These were nearly all the people; but you might have noticed-just here and there-a few who did not belong to either class. You would hear a noise, and would meet a few fierce men who had been sailors, but now were dressed in gay clothes of scarlet, purple, and fine linen; a few had even mantles of velvet, which they had brought in their ships from Italy and Spain. These were some of the old enemies -the DANES.

Or, you might have seen some old grey beards-silent, thinking, long-bearded men who had lived in these parts before. They had been driven away from England by Canute, but now had returned by the permission of William. These men, caring for none of the others, but living by themselves they were the old JEWS.

All these people and castles you might have seen from the mountain-top, and much more. Then, perhaps, you would have asked, "What is the reason for so much change? Why are there so many castles in the different parts?"

I will tell you. William had come from a strange country, and had brought with him a new plan of government. We will look back a little.

Do you remember when I described to you our German an

cestors?

Ion. You mean, papa, those wild characters who lived in the cold northern countries? I remember them well. You told us about their holding "a Comitatus."

P. I told you how the barbarous tribes would meet in the Comitatus; and some of them would agree to start on an expedition, to conquer a new country. I said, that if they conquered the country, every man

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who chose to remain had a "lot" of ground for his share. Thus they lived, under what they called the allodial system. Each man dwelt in his cottage on his farm; his plot of ground was his own; nobody could venture to interfere with his rights. He was an independent land-owner, and free.

This was the state of many of the nations of Europe in the early times of the Saxons. But by degrees their state changed. Many of the fighting men who lived in their farms would sometimes think to themselves, "This is a tame way of living; we would like to be stirring and conquering again; we would like to gain gold by fighting, not by such slow, heavy work as this. We will beat our spades into swords again, for we want to be great men, and gain glory. We will not live here any longer." So great numbers of them would often quit their allotments for a time, and would follow a new leader to rich and thickly peopled lands.

When they reached the rich and crowded cities of Italy, and the southern countries of Europe-they fought, and conquered, and made so many prisoners, that, in order to keep them safe they were obliged to separate into small parties-each party living with their leader. The prisoners were more numerous than themselves.

L. What troublesome work that must have been!

P. Yes. The barbarians now were so busy that they could seldom meet together to hold "Comitatus." Their parties were afraid to go away and leave their charge. So, as they, the common men, were not able to attend to business themselves, they were obliged to trust very much to their leaders, who met together for them, and

thus gained more power and importance.

These leaders, or chiefs, gained power in another way. When they reached the cities which had belonged to the Romans, they saw that the fighting men were paid for fighting with money instead of land. So these chiefs learned something, and when they held a Comitatus to start a new expedition, they would sometimes make a different sort of agreement. The chief who wished to go, instead of saying, "All of you who come with me and conquer, shall have a part of the land;" would say, "I will pay each man so much money to be my servant for so many months, just as the Romans do." The German word for "pay" or "wages" is sold, and in time, these men who received their pay, or sold, for fighting, were called "soldiers."

Ion. But were not the Roman warriors called soldiers, papa?

P. No. "Sold" is a German word. The Roman fighting men were called milites.

W. Ah, we called soldiers "military men" now, so we may give a soldier a German or Roman name.

а

P. Now you shall see what power the chiefs gained over the common men by this change of plan.

When they had possession of a conquered country, and any "soldiers" who wanted to remain asked for a piece of land, the chief would say, "No-I have paid you. I will not give you any land, but I will lend you some. I will let it to you. There's a piece of land and a castle; and if you like to settle there it shall be called yours-but every year you must pay me rent. I do not want you to pay this rent in money, but you must agree to

be my servant, and come and fight for me, whenever I want it.

Ion. Ah!-just as old Edwards lives in your cottage, papa; still, it is not his own, we let it to him.

P. Right. And it was so in this new plan of dividing the countryno man felt that the ground he lived on was his own, as it was on the allodial system.

When dividing the country, the chief would let a large piece of land and a castle to some of the great warriors on these terms. They would then let out smaller parts of it to the captains under them. These captains-each having a good sized piece-would divide some of their land into smaller plots and strips, and would let it to the common soldiers on the same terms; and then again, if a soldier had a larger piece than he wanted, he would let a part to one of the poor conquered people, who was to be his servant, and perform all the hard and dirty work for him. According to this plan, each man received the piece of land not as his own, but "in feud"-that means in trust-almost in the same way as men keep their houses now on lease. Formerly each man's piece of ground was his allotment or allod

and the plan was called the ALLODIAL SYSTEM. But now, each man's piece of land was merely his feod-and this plan was called the feodal or FEUDAL SYS

their turn, were the servants of the king. So that, instead of being independent, they were all dependent on one another. Nobody was free except the king, and he, you will soon find, had too much power.

On the ALLODIAL SYSTEM each man was a little plant living by himself on his own ground.

L. And depending on his own

roots.

P. Yes. While on the FEUDAL SYSTEM each serf was merely a leaf hanging on one of the twigseach twig depended on one of the boughs-each bough depended on one of the branches-and each branch depended on the great trunk

Ah! it was a great and sad difference-and it had a sad effect on the spirit of the great nations in Europe; all seemed to be so many slaves, except the kings.

And it was a sad change for the English, too. In Europe the barbarians had changed to the feudal system very slowly-just little by little. The Saxons, living in their island, and not being so well able to wander, or to conquer, had learned very little of this system. They were mostly living in independence on their allotments, when the fierce and cruel William conquered, and determined to introduce this feudal system, suddenly, and by force. He divided their lands amongst about 70 of his followers.

This change chilled the hearts of the people, and made them care but little for their country.

Before this-no wars could be made by the king, unless it was the wish of the nation. He had no right to do so without the consent of the Wittenagemot, the great

national assembly of the wise men, which you have heard ofand then, when war was declared, every man would fight because he wished. A part of the country was his own land, and he fought in earnest-not only to defend all the country, but to take care of his own dear household-" his wife and children at home." But now the king could declare war when he pleased, and all the rest were obliged to fight. Then, each man fought only because he was obliged. He did not fight so much for himself or for his own land, for he had none, but he fought because his lord compelled him. They all fought, not for their country, but for their king.

Thus the people of England, like the people of Europe, felt and acted as Now so many slaves. they were all dependent; they not only lost their houses and lands, but they lost that great principle of liberty, which makes a man love his life.

When we print these History lessons in "Pleasant Pages," I think it will do you good to read over this account of the feudal system twice or three times-because in these two plans are contained two great principles (you know what principles are), which we will try and watch all the way through the history of England-for they are at work in the government of England, and amongst the men who make the laws of England, even in this day.

And many little parts of this system remain still. I believe that it has been a rule ever since, that the king may declare war without asking the people or the parliament. I think it is so now.

M. Yes. Listen!

Bacon. I cannot tell the part of the pig to which I belonged;-but I have an inward conviction that I must have belonged to the best part. This conviction arises from nothing else than a natural feeling of superiority, which is, however, a sure sign of its truth.

The exact position is now (since I have been broiled) a secret which must remain a dark and clouded mystery, throughout eternal agesW. Who cares about his "exact position?" He seems to think himself of vast importance. I wish he would give us some information that is useful.

Ion. Really, I don't like his style at all; I can't understand it.

M. Nor do I. It is very pompous and unnatural. So this is what comes from wanting to hear a lesson from a pig; for it will only give its history in its own way. You will find that the bacon has a truly "pig-headed" spirit.

Bacon. But, it is not my intention, on so important an occasion as to-day, to confine this history to the slight and scanty details respecting myself, but rather to give the life of the particular pig with whose history my own is necessarily incorporated.

That

W. What long words! rasher must have been cut from an old pig-and I do really believe that he is going to launch out into the history of pigs in general, anl to make a long rigmarole.

M. Well, I cannot help that. You cannot persuade it-and, indeed, it cannot control itself now.

Bacon. You folks are making considerable (and I think rather personal) interruption to the progress of my story. But I am going to say something respecting the race of pigs.

The PIG is an animal holding a peculiar (and I may say)—

W. Now, never mind what you may say.

Ion. Go on-that's what I say, or else we shall never get to the end!

Baccn-position in the scale of creation. Being by far the most fruitful of that most ancient order, the Pachyderms

W. What is that? -indeed! the only fruitful Pachyderm!-a-a-a W. Well, go on!

-the pig has from the earliest,the remotest ages, been held in the highest estimation by the most civilised nations of the-universe!

W. That is a very bad style, Lucy.

L. Yes, all his adjectives are in the superlative degree-did you notice? Earliest remotest-highest -most civilized-I think he is an impostor. Please, mamma, you had better give us its history-I am tired of this.

M. No, it is of no use now-he must proceed.

Bacon. No wonder!—the pig is Nature's favourite. Whilst Nature feeds the monster hippopotamus on herbage and grass-the unwieldy elephant on leaves and branches of trees-she has made all things suitable to the palate of the pig. The great OAK was doubtless made that it might feed him with its acorns; whilst the grass of the fields-the flesh of animalsdecaying stalks of the cabbage even the parings of potatoes, and other substances which no other animal can like, have all hidden delicacies of flavour, which are only revealed to his palate.

Thus, as kind Nature has bestowed much upon him-the pig, prompted by the generous example, willingly becomes food for othersfreely giving up his numerous young, and even his own carcase to mankind, for their use.

So, too, we find that the pig has long been known and valued. By the ancient ROMANS, amongst the highest epicures, the flesh of its young was always much approved. Amongst the ancient SAXONSespecially those of England-its flesh was the household food. The slaves or thralls conducted the pigs daily to the forest to feed on acorns and mast; and amongst the Saxons of the present day-the labourers of the soil-it is often the only animal food. The pig continued to be an object of care

amongst the Saxons until the invasion of the Normans. These thoughtless Celts-devoted wholly to hawking, and hunting, and puerile pursuits - despised the labour of the farm, and the flesh of the hog; and now, just a few wretched animals, with "lank body and large pendent ears," found here and there in England, live as the degenerate descendants of the neglected old English hogs.

In later days new breeds of swine have been introduced. The Hampshire breed-the pigs of Suffolk and Yorkshire are highly esteemed. The Chinese hog has been also introduced, and has much improved the native race. But the pig of the day, the great pig, is the pig of the Berkshire breed. I have heard of an honoured swine who stood four and a half feet high

W. Without his shoes

-and when killed weighed one thousand-two hundred-and fifteen pounds avoirdupois.

But in speaking of the universal regard of man for the pig, I cannot pass over the contempt shown to our "body" by an old-fashioned people called Jews. These people

seem to think that our flesh is not fit for food, and they even call us unclean!

They say they have some reason for their opinion, and talk about their ancient institution; but we pigs do not know what they mean; and you cannot expect us to believe in such a thing as that.

W. But, mamma, the pig ought to know that Moses said so; and to know who told Moses.

Bacon. I would rather not know, if you please. You will never persuade me that I am unclean,-if I can help it. And then again, the