AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND, FROM THE INVASION OF JULIUS CÆSAR TO THE DEATH OF GEORGE THE SECOND. BY DR. GOLDSMITH. CONTINUED BY AN EMINENT WRITER TO THE PRESENT TIME, BALTIMORE: UBLISHED BY ARMSTRONG AND PLASKITT, 134, ARKET STREET. MATCHETT, PRINTER. THE 462956 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.. CHAPTER I. OF BRITAIN FROM THE INVASION OF JULIUS CESAR TO THE ABDICATION OF THE ROMANS. BRITAIN was but very little known to the rest of the world before the time of the Romans. The coasts opposite Gaul were frequented by merchants who traded thither for such commodities as the natives were able to produce. These, it is thought, after a time, possessed themselves of all the maritime places where they had at first been permitted to reside. There, finding the country fertile, and commodiously situated for trade, they settled upon the seaside, and introduced the practice of agriculture. But it was very different with the inland inhabitants of the country, who considered themselves as the lawful possessors of the soil. These avoided all correspondence with the new comers, whom they considered as intruders upon their property. The inland inhabitants are represented as extremely nu-. merous, living in cottages thatched with straw, and feeding large herds of cattle. They lived mostly upon milk, or flesh procured by the chase. clothes they wore to cover any part of their bodies, were usually the skins of beasts; but much of their bodies, as the arms, legs, and thighs, were left naked, and those parts were usually painted blue. Their hair, which was long, flowed down upon their backs and shoulders, while their beards were kept close shaven, except upon the upper lip, where it was suffered to grow. The dress of savage nations is every where pretty much the same, being calculated rather to inspire terror than to excite love or respect. 40603 |