Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][graphic][merged small]
[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Political despondency at the close of the American War-Supposed decay of PopulationIts real increase-Development of the productive power of the country-Agriculture extended and improved-Agricultural condition of the Eastern, South Midland, North Midland, and South Eastern, counties-Norfolk-Mr. Coke-Suffolk-EssexBuckinghamshire Oxfordshire-Northamptonshire- Bedfordshire-Francis, duke of Bedford-Improved breeds of sheep and oxen-Robert Bakewell-Consumption of animal food in England-Cambridgeshire-Lincolnshire-The Great Level of the FensLincoln Heath and the Wolds-Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire-Surrey-MiddlesexKent-Sussex-Hants-Berkshire-Windsor Forest.

THE summer which followed the close of the American war is described as "an amazing and portentous one." * There were alarming meteors and tremendous thunder storms. For many weeks of June, July, and August, the sun was clouded over with a smoky fog that proceeded from whatever quarter the wind blew. At noon, it cast "a rust-coloured ferruginous light;" at rising and setting, it was "lurid and blood-coloured." + The phenomenon prevailed over the whole of Europe. The people looked with a superstitious awe on the "disastrous twilight." The poet asked of contending factions,

"Is it a time to wrangle, when the props
And pillars of our planet seem to fail;
And Nature with a dim and sickly eye
To wait the close of all ?" +

* White's "Selborne," Letter Lxv. VOL. VII,

+ Ibid.

Cowper, "Task," book ii.

B

2

POLITICAL DESPONDENCY.

[1760-1783.

With "fear of change," monarchs were perplexed. Politicians of every rank, subject as Englishmen are to skiey influences, then especially believed that their country was ruined. Sir John Sinclair, one of the most enlightened men of his time, who, with a few others, had confidence in the resources of British spirit and industry, ventured to hold a different opinion. He says, that in 1783, in the midst of much terror and despondency, he hesitated not to assert that Britain might still preserve its elevated rank amongst the powers of Europe, although his ideas were then considered visionary. He rested his confidence upon the principle that debts and taxes were not alone sufficient to effect the ruin of a nation; and he was supported by the fact, that for a century previous the same gloomy prognostications had always resulted in the undeniable advance of the country in material prosperity. Some of these prognostications were not the mere clamours of popular ignorance, or factious exaggeration, or foreign jealousy. Lord Lyttleton, in 1739; lord Bolingbroke, in 1745; David Hume, in 1761; Adam Smith, in 1776; Dr. Price, in 1777; lord Stair, in 1783,-each honestly believed that England was fast approaching the condition of inevitable bankruptcy. In 1784, marshal Conway, who, as one of the Shelburne administration, had been ejected from power in the previous year, writes to his brother," I feel rather obliged than angry at all those who have any how contributed to shuffle me out of the most troublesome and dangerous scene this country was ever engaged in. I don't desire to be an actor in the ruin of my country; and if the vessel must sink, I had rather be a passenger than the pilot. . . . . The sums spent in losing America are a blow we shall never recover." +

The statesmen and economists who predicted absolute ruin from any increase of the Public Debt beyond a certain maximum-seventy-five millions, or a hundred millions-never appear to have adequately contemplated the possi bility of the productive power of the country keeping pace with the additional load of taxation. Sir William Blackstone, who in general exhibits a pleasant optimism as to matters of government, speaks out very plainly as to the inconveniences of enormous taxes caused by the magnitude of national incumbrances. He tells the public creditor that money in the funds does really and intrinsically exist only in "the land, the trade, and the personal industry of the subject, from which the money must arise that supplies the several taxes." The pledges for the security of these debts being thus defined, the question of the value of the security can only be answered by estimating the capacity of a country to make constant advances in a course of material improvement.

The common notions of the decline of England that prevailed during the first and second decades of the reign of George III. were associated with the vehement assertion that her population was decreasing. Poets and statists equally maintained that "wealth accumulates and men decay." § Goldsmith admits that the depopulation which his exquisite poem deplores, is affirmed by several of his wisest and best friends as "no where to be seen." Yet Goldsmith had supporters in his opinion, who had no pretensions to

* "History of the Revenue," vol. ii., Appendix iv.

+ MS. Letter in the possession of the author of the "Popular History,"
§ "Deserted Village.'

Kerr's edit. vol. i. p. 322.

« ZurückWeiter »