age, of the small-pox. This, as you know, is a very dangerous disease if taken in the natural way. The art of inoculating persons for the small-pox, and thus rendering the disease more mild, was not then known in England. In our time, vaccination has been discovered by Dr. Jenner, which produces a disease still milder, scarcely to be called a disease; but which is generally found to prevent the liability to small-pox as effectually as inoculation.

Ever yours, &c.

Character of William the Third.

William the Third was of a middle stature ; thin, and of a delicate constitution; subject to an asthma and continual cough from his infancy. He had an aquiline (hooked) nose, sparkling eyes, and a large forehead. He was a great warrior, but not a pleasing companion. He was considered to be religious, temperate, and sincere; but his ambition led him into continual

wars.

QUESTIONS.

When king James had abdicated the throne of England, who

was chosen in his place?

What relation was the new queen to king James?

What was the religion of king William and of queen Mary?

Did the English rejoice in having William and Mary, instead

of James?

Why did they?

Were the French also glad of this change?

Why were they not?

Did king James go to Ireland?

What town was besieged by king James and his Irish supporters ?

Can you mention any of the particulars of the siege of Londonderry?

Did James and the Roman Catholics of Ireland continue to

oppose the Protestant army of king William?

Where was a great battle fought?

Which side was victorious?

In what city did the Irish Catholics make their last stand, in favour of king James?

Where did James the Second reside during the latter part of

his life?

Did the king of France lend him his assistance?

Who was king of France at that time?

Were many attempts made to restore king James to the

throne of England?

Did they succeed?

In what manner did James pass the latter years of his life,

and where did he die, and in what year?

Was king William a great soldier, and was he during a great part of his reign engaged in war?

Against whom chiefly?

What was the cause of his death?

Where did he die?

In what year was this?

What was the cause of queen Mary's death?

LETTER XXVIII.

MY DEAR BOY,

In the last letter which I wrote to you, I told you that, after king James the Second had given up the crown of England, king William was chosen to be king in his stead. I think I told you, also, that queen Mary, William's wife, was the daughter of James the Second. Now there was no objection to having Mary for a queen, for she was not a Papist, like her father; she had embraced the Protestant religion. King James had also another daughter, whose name was Anne; and, as she was a Protestant likewise, she was ap

pointed to be queen, after the death of William ; for William died without children. The rest of the family of James were not allowed to reign in England, because they still continued to follow the Popish religion. They made, indeed, several attempts to get possession of the kingdom, but could never succeed; for the people now saw the excellence of the Christian religion, as it is held by Protestants, and, therefore, it was settled, by law, that no Papist should be king of England. The male descendants of king James did, indeed, call themselves kings and princes of England; they are, however, usually called, by the English, Pretenders: but I may, perhaps, say more of them in some other letter.

Queen Anne was thirty-eight years of age when she came to the throne.

I told you that the greater part of the last king's reign was taken up in wars; because the king was himself a great soldier: but we shall see that, even in the reign of Anne, there was a great deal of fighting too. The queen herself, it is true, could not well fight; but she had a great general, the duke of Marlborough, and he fought a great many battles against the French, and ge

nerally beat them. The French king, Louis the Fourteenth, thought, that, when our king William was dead, and England was governed by a woman, he should have nothing to fear; but he soon found that he was deceived in holding this opinion; for the queen was determined to keep up the character of the country for bravery, and her friend the duchess of Marlborough encouraged her in this, and the duke fought for her, so that things were, perhaps, never carried on with more spirit in England, than in the reign of queen Anne. Many battles were won, and many towns on the Continent were taken, and a great deal of honour was gained to the general and the soldiers, and the nation: but whether any real advantage was got by these wars, or any addition to the nation's real prosperity or happiness, is a matter which I shall not pretend to determine.

The greatest battle which the duke of Marlborough fought was the battle of Blenheim. It was so called, because it was fought in the neighbourhood of the village of Blenheim, near the river Danube, in Germany. The duke gained a complete victory. The queen and the people were filled with joy at this success. The duke