AN

ABRIDGEMENT

OF THE

HISTORY OF
OF ENGLAND:

FROM

THE INVASION OF JULIUS CAESAR TO THE DEATH OF
GEORGE THE SECOND:

BY DR. GOLDSMITH.

REVISED, CORRECTED, AND IMPROVED, WITH EXERCISES AT THE
END OF EACH CHAPTER;

ALSO A

CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY TO THE BEGINNING OF 1826.

COWIE, JOLLAND, & Co.; SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & Co.;
C. H. LAW, HAMILTON, ADAMS, & Co.; T. DEAN & SON;
HOULSTON & STONEMAN; AND SMITH, ELDER, & Co.

1856.

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PREFACE.

Ir scarcely needs to be remarked, that a School-book should be recommended by its accuracy. When children are required to give a detailed account of what they read, it is injudicious to put into their hands, what is either carelessly written, or incorrectly printed. Goldsmith's History of England has passed through many editions, and common impressions are more likely to propagate, than to rectify, errors. A knowledge of this truth, from long experience as a Teacher, suggested the propriety of comparing the copy, intended for the Printer, with the Authors whom Goldsmith had adopted for his guides. Not satisfied with their authority, I examined with care the pages of Henry's History of Great Britain, and other eminent writers, whose narratives either authenticated, or enabled me to correct, the statements of Goldsmith. The labour of perusal I found amply rewarded by the discovery of many errors in dates, numbers, and even in facts. I have occasionally introduced a sentence where the connection was broken, or where the transition was so rapid as to produce obscurity. To interfere as little as possible with the language of Goldsmith, I found it necessary, in some instances, to add an explanatory note at the foot of the page. I have inserted a number of dates, the want of which has been a general subject of complaint with Teachers

Besides these important points, which claimed my particular attention, I have removed certain grammatical errors which pervaded the whole work; as, from whence, from thence, scarce for scarcely, agreeable for agreeably, previous for previously, and others of the same kind. The frequent use of that as a relative pronoun, perplexes the Learner, who often finds it difficult to ascertain its true meaning. I have removed this inaccuracy, by employing who, whose, whom, or which, as the case required. It was sometimes, though very seldom, neces