was made public on the 19th of June. Recruits were now levying in all parts of the kingdom, and Colonel Evans, a British officer, accepted the command of the new levy, which, to the number of 8 or 9,000, arrived, in the month of July, in the north at Santander and San Sebastian, in which places they were forthwith drilled, and received their equipments for the Spanish service.

The condition of England during this, and the succeeding year, presents but little for the page of history. During the Session of 1836, a bill was passed for the commutation of English tithes, by which it was provided, that a board of commissioners should be appointed for arranging the question of commutation, with powers to appoint assistant commissioners. The measure was constructed upon the principle of voluntary commutation, though the power of compulsion was fully recognised in such cases as rendered its adoption expedient. The bill was read a second time in the Lords without opposition, on the 7th of July, and was passed on the 22nd; after which bills were passed for the registration of births, deaths, and marriages, and for the celebration of marriages in dissenting chapels licensed for worship.

To return to Spain; the Christinos (or queen's) troops, under Espartero, and backed by the naval force of Lord John Hay, whose seamen, marines, and cannon, were of the most essential service, obliged the Carlists, under Villa Real, to evacuate Bilboa.

The tranquillity which prevailed in the social state of England, the prosperity of her commerce at home and abroad, and her friendly relations with foreign powers, during the commencement of 1837, leaves us nothing to record, but the fatal illness of his majesty, whose health had been gradually declining for some months previous to his death, and on the 20th of June, 1837, he breathed his last. His reign was brief, extending over a period of not quite seven years, and his death took place in the seventy-second year of his age.

Regret for his death, and respect for his memory, were universally manifest on the day of his funeral, but in no place more so than in the metropolis, where business was suspended, and the day observed with solemnity.

He died at Windsor castle, and his remains were deposited in the family vault in St. George's chapel.

EXERCISES.

WHEN did William the Fourth ascend the throne?

What had been his career through life? What was the cause of the French revolution of 1830? What ill-judged decrees occasioned the insurrection? Describe the progress of the revolution. To whose charge was the garrison of Paris committed? What novel mode of warfare did the populace adopt? What change occurred in the government of France in consequence of this revolution? What became of Charles the Tenth? What effect had this revolution on Belgium? To whom was the throne of Belgium offered, and by whom at length accepted? What had raised the public expectations in regard to Parliamentary reform? What tended to weaken the Duke's party? What occasioned the resignation of ministers? What new arrangements were made in the Cabinet? What pledge did ministers take on coming into office? How were ministers now busied ? Who introduced the Reform bill into the Hous of Commons? What was its fate? Relate the particulars of the Bristol riot. Describe the symptoms of the Cholera. When did parliament re-assemble and what bill was again introduced? What were the reformers desirous of having created? What was the fate of the bill, and what Earl Grey's proceedings? When did the English bill receive the royal assent? Give an outline of the enactments of the Reform bill? In regard to what countries was a powerful interest now felt? What law had Ferdinand the Seventh annulled? Who was disinherited by this decree? When did Ferdinand die? Where was the Infanta proclaimed Queen? What was the consequence? Relate the progress of the insurrectionary warfare? In Portugal, where had Don Pedro.fixed himself? What was his position and that of Don Miguel? Relate the operations of the two opponents. What consequences did the victory of Sir Charles Napier produce in Lisbon? What country did the young Queen visit previous to her return to Portugal? Who accepted the sovereignty of Greece? What bill in regard to Ireland was now introduced into the Lords? What association had been formed in Ireland? Describe the state of Ireland. What remedy was adopted for the redress of the Irish grievances? What bill was passed in regard to the Bank of England? What bill in regard to the Charter of the East India Company? What were the provisions of the bill for the abolition of slavery? What number of slaves did it emancipate, and in what year? What bill in regard to Ireland was renewed, and what occurrences took place previous to its passing through the two houses? When was the New Poor Law bill introduced, and what were its enactments? What occasioned the riot at Rathcormac? What ensued in consequence of the death of Earl Spencer? To whom was entrusted the formation of a new ministry? What changes were made in the administration by Sir Robert Peel? When were the two houses of Parliament consumed by fire? Relate the particulars of the fire. Against whom did the two young queens of Spain and Portugal unite their interests? What ill-successes were experienced by Don Carlos. Whither did he fly? How did Don Miguel insure his own safety?

What course did Don Carlos pursue? What were his successes on his return to Spain? When did Don l'edro expire: and to whom was the young queen married by proxy? What course did the opposition in parliament pursue in order to try the strength of the new ministry? On what measures were the ministers defeated, and what was the consequence? Of whom did the new cabinet principally consist? When was the Municipal Reform bill passed? In Spain, to what measure did the government feel justified in having recourse? What request was made to Britain? What its success? Of how many men did the British Legion consist, and where did they disembark? What was the nature of a bill passed in 1836 in regard to English tithes? What other bills were afterwards passed? In Spain, who now commanded the Christinos, or Queen's troops? Who commanded the Carlists? What town were the Carlists obliged to evacuate? To whose efforts were the successes of the Christinos mainly attributable? What was the condition of England immediately preceding the death of William the Fourth? When did the King expire? What was his age, and how long had he reigned? How did the country manifest its respect for his memory? Where was William the Fourth interred?

HER present Majesty, the daughter of the late Duke of

Kent, one of the younger sons of George the Third, had scarcely reached her majority, which had been fixed to commence from her eighteenth year, when she ascended the

throne, left vacant by the death of her uncle William the Fourth.

But happily for her Majesty, she had no rival to dispute her title, nor was the kingdom distracted by intestine commotion; all classes were in her favour, and her accession was greeted with an universal enthusiasm,

As William the Fourth died without issue, and the salic law, which excludes females from the succession, was recognized in Hanover, the Duke of Cumberland, on the demise of his brother, repaired to that country and assumed the royal power.

The business of Parliament during the first session of her Majesty's reign was not of such prominent interest as to force itself upon our notice; we shall therefore restrict ourselves to observing that her Majesty's accession was not followed by any change in the administration, and that a suitable provision was made for the royal expenditure.

The close of the year 1837 brought with it intelligence that an insurrection had broken out in the colony of the Canadas, and that many of the natives had taken up arms to assert their independence of the mother country. The promptest measures were immediately adopted by the executive government of the colony; in consequence of which, Papineau, the speaker of the house of assembly, who for many years previous had been the principal cause of the discontents, was compelled to fly.

The insurrection was soon quelled in the lower province; but the remaining insurgents betook themselves to the upper; and though the number of those who appeared in arms, was inconsiderable, many adventurers from the American frontier were tempted, by the promise of lands and money, to enlist in the cause: and the party, amounting to nearly a thousand, entrenched themselves under the conduct of Mackenzie and Van Rensilaer, in Navy Island, a small island on the river Niagara, not far distant from the celebrated falls; which, however, they evacuated as soon as a sufficient force had been sent to oppose them.

The insurrection having been subdued, government applied itself to a conciliation of the discontented, and a redress of grievances; and since that time an act has been passed by the British parliament for the union of the two Canadas, with a view to the better government of those important provinces.

On the night of the 10th of January, 1838, the Royal Exchange was entirely destroyed by fire. The flames were first observed in that part of the building known as Lloyd's, and used as offices for the transaction of business connected

with the shipping. At first, Guildhall; and afterwards the great court of the Excise Office was put into a fitting state for the accommodation of the merchants until the Royal Exchange should be rebuilt. The business of Lloyd's, transacted in the interior, was conducted in the large building known as the South Sea House, at the east end of Threadneedle-street.

Her Majesty was crowned on the 28th of June, the ceremony being performed in Westminster-abbey, with all its accustomed solemnities.

The procession through the streets was formed of carriages, of which there was a long and splendid line, and amongst them the carriage of Marshal Soult, once the opponent of the Duke of Wellington, in the Peninsular war, but on this occasion Ambassador Extraordinary from the court of France. But it had been thought advisable to omit the grand banquet in Westminster-hall, which had formerly been accompanied with much amusing pageantry, as the riding of a champion into the presence of the company, armed at all points, who threw down his gauntlet as a challenge to any who should dispute the sovereign's right to the throne. This and other antique observances were discontinued with the omission of the banquet; and the procession returned to Buckingham-palace nearly in the same order in which it had proceeded to the abbey. In the evening, however, the theatres were opened for the gratuitous admission of the public; and London presented the brilliant spectacle of one general illumination.

The cabinet still continued unchanged, except that the great seal was no longer held by commission, the vacant office of Lord High Chancellor having been filled by Lord Cottenham.

At the commencement of the session of 1839, ministers, in consequence of having been defeated on a bill relating to the government of Jamaica, resigned their places, and the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel were deputed by the sovereign to make arrangements for a fresh administration. They, however, stipulating as a condition of their taking office, that the ladies composing her Majesty's household, most of whom were her personal friends, and who were principally related to the whig party, should relinquish their places; the sovereign refused to accede to their terms. The Duke and Sir Robert, therefore, declined the proffered task, alleging, as their motive, that the influence exercised by the ladies of the household would interfere with their policy. Lord Melbourne, therefore, had but to resume his place as premier, and the other ministers were also reinstated in their offices.