You will observe that after Henry III. we have E. I., E. II., E. III. following each other, then Richard, and again three Henrys following each other. After this we find 2 Edwards and 2 Henrys again, with a Richard between them, and then 1 Edward; consequently if it is once pointed out that the III. of Henry III, will remind you that you get after him 3 Edwards and 3 Henrys, with a Richard between; then 2 Edwards and 2 Henrys, with a Richard between; and then 1 Edward, it will be very easy to remember them, even if we have never heard the names before. Let us see if there are any such points in the preceding ones : William. Henry I. Stephen. Henry II. Richard. John. We have here Henry I., Henry II., and Henry III. Between Henry I. and H. II. there is one, between H. II. and H. III. there are two; this is easily remembered, for the I in H. I. will remind you that you I will have one before you come to H. II.; the II. in H. II. will remind you that you have two before you come to H. III. Henry III. All that remains to be remembered is, who that one is between H. I. and H. II., and who those two are between H. II. and H. III. Now whenever we have anything to remember, we must always try to find a point of re membrance in what we know already. We wish to remember that the one after H. I. is Stephen. If we can find anything in H. I. to remind us of it, we will easily remember it. We must find something which is there, because if it is there, it is always sure to be found again. This is fortunately very easy here. Henry the first. This word first happens to end with st. Stephen begins with. st. Once observed, we always find the st in first, and consequently remember that the one after H. I. will be Stephen. To remember the two names after H. II., the last two letters in Henry will help us, viz., ry; r Richard, y or j John. If we had never heard these names before, William, William and Henry would give the key to the rest down to Edward VI. After Edward VI. come the Queens, Mary and Elizabeth, then James I., Charles I., the Commonwealth, Charles II., James II. Here again there are easy points. of comparison, as before the Commonwealth we have James and Charles, and after it Charles and James; then the new dynasty, William and Mary, Anne, the four Georges, etc. To remember that after Mary comes a lady and not a gentleman, we had a similar fact previously in the case of Mary and Elizabeth, and should we be afraid of not remembering the name, one has only to notice that those two names Mary Anne are often found together. I need not say that all this is not to show you how to study history; it is merely one instance for accom plishing similar tasks, viz., to remember a series of names in a fixed order. It is only to show how in such cases, when we are able to find points of comparison, they facilitate remembrance. We have sometimes similar names belonging to different things or different names of similar things; e.g., we generally know that York and Lancaster were the rival houses which assumed the white and red roses, respectively, as badges, before the Wars of the Roses, but we are not always sure which is the white and which the red rose. If in such a case we can find a point of comparison between any pair, the thing will be easy. There is an i in white and y in York; there is neither i nor y in Lancaster or red; or, if you prefer it, the last syllable of Lancaster backwards is red, all except one letter, and that the cognate letter of d. If either of these be once noticed, a mistake cannot be made. It has also been pointed out that all the "firsts" among the English kings happen to have been celebrated for some striking event taking place during their reign; all the "seconds" were unfortunate; and all the "thirds" reigned for more than fifty years, excepting Richard III., who reigned only one clear year. It will be noticed that three of the "firsts," viz., William I., Edward I., and James I., united other countries to England. Even George I. brought England and Germany into closer connection. William I., the Conqueror, united France and England, Henry I.-The great merit of his government was that he forsook his brother's (William II.) evil ways of violence and maintained peace by erecting a regular administrative system. Richard I., the Lion-hearted King. Edward I. united Wales to England. James I. united Scotland to England. Charles I. was celebrated as the king who made war against his Parliament and was executed in consequence. George I., first Hanoverian, i.e. German, king. William II. was shot in the eye and killed by an arrow intended for a stag. Henry II. was beaten in war, and forsaken by his children, who quarrelled with their father and with each other, Henry's last words being "Shame, shame upon a conquered king!" Edward II. was deposed and murdered. Richard II. was deposed. Charles II.-Jeffries, Lord Chief Justice, "bloody assizes." James II. was a cruel, revengeful, deceitful despot, and died in exile. Henry III., 1216-1272. Reigned fifty-six years. George III., 1760-1820. Sixty years. Presidents of the United States. Washington. Adams. Jefferson. Madison. Monroe. Adams. Jackson. Van Buren. Harrison. Tyler. Polk. Taylor. Filmore. Pierce. Buchanan. Lincoln. Johnson. Grant. Hayes. Garfield. Arthur. Cleveland. Harrison. Cleveland. McKinley. If you have any difficulty in recalling a proper name, you will generally succeed in doing so by going through the alphabet. When the initial letter of the desired |