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more powerful? I have often been told so, indeed, but what now can my power command?

Is he not greater and more magnificent? when seated on his throne, and surrounded with nobles and flatterers, perhaps he may think so, but when lost in a wood, alas! what is he but a common man?

His wisdom knows not which is north, and which is south; his power a beggar's dog would bark at, and his greatness, the beggar would not bow to; and yet how often are we puffed up with these false attributes! well, in losing the monarch, I have found the man.

Hark; I heard a gun; some villain sure is near; what were it best to do? Will my majesty protect me? No! Throw majesty aside, then, and let my new found manhood do it.-Dodsley.

LESSON LXXVI.

THE COMMONWEALTH.-CHARLES II.-JAMES II.WILLIAM AND MARY.

After the death of Charles I., there was for some time an INTERREGNUM, that is, the throne was vacant, no person assuming the regal powers: in appearance, the country was governed by the Parliament, but in reality, by Oliver Cromwell, who was now in great

power.

He was the son of a private gentleman of Huntingdon, and entering the army under the Parliament, by prudence and superior abilities, he soon became its chief director, and was afterwards appointed Lord-protector of the Commonwealth, with powers equal to those of the late king.

Cromwell conducted the affairs of the state with great prudence, and materially advanced the interests of the country, but his arbitrary conduct made him disliked by the people in general.

After enjoying power for about five years as Lordprotector, he was attacked by a tertian ague, which soon terminated in death; he appointed his son Richard his successor, but this young man, seeing the dangers and anxieties attending the situation, prudently retired to his paternal estate, to enjoy the comforts of a private life.

Oliver Cromwell was succeeded by CHARLES II., the son of Charles I., in the year 1660. Charles was in Holland at the time he was invited to the throne of his forefathers, and he immediately hastened to London, where he was received with every demonstration of joy.

Charles did not long enjoy his popularity, for he soon began to give himself up to pleasures, and as long as he could find money for that purpose, he was totally indifferent about the affairs of the state.

Frequent disputes took place between him and the parliament, and these appear to have changed his nature; for he became extremely despotic, and at last obtained almost absolute power, and this gave rise to many conspiracies against him.

During his reign, which continued twenty-four years, a dreadful plague visited London, and in the following year the Great Fire took place.-The Habeas Corpus act was passed; by this act no person can be imprisoned without having an opportunity of proving his innocence before a jury,—and tea was first imported from China.

Charles II. was succeeded by his brother JAMES II., in the year 1685. When James came into power, his

ruling wish appears to have been to again introduce the Roman Catholic religion, and with this view, he sent an agent to Rome, to pave the way for the readmission of England into the bosom of the Catholic church.

As the majority of the people were violently opposed to a Roman Catholic government, some of the principal nobility and gentry united in a secret address to William, the Prince of Orange, the grandson of Charles I., wishing him to come over, and aid them in protecting their faith and liberty.

The prince came immediately, and was received with open arms, and thus was brought about, without bloodshed, what is usually called "THE REVOLUTION."

James collected an army for the defence of his crown, but finding that no reliance could be placed on his troops, he abdicated the throne, after reigning nearly four years.

James II. was succeeded by WILLIAM III., and MARY his wife, the daughter of James, in the year 1688. William had not long been settled in power, when James, assisted by the king of France, landed an army in Ireland, and being joined by a great number of Catholics, he took the necessary steps to possess himself of that kingdom.

William immediately went over with an army to oppose him, when the celebrated battle of "The Boyne" took place, in which James was totally defeated, and he thought proper to retire into France, where he ended his days in religious retirement.

William possessed great abilities, and his reign would have been very prosperous, had he confined his attention to the affairs of his own dominions, but the great object of his ambition was to humble the power of France, and to accomplish this, he entered into wars, impoverishing

his country, wasting the blood of his subjects, and laying the foundation of the national debt.

During William's reign, which continued thirteen years, the National Debt was first incurred.-The Land Tax first established.-Peter the Great, the Emperor of Russia, worked as a ship carpenter in England.

LESSON LXXVII.

EUROPE.

SWEDEN.NORWAY.-LAPLAND.

SWEDEN is an extensive country in the north of Europe, and consists of the kingdom of Sweden, Norway, and Lapland; together containing a population of rather more than four millions.

The soil of Sweden is in general poor and unproductive; a great part of the country consisting of mountains, lakes, marshes, and forests; the climate in the northern part is cold, but healthy.

The summers are of short duration, seldom exceeding three months, yet in this limited time, the inhabitants have to prepare the land, sow the seed, and reap the produce, for they are almost strangers to spring and

autumn.

In the southern part, the climate is more kindly, and the soil tolerably fruitful; in the valleys they have excellent pasturage, with plenty of horned cattle and sheep.

Sweden produces considerable quantities of copper, iron, and timber, and these, with the addition of hemp and tallow, form their chief exports. Swedish iron has

long been held in high estimation; its superiority over other iron is in part attributed to the using of wood in the process of smelting.

Stockholm, the capital, is a handsome city, built on several rocky islands, connected by wooden bridges, and the scenery around it is beautifully romantic: the other chief towns are Upsal, noted for its excellent University and Botanical Gardens, and Gottenburg, a considerable commercial town, well situated for foreign trade.

The Swedes are a well-made, robust, and cheerful people, and capable of enduring much hardship; they are also hospitable and brave, and possess a taste for literature. The wild animals common to the country, are the bear, the wolf, the otter, the beaver, and the lynx.

NORWAY was united to Sweden in the year 1814, but it may still be considered a distinct kingdom, being governed by its own laws. Norway is, in general, a cold, mountainous, and barren country, but towards the south, there are considerable tracts of fertile land; its chief wealth consists in its mines, its forests, and its fisheries.

The Norwegians are a simple, but a hospitable people; a part of the inhabitants chiefly depend upon fishing and hunting for support, each individual manufacturing his own clothing, tools, and furniture.

Christiania, the capital, has an excellent harbour, and carries on a considerable trade; the only other town, of any importance, is Bergen, an ancient seaport.

Not far from the coast of Norway, is the celebrated whirlpool, called the Ma'-el-stroem; the influence of this dangerous vortex is felt at the distance of twelve miles, but if a ship, or a boat, come within three of it,

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