Abstract
Oh, the Crimea! How dismal, how full of despair and horror! The results will, however, be good if we are induced to come down from the English pedestal in Europe of incessant self-glorification, and learn that our close, stifling, corrupt system gives no air nor scope for healthy and effective organisation anywhere. We are oligarchic in all things, from our parliament to our army. Individual interests are admitted as obstacles to the general prosperity. This plague runs through all things with us. It accounts for the fact that, according to the last marriage statistics, thirty per cent, of the male population signed with the mark only. It accounts for the fact that London is at once the largest and ugliest city in Europe. For the rest, if we cannot fight righteous and necessary battles, we must leave our place as a nation, and be satisfied with making pins.
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© 2000 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
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Browning, E.B. (2000). ‘Our close, stifling, corrupt system’. In: Garrett, M. (eds) Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-62894-0_59
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-62894-0_59
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-62896-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-62894-0
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