phenomena of nature. Although this was the same form of religion as that which prevailed among the Aryan peoples of Greece and Rome and India, yetamong the Brythons we find it in a more crude and simple state of developement.

Such then, briefly stated, was the condition of the Celts of Britain in 43 A. D., when the Romans a second time invaded the country, and this time for conquest and occupation.

The Roman period in Welsh history extends from 43 A. D. to 409 A. D.

This again may be subdivided as follows;

1. Period of conquest, 43-85, A. D.

2. Period of consolidation, 85-387 A. D.

cupying the southern coasts and the valley of the Thames, the Romans forced their way down the course of the Thames nearly to its mouth, preparatory to a final attack on Camulodunon (Colchester), which was the capital and headquarters of the British tribes opposed to them. After waiting for reinforcements and the arrival of the emperor, Plautus made the attack and took the stronghold. This was followed by the submission of several tribes, and the complete overthrow of the Catuvelauni and the states allied with them. "Thus," as one historian remarks, "in a few years the whole of Britain south of a line drawn from Colchester to Worcester became a Roman possession."

Again in 50 A. D., Ostorius Scapula assumed command in Britain,

THE PERIOD OF CONQUEST 43-85 A. D. In the year 43 A. D., Claudius Caesar, instigated probably by exiles from Britain, and anxious himself for an excuse to secure a triumph at Rome, resolved to send an expedition into Britain to conquer the country. The expedition was entrusted in charge of Aulus Plautius, who was assisted by his lieutenant, Vespasian, and his son, Titus. Where the invading force landed is not certain. Late researches favor the view that, instead of taking 'he ordinary route across the channel from Boulogne, it sailed to a point on the southern coast in the vicinity of Southampton, and thence marched northwards in quest of the enemy. The British forces, consisting of the powerful tribe of the Catuvelauni and their allies, were in charge of Caractacos and Togodumnos, the two sons of Cunobelinus who had died not long before. After many engagements with the British tribes and forces oc

other parts of the country into submission. Having subdued the Iceni and a few other tribes, Ostorius led his forces northward against the tribes occuying the districts between the Dee and the Clwyd. But he was soon recalled by news of disturbances among the Brigantes, whose settlement was in the central part of the country. This was followed by a general rising of the Silures who occupied the south-western part of Britain, between the lower course of the Severn and Cardigan Bay. Their territory, as Professor Rhys remarks, probably bordered on that part of the country which had been under the rule of Caractacos. So we find him, after resisting the Roman arms among his own people, actively engaged among the Silures, who recognized his superior skill and experience, and who under his leadership proved themselves warriors of a brave and indomitable spirit. Caractacos with the British forces, having secured a good position in the country of the Ordovices on the borders of

the central parts of Wales, met the Romans in a pitched battle. They fought bravely and fiercely. But the Romans with their superior arms and training prevailed. After a severe conflict on both sides, the British were defeated with great loss. Caratacos escaping to the Brigantes, was afterward given up by their queen Cartismandua to the Romans, and was taken with his family to Rome as prisoners of war. But owing to his noble bearing and manly dignity, he afterward received his freedom.

The Silures, however, although defeated, continued to resist the Romans, who in this skirmishing warfare experienced great loss and suffering. Before the end of the conflict Ostorius died worn out with anxiety and fatigue. But the war was continued by other generals until finally the Silures made their sub

mission to Rome.

Nothing further was done to extend the Roman conquests until Suetonius Paulinus, who was sent by Nero in 58, led the legions into Mona or Anglesea, partly to reduce the country, and partly to extirpate the Druidic religion on account of its barbar ous rites and the support it gave to native resistance. After the legions had crossed the Menai, Tacitus describes the scene as follows: "On the shore stood the forces of the enemy -a dense army of arms and men, with women dashing through the ranks like furies; their dress funereal, their hair dishevelled, and carrying torches in their hands. The Druids around the host, pouring forth dire imprecations, with their hands uplifted towards the heavens, struck terror into the soldiers by the strangeness of the sight; insomuch that, as if their limbs were paralysed, they exposed their bodies to the weapons of the enemy without attempting to move. Afterwards at the earnest ex

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hortations of the general, and from the effect of their own mutual importunities that they would not be scared by a rabble of women and fanatics, they bore down upon them, smote all that opposed them to the earth, and wrapped them in the flames were the Divine had kindled. A.garrithe sins of his Philistine life, and the Divine correction of the bad spirit which he then had cherished.

"I shall never forget the day when news came to us of the defeat and slaughter of Saul and his sons at Gilboa. Happily we had not been compelled to fight in that battle against our own people. The Philistine princes were jealous of us, and sent us back: perhaps they feared that we might turn the tide of battle by taking the part of our countrymen. The fact was, that many of the real leaders of the Israelite army had joined our party, and Abner, though a skilful and experienced general, had not the forces, or the captains, that enabled him to make a hopeful stand. It was a crushing defeat. It destroyThe fove 1 cherished in childhood

Was warming my soul with a tear,
For a mother lovingly stood

In spirit to welcome me here!
Away in the corner I saw

The old trundle bed of my youth;
Lying apart with scar and with flaw,
Yet speaking the language of truth.

I sighed for its rest and its songs,
For its dreams that were pure and
bright;

For the prayers to keep me from wrongs,
That a mother offered each night.

Ah! sweet to me were the slumbers,
With never a sorrow to break;
The dreams that came without numbers,
Were told to mother when awake.

It was she who taught me to say "Our Father which art in heaven;" And after the play of each day,

To thank Him for all He'd given.

Though many a year has now fled

Since I heard the dear lullabies,

'wait on God and follow Divine leadings, and so golden opportunities are again and again missed. To my brothers and to me, who look at things from the points of view of the soldier and the statesman, these delays are very worrying. The kingdom is so evidently slipping out of Saul's hands, that the display of a little energy would secure it at once for David. But we cannot move him from his determination to wait for divine directions, though he is himself getting very depressed and anxious in consequence of the delay and the strain. We have indeed pressed our view on him so earnestly that we are rather out of favor, and David is paying a good deal of attention to some of the heroes from Saul's army who lately

come over to us.

"I had quite a contest with David over his idea of going into the Philistine country and putting himself under the protection of the king of Gath. I pleaded that while he would not let us act promptly in a way to secure the kingdom for him, and bade us wait for God, he was now himself going to take his own wilful way by seeking the protection of the Philistines, for he had no sort of Divine direction to do that. But he is evidently in a bad mood, worn out in spirit and in body, and there is nothing for us to do but just to let him have his own way, and help him through the difficulties into which his foolish scheme will be sure to lead him.

"We did have a terrible time in the country of the Philistines. It seemed as if David flung off all his religion. and acted like a hopeless man. I should not scruple at violence or deception, if these were necessary to the accomplishment of some high purposes of state: but David seemed quite to forget himself; needlessly deceived his protectors, destroyed

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ruthlessly, and acted in a way which I believe, did much to alienate the people from him, and hinder his becoming the king of the whole country. Indeed, if I were a religious man I should say that the long seven years of partial kingship in Hebron were the Divine judgment on him for the sins of his Philistine life, and the Divine correction of the bad spirit which he then had cherished.

"I shall never forget the day when news came to us of the defeat and slaughter of Saul and his sons at Gilboa. Happily we had not been compelled to fight in that battle against our own people. The Philistine princes were jealous of us, and sent us back: perhaps they feared that we might turn the tide of battle by taking the part of our countrymen. The fact was, that many of the real leaders of the Israelite army had joined our party, and Abner, though a skilful and experienced general, had not the forces, or the captains, that enabled him to make a hopeful stand. It was a crushing defeat. It destroyed all the vigorous members of Saul's house; it gave the Philistines command of the caravan route through the plain of Esdraelon; it enabled them to overrun the whole of the north and centre of the country: but it gave David a splendid chance, of which Abishai and I urged him to take prompt advantage. He should at once have marched to Gibeah, seized the vacant throne, entrenched himself, and organized an army for the recovery of the lost territory. But we could not move him to act. The fact that the throne was actually within grasp seemed to bring back his religion, and make him absurdly scrupulous. When he could act he would not, until he had sought counsel from God. We knew what that meant. It was delay and lost opportunity; and, above all, giving his