S. What! fall into damnation for what they could not help? M. Is not faith the result of conviction, and conviction of reasoning ? S. O! what, you are reverting to your former doctrine, in obedience to the force, I suppose, of habitual modes of thinking. My dear Miltori, to compare, to weigh, to measure, motives, causes, and anticipated consequences, what is it all, but to determine, according to past experience, what is most for our interest upon the whole? (or of the propositions set before us?) We may make mistakes, but, having ascertained this point, as we suppose, what choice have we left, but to pursue that interest, whether it be contracted to mere selfishness, or expanded (like your own, my patriotic friend) into t the common good of society? But what past experience had that unhappy victim of grace and glory, whose supposed demerits we are discussing? He must have been entirely destitute of it. He had confessedly not tasted of the tree of knowledge till after the interdiction. In fact, the tempter, the tempted, and the temptation, were they not all the work of the same bountiful Creator ? Would you punish men for not seeing, who are born blind ? Or, if they were born foolish, would you excuse or r commend,-far less would you laud and glorify a tyrant, for severely punishing their folly, while he asserted that they were free to be wise? Or does your system admit of second causes that are tantamount, or ex or even superior to, the Great First Cause? Was it for Omnipotence to set u set a trap? Or did you expect your readers to forget or let go the meaning amine of that word, in deference to the Hebrew legend ? To bring the matter mo more home to your own bosom, would you have acted thus by your own daughters? Would you, by tantalizing, have stimulated any desires which you previously implanted in them, and then have severely punished them for the nominal transgression? More especially for a transgression, which, if they reasoned, they would know, per force of reason, could never injures you in the least? Would you go further than this, and for that nominal transgression punish, with unutterable torment, their unborn posterity for the subsequent four thousand years? Or would you rather appear to proceed thus far in seeming inexorable justice, in order that you might remit the threatened punishment, upon condition of your innocent and only Son, offering his life as an atonement or ransom for their disobedience ? - Further, would you annex to this another condition, that your daughters must 321" Bow and sue for GRACE with suppliant knee, Jong And deify your power ?" your had cate matn In short, that they MUST, of their own FREE WILL, do that which your very Devil scorned to do? And would you ordain and continue all this enormous quantity of positive evil, in order to display the effulgence of your own glory, as you call it; or magnify that miscalled mercy, which "first and last shall brightest shine," according to the conclusion of that memorable speech to which I shall limit my present t observations 20 Another time-if that word may be used here-we may talk farther of these matters.une 19. 9. de 12 for VLL TV 1947. WELATIOaa -Ayama). DN6 160ro & uoga ibusqib Jalow sasi.57000 bas 889niqqsi SLAVE INSURRECTIONS. The recent insurrection in Demerara is piously and earnestly attributed by the planters to the motion of Mr. Buxton in the House of Commons, the felicities of slavery being such, that slaves never revolt but in consequence of philanthropical exertions in their favour! Persons who are in the habit of reading ex parte statements, with a view to what they do not as well as to what they do say, will be much edified by the rancorous imputation of blame by the slave-owners, for these t turbulent demonstrations, to every thing or any thing but themselves. The notion that human beings, enjoying the manifold blessings attendant upon the condition of the field negro, should aspire after something beyond them, seems never to enter their heads; and although the barbarous treatment of slaves in all the cis devant Dutch colonies is notorious,* it requires speeches in Parliament and Methodist Missionaries to make them act occasionally on the prin ciples of resistance inherent even in the most degraded humanity. The terror and cruelty incidentally displayed in these accounts are very instructive, as exhibiting the wretched condition of the slave propriei tors, and the tax they pay for their wretched and precarious supre macy. The Methodists deny that their Missionaries are the parties ac cused of abetting the negro discontent in this instance; but it is amus ing to witness the rancorous mention of the parties, whoever they are, whose only crime, we will venture to assert, has been the promulgation of the Christian doctrine of equality with too much good faith. The real state of the case is apparent from these very representations; for after being unable to show any extraordinary act of murder or cruelty on the part of the revolters, they proceed to inform us that 300 of the latter were killed in what is termed a battle, not an individual having been slain on the side of the all-merciful Whites. It is one of the most humiliating spectacles in the world, to witness the eternal triumph of the most base and grovelling sense of self-interest over the more en-‹. larged and better convictions of humanity and reason; but in no case is it exhibited more disgracefully than by the slave-owner, who, even when comparatively refined and educated, is unable to extricate him self from the effects of the utter perversion of understanding pro-o duced by the slave system. Bryan Edwards, for instance, was employed in drawing up the first accounts of Mungo Park. His personal interests being opposed to the abolition of the Slave Trade, he would, 'I not suffer suffer any passage to stand in which the African traveller had expressed his conviction of its inhumanity. Park, among confidential friends, frequently complained that his book did not only not contain his opinions, but was interpolated with many which he utterly disclaimed. St. Domingo will eventually settle all these matters. 11 OBSOLETE LAW.-When we duly reflect on the vast sum of human happiness and convenience which depends upon a clear and compre * Consult Stedman and others. + We suppose we must believe them, as also that their preachers are instructed "to teach slaves to obey their masters, as a part of religious duty." Are these holy personages currying favour with the Holy Alliance ? hensive system of law real benefit to mankind equity, and on the r and accruing from a species of reform, which of all others demands the widest consideration and the most acute penetration, we are astonished that the noble ambition of signalizing a reign by so patriotic an effort, is not indulged in the proper quarter. The Emperor Justinian was a very inefficient sovereign, but the digest of the Roman Law, effected under his patronage, will make him live for ever; and Napoleon, in his solitude, caught a glimpse of the truth, in respect to that performance-the Code Napoleone which would entitle him more especially to the gratitude of mankind. But supposing that all sorts of legal leviathans, and the dirty sea of professional interests in which they wade, present too formidable an obstacle to a general revision of the law, a condensation and concordance of the statutes at large might at least be effected, if only to prevent such silly occurrences as the following:-"When a political stratagem was practised by Charles I. to keep certain members out of the House of Commons, by pricking them down as sheriffs in their different counties, among them was the celebrated Sir Edward Coke, whom the Government had made High Sheriff for Bucks. It was necessary, perhaps, to be a learned and practised lawyer to discover the means he took, in the height of his resentment, to elude the insult. This great lawyer, who himself, perhaps, had often administered the oath to the Sheriffs, and which it had, century after century, been usual for them to take, to the surprise of all persons, drew up exceptions against the Sheriffs' oath. Coke sent his exceptions to the Attorney-General, who, by an immediate order in Council, submitted them to all the Judges of England. Our legal luminary had condescended only to some ingenious cavilling in three of his exceptions; but the fourth was of a nature which could not be overcome. All the Judges of England assented, and declared, that there was one part of this ancient oath which was perfectly irreligious, and must ever hereafter be left out. This article was, "That you shall do all your pain and diligence to destroy and make to cease all manner of heresies, commonly called Lollaries, within your bailiwick," &c. The Lollards were the most ancient of Protestants, and had practised Luther's sentiments: it was, in fact, condemning the established religion of the country! An order was issued from Hampton Court for the abrogation of this part of the oath; and at present all High Sheriffs owe this obligation to the resentment of Sir Edward Coke, for having been pricked down as Sheriff of Bucks, to be kept out of Parliament."-Query. How many clerical and other abuses and demands are founded upon statutes framed in a spirit as essentially different from the existing constitutional law of the land, as that which was so strangely left to exact the putting down of opinions which had become the formal religion of it? THE RULING PASSION STRONG IN DEATH.-The celebrated Bayle died as he had lived, in the uninterrupted habits of composition; for with his dying hand, and nearly speechless, he sent a fresh proof to the printer. Mark the end!" Τ. WEEP on,-weep on, our sun is set, II. Oh! though your many woes amassed Weep, weep for one beloved and lost,→ More swiftly, now that hope is crost, IV. He sleeps afar, where morning's bloom The broad day glares upon his tomb (3 V. He thought to reach his own dear land, Death started forth with mighty handff6e Buf VI. Methinks that he would watch the sunbed quamui And say," farewell and journey on, 45 eta jo But I will follow thee." Amezza via come nemico armato.-PETRARCH. Not to be understood in the worst acceptation of the phrase, but in that in which the Florentine used it. The hull drives on, though mast and sail be torn, And thus the heart will break, yet brokenly live on. * An allusion to an obscure proverb, and what the reader need not understand. NOTICE. Next week, we shall commence a REVIEW, with EXTRACTS, of the next forthcoming Volume of DON JUAN, which is now in the Press. ERRATUM.---In No. XVI. page 256, line 2, for "the muse of warriors," read "the nurse," &c. LONDON:-Published by HENRY L. HUNT, 38, Tavistock-street, Covent-garden, and 22, Old Bond-street. Price Fourpence; or, if stamped for country circulation free of postage, Sevenpence. Sold by all Booksellers and Newsvenders in town; and by the following Agents in the country: Edinburgh, Messrs. Bell and Bradfute. Glasgow, W. R. Macphun. Exeter, T. Smith. T. Besley, jun. High-street. Leeds, James Mann, Duncan-street. Liverpool, T. Smith. Birmingham, J. Drake. Dublin, A. W. Graham, College-green. Bath, at the London Newspaper Office. Norwich, Burks and Kinnebrook, Mer- Yarmouth, W. Meggy. Armagh, T. Moller. Leicester, T. Thompson. Printed by C. W. REYNELL, Broad-street, Golden-square. |