No one dared publish one word of what was said in parliament; so that it must have been very difficult for the people to know how the members they had elected were behaving, and whether they were worthy of confidence. 25. Any book may now be published which bears the name of the printer or publisher. If it is thought to be wicked or injurious, the publisher or the author is prosecuted; but that is the only limit to freedom of publication. And this liberty began in 1695. The first notable result was the quantity of newspapers which began at once to be published. There had Newspapers. been but one or two before, and those very small, very dull, and often obliged to omit the exact things which it would have been most interesting to know. Some of the very early ones consisted of only three or four pages, about the size of those in Bradshaw's Guide.' Pepys, however, gives us rather a good account of a newspaper published in his time. "It is pretty, full of news, and no folly in it." Perhaps he could hardly say as much of all our newspapers to-day. 26. It was not quite yet that speeches in parliament were allowed to be published, and when printers and editors began to do so they ran a chance of being severely punished for infringing the "Privileges of Parliament." That, however, was authorized after a time, and now every word spoken in parliament is printed and flying all over the country almost as soon as uttered, and every one may know what the members of the government and parliament think and say about any subject on which the nation is interested. The wisest and cleverest men of both or all parties say the best and wisest things they can on all subjects, either in parliament or at public meetings; a few hundreds or thousands only can hear them, but millions can and do read them. They learn to take an interest in great matters, to look on both sides, and more or less wisely to form their own opinions. If there is a good deal of chaff iningled with the wheat, that is the fate unhappily of almost every human work. 27. Though there was no more fighting in Ireland or England, the war with the French was still continued on the Continent. At last William had the satisfaction of humbling his 1697. great enemy, and making him sign a peace, the Treaty of Ryswick, giving up a great part of his unjust gains, acknowledging William to be King of England, and promising to do nothing farther to disturb him in his possession of the crown, though he still protected James as his guest in France. 28. This peace did not last long. In 1701 the unfortunate 1701. Death of James II. and unwise King James died, and, to the great indignation and astonishment of the English, Louis seemed to forget his recognition of William, and declared the young son of James to be King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. This great insult roused the English spirit to defiance; they crowded round William urging him to war. He wished for nothing better, but he never went to war again. His health had always been very bad, and now, though he was but fifty-one years old, he was visibly dying. He was riding on the turf at Hampton Court, when his horse stumbled over a mole-hill and threw him; though it was but a slight accident, the shock was too much for him, and in a few weeks he died. Long afterwards the Jacobites used to drink a toast "to the little gentleman in black velvet, who did such good service in 1702," as though they thought the Great Revolution was all undone when King William died. 1702. Death of William III. No one dared publish one word of what was said in parliament; so that it must have been very difficult for the people to know how the members they had elected were behaving, and whether they were worthy of confidence. 25. Any book may now be published which bears the name of the printer or publisher. If it is thought to be wicked or injurious, the publisher or the author is prosecuted; but that is the only limit to freedom of publication. And this liberty began in 1695. The first notable result was the quantity of newspapers which began at once to be published. There had Newspapers been but one or two before, and those very small, very dull, and often obliged to omit the exact things which it would have been most interesting to know. Some of the very early ones consisted of only three or four pages, about the size of those in Bradshaw's Guide.' Pepys, however, gives us rather a good account of a newspaper published in his time. "It is pretty, full of news, and no folly in it." Perhaps he could hardly say as much of all our newspapers to-day. 26. It was not quite yet that speeches in parliament were allowed to be published, and when printers and editors began to do so they ran a chance of being severely punished for infringing the "Privileges of Parliament." That, however, was authorized after a time, and now every word spoken in parliament is printed and flying all over the country almost as soon as uttered, and every one may know what the members of the government and parliament think and say about any subject on which the nation is interested. The wisest and cleverest men of both or all parties say the best and wisest things they can on all subjects, either in parliament or at public meetings; a few hundreds or thousands only can hear them, but millions can and do read them. They learn to take an interest in great matters, to look on both sides, and more or less wisely to form their own opinions. If there is a good deal of chaff iningled with the wheat, that is the fate unhappily of almost every human work. 27. Though there was no more fighting in Ireland or England, the war with the French was still continued on the Continent. At last William had the satisfaction of humbling his great enemy, and making him sign a peace, the Treaty of Ryswick, giving up a great part of his unjust gains, acknowledging William to be King of England, and promising to do nothing farther to disturb him in his possession of the crown, though he still protected James as his guest in France. 1697. 28. This peace did not last long. In 1701 the unfortunate 1701. Death of James II. and unwise King James died, and, to the great indignation and astonishment of the English, Louis seemed to forget his recognition of William, and declared the young son of James to be King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. This great insult roused the English spirit to defiance; they crowded round William urging him to war. He wished for nothing better, but he never went to war again. His health had always been very bad, and now, though he was but fifty-one years old, he was visibly dying. He was riding on the turf at Hampton Court, when his horse stumbled over a mole-hill and threw him; though it was but a slight accident, the shock was too much for him, and in a few weeks he died. Long afterwards the Jacobites used to drink a toast "to the little gentleman in black velvet, who did such good service in 1702," as though they thought the Great Revolution was all undone when King William died. 1702. Death of William III. LECTURE LII.-WHIGS AND TORIES. Queen Anne and the Churchills. War with France. Battle of Blenheim. Peace of Utrecht. Negro slaves. Scotland. George of Hanover. Whigs and Tories. Attempts of the Stuart princes. 1702. Anne. 1. As William and Mary left no children, the Princess Anne, sister to Mary, and a Protestant like her, succeeded to the throne. She was not an interesting character. Macaulay says that "when in good humour she was meekly stupid, and when in bad humour was sulkily stupid." She was, however, beloved by the people, for she was simple, affectionate, and good. She was, like most of her subjects, warmly attached to the Church of England, and above all, she was a true Englishwoman. The English nation, who have always been noted for their hatred of foreigners, and who had never loved William, though they could not fail to respect him, were heartily sick of the Dutch, and glad to be under a sovereign of their own blood again. Her husband, Prince Prince George George, was even less interesting than herself. A of Denmark. description of his character, written while he was still living, ends with telling us, "He is very fat, loves news, his bottle, and the queen;" and that "he has neither many friends nor enemies in England." It seems he was too dull to make either. No one thought of making or even calling him king, and for a long time the real governors of both queen and country were two very clever people, the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. They had not yet reached the high titles of duke and duchess, though they are best known under them. Churchill was still on his road of preferment from a simple page to the highest subject in the land, and was now an earl. The duchess had been for many years the queen's greatest friend. She was as clever as her mistress was stupid, and as overbearing as her mistress was meek. "The loyalty, the patience, the self-devo The Churchills. |