LONDON

PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO.

NEW-STREET SQUARE

AN ESSAY ON THE HISTORY

OF

THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT

AND

CONSTITUTION

FROM THE REIGN OF HENRY VII. ΤΟ THE PRESENT TIME.

'Methinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant nation rousing herself like
a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks; methinks I see her
as an eagle renewing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the
full midday beam, purging and unscaling her long-abused sight at the fountain
itself of heavenly radiance, while the whole noise of timorous and flocking birds,
with those also that love the twilight, flutter about, amazed at what she means,
and in their envious gabble would prognosticate a year of sects and schisms.'
MILTON.

NEW EDITION.

LONDON:

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

35118

JN 175

.R$

ΤΟ

THE MEMORY

OF

CHARLES, EARL GREY,

THE CONSTANT FRIEND OF MR. FOX

IN PUBLIC AND IN PRIVATE LIFE;

THE UNDAUNTED CHAMPION OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

IN ALL TIMES AND IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES;

THE ENLIGHTENED LOVER OF HIS COUNTRY IN ALL HER

PERILS AND PERPLEXITIES,

THIS BOOK

IS DEDICATED

AS A TOKEN OF AFFECTION AND ADMIRATION,

BY

THE AUTHOR.