An Essay on the History of the English Government and Constitution from the Reign of Heny VII. to the Present Time (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865 edition. Excerpt: ...he gradually weakened, and had nearly extinguished, every large and liberal feeling in politics. To maintain 'our happy establishment' was the great end of his administration; an object which, however praiseworthy, was little calculated to excite vigour of thought, or energy of character. For this, however, no blame is justly imputable to him. What we may complain of, with truth, is, that in his choice of means he showed a low opinion of human nature, and addressed himself rather to the interested views of individuals, than to any public sense of the benefit of the whole. Thus he went on depraving the times in which he lived, and the times again depraving him, till the State was divided into a number of low parties and petty chiefs. The administration of Walpole fell at last, however, by unjust clamours about the right of search, and a general impatience for change. No government can withstand a combination of the stupid and the foolish, or, as Henry VIII. termed them, the ' dull party' and the 'rash party.' In England, the Tory party had always had the benefit of the weight and influence of the stupid part of the nation. The unlettered squires embraced with cordiality the notion of the divine right of kings. Addison has given a perfect picture of one of them in a number of the 'Freeholder.' The dog that has the sagacity to worry a dissenter, the squire's complaints of the progress of trade and commerce, and his resolution to resist any government that is not for non-resistance, are characteristic of the N Tory country-gentlemen of that day. Even at the time of the dissolution of Walpole's administration, Pulteney, in talking of the disposal of places, said, that the Tories, not being men of calculation, or acquainted with foreign...