of the same kind.

The woodcut next presented to you is a view of Avebury as it is supposed to have

a. Long barrow.

British Barrows.

b. Druid barrow. c. Bell-shaped. d. Conical. e. Twin barrow.

T

been when first built. It was one of their temples, and the great mounds of earth, called barrows, scattered over the Wiltshire downs, and other parts of England, were their burying-places. England, in those days, must have had a very different appearance from what it now bears. Try and picture to yourselves the whole of the country in this neighbourhood covered with thick forest, Druidical temples on the open spaces-such as Chorleywood Common, with Druids offering up sacrifices, attended by the inhabitants of the woods, clothed in skins, and painted blue.

conquer

Now, having brought before your minds a picture The Roof our forefathers in the most ancient times, I will mans try to return to the Roman invasion. Julius Cæsar having the Britons. determined to conquer the country, embarked, in the year 55 B.C., with about 12,000 men, from a part of the French coast between Boulogne and Calais, and reached England somewhere on the Kentish coast,

Julius

Cæsar

lands.

near where Dover or Deal now stands. But the merchants with whom the Britons traded, had sent over to give them warning. The Britons consequently knew of Cæsar's coming, and prepared to defend themselves, and when Cæsar reached the English coast, he found the cliffs covered with armed men. He therefore sailed for a part of the coast about seven miles further north, where the landing could be more easily managed, and he made an effort to disembark his troops near where Sandwich now stands. The Britons fought bravely, and it cost Cæsar much hard fighting to land his troops. He did not, however, make much progress in conquering the inhabitants; and therefore, when the Britons sent ambassadors to sue for peace, Cæsar was very glad to grant it, and to return to France for the winter. The next year he came back, and landed at the same place as on his first invasion. He marched inland about twelve miles from the coast, and when he reached the river Stour, near where Canterbury now stands, the Britons attacked him, but were driven back to the woods. They retreated into one of their strongholds, a place surrounded by a mound and trench, every approach to which was blocked by felled trees. Cæsar drove them out of this place, but was soon obliged to go back to his ships, which had suffered from a great storm. When he returned to the Britons' stronghold, he found it filled with a much larger force, commanded by Caswallon, or Cassivelaunus, as the Romans called him. In the fighting which followed, sometimes the Romans had the best of it, and sometimes the Britons; but at length the Britons were scattered, and Cæsar crossed the Thames to attack Caswallon in his own territories.

Cæsar

Caswallon retreated to Kent, was defeated, and made peace with the Romans. Cæsar finding that the Julius Britons defended themselves obstinately, and being leaves troubled in his own dominions, was again glad to England. cross over to France, and return to Rome. He never again invaded England, and for the next hundred years the Romans left this island quiet.

About forty-three years after the birth of Christ, a.d. 43. the Roman emperor, Claudius, determined to conquer the island, and sent over a large army for this purpose. The Britons were led on by Caradoc, or Caractacus. Caractacus, but were conquered, and at last Caractacus was taken prisoner, put in chains, and sent to Rome. The Romans were so touched with his noble manners and brave demeanour, that they at once. struck off his chains.

Boadicea.

Notwithstanding all their success, the Romans Queen were very far from having conquered the country, and the Britons were not disposed to allow them to remain quiet; they therefore took the field under the command of Queen Boadicea. A great battle was fought, near where St. Albans now stands; the Britons were defeated, and Queen Boadicea killed herself in despair. But the Britons had other enemies beside the Romans. They were frequently attacked by the inha- The Britons bitants of Scotland, called Picts and Scots, and to the Picts defend themselves from these internal foes, they were and Scots. glad to avail themselves of the help of the Romans. To protect themselves and the Britons against these enemies, the Romans built two great walls, defended with many forts or castles. forts or castles. One of these was across the North of England, from the Solway Firth to the German Ocean, or from Carlisle to Newcastle; and the other was across a narrow part of Scotland, from

attacked by

A.D. 420.

What did the Romans

London

the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde, or from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Those towns were not then built, but the line of the walls extended to the places where those towns now stand.

The Romans remained in Britain about 400 years, when at length the Roman empire began to decay, and about the year 420, their troubles at home compelled them to leave England for ever.

The Effects of the Roman Invasion.

The dominion of the Romans was without doubt do for productive of much advantage to the Britons; but it is certain that the Britons, although they did paint themselves blue, were not so savage as some writers describe them. They could not have tamed their horses, and made their chariots, without a considerable knowledge of mechanical arts, which places them far above the Hottentots, the Caffres, and others whom we now call savages. Nevertheless, the Britons made great advances during the dominion of the Romans. Very numerous towns were built, among which I may mention that London was founded during their sway; and, indeed, the names of many towns over nearly the whole of England (such as Chester, Lancaster, Leicester, and all ending in Chester, Caster, or Cester, which is derived from the Latin word Castra, meaning tents, a collection of tents, or an encampment), show us how widely and how firmly the Romans had planted themselves in England. In digging up the foundations of houses in London, the remains of Roman pavements and buildings are often found, and Roman weapons have been found in the River Thames. A Roman sword was lately turned up by the plough in a field near

built.