than a throne, but he was fitter for a heavenly crown than
a terrestrial one. This country was not worthy of him!--scarcely this
earth!

_Montesinos_.--There is a homely verse common in village churchyards, the
truth of which has been felt by many a heart, as some consolation in its
keenest afflictions:--

"God calls them first whom He loves best."

But surely no prince ever more sedulously employed himself to learn his
office. His views in some respects were not in accord with the more
enlarged principles of trade, which experience has taught us. But on the
other hand he judged rightly what "the medicines were by which the sores
of the commonwealth might be healed." His prescriptions are as
applicable now as they were then, and in most points as needful: they
were "good education, good example, good laws, and the just execution of
those laws: punishing the vagabond and idle, encouraging the good,
ordering well the customers, and engendering friendship in all parts of
the commonwealth." In these, and more especially in the first of these,
he hoped and purposed to have "shown his device." But it was not
permitted. Nevertheless, he has his reward. It has been more wittily
than charitably said that Hell is paved with good intentions: they have
their place in Heaven also. Evil thoughts and desires are justly
accounted to us for sin; assuredly therefore the sincere goodwill will be
accounted for the deed, when means and opportunity have been wanting to
bring it to effect. There are feelings and purposes as well as
"thoughts,

--whose very sweetness yieldeth proof
That they were born for immortality."

_Sir Thomas More_.--Those great legislative measures whereby the
character of a nation is changed and stamped are more practicable in a
barbarous age than in one so far advanced as that of the Tudors; under a
despotic government, than under a free one; and among an ignorant, rather
than inquiring people. Obedience is then either yielded to a power which
is too strong to be resisted, or willingly given to the acknowledged
superiority of some commanding mind, carrying with it, as in such ages it
does, an appearance of divinity. Our incomparable Alfred was a prince in
many respects favourably circumstanced for accomplishing a great work
like this, if his victory over the Danes had been so complete as to have
secured the country against any further evils from that tremendous enemy.
And had England remain