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and the farm； open up markets for field produce； and provide
outlets for manufactures。 They enable the natural resources of a
country to be developed； facilitate travelling and intercourse；
break down local jealousies； and in all ways tend to bind together
society and bring out fully that healthy spirit of industry which
is the life and soul of every nation。
The road is so necessary an instrument of social wellbeing；
that in every new colony it is one of the first things thought of。
First roads； then commerce； institutions； schools； churches；
and newspapers。 The new country； as well as the old； can only be
effectually 〃opened up；〃 as the common phrase is； by roads
and until these are made； it is virtually closed。
Freedom itself cannot exist without free communication；every
limitation of movement on the part of the members of society
amounting to a positive abridgment of their personal liberty。
Hence roads； canals； and railways； by providing the greatest
possible facilities for locomotion and information； are essential
for the freedom of all classes； of the poorest as well as the
richest。
By bringing the ends of a kingdom together； they reduce the
inequalities of fortune and station； and； by equalizing the price
of commodities； to that extent they render them accessible to all。
Without their assistance； the concentrated populations of our large
towns could neither be clothed nor fed； but by their instrumentality
an immense range of country is brought as it were to their very doors；
and the sustenance and employment of large masses of people become
comparatively easy。
In the raw materials required for food； for manufactures； and for
domestic purposes； the cost of transport necessarily forms a
considerable item； and it is clear that the more this cost can be
reduced by facilities of communication； the cheaper these articles
become； and the more they are multiplied and enter into the
consumption of the community at large。
Let any one imagine what would be the effect of closing the roads；
railways； and canals of England。 The country would be brought to a
dead lock； employment would be restricted in all directions； and a
large proportion of the inhabitants concentrated in the large towns
must at certain seasons inevitably perish of cold and hunger。
In the earlier periods of English history； roads were of comparatively
less consequence。 While the population was thin and scattered；
and men lived by hunting and pastoral pursuits； the track across
the down； the heath； and the moor； sufficiently answered their purpose。
Yet even in those districts unencumbered with wood； where the first
settlements were madeas on the downs of Wiltshire； the moors of
Devonshire； and the wolds of Yorkshirestone tracks were laid down
by the tribes between one village and another。 We have given here；
a representation of one of those ancient trackways still existing
in the neighbourhood of Whitby； in Yorkshire；
＇Image＇ Ancient Causeway； near Whitby。
and there are many of the same description to be met with in other
parts of England。 In some districts they are called trackways or
ridgeways； being narrow causeways usually following the natural
ridge of the country； and probably serving in early times as local
boundaries。 On Dartmoor they are constructed of stone blocks；
irregularly laid down on the surface of the ground； forming a rude
causeway of about five or six feet wide。
The Romans； with many other arts； first brought into England the
art of road…making。 They thoroughly understood the value of good
roads； regarding them as the essential means for the maintenance
of their empire in the first instance； and of social prosperity in
the next。 It was their roads； as well as their legions； that made
them masters of the world； and the pickaxe； not less than the sword；
was the ensign of their dominion。 Wherever they went； they opened
up the communications of the countries they subdued； and the roads
which they made were among the best of their kind。 They were
skilfully laid out and solidly constructed。 For centuries after
the Romans left England； their roads continued to be the main
highways of internal communication； and their remains are to this
day to be traced in many parts of the country。 Settlements were
made and towns sprang up along the old 〃streets；〃 and the numerous
Stretfords； Stratfords； and towns ending' in 〃le…street〃
as Ardwick…le…street； in Yorkshire； and Chester…le…street；
in Durhammostly mark the direction of these ancient lines of road。
There are also numerous Stanfords； which were so called because they
bordered the raised military roadways of the Romans； which ran
direct between their stations。
The last…mentioned peculiarity of the roads constructed by the
Romans； must have struck many observers。 Level does not seem to
have been of consequence； compared with directness。 This
peculiarity is supposed to have originated in an imperfect
knowledge of mechanics； for the Romans do not appear to have been
acquainted with the moveable joint in wheeled carriages。
The carriage…body rested solid upon the axles； which in four…wheeled
vehicles were rigidly parallel with each other。 Being unable
readily to turn a bend in the road； it has been concluded that for
this reason all the great Roman highways were constructed in as
straight lines as possible。
On the departure of the Romans from Britain； most of the roads
constructed by them were allowed to fall into decay； on which the
forest and the waste gradually resumed their dominion over them；
and the highways of England became about the worst in Europe。
We find； however； that numerous attempts were made in early times
to preserve the ancient ways and enable a communication to be
maintained between the metropolis and the rest of the country；
as well as between one market town and another。
The state of the highways may be inferred from the character of
the legislation applying to them。 One of the first laws on the
subject was passed in 1285； directing that all bushes and trees
along the roads leading from one market to another should be cut
down for two hundred feet on either side； to prevent robbers
lurking therein；*＇1＇ but nothing was proposed for amending the
condition of the ways themselves。 In 1346； Edward III。
authorised the first toll to be levied for the repair of the
roads leading from St。 Giles's…in…the…Fields to the village of
Charing （now Charing Cross）； and from the same quarter to near
Temple Bar （down Drury Lane）； as well as the highway then called
Perpoole （now Gray's Inn Lane）。 The footway at the entrance of
Temple Bar was interrupted by thickets and bushes； and in wet
weather was almost impassable。 The roads further west were so
bad that when the sovereign went to Parliament faggots were
thrown into the ruts in King…street； Westminster； to enable the
royal cavalcade to pass along。
In Henry VIII。's