England is the primary setting of the poem. While the speaker primarily describes the country in its present state, they also provide a brief glimpse into England’s past. No physical description of the country is provided, as the speaker mainly focuses on highlighting its more abstract moral and societal values and how they have shifted over time. They describe present-day England, meaning the state of the country in 1802, as a place lacking in virtue and chivalry. They describe it as “a fen/of stagnant waters,” extending to all aspects of society, high and low, near and far (2-3). Meanwhile, they describe past England, or England during the seventeenth century, as a place where people valued inner happiness and moral fortitude, and flourished as a result.