too brief in his explication of the laws of chance, and the application of those laws to the probabilities of human existence, upon which subject he might have been more luminous and useful, had he thought proper to have followed somewhat more closely than he has done the fulness, and at the same time the

circumspection of Baron Masseres : nor can we altogether acquit him of a desire of pursuing and exposing Mr. Morgan's negligencies and occasional inaccuracies, more from a spirit of personal triumph than a generous love of truth, and an unhiixt longing to benefit the world by his corrections.

Y.

18:0.

CHAPTER

IT

T is impossible for us to commence this rich and important chapter, with a richer or more important article, than the "Fourth Report of the Directors of the African Institution; read at the Annual General Meeting, on the 28th of March, 1810," 8vo. Some years ago a commercial society was embodied, under the name of the Sierra Leone Company, whose views were as immaculate and disinterested, speaking of the company as a whole, as ever proceeded from the heart of man. The chief object of the commerce it proposed to institute between the African continent and the mother country, was that of public advantage on both sides. This company burthened itself with the expense of keeping up an establishnient on the African coast, of making commercial inquiries into the interior of Africa, and of importing into it whatever had the greatest chance of proving beneficial to the natives, on the score of exciting them to habits of industry and general information, without demanding, or pretending to, any exclusive privileges. The scheme was somewhat too Utopian; the expenses were enormous, the casual losses were very heavy, and there being no chartered benefits to assist in defraying them, it eventually failed, and its failure was deplored by every good *and benevolent heart.

This society commenced its career at the period when the people of our own country began to wax warm for the abolition of the Slave Trade; when Mr. Wilberforce first introduced it before the legislature, and there was every fair prospect of success. We shall not enter into the causes by which the public expectation was deceived. It is now very well known that the anticipated success did not take place. Yet the question will still be kept alive both before the public and in parliament, by the laudable ardour of individuals whose names we trust will never be forgotten, either in our own national annals, or in those of human nature; and, upon the introduction of Mr. Fox into the ministry, that great statesman and genuine philanthropist, made it a point to renew the question in a legislative form, and the sacred rights of mankind obtained a triumph in the British Senate. The traffic in slaves was declared illegal and abolished, so far as very heavy penalties could enforce its abolition. But the profits of the trade were enormous: no other countries, except America and Denmark, had concurred with the British legislature in delegalizing it, and it was hence still covertly carried on even by British merchants, either stealthily, or under the pretended protection of foreign flags.

A

A new aspect of things now presented itself: and, notwithstanding the failure of the Sierra Leone Company, an institution of a kind somewhat similar seemed loudly called for and it was conceived, that by avoiding certain points which seemed to be most palpably fatal to the preceding establishment, such an institution might not only be formed with a rational prospect of advantage, but of an advantage infinitely superior to what could have been expected under the most favourable issue of the prior attempt. The failure of this last as a colony, the proposers of the new undertaking regarded as no just cause of discouragement, for it formed no part of their plan to purchase territory in Africa, to found a colony, or even to carry on commerce: while the experience already before them, from the antecedent efforts, sufficiently demonstrated that negroes, in a state of freedom, may be induced to labour in the field: that the native chiefs may be made to understand such views as they were desirous of impressing upon them; and, above all, that the grand obstacle to their heartily embracing those views, was a continuance of the Slave Trade. In consequence of such general feeling, the promoters of this plan formed themselves into an establishment, in 1907, under the name of the "African Institution," the immediate objects of which were detailed in the following scheme.

"1.To collect and diffuse throughout this country accurate information respecting the natural productions of Africa, and, in general, respecting the agricultural and commercial capacities of the African continent, and the intellectual, moral, and political condition of its inhabitants. 2. To promote the cultivation of the Africans in letters and useful know

ledge, and to cultivate a friendly connexion with the natives of that continent. 3. To endeavour to enlighten the minds of the Africans with respect to their true interests; and to diffuse information among them, respecting the means whereby they may improve the present opportunity of substituting a beneficial commerce in place of the slave trade. 4. To introduce among them such of the improvements and useful arts of Europe, as are suited to their condition. 5. To promote the cultivation of the African soil, not only by exciting and directing the industry of the natives, but by furnishing, where it may appear advantageous to do so, useful seeds and plants, and implements of husbandry. 6. To introduce among the inhabitants useful medical discoveries. 7. To obtain a knowledge of the principal languages of Africa, and, as has already been found to be practicable, to reduce them to writing, with a view to facilitate the diffusion of information among the natives of that country. 8. To employ suitable agents, and to establish correspondences, as shall appear advisable; and to encourage and reward individual enterprize and exertion, in promoting any of the pur poses of the Institution."

We have been the more full upon this subject, because we are anxious to diffuse, as widely as possible, a knowledge of the benevolent principles upon which this institution is built, and the important objects it has in view. We have now to observe, that the report before us gives evident proof of the activity with which a variety of these valuable objects have been followed up, and e-pecially in the departments of foreign inquiry and in a jealous vigilance over the still-existing hordes of slaves dealers, and traders in human flesh.

In the first of these departments, we find that a considerable degree of scrutiny has been made concerning our valuable countryman, Mr. Mungo Park, but we lament to add, at present without any satisfactory information. We perceive also, that the capture of Senegal, effected in last July, has furnished an important inlet to interior communications with the country, and has induced the directors to try how far the silk-worm may be conveniently propagated; how far the common variety of African rice may be improved, and the African palm leaves be advantageously employed in the manufacture of cordage. There is also, in this report, some valuable information communicated from Lord Caledon, governor of the Cape, concerning the progress of Dr. Cavan, in an inland course from the Cape to the coast of Mozambique: and from Mr. Meredith, dated Winnebah, on the Gold Coast, concerning the Agoona country, situated between 5° and 5° 30′ north latitude.

Upon the subject of co-operating with the intention of the British legislature, in prohibiting the iniquity of the slave trade, the information communicated is very important, and the activity manifested by the Institution highly praiseworthy. The following general survey of the present state of this detestable traffic is of too much consequence to be omitted, confined, as we are, in our critical department. The directors were sanguine in hoping that, ere this time, something effectual would have been done to limit the range of this destructive traffe, which has hitherto impeded the success of every attempt to do good to Africa. But this expectation has not been realized-no foreign states have hitherto followed

the example set them by the legis latures of Great Britain, and the United States of America: while the flags of Spain and of Sweden (which, till the last two years, had scarcely ever visited the African coast) have of late been extensively employed in covering and protecting a trade in slaves, in which it is believed that the subjects of these countries have little or no interest. Nor is this all. It has been discovered that, in defiance of all the penalties imposed by act of parlizment, vessels, under foreign flags. have been fitted out in the ports of Liverpool and London, for the purpose of carrying slaves from the coast of Africa to the Spanish and Portuguese settlements in America; and that several adventures of this description have actually been completed. The persons, however, who are by far the most deeply engaged in this nefarious traffic, appear to be citizens of the United States of America, These shelter themselves from the penal consequences of their criminal conduct, by means of a nominal sale both of ship and cargo, at some Spanish or Swedish port; (the Havannah, for example, or the island of Bartholomew.) They are thus put in a capacity to use the flags of these states; and, so disguised, have carried on their slave-trading speculations, during the last year, to an enormous extent.” We find from the Report, that a large vessel, the Commercio de Rio, was actually fitted out on our own coasts for a slave adventure: that the ship and cargo were, in consequence, seized and proceeded against in the court of Exchequer, and judgment suffered to go by default last Hilary Term: we find also, by the record of condemnation, lately printed by order of the House of Commons, that this vessel was pro

vided with all the infernal apparatus of chains, padlocks, manacles, foot-irons, bad provisions, and miserable accommodation for above eight hundred Africans. It appears that the captain of a Portuguese ship had eight or nine prime African sailors on board, at the period of reaching the port of Liverpool, and well aware that these slaves of his would instantly become emancipate on touching the British shore, he endeavoured to evade the law, and still keep them in a state of slavery for his future purposes, by swearing a debt against each of them, and having the whole, in consequence of such affidavit, lodged in prison, till he quitted the country. Mr. Roscoe, on this occasion, benevolently interfered, offered bail for the men, who were in consequence set at liberty, with a severe reprimand and pecuniary mulet by the magistrates, on the part of the Portuguese captain, in consequence of his having riotously attempted to seize the men on their liberation from prison. All these men instantly volunteered their services on board His Majesty's fleet, except one, who was in a state of illhealth, and was, in consequence, accommodated on board a private ship. We rejoice, however, to find, that the legislature, which pledged itself during the last session to take some still more effectual step upon the subject, in the course of the present, has redeemed its pledge, and that Mr. Brougham has obtained an act, with the consent of the ministry, to render the slave traffic felony. This gentleman, in adverting to the preceding case of the Commercio de Rio, openly asserted that six other vessels had at that time been fitted out in a similar manner, and by a similar course of base frauds. Nothing, therefore, short of the

punishment of felony can put a stop to this detestable traffic; and espe cially now that, in consequence of the greater difficulties with which it is accompanied, the profits of a slave adventure are prodigiously augmented, by sinking the price given on the African coast, and doubling that demanded in the West India islands. The net profit upon that single speculation of the Commercio de Rio, bad it succeeded, would have amounted to not less than 60,000l. as was obvious from an inspection of her seized papers.

"Historical Sketches of the South of India, in an attempt to trace the History of Mysoor: from the Origin of the Hindoo Government of that State, to the Extinction of the Mohamedan Dynasty, in 1799, &c. By Lieutenant-colonel Mark Wilks." vol. i. 4to. A sketch of Indian history founded chiefly on Indian authorities, locally collected by the writer himself, as especially while officiating in a high public capacity, must ever experience a just share of our attention. Independently, however, of this external claim, the work before us has also a claim from no small portion of internal excellence. Lieutenant-colonel Wilks appears to hold very cheap, and, in our opinion, somewhat too cheap, the civilization and learning of India in former times. "The golden age of India," he observes, "like that of other regions, belongs exclusively to the poet. In the sober investigation of facts, this imaginary era recedes still further and further at every stage of the inquiry; and all that we find is still the empty praise of the ages which have passed."This, however, is not quite all; for it so happens, that in many cases, we possess authentic documents-of the fact itself, in detached fragments, or more regular histories :

we