He paid so much attention to this subject, that many gentlemen of property were induced to plant their estates with timber, which had, till then, been much neglected; and considerable improvement was thus effected both in the beauty and value of their lands. Mr. Evelyn was one of the principal founders of the Royal Society, in which he was aided by Robert Boyle, another of the learned men whose names shed lustre on this reign. Those who sincerely believe in Christ, and know by their own happy experience the blessedness of such a faith, are ever most desirous of extending the "good tidings" of the Gospel to others; and thus these two excellent men combined in the formation of the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel," which has since been the blessed instrument of proclaiming salvation to thousands. Until this time no society of the kind had been established in England only now and then a man, whose soul was filled with Christian love to his fellow-men, went forth alone, amidst "perils by water and perils by land," to preach the Gospel to heathen nations; but in our happier days, Evelyn's society is but one among many. We have also that glorious society, the Church Missionary and others, all bent on the same holy work. Let us hope that it is a proof of the wider

growth of true Christianity amongst us, and may we, by God's grace, daily "go on unto perfection."

Mr. Evelyn was the means of introducing to public notice Gibbons, the celebrated sculptor in wood, who brought this branch of art to the highest degree of excellence. The most beautiful specimens of his powers are to be seen in Windsor Castle, at Petworth, in Surrey, and at Chatsworth, in Derbyshire, the magnificent seat of the duke of Devonshire.

This reign seems to have been particularly favourable to poetry, since, besides Milton, whom I have already mentioned, Dryden, the translator of Virgil, Otway, Cowley, Waller, and Butler, lived in it. Halley, the astronomer, also wrote his valuable works at this period.

There are a few useful inventions likewise attributed to the reign of Charles the second. Among them, fire-engines and buckles, both considered so indispensable now, that one wonders how people ever contrived to do without them. The want of engines may have been one cause why the great fire raged so extensively, since without them it must have been impossible to procure enough water to put it out. And how people managed to fasten their horses' harness without buckles, Aunt Anne is puzzled to guess.

The twopenny post was established in this reign. Charles the second married Catherine of Braganza, daughter of the king of Portugal. They had no children; and as the bill of exclusion had not been suffered to pass, he was succeeded by his papist brother, James, duke of York, under the title of James the second.

CHAPTER XXXII.

JAMES THE SECOND-FROM 1685 TO 1688.

On the death of his brother Charles, James was immediately proclaimed king, on his promise to maintain the constitution and the church as established by the law of the land. But nothing could be more at variance with this promise than his conduct. I have before told you that he had been educated as a papist, and that he was more sincere in his profession of faith than Charles. No sooner was he seated on the throne, than he showed himself determined to restore the Romish religion in England. He publicly attended mass, set aside the laws against papists, filled his court with monks and jesuits, and sent an ambassador to the pope Innocent the eleventh, proposing a reconciliation of the kingdom with the see of Rome; but the earl of Castlemaine, who was entrusted with the embassy, was coldly received by the Pope, who saw how imprudent was James's conduct.

You will easily believe what discontent was kindled throughout the country by such measures as these.

Y

The duke of Monmouth, a relative of the king, took advantage of the general dissatisfaction, and excited a rebellion against him, hoping that he might be able to persuade the people to place him on the throne, to which, however, he had no just claim. The earl of Argyle joined him, and went to Scotland for the purpose of better assisting him in the north, but was taken at Edinburgh and beheaded.

The whole scheme was badly planned, and Monmouth was totally defeated at Sedgemoor, near Bridgewater. He fled from the field of battle till his horse fell from fatigue, and then wandered about in disguise, having no food for several days but some peas, which he had gathered. He was found at last concealed in a ditch, and beheaded on Tower Hill. His pleasing manners and prepossessing appearance had made him a great favourite with the people, who much regretted his death. Some other persons implicated in this rebellion were tried by the wicked judge Jefferies, and treated with the most revolting cruelty and the coarsest insolence. Besides no less than two hundred and fifty executions, he sent numbers to the West Indies, to work as slaves in the plantations. James made this bad man his lord chancellor !

Once freed from anxiety about the duke of Mon