Those who seek for the fundamental causes of England's rise andprogress in the blending of Anglo-Saxon with the Norman blood，should first cast a glance at the condition of the country beforethe reign of Edward III.Where were then the diligence and thehabits of thrift of the nation？ Those again who would look for themin the constitutional liberties enjoyed by the people will do wellto consider how Henry VIII and Elizabeth treated their Parliaments.
Wherein did England's constitutional freedom consist under theTudors？ At that period the cities of Germany and Italy enjoyed amuch greater amount of individual freedom than the English did.
Only one jewel out of the treasure-house of freedom waspreserved by the Anglo-Saxon-Norman race -- before other peoples ofGermanic origin； and that was the germ from which all the Englishideas of freedom and justice have sprung -- the right of trial byjury.
While in Italy the Pandects were being unearthed， and theexhumed remains (no doubt of departed greatness and wisdom in theirday) were spreading the pestilence of the Codes amongst Continentalnations， we find the English Barons declaring they would not hearof any change in the law of the land.What a store of intellectualforce did they not thereby secure for the generations to come！ Howmuch did this intellectual force subsequently influence the forcesof material production！
How greatly did the early banishment of the Latin language fromsocial and literary circles， from the State departments， and thecourts of law in England， influence the development of the nation，its legislation， law administration， literature， and industry！ Whathas been the effect upon Germany of the long retention of the Latinin conjunction with foreign Codes， and what has been its effect inHungary to the present day？ What an effect have the invention ofgunpowder， the art of printing， the Reformation， the discovery ofthe new routes to India and of America， had on the growth ofEnglish liberties， of English civilisation， and of Englishindustry？ Compare with this their effect upon Germany and France.
In Germany -- discord in the Empire， in the provinces， even withinthe walls of cities； miserable controversies， barbarism inliterature， in the administration of the State and of the law；civil war， persecutions， expatriation， foreign invasion，depopulation， desolation； the ruin of cities， the decay ofindustry， agriculture， and trade， of freedom and civicinstitutions； supremacy of the great nobles； decay of the imperialpower， and of nationality； severance of the fairest provinces fromthe Empire.In France -- subjugation of the cities and of thenobles in the interest of despotism； alliance with the priesthoodagainst intellectual freedom， but at the same time national unityand power； conquest with its gain and its curse， but， as againstthat， downfall of freedom and of industry.In England -- the riseof cities， progress in agriculture， commerce， and manufactures；subjection of the aristocracy to the law of the land， and hence apreponderating participation by the nobility in the work oflegislation， in the administration of the State and of the law， asalso in the advantages of industry； development of resources athome， and of political power abroad； internal peace； influence overall less advanced communities； limitation of the powers of theCrown， but gain by the Crown in royal revenues， in splendour andstability.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 attributableto the English national spirit and to the constitution； how much toEngland's geographical position and circumstances in the past； oragain， how much to chance， to destiny， to fortune？
Let Charles V and Henry VIII change places， and， in consequenceof a villanous divorce trial， it is conceivable (the reader willunderstand why we say 'conceivable') that Germany and theNetherlands might have become what England and Spain have become.
Place in the position of Elizabeth， a weak woman allying herself toa Philip II， and how would it have fared with the power， thecivilisation， and the liberties of Great Britain？
If the force of national character will alone account foreverything in this mighty revolution， must not then the greatestshare of its beneficial results have accrued to the nation fromwhich it sprang， namely， to Germany？ Instead of that， it is justthe German nation which reaped nothing save trouble and weaknessfrom this movement in the direction of progress.
In no European kingdom is the institution of an aristocracymore judiciously designed than in England for securing to thenobility， in their relation to the Crown and the commonalty，individual independence， dignity， and stability； to give them aParliamentary training and position； to direct their energies topatriotic and national aims； to induce them to attract to their ownbody the 閘ite of the commonalty， to include in their ranks everycommoner 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 ofaristocratic descent， thus leading to the amalgamation of thenobility and the commonalty in future generations.By this processthe nobility is ever receiving from the Commons fresh accessions ofcivic and patriotic energy， of science， learning， intellectual andmaterial resources， while it is ever restoring to the people aportion of the culture and of the spirit of independence peculiarlyits own， leaving its own children to trust to their own resources，and supplying the commonalty with incentives to renewed exertion.