of Great Britain, choose from their number 16 to sit in the House of Lords.

The prevailing religion of Scotland is Calvinism, and the established form of church government is Presbyterian.

Edinburgh, the metropolis of Scotland, is a very handsome city, and has a population of 140,000. It is situated on the Firth of Forth.

IRELAND.

Ireland is an Island in the Atlantic Ocean, situated west of England. It is divided into four provinces, viz: Leinster, Ulster, Connaught, and Munster, and into 32 counties.

The population is estimated to be about 7,000,000. In consequence of the denseness of the population, and the difficulty of finding productive employments, a large proportion of the people are in abject poverty.

About four-fifths of the people are Roman Catholics, and it has been a subject of perpetual complaint, that they were excluded by their religion from a seat in parliament, and from other offices. These disabilities were removed (1729) removed by an act of the British parliament.

Dublin is the capital. It is a large and handsome city, of 240,000 inhabitants, situated on a beautiful bay, at the mouth of the river Liffey.

BRITISH INDIA.

The population of Hindostan is supposed to amount to 128,000,000. Of this immense population, 115,000,000 are subject directly or indirectly to the government of the English East India Company.

There are in Hindostan a number of native princes,

What is the prevailing religion of Scotland?

What is the capital of Scotland?

What is Ireland, and how divided?

What is the population of Ireland, and its general condition?
What is the prevailing religion of Ireland?

What is the government of Ireland?

What is its capital?

What portion of the population of India, is subject to Britain?

What Princes of Hindostan have become tributary to Britain?

called Rajahs, or Nabobs, who have become tributary to the government of the East India Company, and placed themselves under their protection. These tributary states have a population estimated at 33,000,000.

The rest of the country, containing a population of 82,000,000, is under the immediate government of the officers of the Company. For the purposes of administration the country is divided into three presidencies, in each of which there is a distinct government. These are the presidency of Bengal, which embraces the north-eastern provinces of India; that of Madras, which embraces the southern provinces; and that of Bombay, embracing the western provinces.

The East India Company, who are in fact the sovereigns of this country, is established in London, and the supreme government exists there, and consists of a Board of Commissioners, and a Court of Directors of twenty-four members. The government in India consists of a governor and council in each presidency. The governor of the presidency of Bengal has the title of Governor-General, and he is, in the name of the East India Company, the Supreme Chief of Political and Military Affairs, the other governors being subordinate to him.

The army of the company consists of 20,000 European, and 180,000 native troops.

What territories in India are subject to Britain?

What is the East India Company?

What is the army of the East India Company?

ENGLISH HISTORY.

CHAPTER I.

FIFTY FIVE years before the birth of Christ, Julius Cæsar, the Roman general, was in Gaul. That country, now called France, is separated from the island of Great Britain by a channel so narrow in one place, between Dover and Calais, that the white cliffs of Dover are discernible from the opposite coast.

Cornwall, at the western extremity of the island, is still famous for its tin mines, and this metal was as useful to the ancients as it is to us. The merchants of the Mediterranean, from a period not exactly ascertained, had trafficked in tin with the Britons, and the features of the country were become familiar to the mariners who went thither in the age of Cæsar.

By their means Britain was made known to the Romans, and when Cæsar was in Gaul, he thought it desirable to get possession of that country. With the Romans, without regard to the rights and feelings of those they dispossessed, to desire and to seize was almost the same impulse, and without caring for the sufferings of the inoffensive inhabitants of the long-neglected island, the Roman general invaded their shores.

With a force which he deemed sufficient to B. C. 55. conquer the island, Cæsar sailed from Gaul to the British coast, but it is said that, on approaching Dover, the number and ferocious appearance of the natives rather daunted the Romans, so that they landed at Deal where the shore is flat, and they could more easily cope

What separates Gaul from Britain?

By what circumstances were the people of Europe made acquainted with Britain?

Had the Romans just notions of the rights of men?
When and where did Cæsar land in Britain?

with the natives, who attempted to prevent their landing, which, however, the Romans effected.

The Britons, though slightly clothed, appear to have had at that time some knowledge of the art of defence and the use of metal, for they had war-chariots drawn by horses, and sharp scythes fixed to the axletrees of their wheels, which were very destructive in battle, nor did they fly from the invincible Romans without a struggle against their encroachments. Cæsar obtained little by the invasion of Britain, but from his time it is probable that a Roman garrison was stationed there, and that the Latin language was introduced. Perhaps some of the customs and arts of civilized people were also introduced and tribute̱ may have been paid to the conquerors.

It is related by the older historians of Britain that the Romans were at first opposed by a British general named Cassibelan, (sometimes written Cassivelaunus,) and that a nephew of this general, at enmity with Cassibelan, became such a favorite of the Romans that he was sent to Rome to be educated. This youth, named Cymbeline, says the story, was caressed by Augustus, and called the friend of the Roman people.

In the early age of Roman conquests, the Romans were exceedingly cruel to their captives, but in later times they altered their policy. They liked to have hereditary princes of partially conquered countries come to their capital, and dwell there, that they might learn their language and laws, and respect their power; and, when they should return to their own land, they might dispose their subjects to submit to their wiser conquerors. The invasion of the Romans was the first introduction of civilization among the Britons.

The southern part of the island, since called Britain, was then Albion; and its northern portion, the present Scotland, was Caledonia. The southern country was divided among independent tribes of whom the chief were the Iceni, the Trinobantes, and the Silures.

What were the means of defence used by the Britons?
What were the first results of Cæsar's invasion?

Did the Romans show any favor to the Britons?

Was the Roman policy humanized as its power was extended?
What were the ancient divisions of Britain?

The Roman emperors for nearly a century, A. D. 43. paid little attention to Britain, but ninetyseven years after the invasion of Cæsar, an army of fifty thousand men was sent thither under the command of Aulus Plautius. The Britons defended themselves and their country with great bravery; but their imperfect skill in the art of war could not withstand the Roman power and discipline.

The last of the British princes who resisted the Romans was Caractacus. After several battles he was defeated, taken prisoner, and carried to Rome. In Rome, Caractacus, with his captive wife and children, were compelled to walk in chains through the streets; and the emperor and empress, and the inhabitants of that great city generally, being accustomed to such spectacles, were not probably much affected with this, which would so deeply grieve and offend us of the present more humane age of the world.

Caractacus did not submit tamely to this indignity, and made such a moving speech to the emperor, that he ordered his fetters to be taken off, and ever afterwards treated him with kindness. The Romans, notwithstanding their victories in Britain, advanced slowly in gaining possession of the island. They had only built a few castles, or forts, and established one military colony, when Suetonius Paulinus, a great general, resolved to finish the conquest.

To convey a proper notion of the enterprise of Suetonius, it is necessary here to describe briefly the religion of the ancient Britons, for it was connected with their government, and aided resistance to their foreign enemies. According to Goldsmith, "The religion of the Britons was one of the most considerable parts of their government; and the Druids, who were the guardians of it, possessed great authority among them. No species of superstition was ever more terrible than theirs; besides the severe penalties which they were permitted to inflict in this world, they inculcated

What happened in Britain, A. D. 43?

Who was the British prince carried captive to Rome?
How was Caractacus finally treated by the Roman emperor?
Who were the Druids. and what were their doctrines?