CONDITION OF ENGLISH SOCIETY--MANUFACTURE OF GIN AND RUM--ORIGIN OF METHODISM--ELOQUENCE OF WHITFIELD--JOHN AND CHARLES WESLEY--REMARKABLE TEACHINGS--ROBERT RAIKES--JOHN HOWARD--WILLIAM WILBERFORCE--MECHANICAL INVENTIONS--GROWTH OF AMERICAN FREEDOM--THREE GREAT BATTLES--COOK'S VOYAGES--EXTENSION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE--GREATNESS OF PITT--WASHINGTON'S EARLY LIFE--BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. "Westward the course of empire takes its way." From the first settling of the North American colonies, the relations between Europe and America were such that every great revolution occurring in the parent country had its due effect in the colonies. In 1688, just sixty-eight years after the sailing of the pilgrims, another famous departure took place from the coast of Holland. It was that of William, prince of Orange, coming to deliver England from tyranny, and give a new course to English history. A powerful fleet and army sailed with the prince, the wicked and foolish King James fled from the people he had so long misruled, and William, prince of Orange, with Mary his wife, were proclaimed joint king and queen of England. With the revolution of 1688, a new spirit appears in England. Hitherto English philosophy and literature were almost unknown upon the continent. It was only after the revolution that we hear of foreigners visiting England, learning English and seeking to understand English life and character. Thus on the eve of the eighteenth century English ideas took a {150} great stride forward. The people instead of the king became the virtual rulers of the nation. The preceding age had done its work. It had given to the world the philosophy of Newton, the literature of Shakspeare, and Addison, Pope and Swift, the political agitation of Cromwell, and the colonization of America. The avenues of knowledge were thus opened to the masses. Even the dullest and most backward minds began to have notions of literature and the discoveries of science. The ancient forms of royalty and chivalry had lost their prestige and stood in the shady background of the past. A new world of citizens henceforth occupies the ground, attracts the gaze, imposes its ideas on the public manners and stamps its image on the minds of men. In 1709 appeared the first newspaper, a sheet as big as a man's hand which the editor did not know how to fill. At the present time there are more than 1,000,000,000 copies of newspapers published in the English language annually, many of which contain more reading matter in a single number than the whole New Testament scriptures. With the increase of intelligence the power of the people began to be felt.