Louisa I am sure, Edward, we should have no pleasure in going on without you, and am certain mamma would not wish it.
It was unanimously agreed, that the Roman history should be laid aside till Edward's return.
"You have now seen," said Mr. Bernard, "the freedeom which the Romans recovered by the expulsion of Tarquin the Proud, secured to them by his death; a freedom that was undoubtedly the source of all their future grandeur. I must again repeat, my dear children, that I have been much pleased with the manner in which you have given this little sketch of the regal government of Rome. One very important point you have, however, overlooked."
"Pray, papa, what is that?" enquired the children, with one voice.
"The dates of the different events which you have mentioned," replied their father. "Geography and chronology, are desevedly called the two eyes of history. Without geography, which is a knowledge of the situation and extent of the different countries of the earth, no reader of history can have clear and distinct ideas of what he reads, as being transacted in them; and without chronology, which is a knowledge of the time when the various events took place, the historical facts he acquires by reading, will only be an incumbrance upon his memory. He will have a number of confused ideas, but no regular or useful information. Now, which of you can tell me in what year Rome was built?"
"Oh, we all know that," said Louisa; "it was seven hundred and fifty- three years before the birth of our Saviour."
"And the regal power was abolished four hundred and sixty-seven years before that event," continued Edward; "so that that administration lasted two hundred and eighty-six years."
"But I do think, papa," said Ferdinand, "that it is very difficult to remember dates. I wish you could tell us some easy way, by which we might impress them upon our memories."
"The system of Mnemonics, lately introduced by Fineagle and Coglan, you will find a great assistance. The substitution of letters for figures, is an excellent plan, as it enables you to form the date into words, which you may associate with the event itself, and, by this means, impress it much more indelibly upon your memory."
"I do not quite understand you, papa," said Louisa.