to any country than to settle the
succession of its government on clear and invariable principles, the
Saxon monarchies, which were supported by no such principles, were
continually tottering. The right of government sometimes was considered
as in the eldest son, sometimes in all; sometimes the will of the
deceased prince disposed of the crown, sometimes a popular election
bestowed it. The consequence of this was the frequent division and
frequent reunion of the same territory, which were productive of
infinite mischief; many various principles of succession gave titles to
some, pretensions to more; and plots, cabals, and crimes could not be
wanting to all the pretenders. Thus was Mercia torn to pieces; and the
kingdom of Northumberland, assaulted on one side by the Scots, and
ravaged on the other by the Danish incursions, could not recover from a
long anarchy into which its intestine divisions had plunged it. Egbert
knew how to make advantage of these divisions: fomenting them by his
policy at first, and quelling them afterwards by his sword, he reduced
these two kingdoms under his government. The same power which conquered
Mercia and Northumberland made the reduction of Kent and Essex
easy,--the people on all hands the more readily submitting, because
there was no change made in their laws, manners, or the form of their
government.

[Sidenote: Egbert A.D. 827.]

[Sidenote: A.D. 832]

Egbert, when he had brought all England under his dominion, made the
Welsh tributary, and carried his arms with success into Scotland,
assumed the title of Monarch of all Britain.[47] The southern part of
the island was now for the first time authentically known by the name of
England, and by every appearance promised to have arrived at the
fortunate moment for forming a permanent and splendid monarchy. But
Egbert had not reigned seven years in peace, when the Danes, who had
before showed themselves in some scattered parties, and made some
inconsiderable descents, entered the kingdom in a formidable body. This
people came from the same place whence the English themselves were
derived, and they differed from them in little else than that they still
retained their original barbarity and heathenism. These, assisted by the
Norwegians, and other people of Scandinavia, were the last torrent of
the Northern ravagers which overflowed Europe. What is remarkable, they
attacked England and France when these two kingdoms were in the height
of th