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An Introduction to Universal History, for the Use of Schools [By H.H. Wilson].
An Introduction to Universal History for the Use of Schools - By H.H. Wilson Author:Horace Hayman Wilson General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1854 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: 43 PART II. -- EUROPEAN HISTORY. As more immediately connected with what precedes, and as exercising eventually an important influence upon the eastern nations, we shall first give an account of the rise and progress of the kingdoms of Europe, and then direct our attention to Asia, Africa, and America. 1. GREAT BRITAIN. 1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain consists of three states, originally distinct and independent, or England, Scotland, and Ireland. 2. The first inhabitants were of the Celtic race, and connected in manners and religion with the neighbouring people of Gaul. These Celtic tribes, although uncivilized, were far from being wholly barbarous. They were collected in political communities under the government of a king. They had a national religion, administered by a body of priests, the Druids, who delivered their instructions in verse, and were possessed of some knowledge of philosophy, astronomy, and medicine. The northern and midland tribes were a pastoral, but those of the south, an agricultural people. These latter also understood the working of mines, and fusing of metals, and carried on a lucrative commerce in tin, lead, and iron, with the Phrenicians and Carthaginians, long before the island of Britain was invaded by the Romans. 3. Britain was invaded by Julius Csesar, B. C. 55, but not finally subdued until the reign of Domitian, by the Roman general Agricola, A. D. 86. It continued a Roman province until the reign of Honorius, A. D. 411. 4. At that time the decline of the Roman power obliged the emperor to withdraw all his troops from the island, and the Britons were tol...« less