ABSTRACT

THEperiodofPuritanruleinitiatedbytheCivilWar andterminatedattheRestorationoverthrewtheedificeof politicalabsolutismwhichhadbeensolaboriouslyconstructedbyTudorstatesmen,andwhichthezealofthe StuartKingshadalreadyundermined.Thehistoryof politicalandecclesiasticalcontroversyisoutsideofour presentconcern,butanincidentaleffectoftheyearsof strugglethroughwhichthatgreatconflictofideasworked itselfout,callsforsomeobservation.Thepracticeof philanthropyasithadgrownupinthecourseofacentury washinderedinmanydirectioos.Alongcertainlinesit wouldberesumedwithgreaterenergyandmoremanifold devicesinthesucceedingperiod.Itscentralidea,aswe shallnoticeinalaterchapter,wasnotonlyoverthrown butforgotten.Thepointwhichwehavetoconsider atpresentistheinterruptionoftheordinarycharitable activitieswhichresultedfromthedisturbedconditionof thecountry.