themselves have been found even of
late years. And many other traces of the Romans have been found in
London--coins, and weapons, and carvings. Near the Strand is a bath
which once, perhaps, belonged to some Roman gentleman's fine house.
There were many such houses in and about London; and many a time the
beautiful pavements of these houses, and even the pavements of the old
Roman streets, have been found in the City down below the present
streets and houses. The Romans made great roads which stretched out
north, south, east, and west, from London; and they built a bridge over
the Thames. In those days the people across the English Channel, the
Gauls and Italians, were far wiser than the wild people of Britain; and
roads and bridges made it possible for their trade, skill and wisdom to
come to the people of London. A flourishing city it became under the
Roman rule.

The years passed on and evil days befell the Roman Empire; the wild
fierce northern races attacked it, and the Roman soldiers had to leave
Britain and go back to defend Italy. Then there came to this country
also sad days of war and trouble, for the English came over the North
Sea, fought and conquered the Britons, and at last settled here. Then
came the Danes, and there was more war, more fighting. During these
dreadful times we hear little of London.

At last Alfred became King. Do you remember how many good things he
did for England? One of the best of them was that in the year 886, as
the {13} ancient Chronicle or history of our country tells us, he built
London Town,--that is, he built again her walls and towers, and made
her once more a strong city. Thus, with Alfred as her founder and
protector, her later history begins. Year by year she grew greater and
more important, until she became the greatest of all English cities and
the capital of the land.

There is another and a very different story of Old London, and this is
how it begins:--"Brute, about the yeare of the world 2855 and 1108
before the nativitie of Christ" (that is, before Christ was born,)
"builded this city neare unto the riuer (river) now called Thames, and
named it Troynouant"--that is, 'New Troy.' Now, this Brute belonged to
the very same family as Romulus who built Rome; and he and his
followers came across the sea to this island, in which then only a few
giants were living, and he conquered them and took the land, and named
it Britain after his own name, and his compa