don, whose mayor takes the title of Lord: Constantine the Great here first assumed the empire of Rome: Marston Moor is to the west of this city, where Prince Rupert was defeated in 1644. Pop. 28,842. (2.)

ORIGIN OF ENGLISH NAMES.

The frequent occurrence of towns and rivers of the same name shows that, however unmeaning the terms may now be, they were once words of significative import. The derivation of many of them may yet be traced to the Celtic, the Saxon, and the Norman languages. Thus Aber, signifies the mouth of a river, as Abergavenny. Ac or Ack, an oak, as Acton.

Ald is the Saxon for old, thus Aldborough.

Burn, a running stream, as Otterburn.

Caster, Chester, &c. are from the Latin castrum, a camp.

Chipping, a market, as Chipping Norton, Chippenham, &c.
Ford, a passage over a river, as Oxford.

Ham, a dwelling, as Horsham.

Mar or Mer, is the sea, as Margate, an opening of the sea.
Minster, a monastery, as Westminster.

Ness signifies a headland, as Sheerness.

Nottingham is from the Saxon Snotengham, a place of caves.

Wich signifies a salt spring, as Droitwich.

Wick is from the Latin vicus, a street, as Berwick, i. e. the barrier town.

OF THE NAMES OF RIVERS.

Aire signifies a fishing weir; Avon, a river; Dee, black; Esk or Usk, water; Derwent, water from a hill; Severn, muddy; Thame, quiet; this river, on being joined by the Isis, takes both names, Thamesis, contracted into Thames.

POPULATION.

England and Wales has 16 millions of inhabitants— about 275 to the square mile; a density of population which exceeds that of any other country except China.

Human life is longer in Britain than elsewhere, owing to the com. fort and cleanliness enjoyed throughout the country.

The English are descendants of the Anglo-Saxons in

termingled with the Normans and other tribes. The Welsh are sprung from the ancient Britons.

LANGUAGE.

The English language is copious and strong, its vocabulary consists of upwards of 90,000 words. The body of it is Saxon, but it contains a large number of Latin, Greek, French, and other foreign words.

In the translation of the Lord's Prayer, only five words are not Saxon. This language, originally the dialect of a small tribe emigrating from the mouth of the Elbe, is the native tongue of millions in every quarter of the globe. In it Milton and Shakspeare wrote; in it Burke and Chatham, Fox and Pitt, gave utterance to the splendours of their eloquence; by it Bacon and Locke, Boyle and Newton, communicated their discoveries in morals and in physics-names, which, at the least, will live as long as any of those of Greece or Rome.

CHARACTER.

The English are characterised by their love of liberty, their bravery, their industry, and their active and enterprising spirit. The social affections are much cherished, and the sweets of domestic intercourse are largely enjoyed. They are less sprightly and gay than the French, but more thoughtful and sincere. The middling and lower classes enjoy a much larger share of real comfort and independence than usually falls to the lot of these ranks. The nation is in general well educated, though in some of the rural districts of the southern and midland counties a lamentable degree of ignorance prevails. The only universities are those of Oxford and Cambridge, together with the recently established institutions of London and Durham.

RELIGION.

The established religion is Protestant, the English people, under Henry VIII., being the first who renounced the Pope's supremacy. The Church of England is governed by two archbishops, and twenty-five bishops.

The archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of all EngThe dissenters from the church are very numer

land.

ous and enjoy complete toleration.

ANCIENT NAMES.

Albion and Britannia.

QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION.

Between what parallels is Great Britain situated? Describe the boundaries of England. What are the principal capes of England? Into how many counties is England divided? What counties lie to the north, and what are their chief towns? Name the midland counties, &c. Name the highest hills in England and Wales.

What river falls into the sea at Tynemouth? What river runs through the middle of the county of Durham, and where does it fall into the sea? What river divides Durham from Yorkshire? On what river is Whitby situated? What are the rivers in Yorkshire that flow into the Humber? On what rivers are York, Leeds,

Sheffield, and Ripon situated?

What river runs from the south into the Humber? Describe the rise, course, and tributary streams of this river. On what river is Boston situated? What river runs by Wisbeach? Describe the course of the Southern Ouse. What rivers are there in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex ? To how many counties does the river Thames serve as a boundary? What are the principal towns it runs by? On what river is Canterbury?

What are the rivers that run into the English Channel? What large river empties itself into the Bristol Channel? On what river is Chester situated? What river runs by Liverpool? On what river are Appleby and Carlisle ? On what river is Lancaster ?

What is the climate of England? Name the principal coal-fields of England. Where is tin, where is copper wrought? Point out the lead mining districts. Write out a list of the principal towns in each of the six northern counties. Do the same with each of the counties bordering on Wales, &c. What is the population of England? From whom are the English descended? What is the character of the English? What is the established religion?

N. B.-A useful way of examining a class upon the towns of England, is to write the names given in the preceding list upon counters, and to distribute them promiscuously to the pupils; those who cannot

tell the situation of the places to yield the counters to those who can. The pupils may be directed to prepare a series of questions on separate pieces of card, upon the remarks appended to the towns, as, " Which is the head-quarters of the British navy?" "Which is the most westerly town in England ?" "Where was Mary Queen of Scots beheaded ?" These questions may be promiscuously distributed as before.

SCOTLAND.

The northern portion of Great Britain, called Scotland, is 280 miles in length, and 160 at its greatest breadth; it extends from 54 to 59 degrees north latitude, and from 2o to 6o W. long.

The superficial contents are 29,871 square miles.

Scotland is divided into 33 counties, which, according to their situation, may be arranged in three divisions.

The coast of Scotland is very irregular, especially on the western side, though the deep indentations of the sea on both sides approach so nearly to each other as almost to sever the country into three parts.

The principal headlands are Cape Wrath, in Sutherland; Dunnet Head, in Caithness, the most northerly point in the country; Peterhead, in Aberdeen, the most easterly; St. Abb's Head, in Berwickshire; the Mull of Galloway, the most southerly point of Scotland; and the Mull of Cantire, which terminates the peninsula of that name.