The Leading Facts of English History | Page 5

In the same way the settlement of the
two divisions of the Angles on the coast is indicated by the names
Norfolk (the North folk) and Suffolk (the South folk). (See map facing
p. 24.)
The conquests and settlements of the Danes are readily traced by the
Danish termination "by" (an abode or town), as in Derby, Rugby,
Grimsby. They occur with scarcely an exception north of London. They
date back to the time when King Alfred made the Treaty of Wedmore
(S56), A.D. 878, by which the Danes agreed to confine themselves to
the northern half of the country. (See map facing p. 32.)
7. Norman Names.

The conquest of England by the Normans created but few new names.
These, as in the case of Richmond and Beaumont, generally show
where the invading race built a castle or an abbey, or where, as in
Montgomeryshire, they conquered and held a district in Wales.
While each new invasion left its mark on the country, it will be seen
that the greater part of the names of counties and towns are of Roman,
Saxon, or Danish origin. With some few and comparatively
unimportant exceptions, the map of England remains to-day in this
respect what those races made it more than a thousand years ago.
8. Climate.
With regard to the climate of England,--its insular form, geographical
position, and its exposure to the warm currents of the Gulf Stream give
it a temperature generally free from great extremes of heat or cold. On
this account, it is favorable to the full and healthy development of both
animal and vegetable life.
Nowhere is greater vigor or longevity found. Charles II said that he was
convinced that there was not a country in the world so far as he knew,
where one could spend so much time out of doors comfortably as in
England.
9. Industrial Division of England.
From an industrial and historical point of view, the country falls into
two divisions. Let a line be drawn from Hull, on the northeast coast, to
Leicester, in the Midlands, and thence to Exmouth, on the southwest
coast. (See map on p. 10.) On the upper or northwest side of that line
will lie the coal and iron which constitute the greater part of the mineral
wealth and form the basis of the manufacturing industry of England;
here too are all the largest towns except London.
On the lower or southeast side of the line there will be a comparatively
level surface of rich agricultural land, and most of the fine old cathedral
cities with their historic associations; in a world, the England of the
past as contrasted with modern and democratic England, that part

which has grown up since the introduction of steam.
10. Eastern and Western Britain compared.
As the southern and eastern coasts of Britain were in most direct
communication with the Continent, and were first settled, they
continued until modern times to be the wealthiest, most civilized, and
progressive part of the island. Much of the western portion is a rough,
wild country. To it the East Britons retreated, keeping their primitive
customs and language, as in Wales and Cornwall.
In all the great movements of religious or political reform, up to the
middle of the seventeenth century, we find that the people of the
eastern half of the island were usually on the side of a larger measure of
liberty; while those of the western half were generally in favor of
increasing the power of the King and the Church.
11. Influence of the Island Form on the Roman Invasion
Geologists tell us that Great Britain was once connected with the
mainland of western Europe. It was fortunate for Britain that this
connection was severed and that it became an island. We see an
illustration of this advantage in the case of the Roman invasion. It was
easy for the Romans to march great armies into Gaul and take complete
possession of that country, but it was with no little difficulty that they
sent fleets across the tempestuous waters of the Channel. This may
have been one reason why they never succeeded in permanently
establishing their language and their laws in the island of Britain. It is
true that they conquered and held it for several centuries, but they never
destroyed its individuality,--they never Latinized it as they did France
and Spain.
12. Influence of the Island Form on the Saxon Invasion.
In like manner, when the northern tribes of Europe overran the Roman
Empire, they found themselves, in some measure, shut out from Britain
by its wall of sea. The Jutes, Saxons, and Angles could not enter it in
countless hordes, but only in small numbers and by occasional attacks.

Because of this, the invaders could only drive back the Britons by