The European nations were not inattentive spectators of the struggle between Britain and her colonies. The French soldiers who had been employed in assisting the American revolters, returned to France, strongly imbued with the principles of civil liberty, and much predisposed to resist the despotic authority of their own monarchs. Accordingly, almost immediately after the termination of the Anglo-American war, a revolution began in France, which did not end, till the reigning family of France, like that of England in the former century, was driven from the throne. France, for a short season, became a republic, and commenced a system of encroachment on the neighbouring states, the results of which belong to the history of the following century.

In Asia, the most important, and to Europeans, the most interesting object during this century, is the gradual rise of the British empire in India.

SIXTH ERA.

French Revolution.

THIS era finds Bonaparte, a military adventurer from Corsica, wielding the government of France, as the head of a triumvirate, with the title of First Consul; and, in consequence of a series of victories, possessing the chief influence in Europe. Britain, his great opponent, is mistress of the sea, and possesses a large empire in India, the West Indies, and Canada, with many important colonies, and military stations in various parts of the world. Spain and Portugal are in possession of extensive empires in South America. Three new important states have risen since the former era, namely, the United States of America, formed of British settlers; Holland, which had formerly belonged to the crown of Spain; and Russia, which has arisen, from a state of barbarism, to a place among the civilized nations of Europe. Prussia, also, from being an electorate of the German empire, has become an independent kingdom; and Austria has acquired extensive territories. On the other hand, Poland has been partitioned between Russia, Prussia, and Austria, by a series of acts of the basest treachery and violence. Further to the east, the Turkish empire still exists, but

weak, and apparently sinking to its dissolution. Still further to the east, Russia is encroaching on the more southern states of Asia, and is now conterminous with China and Persia. In Hindostan, the Mogul empire exists but in name; its territory being nearly all in the hands of the British, or under British influence.

NINETEENTH CENTURY.-The French republicans had, at the close of the former century, entered on a career of conquest and aggrandizement, and having taught the people to regard military exploits as the glory of France, laid open their republic to be subverted by any military leader of sufficient talent to command the admiration of the nation. Such a leader soon appeared in Bonaparte, a Corsican, and a subaltern officer in the French army. He entered with all his natural enthusiasm into the revolutionary sentiments of the day; and, by his military skill, soon rose to eminence, and so dazzled the people by what they were taught to regard as the glory of his exploits, that he attained to the chief power in the republic, which he soon overturned, and crowned himself Emperor. He carried forward the system of French aggrandizement which the republic had commenced, till the greater part of Europe was, directly or indirectly, under his control. The powers of Europe had been repeatedly roused to resist the encroachments of Bonaparte, but in vain; till he broke the power of his own arm, by a mad attempt to conquer Russia. The Russians retired before him. He advanced as far as Moscow, which the Russians evacuated and burned. The winter was approaching; he could neither maintain himself in Moscow, nor advance further. He was at length compelled to retreat, surrounded and harassed by the unbroken armies of Russia, and an inveterately hostile population. Winter assailed him in all its rigour, and the consequence was, that of nearly half a million of men, whom he had led into Russia, but a few thousands found their way back to their own country.

The European powers saw this to be a fit opportunity for regaining their own authority and influence, and assailed Bonaparte on every side. He continued to offer a vigorous and dexterous resistance, till, overpowered by numbers, he was subdued, and forced to resign the crown.

He was permitted to retire to the island of Elba, in the Mediterranean. From that island he very soon issued, marched to Paris, was hailed by the French soldiery, and reinstated in the empire. The other powers of Europe were again leagued against him, and began to assemble their armies on the northern frontier of France. He marched against them, defeated the Prussians, but was almost immediately afterwards met by the British army at Waterloo, and there totally routed, A.D. 1815. The result was, that he again resigned the crown, surrendered himself to a British ship of war, was sent to confinement to St. Helena, where he remained till he died, A.D. 1821. The Bourbons were then recalled to the throne of France. There are three features of this period, which must not be overlooked. The first is the rapid advancement of science, and of the useful arts. Mathematics have been carried to an extent, and have attained to a power and facility of investigation, of which the ancients formed no conception. Astronomy, by the aid of Mathematics and of Optics, has opened up the system of the universe; subjected the various heavenly bodies to weight and measurement; and accounted with mathematical precision, not only for all the phenomena known to the ancients, but for ten thousand other phenomena, that have been discovered by the more powerful instruments which optics have placed at their disposal. Mental phenomena, also, and all departments of knowledge that relate to the direction and cultivation of the understanding, have been investigated on the principles of sound philosophy; and many important practical truths have been established. Natural History, in all its branches, has been cultivated with a zeal and success altogether unprecedented. New subjects of investigation have been opened and pursued to a surprising extent. The sciences of Political Economy and of Chemistry may be regarded as the creations of this period; and Geology is only yet attaining to the form and consistency of a science. Geography, also, has explored the surface of our planet in almost every direction. And along with the increase of knowledge, have come increase of human power, and addition to human comfort and convenience. Machinery, in every department of labour,

has been carried to great perfection. The invention of the steam engine has placed a power, to which it would be difficult to assign limits, at the disposal of men; and this mighty instrument has been applied to manufactures, and latterly to water and land carriage, with the most surprising results. The more delicate machines, such as clocks and watches, although not the invention of this last period, have been brought to high perfection in it; and the recent discovery of gas light has added much to the comfort and safety of cities and towns.

The second feature of this period, to which we have alluded, is the great progress that has been made in translating the Sacred Scriptures into the various languages of the world. The Scriptures had been previously translated at different times, into most of the languages of Europe, and had existed, from a very early period, in Syriac, Arabic, and Coptic; but a great addition to such translations, chiefly into eastern languages and dialects, belongs to the present period.

The third remarkable feature of this period, is the abolition, first of the slave trade, and afterwards of slavery in the British Colonies. The zeal of a few benevolent individuals was chiefly instrumental in opening the eyes of the British public to the enormous crimes to which they were rendering themselves parties, by sanctioning the slave trade, and by the condition of the slaves in the British West India Islands. The result was, that the nation was roused to indignation at the fearful recitals, and became determined to wash its hands of the foul stain. And, after a determined struggle against the parties interested, humanity triumphed-first the traffic in slaves was declared to be felony, and subsequently the British nation purchased the freedom of the slaves from their masters, subjects of the empire, and advanced to them the sum of twenty millions, to set the wretched captives at liberty.

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DUBLIN:

ALEXANDER THOM, 87 & 88, ABBEY-STREET,

PRINTER TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF NATIONAL EDUCATION.