Then as hawks might sweep down through the toils of a spider,

Right at the blue line goes each horse and its rider. It is rent like a rag, burst like bubbles asunder, When down from each height roars redoubled their thunder.

Still unstayed and unbroken they cut their way through,

Past spears that outflank them, from swords that

pursue.

With cannon and riflemen hot on their track, Destroyed but unconquered we welcome them

back.

Not a man in that death charge his chief hath forsaken,

And the guns that you flung them at, were they not taken ?

And though beneath yon fatal hill,
Their dead the valley strew,
Grimly with cold hands, clenching still
The broken swords they drew.
We will not call their lives ill spent,

If in all time they shew

That where the Light Brigade is sent,

The Light Brigade will go.

SIR F. H. DOYLE.

MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 237

LV. THE SECOND TWENTY
VICTORIAN YEARS.

1. THE year 1861 ended with a great misfortune to the Queen and to the whole country. The Prince Consort, who had well earned the title of Albert the Good, died of fever, on the 14th of December, at Windsor Castle. He had great abilities and strength of character, but his whole life had been spent in assisting the Queen in her many cares, never putting himself forward into her place, but keeping so much in the background that his full worth was hardly known till he was missed.

2. Two years later, the Prince of Wales was married to the Princess Alexandra of Denmark, amid the greatest rejoicings, and bonfires on almost every hill top in England.

3. A short war took place, in 1868, with Theodore, the half savage King of Abyssinia. He had once seemed willing to let his people be instructed and improved, and had several British subjects living at his capital, Magdala; but taking offence at a letter to the Queen not being answered as he expected, he threw them into prison, and refused. to release them. Sir Robert Napier was therefore sent out, made a most skilful march, and stormed. Magdala. Theodore killed himself in his rage and despair, and his only child, a boy of five years old, was brought to England to be educated, but he died just as he was reaching manhood.

4. In the year 1867, a bill had been passed extending the franchise (that is, the power of voting for members of Parliament) to all householders in borough towns who paid rates, and lodgers paying ten pounds for the year; and in counties to persons paying twelve pounds rent. Five years later, in 1872, another act was passed that votes should be given by ballot, in the hope that when the names were not recorded, it would be less likely that the voters would be led to take bribes, or be drawn aside by fear or favour instead of following their judgment and conscience.

5. In order that no one should be too ignorant thus to do his duty to the State, Acts were passed in 1870, and again in 1876, to prevent any children from growing up without being taught. Their parents have the choice as to what schools they will send them to, and in what form of doctrine they shall be instructed; but no child in health can be allowed to run wild and idle, or be set to work before he or she has gone through a course of instruction.

6. Railroads and electric telegraphs have made communication with all parts of the world so rapid and easy, that what was a wonder fifty years ago is a common thing now. Kings and Queens go about and visit one another as they never thought of doing formerly, and England has been visited at different times by most of the Princes of Europe, besides the Shah of Persia and the Queen of the Sandwich Islands. The Prince of Wales has

TREATY Of berlin.

239

visited America and India, and his brother, the Duke of Edinburgh, an officer in the Navy, has visited most of the English colonies, in spite of being once badly wounded by an assassin in Australia.

7. A war took place with the savage Negro King of Ashantee, who had interfered with British trade; but Sir Garnet Wolseley successfully carried this through, taking Coomassie, the capital, almost without loss, and bringing King Koffee to

terms.

8. There was much anxiety lest another European war should be brought on in 1878-9, for the Turkish Sultan either could not or would not protect his Christian subjects, and risings took place in the provinces, which were thought to be stirred up by the Russians. The Turks put them down with savage cruelty, especially in Bulgaria. Russia began a war with Turkey, and it was thought that England would have to take part in it. However, the Turks resisted boldly, and when the Russians saw that the English Government was resolved to prevent the conquest of Turkey, they consented to a new treaty, made at Berlin in 1879. The Turks agreed to allow the English to see that the Christians were not molested; and as the English advanced a sum of money to pay the expenses of the war, the Island of Cyprus was given them to hold.

9. That same year, 1878, the colony of Natal became involved in a quarrel with Cetewayo, the King of the Zulu tribes on the frontier. A war

began, and the English advanced into the Zulu country in two divisions. One of these, by some unhappy error, allowed itself to be surprised and cut off by the Zulus. Almost every living creature in the camp at Isandulana was slaughtered, and very few escaped. The two lieutenants who carried the colours were found dead upon them, close to the River Tugela, which forms the boundary between Natal and Zululand.

10. However, the other camp, under Colonel Pearson, held out bravely, though surrounded by Zulus; and at last, more troops coming out from home, a victory was gained at Ulundi, and Cetewayo was hunted down, made prisoner, and brought to the Cape. His power has been broken up under lesser chiefs, who may not be so dangerous.

II. The Ameer, or Prince of Afghanistan, having refused to receive an English Resident at his Court at Cabul, it was suspected at the persuasion of the Russians, another war was begun with him. He died in the midst of it, just as he had been defeated. His son, Yakoob Khan, was set up in his stead by the English, but did not prevent the Cabulese from attacking the English Residency and killing all within. On the advance of the English, Yakoob fled and surrendered to them; but these fierce mountain tribes are hard to subdue, and in their country all is as yet in an unsettled state.

12. Thus, so far as is possible, we have gone through the main events of English history. Let