Author of "The Juvenile Reader," "Instructive Reader," "Monitorial Class Books," " Catechetical Analysis of the Shorter Catechism," “The GLASGOW: GEO. THOMSON, 11, LONDON STREET; F. ORR AND SONS, BRUNSWICK STREET; J. LUMSDEN AND SON, QUEEN STREET; 1845. Price Two Shillings and Sixpence. PREFACE. THE attentive reader of Sacred History cannot fail to discover, that the many events therein recorded, were transacted, either according to the permission or express command of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will; nor can he fail to notice, that whether they were transacted according to the one, or according to the other, they were all made subservient to the ends which God, in his infinite wisdom, had designed. Constant reference is therefore made, by the inspired penmen, to the wisdom, power, and goodness of Jehovah. The guiding influence of His hand is, if not at all times vividly pourtrayed, at least made sufficiently apparent, and throughout, He is uniformly represented and acknowledged, as the Governor of the universe. Not so, however, in the majority of histories of mere human composition. The prosperity or adversity of nations is too frequently ascribed to the possession or the want of political sagacity on the part of rulers. Success in war is, in like manner, regarded as the necessary result of military skill and brave soldiers, while defeat is spoken of, as the award of something denominated Chance, or, it may be, Fortune. In short, the means by which the vicissitudes of this ever-shifting world are accomplished, appear to be regarded as the chief cause, and the references to Him who brings every thing to pass, are, at the best, but "few and far between." It may, indeed, be said that the historian goes beyond his province when he proceeds to moralize on the subjects of his record, and that, to inculcate religion by tracing the footsteps of Jehovah, is more especially the work of the Christian Divine. However this may be, it is certainly the duty of him who brings the facts of history before the youthful mind, to represent them as the dispensations of unerring Providence, and to deduce from them such instructions as may serve to exhibit the perfections of the Deity, and to enforce those duties which man is under an obligation to perform. Impressed with this idea, the writer of the following history has endeavoured to make such remarks at the conclusion of almost every chapter, as in his judgment, are calculated to serve these important ends. This is the distinguishing feature in the present undertaking. How far he has been successful, it is the province of others to determine. As to the history itself, he has only to observe, that the facts therein narrated have been collected from the most authentic records, from some of which he has made copious extracts. His object has been to state the truth, in such plain and intelligible terms, as may be readily comprehended by those for whom the work is more especially designed. It is usual, in books of this description, to annex questions to each chapter. The writer's own experience, however, has taught him, that the contents of a lesson are always most naturally and effectually elicited from the pupil by questions of his own propounding; and presuming that this accords with the experience of others, he has deemed it prudent to depart from the usual practice. At the request of many Teachers, he has prefixed to each chapter, an exercise in Spelling, with the meaning and primitive of the respective words. This, with the List of Prefixes, Postfixes, and Primitives, will serve, materially, to enhance the value of the work. Glasgow, 25th Feb., 1845.、 HISTORY OF SCOTLAND. INTRODUCTION. SCOTLAND its extent and boundaries-manners, customs, and religion of its ancient inhabitants. In-va'sion, hostile entrance vasus | Ab-sur'di-ties, things con trans-mit'ted, handed down mitto trary to common sense habitus } surdus pleo con-tro-vert'ed, disputed verto nav-i-ga'tion, sailing navis con-clud'ed, settled tra-di'tions, accounts de-) livered from age to age by word of mouth im-mor-tal'i-ty, never) mortis trado ending life de-gra-da'tion, low estate gradus SCOTLAND is the northern part of the Island of Great Britain, and is about two hundred and fifty miles in length, and one hundred and fifty in breadth. It is bounded on the North, by the North Sea; on the East, by the German Ocean; on the South, by England and the Irish Sea; and by the Atlantic Ocean on the West. Previous to the Roman invasion, Scotland seems to have been known by the name of Albany; but Agricola, the Roman general, finding that it abounded with forests, termed it CALEDONIA, which means a woody region. It retained this name till the ninth century, when, for the first time, it was called SCOTLAND. The early part of Scottish History, like that of all other nations, except the Jewish, is involved in the darkest obscurity; and very much of what has been transmitted to us, is so mixed up with fable, that no reliance can be placed upon it. Of the precise time when Scotland was first inhabited, we must ever remain ignorant; and whence the original inhabitants came, is a question that has been keenly controverted. It would appear, however, that a branch of the Celts* from Gaul, now called France, having settled in the South of Britain, gradually extended themselves to the northern parts of the island. However this may be, it is certain, that the original inhabitants of *The earliest inhabitants of the Continent of Europe were called Celt, who are supposed to have come from Asia. B |