The Britons, hearing of his intention, assembled in crowds along the cliffs at Dover to oppose his landing; perceiving which, Cæsar steered a few miles farther to the north, the people continuing to run along, down to the very edge of the water, to receive their assailants. They were rather alarmed, however, when the Roman galleys came nearer the shore, and they saw the fierce looking warriors in their splendid armour ; while the Romans, on the other hand, were somewhat dismayed by the strange, painted figures of the islanders, and their wild gestures and shouts. But at length, the standard-bearer of the tenth, or Cæsar's own legion, leaped into the water, reproaching his companions with cowardice; and they soon followed him, and a desperate conflict took place. The Britons were driven inland, and the Romans remained in possession of the shore. After staying in England about three weeks, they departed for Gaul, and did not return till the following year. They had then many engagements with the defenceless Britons, whom they always conquered, until at length they begged for peace, and consented to pay tribute to Rome, and Cæsar returned to Gaul, quite satisfied with his conquest. This tribute was not claimed by the Romans till the reign of Augustus Cæsar, about

twenty years after it had been imposed by Julius ; and even then the Britons were left in peace till nearly half a century after the birth of our Lord.

You know it is recorded, in the second chapter of St. Luke, that the Son of God came into the world in the reign of the Emperor Augustus. Judea was at that time a Roman province, governed by Herod the Great, who, seeking to slay the holy child Jesus, put to death all the little children of Bethlehem, who were "two years old, and under." At the time of the crucifixion, Tiberius was emperor of Rome; in his reign Britain was left in peace; but in the year 43, or about ten years after our Lord's death, Claudius, who was then emperor, sent an army to demand the unpaid tribute, and soon afterwards went thither in person. Many battles took place, in which the poor Britons were always defeated, but never discouraged; for they met the Romans again and again, and never despaired of regaining their freedom. Even one of their queens, Boadicea by name, commanded an immense army against these foreign enemies, and when defeated, was so overwhelmed with grief, that she poisoned herself. She had never been taught that suicide is a great crime, so we must pity her, as we do all those who have been brought up in ignorance

of those holy precepts, which are so happily familiar

to us.

Caractacus, king of another part of Britain, fought against the Romans for nine years, and sometimes successfully, but at length even he was conquered; and, laden with chains, was carried to Rome, with his wife, children, and nearest relations, and exhibited as a spectacle to the people. It is said that, as he walked through the streets of Rome, and beheld the magnificence of the city, he expressed his wonder that the inhabitants of so grand a place could take the pains to molest the poor Britons in their mud-built huts. The empress was so struck with his dignified manners, and noble appearance, that she asked and obtained his life, and that of all his family, to be spared, otherwise they would all have been put to death.

These scenes of warfare continued during twentyeight years; at the end of which time, a Roman general, named Julius Agricola, was made governor of Britain, and acted very differently from any of his predecessors; treating the poor people with mercy, and trying to soften, and improve them. He taught them to build houses, and to settle in towns, instead of hiding in caves and forests as before; punished

any of his soldiers who ill-treated them, and caused the children to be instructed in the learning of his own country, only omitting that one most necessary part, which is the very "beginning of wisdom," namely, "the fear of the Lord." But of this he was himself ignorant, as well as of "the knowledge of salvation.” It is thought, however, by some, that about this time St. Paul preached in the south of England, and that some few Britons thus acquired this most precious knowledge. The lady named Claudia, mentioned 2 Tim. iv. 21, is believed to have been a native of our country, and it is certain that Christianity was introduced into England at a very early period, although from the disturbed and warlike state of the country, it made, at that time, but little progress.

There were some bishops from Britain at the council of the church held at Arles, in France, A.D. 314, which shows that the religion of our Divine Master must have shone for a time, although it afterwards burnt low and dim through persecution and other causes. The Romans, unconsciously to themselves, paved the way for a purer faith, by abolishing the religion of the Druids, intending to substitute their own more polished, but equally false worship. Whether they generally accomplished this,

I am unable to say, but we are told, by William of Malmsbury, that the place where St. Paul's cathedral now stands, was formerly the site of the Temple of Diana, so that it is probable they succeeded in some degree, in grafting the superstitions of Rome on the relics of Druid paganism, which continued to darken the greater part of the country long after the time I am describing.

From this period we must no longer look upon the Britons as the savage people they were. Arts began to make some progress among them. Agriculture, or the cultivation of the land, and weaving, which produced a great improvement in their dress, became general. They learnt to work metals, and thus added much to the comfort of their houses, and their means of defence in war. Marriages were formed between the two nations, and thus the Romans, who were at first their enemies, became their friends, instructors, and benefactors. Agricola penetrated much further north than any former generals had done, and built a chain of fortresses from the Firth of Forth to that of Clyde (which you will find in the map of Scotland), to protect the Britons from their old enemies, the Picts and Scots, or Caledonians. The emperor Adrian, or Hadrian, A.D. 120, endeavoured still fur