PREFACE. THE present volume was undertaken with a view of furnishing the youthful student with a brief but comprehensive history of the most ancient and interesting portion of the British Empire. The dominions of our sovereign beyond the seas-from their vast extent, increasing population, and boundless. resources are gaining so rapidly in importance, that a knowledge of them is now scarcely less necessary than an acquaintance with the history of our own country. To this condition of things the supervisors of British education have become alive; and a neglect of the subject cannot be long tolerated in our schools. If so much importance attaches to the British dependencies in general, the portion under notice has special claims upon our attention, inasmuch as its history, replete with interesting incidents, is, in a great measure, a chronicle of the deeds of some of the foremost names in English story. Such considerations, it is hoped, will be found to justify the Publishers in adding this to their historical series. THE WOODLANDS, October, 1875. W. C. P. |