THESE
are the British
I. Britain Today
They called thee Merry England in old time.
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
It was never good times in England since the poor began to speculate on their condition.
CHARLES LAMB
To begin: the British defy definition. Although they are spoken of as "the British," they are not one people but four. And of these four, three—the Scots, the Welsh, and the Irish—are fiercely jealous of their national identity. The English are less concerned. They have been a nation a very long time, and only on occasions like St. George's Day do they remind themselves, a bit shamefacedly, that the English are the central force of the British people. Of course, if there are Scots, Welsh, or Irish in the company, the English keep this comforting thought to themselves.