DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1041#0013
History of the Society of "Dilettanti 3
early in the eighteenth century that the army and
navy became permanent institutions and part of
the national fabric of government. This without
doubt contributed largely to the extraordinary
extension of British commercial enterprise which
ensued, leading through the agency of the East
India Company to the establishment of the British
Empire in India, and in later days to the founda-
tion of Greater Britain in Australasia, South Africa,
and in various parts of the New World. As com-
mercial fortunes increased, the merchants of the
East India, Turkey, South Sea, and other companies
became powers in the State, and began to encroach
on the social privileges of the feudal and territorial
aristocracy. With the settled stability of the throne
and the national institutions, the country grew
wealthy and prospered. The foundation of the
Bank of England is one of the great events in the
history of finance. During this period there began
to arise those great manufacturing enterprises which
gained for Great Britain the commercial hegemony
of the world. In religion, the settled supremacy of
the Protestant faith enabled the Church to come to
terms with the Nonconformists, whereby the latter
gained a position of independence and a distinct
voice in the affairs of State. The foundation of
parochial schools for the first time opened the doors
of education to the masses of the people. The press
became an important and active factor in public life,
both as a literary resource and as a political engine.
Science and research were fostered by the Royal
Society and the Society of Antiquaries. The
acquisition by the nation of the collections of Sir
Hans Sloane, following on that of the Cottonian and
the Harleian MSS., resulted in the foundation of the
£ 2
early in the eighteenth century that the army and
navy became permanent institutions and part of
the national fabric of government. This without
doubt contributed largely to the extraordinary
extension of British commercial enterprise which
ensued, leading through the agency of the East
India Company to the establishment of the British
Empire in India, and in later days to the founda-
tion of Greater Britain in Australasia, South Africa,
and in various parts of the New World. As com-
mercial fortunes increased, the merchants of the
East India, Turkey, South Sea, and other companies
became powers in the State, and began to encroach
on the social privileges of the feudal and territorial
aristocracy. With the settled stability of the throne
and the national institutions, the country grew
wealthy and prospered. The foundation of the
Bank of England is one of the great events in the
history of finance. During this period there began
to arise those great manufacturing enterprises which
gained for Great Britain the commercial hegemony
of the world. In religion, the settled supremacy of
the Protestant faith enabled the Church to come to
terms with the Nonconformists, whereby the latter
gained a position of independence and a distinct
voice in the affairs of State. The foundation of
parochial schools for the first time opened the doors
of education to the masses of the people. The press
became an important and active factor in public life,
both as a literary resource and as a political engine.
Science and research were fostered by the Royal
Society and the Society of Antiquaries. The
acquisition by the nation of the collections of Sir
Hans Sloane, following on that of the Cottonian and
the Harleian MSS., resulted in the foundation of the
£ 2