" _Junius_ was the
popular writer. Political corruption was scarified in his letters. The
upper classes were coarse, drunken, and ill-mannered. Bribery and
corruption on the grossest scale were the principal means for getting
into Parliament. Mr. Dowdeswell, M.P. for Worcestershire, said to the
Commons, "You have turned out a member for impiety and obscenity. What
halfdozen members of this House ever meet over a convivial bottle, that
their discourse is entirely free from obscenity, impiety, or abuse of
Government?"
Though drunkenness is bad enough now, it was infinitely worse a hundred
years ago. The publican's signboards announced, "You may here get drunk
for a penny, dead-drunk for twopence, and have clean straw for nothing."
Drunkenness was considered a manly vice. To drink deep was the fashion
of the day. Six-bottle men were common. Even drunken clergymen were not
unknown.
What were the popular amusements of the people a hundred years ago? They
consisted principally of man-fighting, dog-fighting, cock-fighting, bull
baiting, badger-drawing, the pillory, public whipping, and public
executions. Mr. Wyndham vindicated the ruffianism of the Ring in his
place in Parliament, and held it up as a school in which Englishmen
learnt pluck and "the manly art of self-defence." Bull-baiting was
perhaps more brutal than prize-fighting, though Wyndham defended it as
"calculated to stimulate the noble courage of Englishmen.
Pages:
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314