Who can help wishing that our venerable king, whose spirit had roused his people to maintain this struggle against French ambition and revolutionary principles, had been permitted to witness its triumphant close? In 1810 the malady with which he had been more than once afflicted, rendered him again incapable of business, and was never removed. His eldest son was made Prince Regent, and retained his father's ministry. In 1812, Lord Liverpool became first lord of the treasury on the death of Mr. Perceval, who was shot in the lobby of the House of Commons by a desperate person named Bellingham, to whom he had given no offence. Mr. Canning and Lord Castlereagh were Lord Liverpool's colleagues. The latter became Marquess of Londonderry on his father's death.

It is little to the credit of the Americans, that while England was struggling so nobly in the defence of all that is sacred and valuable, they engaged her in a new war in 1812; nor was peace concluded till 1815, in which year the whole of Europe was electrified by the return of Napoleon to France.

It was never likely that that restless spirit would be satisfied with the petty territory which was assigned him, while its proximity to France was a continual temptation to him to return. Having landed at Frejus, he was welcomed with enthusiastic affection, and his march to Paris was one continued proof of the magical power which his name possessed over the army and citizens of France. Louis was forced to withdraw to Ghent, and the allies once more roused themselves to the contest, which was thus renewed. A large army was formed in the Netherlands under the Duke of Wellington, who encountered and totally defeated the French in a great battle at Waterloo, near Brussels, in which the power of Napoleon was finally broken. He had exhausted his resources in the preparation for this final struggle, and resolved to surrender himself to the English. By these he was sent to end his days in the isle of St. Helena, where his personal comfort was attended to by the British government, and as much liberty allowed him as was consistent with his safe custody. Paris was a second time taken possession of, and a general peace once more concluded.

No event in our history is more glorious to England than

this termination of a war carried on so perseveringly, to preserve the national independence, and to support the great principles of order and religion.

From the date of the battle of Waterloo to the death of George III. few matters occurred which require mention in a work like the present. England was at peace with the world. Her character for daring and enduring, for chivalrous resistance and for more than chivalrous forbearance, had become established among all civilized nations. The only foreign expedition which was undertaken during this interval was one which was sent out to Algiers, under the command of Lord Exmouth, to compel the release of the Christian slaves in the possession of the Dey of that place. After a fierce bombardment of the town the captives were surrendered, and the English fleet sailed away.

At home matters were not so tranquil as they were abroad. Distress had been felt more or less during the whole period of the war; but various causes had combined to make men bear it without repining. Taxes were heavy, it was true; but then they were necessary to avert from their hearths and homes those evils under which the whole continent was groaning. Accordingly, they bore them with what cheerfulness they might, and hoped that when peace came, plenty would follow in its train. They were disappointed. Peace brought no immediate reduction in taxation. A vast public debt had been accumulated; the value of land became lower, in consequence of the foreign demand for provisions having fallen; various trades, more or less connected with war, became less in request; and large bodies of men were thrown out of employment. The natural results were, murmurs, seditious meetings, disaffection to the Government, and other symptoms of an unhealthy state of things, which were not repressed without the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, and other

severe measures.

The latter years of the aged king were darkened by mournful family events, as well as by these national disturbances. His grand-daughter, the only child of the Regent, had been married on the 2nd of May, 1816, to Prince Leopold, of Saxe Cobourg. She had long been the hope of the nation, for she was at that time the only

descendant of George III. of that degree of kindred. But it was not ordered that the line of English sovereigns should be continued either in herself or in her offspring. She died on November 6, 1817, after having been delivered of a dead child, to the great grief of the whole nation.

On the 17th of November, 1818, Queen Charlotte expired at Kew Palace, after a lingering illness. Edward, Duke of Kent, the fourth son of George III., died of the effects of a neglected cold on January 23, 1820. He had married Victoria, a princess of Saxe Cobourg, and left an only child, the Princess Alexandrina Victoria (our present Queen), then not a year old. Six days after this last event the aged monarch himself descended to the grave. Personally he had long been lost to his subjects, but the example in high place of a virtuous and affectionate father had not been without effect upon the age. The piety of the king was warm and sincere. He valued the Church, and the Scriptures, of which the Church is the witness and keeper, and uniformly exercised his influence on the side of sound principle and true religion. He was possessed of considerable ability, and was well acquainted with the history of foreign states and its bearing upon that of England. In the events of the day he took deep interest, and, accordingly, had a greater share in the direction of affairs of state than was generally supposed. His firmness, it is believed, averted for a time more than one measure which was directed against the Church. For these reasons he has not unfrequently been called with reverence and affection-George the Good.

It would be impossible even to allude to the changes which the sixty years' reign of this king produced or witnessed in the condition of England. A mere catalogue of the useful inventions, or novel applications of machinery, by which it was distinguished, would fill a considerable volume. On these subjects, therefore, we think it best to send the reader to other sources of information. The progress of a nation in art and science; the development of the resources which it possesses in its soil, and in the intellectual power of its members; the advances made by it, from time to time, in comfort and civilization; its contrivances for diminishing manual labour, while, at the same time, production is multiplied a hundred-fold; the expedients which it adopts for maintaining its increasing

population, are, indeed, inviting topics, but cannot be treated of in this place, either generally or with reference to our own nation in particular.

In every department in which mind can be exercised a wonderful progress was made during these sixty years. We cannot do more than mention a few leading names in each department.

In Poetry-Chatterton, Home, Burns, Scott, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Rogers, Southey, Byron.

In History-Gibbon, Sir James Mackintosh.

In the Fine Arts-Sir Joshua Reynolds, Banks, Gainsborough.

In the Law-Sir William Blackstone, Lord Thurlow, Lord Stowell, Lord Eldon.

In the practical application of Science-Brindley, Watt, Arkwright, Smeaton.

In Astronomy-Herschel.

In Philology-Kennicott, Hurd, Porson, Dobree.

A great improvement in the warmth of the Church's teaching is traceable throughout this reign. Her missionary exertions continued, and also her endeavours to diffuse Christian knowledge at home. Greater attention began to be paid to education. The Universities revised their systems, and thus a more learned clergy were sent throughout the land. In the year 1811 the National Society was established, for the express purpose of instructing the children of the poor; week-day and Sunday schools raised their heads in the most remote parishes; men began to feel that it was a sounder and more Christian practice to prevent than to punish crime; to rear in holiness than to visit for sin; to train in the paths of the Church than to recal from those of separatism. Many names occur in the annals of the English Episcopate, which adorn this period by the learning or piety of their possessors. Warburton, bishop of Gloucester; Lowth, bishop of Oxford; Barrington, bishop of Durham; Porteus, bishop of London; Watson, bishop of Llandaff; Horsley, bishop of St. Asaph; Horne, bishop of Norwich; Burgess, bishop of Salisbury; and Van Mildert, bishop of Durham. These are a few out of the goodly catalogue of men, of whom it is not too much to say, that to the latest days of the Church "the people will tell of their wisdom, and the congregation will show forth their praise."