Chapter XXXVII

by Charles Dickens

　　I have now arrived at the close of my little history. The eventswhich succeeded the famous Revolution of one thousand six hundredand eighty-eight, would neither be easily related nor easilyunderstood in such a book as this.

　　William and Mary reigned together, five years. After the death ofhis good wife, William occupied the throne, alone, for seven yearslonger. During his reign, on the sixteenth of September, onethousand seven hundred and one, the poor weak creature who had oncebeen James the Second of England, died in France. In the meantimehe had done his utmost (which was not much) to cause William to beassassinated, and to regain his lost dominions. James's son wasdeclared, by the French King, the rightful King of England; and wascalled in France The Chevalier Saint George, and in England ThePretender. Some infatuated people in England, and particularly inScotland, took up the Pretender's cause from time to time - as ifthe country had not had Stuarts enough! - and many lives weresacrificed, and much misery was occasioned. King William died onSunday, the seventh of March, one thousand seven hundred and two,of the consequences of an accident occasioned by his horsestumbling with him. He was always a brave, patriotic Prince, and aman of remarkable abilities. His manner was cold, and he made butfew friends; but he had truly loved his queen. When he was dead, alock of her hair, in a ring, was found tied with a black ribbonround his left arm.

　　He was succeeded by the Princess Anne, a popular Queen, who reignedtwelve years. In her reign, in the month of May, one thousandseven hundred and seven, the Union between England and Scotland waseffected, and the two countries were incorporated under the name ofGreat Britain. Then, from the year one thousand seven hundred andfourteen to the year one thousand, eight hundred and thirty,reigned the four Georges.

　　It was in the reign of George the Second, one thousand sevenhundred and forty-five, that the Pretender did his last mischief,and made his last appearance. Being an old man by that time, heand the Jacobites - as his friends were called - put forward hisson, Charles Edward, known as the young Chevalier. The Highlandersof Scotland, an extremely troublesome and wrong-headed race on thesubject of the Stuarts, espoused his cause, and he joined them, andthere was a Scottish rebellion to make him king, in which manygallant and devoted gentlemen lost their lives. It was a hardmatter for Charles Edward to escape abroad again, with a high priceon his head; but the Scottish people were extraordinarily faithfulto him, and, after undergoing many romantic adventures, not unlikethose of Charles the Second, he escaped to France. A number ofcharming stories and delightful songs arose out of the Jacobitefeelings, and belong to the Jacobite times. Otherwise I think theStuarts were a public nuisance altogether.

　　It was in the reign of George the Third that England lost NorthAmerica, by persisting in taxing her without her own consent. Thatimmense country, made independent under Washington, and left toitself, became the United States; one of the greatest nations ofthe earth. In these times in which I write, it is honourablyremarkable for protecting its subjects, wherever they may travel,with a dignity and a determination which is a model for England.Between you and me, England has rather lost ground in this respectsince the days of Oliver Cromwell.

　　The Union of Great Britain with Ireland - which had been getting onvery ill by itself - took place in the reign of George the Third,on the second of July, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight.

　　William the Fourth succeeded George the Fourth, in the year onethousand eight hundred and thirty, and reigned seven years. QueenVictoria, his niece, the only child of the Duke of Kent, the fourthson of George the Third, came to the throne on the twentieth ofJune, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven. She was marriedto Prince Albert of Saxe Gotha on the tenth of February, onethousand eight hundred and forty. She is very good, and muchbeloved. So I end, like the crier, with

　　God save the Queen!