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FEELING FOB HIE COUNTRIMEN. 194

dealt faithfully with the disparagers of the mother country.”
Returying from France cn one occasion, Cobden says in his Zr. 37.
1°Wnal, that they all remarked on the handsome women
Who were seen oy the Ta 1h platforms, and ail agreed that
thoy Were handsomer don those whom they bad left on
the other side. “The race of men and women in the
British Islands,” Cobden goes on to himself, “ig the finest
Wn the world in a physical sense; and although they have
Many moral defects aud some repulsive qualities, yet oo the
Whole I think the Binglish are the most outspoken, trathful
en in the world, and this virtue lies at the bottora of their
Political and commercial greatness,”
This conviction inspired Lim with a peculiar respect for
his great popular andiences, and they instinctively felt the
Presence of it, making & claim to their good-will and their
8tention, Cobden differed from his countrymen, as to what
it is that will make England great, but he was as anxious
that England should be great, and as prond of English
Virtueg and energies, as the noisiest patriot in a London
Qusic hy],
Cobden always said that it was an advantage to him as an
"8itator that he was a member of the Church of England.
He used to tell of men who came up to him and declared
that their confidence in him dated from the moment when
they learnt that he was a churchman. It was, perhaps, a
8reater advantage to him than he knew. However little we
18y admire a State establishment of religion, it is certain
tha Where such an establishment happens to exist, those who
bave been brought up in it, and have tranguilly confermed
bo ity usages, escape one source of & certain mental asperity
50d the spirit of division. This ir no credit to them or to
the Institution ; any more than the asperity is & discredit to
hose who do not conform to the institntion. Nay, one

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