HISTORY OF ENGLAND FOR CHILDREN. about him, he was so wicked. I will only relate the manner of his death. The king of France came to England to take the throne from John; he had many soldiers with him. John raised a large army and went to meet him, but he was afraid to fight, and as soon as he heard that the king of France was really come, he ran away. In crossing a river he lost all his carriages, treasures, baggage, and regalia. He always carried these jewels with him, being afraid to trust them out of his sight. John was very angry at his loss, and got into such a frightful passion that it brought on a fever, and being very thirsty, he drank a great deal of cider, and ate a great many peaches; the next morning he was much worse, and died a few days after, at Newark, 1216. Shakspeare's King John, in his last sickness utters these words: There is so hot a summer in my bosom, 31 on by a fit of passion, and increased by drinking cider and eating peaches; aged 51 years. Reigned seventeen years. Possessions-England. Line-Plantagenet. Children-Henry, who succeeded him; Richard; Jane, married to Alexander, king of Scotland; Eleanor, married first to earl of Pembroke, afterwards to earl of Leicester; Isabella, married to Frederic II, emperor of Germany. John had three wives; the last only had children. Remarkable Events-Murder of prince Arthur. Magna Charta granted. Surnames first used. London mayor chosen annually, he having heretofore held office for life. The pope suspended divine service throughout England. Great part of London burnt, and 3000 people perished, being inclosed by the fire and obliged to leap into the Thames. Sterling money first coined. John obliged to give up his crown to the pope's legate, who kept it three days, when John again received it on his knees. London bridge of stone finished in this reign. Constantinople taken by the French and Venetians, 1204. Short Lessons, intended to be committed Pope Gregory IX first set on foot that hor to memory. JOHN. rid tribunal the inquisition, and established it at Toulouse, where it was soon pulled down for its cruelties; Spain and Italy embraced it, and the Dominican friars had charge of the office, and thousands of innocent people have been sent to its dungeons, who never again saw the blessed light of day, being put to death. by the most terrific tortures, because Death-Oct. 1216, of a fever brought they were not thought good catholics. Character-An ungrateful son, an unkind brother, a wicked uncle, an unjust king. Right to the throne-A usurper. He was the youngest son of Henry, and brother to Richard, but little Arthur was yet alive. and so useful to their nephews and neices, a more lively and playful turn, but a for his indulgence was regulated by the warmhearted and affectionate child, was utmost discretion. He never gave way to their wishes in order to avoid the trouble of refusing, for he knew they could gain no lasting benefit nor satisfactory pleasure, from having foolish desires gratified. The young people reaped the advantage of his sensible way of acting towards them; they were always happy when they were with uncle Frank, and they also felt happy afterwards. I hope by this time you have some curiosity to hear about his nephews and neices, how old they were, and whether they were clever or stupid, good or ugly. At present we have only to do with his two eldest nephews, to whom he was most particularly attached. Their names were Charles, who was fourteen years old, and William, not quite two years younger. Mr Hopeton, their father, was a Liverpool merchant; their mother was the sister of uncle Frank, or, as he was called by the world in general, Mr Francis Turner. This kind uncle had taken his two nephews with him on a summer tour thro' Yorkshire, to show them the beauties of nature and of art, in that truly English county, and to enjoy the surprise and pleasure which he knew such sights would call forth. Charles, who was of a thoughtful, quiet and retiring disposition, was more particularly taken up with the inanimate objects, the old abbeys and castles, and the historical remembrances connected with them. William, who was of more occupied with observing the rustic happiness, and the peculiar customs of the inhabitants. The old-fashioned houses with white plaster walls, striped and intersected by black wooden beams, the neat cottages of the farm-laborers, with children playing about the doors, and the pretty little gardens, with roses and beehives in front, these were what he liked to see and to talk about; and happy was he whenever an opportunity offered for contributing to the pleasure of any of the children, or receiving any kindness from the worthy and industrious country people. He had, one delightful day, when he took a long ramble by himself, in the neighbourhood of Ripon, been fortunate enough to defend a little boy from the threatening gestures of a terrible old gander, to help two children over a swollen brook, to give a penny to a little girl, who was going from the town to a village five miles off, and who had only got half way when she met him, and inquired with tears in her eyes whether she was near the end of her journey; and, more than all, he had himself been obliged to call at a farm-house and inquire the nearest way to Ripon, and had not only been regaled with new milk and wheaten bread, but also invited by the farmer to see his horses, his pigs, and his sheep, and had heard a long history of the kindness and manliness of a young squire in the neighborhood, who, three years ago, was just such a little fellow as himself. When William returned, and met his brother and uncle, who had been engaged in inspecting a cabinet of coins and antiquities, belonging to a gentleman in the town, he told them with great glee of his adventures, and declared, that seldom even in their company had he spent a happier day. "My uncle often reminds us," said Charles, anxious to tell his story," that we should reckon our days by the information we gain, and the improvement we make of our time. What a deal of good I have got to-day! I shall be able to remember the names of all the Roman emperors, and how they came one after another; and I have seen all their brass coins arranged in order in Dr Everett's cabinet. The Saxon kings too of England-I hope now to be as ready with them, as the chapter of kings made us all in rotation, from Willy the Conqueror. I wish, William, you could have seen them; the doctor was so kind, and his catalogue so complete and entertaining. And then the Greek silver coins of the cities in Sicily and Greece and Africa; you cannot think what curious and beautiful things they are. I am sure I shall feel much more pleasure now in reading the history of those times." 'Ah,' said William, we must read those things some time or other-time enough, over the fire in winter. But let us make hay while the sun shines. While the weather is so fine, I find far more pleasure in trudging about the country, and seeing the people work in the fields. Uncle, is this wasting life? I should be sorry to idle away time, but it seems to me quite right to run and walk about ; and I hope I can make it up afterwards.' Uncle Frank knew very well that days are not lost which are spent in strengthening the body by useful exercise, and forming the mind to feelings of kindness and active benevolence; but he was not disposed to say all that he felt on this subject. He therefore contented himself with observing' we came into Yorkshire to see the country, and recruit our spirits. We left Liverpool in search of innocent enjoyment; but if we can pick up any useful information by the way, we shall not be the worse for it; knowledge is easily carried. None of us has so great a stock already, as not to wish for more. However, Charles and I must not grow musty among books and coins: to-morrow I have some business to transact for your father, with a gentleman whom I expect on his way to London, and I would advise you, my boys, to start early, and take a day's ramble together. There is a pretty waterfall about eight miles off, if you can manage to get so far. The business I have in hand will engage me, most probably, from breakfast till evening: if you are in by eight o'clock, I shall then have leisure to hear all your discoveries and adventures. Our young travellers pleased themselves with the thoughts of the glorious day before them, when they should together explore the woods and valleys; and they got ready their pencils and draw STORY OF THE LOST DAY. as well as descriptions, for uncle Frank on their return. ing books, that they might have sketches degree of shade where it was requisite ; but his brother's impatient longing for a country walk seemed to increase as the chance for taking it lessened every minute. His uncle returned to the inn to get some letters and papers out of his portmanteau, and looked in for a few minutes to see how the boys were going on. But if they possessed, as perhaps they did, a true love for the beauties of nature, it is not surprising, according to the wellknown proverb, that trial and disappointment awaited them. When they looked up in the morning, a thick mist and drizzling rain made every thing gloomy, as well as their own faces. They dressed, and notwithstanding the unfavorable appearances, prepared for walking, in hopes that after breakfast the sky might clear up; but when their uncle Frank sallied out with his umbrella, to keep his appointment, his two nephews looked with blank faces at the dripping roofs and streaming kennels, and at last were fain to sit down, exclaiming to each other, 'that the opportunity for their proposed excursion was now lost forever, as there was very little chance of their being able to devote another day to the country in that neighborhood.' Charles, after a time, began to occupy himself with copying some colored drawings of Fountain's Abbey, which were hung on the walls of their sitting room, while William sighed for a history of Rome or of the Greek republics, wishing in vain to find amusement in those studies, which the day before he had postponed in imagination to the long nights of winter. Poor William! he was really much to be pitied. Charles sate quietly, perfecting his outlines, and putting in a slight 'O uncle,' cried William, the day is lost entirely. No hope of seeing the waterfall, though we can see the water fall in torrents from every spout in the street. But here are we shut up in this dull dismal place, instead of enjoying the sight of the fresh fields and woods and streams. What a sad pity, this day should be entirely lost! Is it not, dear uncle ?' 'Does Charles think so ?' said their uncle, looking over his elder nephew's shoulder. Your outline is pretty correct, but in order to give effect, your shading must be made bolder. It is useful to practise; you will by this means attain a better notion of the power and the deficiency of the black-lead pencil, compared with coloring. William, is there nothing you can do? What did Charles say yesterday about the improvement of time? Is there no opportunity for you to improve yourself in strength, or skill, or knowledge, or habits, or temper? Give this subject five minutes serious thought; and now, good day till evening.' William knew by experience the value of his uncle's advice. 'He told me to think for five minutes-about what? the improvement to be gained to-day; and he will be sure to ask me about it in the |