“Where will we meet with such merry groups now-a-days?” the Squire will exclaim, shaking his head mournfully;—­“and then as to the gayety that prevailed in dress throughout all ranks of society, and made the very streets so fine and picturesque:  ‘I have myself,’ says Gervaise Markham, ’met an ordinary tapster in his silk stockings, garters deep fringed with gold lace, the rest of his apparel suitable, with cloak lined with velvet!’ Nashe, too, who wrote in 1593, exclaims at the finery of the nation:  ’England, the player’s stage of gorgeous attire, the ape of all nations’ superfluities, the continual masquer in outlandish habiliments.’”

Such are a few of the authorities quoted by the Squire, by way of contrasting what he supposes to have been the former vivacity of the nation with its present monotonous character.  “John Bull,” he will say, “was then a gay cavalier, with his sword by his side and a feather in his cap; but he is now a plodding citizen, in snuff-coloured coat and gaiters.”

By the by, there really appears to have been some change in the national character, since the days of which the Squire is so fond of talking; those days when this little island acquired its favourite old title of “merry England.”  This may be attributed in part to the growing hardships of the times, and the necessity of turning the whole attention to the means of subsistence; but England’s gayest customs prevailed at times when her common people enjoyed comparatively few of the comforts and conveniences that they do at present.  It may be still more attributed to the universal spirit of gain, and the calculating habits that commerce has introduced; but I am inclined to attribute it chiefly to the gradual increase of the liberty of the subject, and the growing freedom and activity of opinion.

A free people are apt to be grave and thoughtful.  They have high and important matters to occupy their minds.  They feel that it is their right, their interest, and their duty, to mingle in public concerns, and to watch over the general welfare.  The continual exercise of the mind on political topics gives intenser habits of thinking, and a more serious and earnest demeanour.  A nation becomes less gay, but more intellectually active and vigorous.  It evinces less play of the fancy, but more power of the imagination; less taste and elegance, but more grandeur of mind; less animated vivacity, but deeper enthusiasm.

It is when men are shut out of the regions of manly thought, by a despotic government; when every grave and lofty theme is rendered perilous to discussion and almost to reflection; it is then that they turn to the safer occupations of taste and amusement; trifles rise to importance, and occupy the craving activity of intellect.  No being is more void of care and reflection than the slave; none dances more gayly, in his intervals of labour; but make him free, give him rights and interests to guard, and he becomes thoughtful and laborious.