without being first sure that the general outline of the "before and after" has been grasped. While a multitude of histories of persons and periods, excellently written, are put into the hands of young people, the dry bones of history are rather at a discount. The old unintelligent schoolroom drill, which involved learning strings of dates, had, with many disadvantages, at least some advantages. And a boy or girl may be better prepared to take an intelligent interest in history in the future if they know, so that they will never forget them, the dates of the Kings of England, of some leading events, and of the Prime Ministers from Walpole to the present time, than if they have been prematurely interested in the detail of special periods, to the exclusion of a knowledge of the general outlines. If the outlines have been insisted on and intelligently taught, the interest in private reading of history, for its own sake, will be increased rather than lessened. At present English history is the only part of modern history which is largely taught in schools. One of the main advantages for teaching purposes of English history is its continuity. If this continuity is lost sight of it is a great disadvantage to the learner. The grammar, or continuous outline of English history, may be taught while the memory is fresh and strong, and on this foundation the knowledge of the whole constitutional and political history may be gradually built up. Our aim, however inadequately carried out, has been to keep this principle of continuity in view; not to encourage "cram," except so far as this sometimes misused word may include accurate and well-arranged knowledge. The present book, of course, could only be used by the higher forms in schools. Should it be thought desirable, an abridged form, on exactly the same method, would be published, and a third form simpler still. In this way, the same plan being preserved, the pupil would advance from the simplest outline, not to a new book, but merely to one containing additional facts surrounding the old facts, and thus confusion of ideas would be avoided. It may be said that all abstracts of history should be made by pupils themselves, but the use of a book like this, by way of grammar or for reference, in no way precludes the pupil from making abstracts of his text-book or of larger books, which, when independently done, will often be of more use than any ready-made analysis. At the risk of apparent presumption, it has seemed well to explain as clearly as we could the way in which, as it appeared to us, this book might be made useful in the teaching of history. We have to acknowledge the useful criticisms of Mr. Watson, Fellow of B.N.C., Oxford, and Mr. York Powell of Christ Church, Oxford, and also the help of Mr. Beaven of Preston, Lancashire, who has generously placed at our disposal many of the results of his learned studies in English political history, but who is in no way responsible for any errors that we may have made. We shall be grateful to any one who will take the trouble to call our attention to any mistakes which may, notwithstanding a good deal of care, have crept into the book. September 1881. PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. In this Edition a few necessary corrections and additions have been made. The main features of the book remain the same as before. Finding that the book is being used considerably in teaching, we have been encouraged to prepare for publication an abridged edition for Lower Forms of Schools, which may, we hope, be found useful as leading up to this book. October 1882. Laws, Codes, and Charters up to the time of the Great Charter, c. 600-1215 The Hundred Years' War between England and France, 1338-1453 APPENDICES. II. Table of the Members of the House of Lords at various times III. Table of the number of Members of the House of Commons, and their EXPLANATIONS. RIGHT-HAND PAGE. PART I. GENERAL OUTLINE. 1. A second column has been introduced into this page for Prime Ministers at the year 1721. 2 Differences of type. Many of the more important events and the names of leading persons, especially at their first appearance, are in darker type. A very few events of great importance are in large capitals. Events which are specially connected with Constitutional History are in italics when not already in larger type. 3. Reference, when it seemed useful, has been occasionally made in the course of the Outline to the Summaries, generally at the point where a Summary or a section of a Summary ends. LEFT-HAND PAGE. 1. The "Foreign" column (which becomes "Foreign and Colonial" after 1600) contains a selection of foreign events which have a special connection with English History, together with a few general foreign events of leading importance. The arrangement of Irish and Scotch events has presented some difficulty. It has been thought best to consider, as a general rule, purely Scotch events foreign up to 1707, and purely Irish events foreign up to 1800. [Those more important events abroad which form an integral part of the general course of English History are to be found on the right-hand page.] 2. The "Notes" column. Various notes have been added, and space has been left for the addition of more notes at various points. From 1721 lists of the Ministries have been added in the Notes. These lists do not pretend to be exhaustive, nor are they restricted to the members of Cabinets only. The names of the leading Ministers have been given, and subordinate Ministers whose names afterwards became well known are often mentioned. Members of Cabinets in the Ministries of the last quarter of a century are indicated by an asterisk. Four blank pages are left at the end of the General Outline for the insertion of such current events as the reader may think of sufficient importance to be entered. PART II. SUMMARIES. A complete list of Summaries will be found in the Table of Contents, and also at the beginning of Part II. As a rule, the facts mentioned in the Summaries have already appeared in the General Outline. Where there are exceptions to this rule, this is usually indicated either by a special note or by the use of brackets. Space is left by the side of the Summaries for various additions. |