her health began to give way, and she had not strength to bear the fatigues and difficulties of state affairs. She sunk into a sort of insensible and indifferent state of mind, and all that the physicians could do seemed to be of very little

use.

"On the 13th of July, 1714, she seemed somewhat relieved by medicines, she rose from her bed about eight o'clock, and walked a little. After some time, casting her eyes on a clock that stood in her chamber, she continued to gaze at it for some minutes. One of the ladies in waiting asked her what she saw there more than usual; to which the queen only answered by turning her eyes upon her with a dying look. She was presently afterwards seized with a fit of apoplexy, from which, however, she was somewhat recovered by the assistance of Dr. Mead. continued all night in a state of stupefaction. She gave some signs of life between twelve and one the next day; but expired the following morning, in the forty-ninth year of her age, after a reign of twelve years."

She

Queen Anne was married to prince George of Denmark; but we do not consider her husband

as king of England, because the crown came to queen Anne in her own right, and not in her husband's; and, therefore, she became reigning queen; her husband having nothing to do with the nation, in the character of a king.

Anne died without children; she had had several, but they all died: it, therefore, became necessary to inquire who should reign after her. This question had already caused a good deal of debate during her reign; some people wished for the male descendants of James the Second; but those who were against the Papists, chose rather to look to another branch of the royal family who were Protestants; and these last were for the elector of Hanover.

The first sort were called Jacobites, which means followers of James *, and the others were called Hanoverians, because they were in favour of the house of Hanover. There were many quarrels between these two parties, of which I need not speak just now. The nation, however, for the most part, were for the elector of Hanover, very wisely choosing to have a Protestant king.

Jacob is the old name of James.

This king was George the First, of whom I intend to write to you in my next letter.

QUESTIONS.

In what year did queen Anne come to the throne?
Whose daughter was she?

Why was not the son of James the Second allowed to be king?
Were any attempts made in favour of the son of James?

Did the Papists consider this person to be the rightful king? What do we generally call him?

How old was queen Anne when she began to reign?

Was queen Anne much engaged in war?

Who was her principal general?

Who was king of France at that time?

Which is considered to be the greatest of all the many battles which the duke of Marlborough fought?

How did the queen reward the services of the duke of Marlborough?

What is the mansion called where the duke of Marlborough resides?

Where is it?

What admiral is much celebrated in the reign of queen Anne? What is related of him, during a sea engagement near the West Indies?

Where is Gibraltar ?

When was it taken?

Who took it?

Was there much party spirit in this reign, between the Whigs

and the Tories?

What do you mean by the union between England and Scot

land, and during whose reign was this made?

Was any thing done towards accommodating the people with church-room?

What was it?

Was the queen much disturbed by the disputes of her ministers ?

Can you relate the circumstances of her death, and tell me in what year it happened?

Who was the queen's husband?

Was he considered as king?

Why not?

Did she leave any children?

Who succeeded her?

What do you mean by Jacobites ?

LETTER XXIX.

MY DEAR BOY,

AFTER the death of queen Anne, George the First became king of England. He was a German, but his mother was a grand-daughter of James the First; and this relationship to the royal family of England was the great reason

why he was fixed upon to be king: but, besides this, he was a Protestant, and an act of parliament was therefore passed to make him king, the family of James the Second being excluded because they were Papists. George the First was fiftyfour years of age when he became king of England; and this mature age gave the people great confidence in him, and he was joyfully received by the greater part of the nation. Kings, however, as well as their subjects, have their troubles; and the disputes among the ministers, and the quarrels about Whigs and Tories, and Jacobites and Hanoverians, were at this time a great torment to the king, and to all the country. Some of the people were still friendly to the son of king James the Second, who, as I have already told you, was called the Pretender; and many attempts were made to get the kingdom out of the hands of king George, and to give it to him. Many of the principal lords and great people were concerned in a conspiracy to restore the Pretender, and especially the Scotch lords, who still clung to the Popish religion, and did all they could to oppose king George and his government. The earl of Mar raised an army in Scotland in