UNDER CHARLES THE SECOND.

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years during which the political power of the Anglican hie- chap.rarchy was in the zenith were precisely the years during whichnational virtue was at the lowest point.

Scarcely any rank or profession escaped the infection ofthe prevailing immorality; hut those persons who made po- ciaDS -litics their business were perhaps the most corrupt part of thecorrupt society. For they were exposed not only to the samenoxious influences which affected the nation generally, butalso to a taint of a peculiar and of a most malignant kind.

Their character had been formed amidst frequent and violentrevolutions and counterrevolutions. In the course of a fewyears they had seen the ecclesiastical and civil polity of theircountry repeatedly changed. They had seen an EpiscopalChurch persecuting Puritans, a Puritan Church persecutingEpiscopalians, and an Episcopal Church persecuting Puritansagain. They had seen hereditary monarchy abolished andrestored. They had seen the Long Parliament thrice supremein the state and thrice dissolved amidst the curses andlaughter of millions. They had seen a new dynasty rapidlyrising to the height of power and glory, and then on a suddenhurled down from the chair of state without a struggle. Theyhad seen a new representative system devised, tried, andabandoned. They had seen a new House of Lords createdand scattered. They had seen great masses of propertyviolently transferred from Cavaliers to Roundheads, and fromRoundheads back to Cavaliers. During these events no mancould be a stirring and thriving politician who was not pre-pared to change with every change of fortune. It was onlyin retirement that any person could long keep, the charactercither of a steady Royalist or of a steady Republican. Onewho, in such an age, is determined to attain civil greatnessmust renounce all thought of consistency. Instead of affect-ing immutability in the midst of endless mutation, he must bealways on the watch for the indications of a coming reaction.

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