handsome cities in France. Among these are Rouen, where the people manufacture a great deal of handsome jewellery; Lyons, where they make beautiful silks; Marseilles, where the people deal in wines; and Bordeaux, in the midst of a country which produces fine grapes, and other delicious fruits.

3. The climate of France is about the same as that of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The soil is fruitful, and yields abundance of food for the numerous inhabitants. The country produces many kinds of fruit in great perfection, such as cherries, pears, plums, peaches, and figs. It also yields immense quantities of grapes, from which many kinds of choice wines are produced.

4. The people of France are very gay and cheerful. They live a great deal in the open air, and it is common in all parts of the country to see both men and women at work in the fields. They do not labour very hard, and, during the holidays, of which they have a great many, they walk about the streets, and dance in the public gardens, or squares.

5. If the French are not the wisest people in the world, they seem to enjoy themselves better than most others. They are fond of music, and delight to get together, and talk about all sorts of things. They are very polite, and always treat strangers with particular civility. The gentlemen are very courteous to the ladies, and the ladies, in return, take every means in their power to make their society agreeable to the gentlemen.

6. The manufactures of France are numerous and valuable. The people have an excellent fancy in making jewellery, silks, clocks, watches, and many other ornamental things. These are sent to all parts of the world, and, though they may not be considered very necessary, yet they give a great deal of pleasure, and thus have their use.

7. The French people are fond of dress, and the dressmakers of Paris set the fashions for the rest of the world. The milliners and mantua-makers of this city have more followers than any king that ever lived; for the gowns and bonnets of all the ladies of Europe and America are made according to their direction.

8. The French nation, on the whole, are a very interesting people. Though they might seem to be frivolous and thoughtless, yet France has produced many great men, and the history of the country displays many great and glorious actions.

9. You might at first think them a nation of fiddlers, dressmakers, and dancing-masters; but if you look deeper into their character, and read their story with attention, you will see that, perhaps, they are the most warlike nation in Europe, and that if they spend their time in amusement, it is not because they are deficient in genius for the highest pursuits of the mind.

QUESTIONS.-Where is France? Boundaries? Which way is France from Spain? From England? The United States? How would you go to France? 1. Population? Describe Paris. Direction from Madrid? Rome? London? New York? What else of Paris? 2. What of

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Rouen? What of Lyons? What of Marseilles? What of Bordeaux? 3. Climate of France? Soil? Productions? 4. Character and manners of the French people? 5. What of the gentlemen? The ladies? 6. Manufactures of France? What is the use of the fancy articles manufactured in France? 7. What of the French as to dress? Milliners and mantua-makers? 8. What might seem to be the character of the French? What does their history display? 9. What of their talent for war? Their genius for other things?

CHAP. CIX.-EUROPE continued.

ABOUT THE GAULS AND OTHER TRIBES OF BARBARIANS. HOW THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF EUROPE WERE FIRST SETTLED, AND HOW THE NORTHERN PARTS WERE SETTLED AFTERWARDS.

1. In the course of this history, I have had frequent occasion to mention various northern tribes of Europe, called barbarians, and perhaps I shall not find a better opportunity than the present to give you some account of them. You remember that Greece was settled before any other part of Europe. The first inhabitants were the descendants of Japheth. The descendants of these spread themselves over Greece, and probably other parts of Europe.

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2. As the people increased along the shores of Asia and Africa, they sent colonies to different places along the shores of the Mediterranean. Some settled in Greece, some in Italy, some in Spain. These countries being warm, pleasant, and fruitful, were soon filled with inhabitants. Living upon the coast, they had a great many ships, and carried on commerce with different countries.

3. In this way, after many years, they grew rich, and built large cities, with fine houses, temples, and palaces. Such was the course of events in regard to all southern Europe, of which I have been telling you the story. But while these things were going on, various tribes were emigrating into the more northern portions of Europe.

4. Here the climate was colder, and the soil less fruitful. Still, the woods were full of elks, rein-deer, fallow-deer, the roe-buck, wild bulls, wild boars, and many other animals. These supplied food for the inhabitants, and the chase furnished excellent sport for the adventurous men of those days.

5. Beside all this, in these regions, unoccupied by a man, the land was very cheap, and whoever would come and take it might have it. These circumstances invited the people to leave the soft, sunny regions of Greece, Italy, Spain, and also of Asia, for the colder and wilder realms of northern Europe.

6. Thus tribe followed tribe, and nation followed nation, until the whole country was occupied, from the Mediterranean on the south, to the Arctic Sea on the north. It was, in fact, very much such a course of events as you may have seen going on in America.

7. Those portions of America first settled by the Europeans were along the Atlantic seaboard. Here they first built houses, and founded cities. After a while, they went into the farther interior, in search of wild game and new

lands. Thus they continued to push farther and farther into the country, and even now they are still advancing toward the far west.

QUESTIONS.-1. What of Greece? 2. How were the shores of the Mediterranean settled? What of the people in those countries? 3. How were the northern portions of Europe settled? 4. Climate and soil of northern Europe? What furnished subsistence to the inhabitants? 5. What of the land? What induced the people to settle in northern Europe? 6. How does the settlement of America compare with that of Europe?

CHAP. CX.-EUROPE continued.

THE STORY OF THE BARBARIANS CONTINUED.

1. I HAVE now shown you how the north of Europe was gradually settled by tribes that emigrated from the south of Europe, and from Asia. These might be compared to a vast stream that continued to flow on, growing wider and advancing farther, until at length the whole country was peopled.

2. But you must remark one thing, that these emigrants were savages, and of a warlike character; they therefore did not mingle into one great nation, but each tribe remained distinct. As they increased in numbers, they increased in power.

3. After a while, something would happen to bring two tribes living near each other into a state of war. Fierce battles would follow, and a great many would be killed.