25. The Druids had a great deal to do on those days; for they used to go to their temples and say prayers, and sacrifice animals for offerings to their false gods; and on New Year’s Day, they walked in procession to some old oak tree to cut the mistletoe that grew upon it, for this was one of their religious ceremonies; and the oldest Druid went up into the tree to cut the plant, while the rest stood below singing sacred songs, and holding their robes to catch the boughs as they fell; and crowds of men and women stood round to see them. 26. But I must make an end of this chapter about the ancient Britons, and tell you how the Romans came and conquered the country, and made quite a different place of it. QUESTIONS. 3. What was England called in ancient times? 4. How did the Britons resemble the American Indians? 5. Describe the tribes that were most civilized. 7. With whom did they trade, and in what commodities? 8. How and where was their trade carried on? 10. For what manufacture were the Britons famous? 13. How did they build a town? 15. Describe the furniture of their habitations. 17. Who were the Druids? 18. Tell me what you know about them. 19. Mention the different employments of the Druids. 21. Where is it supposed the first Druids came from? 25. Describe their temples. CHAPTER II. THE ROMANS IN BRITAIN. [Illustration: LANDING OF JULIUS CÆSAR.] 1. The Romans, about the time of the birth of Christ, were the richest, the most powerful, and the cleverest people in the world. Rome was a grand city, and there were many other fine cities in Italy belonging to the Romans, who knew how to build handsome houses, and make beautiful gardens, besides being excellent farmers. 2. They had elegant furniture, and pictures, and marble statues; and they were well educated, and wrote a great number of books in Latin, for that was their language, and many of those books are used in our schools to this day. 3. They had large armies, and had conquered a great many countries, when Julius Cæsar, a great Roman General, brought an army to Britain, about fifty years before the birth of our Saviour, to try to conquer the Britons also; but thousands of British warriors went down to the sea shore, by Dover cliffs, to fight the Romans as soon as they landed; and they took a great many war chariots with them, and fought so bravely, that after two or three battles, Cæsar offered to make peace with them, and go away, if their princes would pay tribute to the Roman government; which they consented to do. 4. However, the Romans thought no more about Britain for nearly a hundred years, when they came again, and went to war in earnest with the natives, who at length were obliged to submit to them; and Britain became a part of the Roman Empire, just as India is at this time a part of the British Empire.