41-2 F56225 PREFACE. To aid the great cause of Truth in its struggles through the age, so far as an infant may aid an angel, is the purpose of this volume. The power which any book, the worthiest bookany man, the worthiest man-can possess, now-adays, is very small. With men who think at all, individualism is a stern creed. Books like this, then, which you hold in your hand, possess a very inconsiderable share of power indeed. But there is a strange pleasure felt by some in communicating their thinkings and readings to their immediate fellow-thinkers and readers, and to this pleasure I plead guilty. I have jotted down the things in this book, not with the idea that any words of mine can be weighty enough to give a faith or a form to the intellect or the affections, but with the idea that they may, perhaps, awaken some minds to inquiry into the various matters of human and social interest, and, perhaps, tend to confirm in some the belief in a Providence watching over the Age, and all Ages; and the belief further, in the high privilege conferred upon man to be a "fellowworker" with that Providence for the weal of the globe. I have used the pronoun in a very arbitrary manner; I am aware of it. The critics wont trouble their pates about me or my book. Probability is that it will be read by scarce any one out of my own circle of friends, and I am sure of pardon there. Finally, when I had proceeded in the printing of the volume some hundred and fifty pages, I found that I had heaped together so much matter beyond the possible space of publication, that I was obliged to condense; hence the brevity of the latter chapters as compared with the first. E. P. H. Fulford, near York, March 7th, 1850. CONTENTS. Simultaneous development of Opinions and Peoples- Changes in Society, Mechanic and Organic-Influence of Great Thoughts and Great Men-A New Age- Characteristics-Science-Democracy-Difficulties in the way of British Civilization-Industry, its Power in developing the Life and Mind of a People-Achieve- ments-Gold-Iron-The Blacksmith and the War- rior-Strength and Cunning-Average view of English Society-Moral Progress-State of Ancient People and their Civilization -The Origin and Progress of the English People-Taxation-The Statutes-Condition of the Poor-Improvement of Social Condition-Curious Facts-Despairing views of Lord Jeffrey contrasted with those of Mr. Macaulay-Summary Review of the Ages of England-The Age of Commercial Develop- Insignificance of England compared with its Influence-Bad Social Circumstances-Exaggerated Views-Classifica- tion of the Depressed and Lower Classes-Mendicant Classes-New Eras Again-Dependence and Independ- ence - Popular Discontent-Contented Misery-The |