of
her discipline and worship, without its being possible to assign the
precise period in which the alteration was produced.

It may be worth observing, that James, from his great desire to
promote controversial divinity, erected a college at Chelsea for the
entertainment of twenty persons, who should be entirely employed in
refuting the Papists and Puritans.[**]

* Rymer, tom. xvii. p. 616.

** Kennel, p. 685. Caraden's Brit vol. i. p. 370. Gibson's
edit.

All the efforts of the great Bacon could not procure an establishment
for the cultivation of natural philosophy: even to this day, no society
has been instituted for the polishing and fixing of our language. The
only encouragement which the sovereign in England has ever given to
any thing that has the appearance of science, was this short-lived
establishment of James; an institution quite superfluous, considering
the unhappy propension which at that time so universally possessed the
nation for polemical theology.

The manners of the nation were agreeable to the monarchical government
which prevailed, and contained not that strange mixture which at present
distinguishes England from all other countries. Such violent extremes
were then unknown, of industry and debauchery, frugality and profusion,
civility and rusticity, fanaticism and scepticism. Candor, sincerity,
modesty, are the only qualities which the English of that age possessed
in common with the present.

High pride of family then prevailed; and it was by a dignity and
stateliness of behavior, that the gentry and nobility distinguished
themselves from the common people. Great riches acquired by commerce
were more rare, and had not as yet been able to confound all ranks of
men, and render money the chief foundation of distinction. Much ceremony
took place in the common intercourse of life, and little familiarity was
indulged by the great. The advantages which result from opulence are so
solid and real, that those who are possessed of them need not dread the
near approaches of their inferiors. The distinctions of birth and title,
being more empty and imaginary, soon vanish upon familiar access and
acquaintance.

The expenses of the great consisted in pomp, and show, and a numerous
retinue, rather than in convenience and true pleasure. The earl of
Nottingham, in his embassy to Spain, was attended by five hundred
persons: the earl of Hertford, in that to Brussels, carried three
hundred gen