Popular history of France

Preface

THESE Stories on the History of France are meant for cliildren perhaps a year older tlian those on the History of England. They try to put such facts as need most to be remembered in a comprehensible form, and to attach some real characteristic to each reign; though, in later political history, it is diflacult to translate the leading ideas into anything that can enter an intellect of seven or eight years old. The gentleman who, some time ago, recommended teaching history backwards from our own time, could never have practically tried how much harder it is to make la C/iarte or the Keform Bill interesting to the childish mind, than how King Kobert fed the beggars or William Rufus was killed by an arrow. Early history is generally personal, and thus can be far more easily recollected than that which concerns the multitude, who are indeed everything to the philanthropist, but are nothing to the child. Even the popular fairy tale has its princes and princesses, and the wonder tale of history can only be carried on in the infant imagination by the like dramat't personce.

CHARLOTTE M. YONGE.

Contents

CHAP, 1. —

The Old Kelts. B.C. 150 .

The Roman Conquest. B.C. 67. a.d. 79