CHAPTER XXXVII
I have now arrived at the close of my little history. The events whichsucceeded the famous Revolution of one thousand six hundred and eighty-eight, would neither be easily related nor easily understood in such abook as this.
William and Mary reigned together, five years. After the death of hisgood wife, William occupied the throne, alone, for seven years longer.During his reign, on the sixteenth of September, one thousand sevenhundred and one, the poor weak creature who had once been James theSecond of England, died in France. In the meantime he had done hisutmost (which was not much) to cause William to be assassinated, and toregain his lost dominions. James's son was declared, by the French King,the rightful King of England; and was called in France THE CHEVALIERSAINT GEORGE, and in England THE PRETENDER. Some infatuated people inEngland, and particularly in Scotland, took up the Pretender's cause fromtime to time--as if the country had not had Stuarts enough!--and manylives were sacrificed, and much misery was occasioned. King William diedon Sunday, the seventh of March, one thousand seven hundred and two, ofthe consequences of an accident occasioned by his horse stumbling withhim. He was always a brave, patriotic Prince, and a man of remarkableabilities. His manner was cold, and he made but few friends; but he hadtruly loved his queen. When he was dead, a lock of her hair, in a ring,was found tied with a black ribbon round his left arm.
He was succeeded by the PRINCESS ANNE, a popular Queen, who reignedtwelve years. In her reign, in the month of May, one thousand sevenhundred and seven, the Union between England and Scotland was effected,and the two countries were incorporated under the name of GREAT BRITAIN.Then, from the year one thousand seven hundred and fourteen to the yearone thousand, eight hundred and thirty, reigned the four GEORGES.
It was in the reign of George the Second, one thousand seven hundred andforty-five, that the Pretender did his last mischief, and made his lastappearance. Being an old man by that time, he and the Jacobites--as hisfriends were called--put forward his son, CHARLES EDWARD, known as theyoung Chevalier. The Highlanders of Scotland, an extremely troublesomeand wrong-headed race on the subject of the Stuarts, espoused his cause,and he joined them, and there was a Scottish rebellion to make him king,in which many gallant and devoted gentlemen lost their lives. It was ahard matter for Charles Edward to escape abroad again, with a high priceon his head; but the Scottish people were extraordinarily faithful tohim, and, after undergoing many romantic adventures, not unlike those ofCharles the Second, he escaped to France. A number of charming storiesand delightful songs arose out of the Jacobite feelings, and belong tothe Jacobite times. Otherwise I think the Stuarts were a public nuisancealtogether.
It was in the reign of George the Third that England lost North America,by persisting in taxing her without her own consent. That immensecountry, made independent under WASHINGTON, and left to itself, becamethe United States; one of the greatest nations of the earth. In thesetimes in which I write, it is honourably remarkable for protecting itssubjects, wherever they may travel, with a dignity and a determinationwhich is a model for England. Between you and me, England has ratherlost ground in this respect since the days of Oliver Cromwell.
The Union of Great Britain with Ireland--which had been getting on veryill by itself--took place in the reign of George the Third, on the secondof July, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight.
WILLIAM THE FOURTH succeeded George the Fourth, in the year one thousandeight hundred and thirty, and reigned seven years. QUEEN VICTORIA, hisniece, the only child of the Duke of Kent, the fourth son of George theThird, came to the throne on the twentieth of June, one thousand eighthundred and thirty-seven. She was married to PRINCE ALBERT of Saxe Gothaon the tenth of February, one thousand eight hundred and forty. She isvery good, and much beloved. So I end, like the crier, with
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
END