PREFACE. IN making the following Historical Selections, the Compilers have been influenced by the conviction of a need which has probably often been felt by persons engaged in education. It is easy to teach young children the outlines of History from Abridgments and Catechisms; but, when these have been gone through, and it becomes desirable to give a more enlarged view of the subject, in order to render it really useful and interesting, a difficulty often arises as to the choice of books. Two courses are open: either to take a general and consequently dry history of facts, such as Russel's "Modern Europe;" or to choose some work treating of a particular period or subject, such as Lord Macaulay's and Mr. Froude's Histories, and Dean Milman's "Latin Christianity." The former course is usually found to render the study of history uninteresting. The latter (although the works themselves are fascinating) is unsatisfactory, because it is not sufficiently comprehensive. Experience having proved that the difficulty existed, it was thought that it might be remedied by continuous and chronological selections, taken, as much as was practicable, from the larger works, which it is next to impossible for young people to read at school, and which many may never have the time and opportunity to study in after life. The style of these works, and the manner in which the various subjects are treated, is so superior to that of ordinary Abridgments, that the extracts can scarcely fail to be interesting; and it is hoped that when certain definite events and distinct biographies are imprinted on the memory and imagination, they will stand out as landmarks, round which other less important incidents may be grouped, and thus a clearer view of the course and purpose of historical events may be given than could be obtained even from a connected outline. The volume now published is an attempt to carry out this idea; and if it should prove successful, the Compilers hope to be enabled to follow it up with others of a similar character, bringing down European History to the present time. It has not, indeed, always been possible to make choice of authors of equal celebrity, since only a few have written upon the subjects which it was necessary to introduce in order to connect the leading incidents of European History with those of England. But the selection has in all cases been made with the desire of giving specimens of good English composition, as well as the most complete and interesting accounts of the events narrated. The sincere thanks of the Compilers are due to Dean Milman, Dean Hook, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Pearson, Mr. Church, and the owners of the copyright of the other works from which selections have been taken, for the courteous readiness with which they have allowed the extracts to be made. To Lady Stephen especially they beg to express their gratitude, with an apology for the copious use they have made of Sir James Stephen's beautiful Essay on Gregory VII. June 29th, 1868. INTRODUCTION THE History of England properly commences at a much earlier date than the Norman Conquest, but this period has been selected for the direct commencement of the following sketches as being marked by an infusion of vigour into the nation more important than has ever since been effected. England had been England, or the land of the Angles, for five hundred years previous; ever since, indeed, it received its share of the great Teutonic flood which submerged the Roman power in Western Europe. Lombards in Italy, Goths in Spain, Franks in Gaul, Burgundians from the Alps to the Netherlands, all won the victory in the same century as that in which the Angles and Saxons (whether these names represent two tribes or are two titles for the same race) were mastering Southeastern Britain. The fate of Continental Europe and Britain would appear therefore, at first sight, precisely similar, since both had received an original Celtic population, subdued and taught by the Romans, more or less converted by Christian teachers, and then overwhelmed by the Teutonic invaders. But the resemblance is chiefly on the surface. In Italy, Spain, Gaul, and Burgundy, Latin grandeur, art, and cultivation were sufficiently strong to leave a lasting impress upon the Teutonic conquerors. Roman civilization was not in these lands destroyed by the barbarians; on the contrary, it so overawed |