； expatriation； foreign invasion；
depopulation； desolation； the ruin of cities； the decay of
industry； agriculture； and trade； of freedom and civic
institutions； supremacy of the great nobles； decay of the imperial
power； and of nationality； severance of the fairest provinces from
the Empire。 In France subjugation of the cities and of the
nobles in the interest of despotism； alliance with the priesthood
against intellectual freedom； but at the same time national unity
and power； conquest with its gain and its curse； but； as against
that； downfall of freedom and of industry。 In England the rise
of cities； progress in agriculture； commerce； and manufactures；
subjection of the aristocracy to the law of the land； and hence a
preponderating participation by the nobility in the work of
legislation； in the administration of the State and of the law； as
also in the advantages of industry； development of resources at
home； and of political power abroad； internal peace； influence over
all less advanced communities； limitation of the powers of the
Crown； but gain by the Crown in royal revenues； in splendour and
stability。 Altogether； a higher degree of well…being； civilisation；
and freedom at home； and preponderating might abroad。
But who can say how much of these happy results is attributable
to the English national spirit and to the constitution； how much to
England's geographical position and circumstances in the past； or
again； how much to chance； to destiny； to fortune？
Let Charles V and Henry VIII change places； and； in consequence
of a villanous divorce trial； it is conceivable （the reader will
understand why we say 'conceivable'） that Germany and the
Netherlands might have become what England and Spain have become。
Place in the position of Elizabeth； a weak woman allying herself to
a Philip II； and how would it have fared with the power； the
civilisation； and the liberties of Great Britain？
If the force of national character will alone account for
everything in this mighty revolution； must not then the greatest
share of its beneficial results have accrued to the nation from
which it sprang； namely； to Germany？ Instead of that； it is just
the German nation which reaped nothing save trouble and weakness
from this movement in the direction of progress。
In no European kingdom is the institution of an aristocracy
more judiciously designed than in England for securing to the
nobility； in their relation to the Crown and the commonalty；
individual independence； dignity； and stability； to give them a
Parliamentary training and position； to direct their energies to
patriotic and national aims； to induce them to attract to their own
body the 閘ite of the commonalty； to include in their ranks every
commoner who earns distinction； whether by mental gifts；
exceptional wealth； or great achievements； and； on the other hand；
to cast back again amongst the commons the surplus progeny of
aristocratic descent； thus leading to the amalgamation of the
nobility and the commonalty in future generations。 By this process
the nobility is ever receiving from the Commons fresh accessions of
civic and patriotic energy； of science； learning； intellectual and
material resources； while it is ever restoring to the people a
portion of the culture and of the spirit of independence peculiarly
its own； leaving its own children to trust to their own resources；
and supplying the commonalty with incentives to renewed exertion。
In the case of the English lord； however large may be the number of
his descendants； only one can hold the title at a time。 The other
members of the family are commoners； who gain a livelihood either
in one of the learned professions； or in the Civil Service； in
commerce； industry； or agriculture。 The story goes that some time
ago one of the first dukes in England conceived the idea of
inviting all the blood relations of his house to a banquet； but he
was fain to abandon the design because their name was legion；
notwithstanding that the family pedigree had not reached farther
back than for a few centuries。 It would require a whole volume to
show the effect of this institution upon the spirit of enterprise；
the colonisation； the might and the liberties； and especially upon
the forces of production of this nation。（9*）
The geographical position of England； too； has exercised an
immense influence upon the independent development of the nation。
England in its relation to the continent of Europe has ever been a
world by itself； and was always exempt from the effects of the
rivalries； the prejudices； the selfishness； the passions； and the
disasters of her Continental neighbours。 To this isolated condition
she is mainly indebted for the independent and unalloyed growth of
her political constitution； for the undisturbed consummation of the
Reformation； and for the secularisation of ecclesiastical property
which has proved so beneficial to her industries。 To the same cause
she is also indebted for that continuous peace； which； with the
exception of the period of the civil war； she has enjoyed for a
series of centuries； and which enabled her to dispense with
standing armies； while facilitating the early introduction of a
consistent customs system。
By reason of her insular position； England not only enjoyed
immunity from territorial wars； but she also derived immense
advantages for her manufacturing supremacy from the Continental
wars。 Land wars and devastations of territory inflict manifold
injury upon the manufactures at the seat of hostilities； directly；
by interfering with the farmer's work and destroying the crops；
which deprives the tiller of the soil of the means wherewithal to
purchase manufactured goods； and to produce raw material and food
for the manufacturer； indirectly； by often destroying the
manufactories； or at any rate ruining them； because hostilities
interfere with the importation of raw material and with the
exportation of goods； and because it becomes a difficult matter to
procure capital and labour just at the very time when the masters
have to bear extraordinary imposts and heavy taxatio