Wiser, and happier; it has never stain'd

Its fame by selfishness, but borne in mind, That glory, to be true, must be with good combin'd.

God is not great because omnipotent !

But because power, in him, is understood, And felt, and prov'd, to be benevolent,

And wise, and holy;-thus it ever should! For what He wills, we know, is pure and good, And has in view the happiness of All: Hence love and adoration;-never could The contrite spirit at his footstool fall, If power, and power alone, its feelings did appal! If then divinest power be truly so,

Because its end and object is to bless; It follows, that all power which man can know, The highest even monarchs can possess, Displays alone their " less than littleness," Unless it seek the happiness of man, And glory of the Highest ;-nothing less

Than such a use of power one moment can Make its possessor great, on wisdom's godlike plan.

Thus judg'd, Napoleon was not truly great;

Because his actions to the world have shown, In language which admits of no debate,

Self-aggrandizement was his end alone. He us'd his power, as conquerors are prone, And ever were, for selfish ends; and sought To extend his sway, and fortify his throne; Not by those gentler arts, with blessings fraught, [rapine bought. But by War's ruthless spoil, with blood and The author from hence passes to the chief object of his poem, which is to advocate those precepts of Christianity, which enjoin "Peace on earth and good will to man;" and to show the anti-christian nature and bitter consequences of War. And / first he invokes Divine aid,Since thou art fitly styl'd the Prince of Peace! And unto thee all power by love is given, To shed abroad thy spirit, so increase [riven Its influence upon earth; that hearts, now With angry feelings,which too long have striven To injure, may each harsher thought disown; And thy pure law of love, revered in heaven, May be on earth in human actions shown, Proving thy kingdom come, the heart of man thy throne.

Though there are few subjects which are more powerfully deprecated by direct passages of Scripture, than that of War; Mr. Barton justly remarks:

But not by insulated precepts, strown

Throughout the Gospel, war is prov❜d to be Unlawful that unlawfulness is shown

By Christianity's whole tendency: This should be happiness and harmony; For all its doctrines uniformly prove

O War! thou art indeed the deadliest curse Which heaven can suffer or the world endure; However pride thy glories may rehearse,

Or hopes of fame thy votaries may allure. Volcano, earthquake, pestilence impure,

Are evils; but they poison not the spring Of thought and feeling; lenient time may cure

Their devastations; but to thine there cling Resentment, rooted hate, and each unholy thing.

We have already given our readers ample means for judging of the merit of the work; yet we cannot close this article, without giving two more stanzas, which express our own feelings, and those probably of many of our readers, when contemplating the termination of a career, so remarkable as was that of Napoleon Buonaparte : Yet unto thee, Napoleon! once again

I turn with feelings inexpressible; And, long as may appear this parting strain, So deeply do I feel the potent spell Its theme supplies; unwearied I could dwell On thoughts it wakens :-and I linger yet, Before I can pronounce a last " farewell!"

Like one before whose mournful gaze is set A thing he must forego, but not so soon forget. Forget! No, never! Thou hast left behind,

If not a glorious, yet a deathless name; Which almost seems as if it were design'd

To shew the world the nothingness of fame ;'
[hour,
That he who builds, in fortune's brightest

And unto ages yet unborn proclaim
And with a master's skill, the monstrous frame
Of arbitrary will, and lawless power,
Toils in a worthless cause, and rears a totter-
ing tower.

In the preceding extracts, neitherpeculiar beauties nor defective passages have been sought for, though we are inclined to believe, that had the composition rather than the sentiments,

constituted the object of our research, more favourable quotations might have been given. The minor pieces not being connected with the subjects

of Peace or War, fall not under our observation; but many of them will be found to possess considerable excellence.

The Slave Trade.

Isle of France, Jan. 28, 1822.-I am happy in being able to inform you, that Government is now using_every exertion to suppress the Slave Trade. We have a most active King's ship here now, which has taken several slave vessels. The last had 340 on board. Another had less; but a considerable number. The commander of her had bid defiance a long time to our men of war; and it is well known, on a former occasion, when one of our frigates (the Topaze, Capt. Lumley, who is since dead,) gave chace to him, he threw 130 overboard; either to make the vessel sail, or in case of being taken, to clear

himself.

The following statement is from Sierra Leone, of the number of vessels visited or detained by His Majesty's cruizers, from the 1st of February to the 28th of April 1822:-Twelve vessels under French colours were visited, three of which number were brought up to Sierra Leone with 779 slaves; the remainder were completely fitted for the trade, platforms laid, &c. Seventeen vessels under Portuguese colours, were visited, five of which number only were brought to Sierra Leone with 372 slaves; the remainder were fitted for the slave trade.-Four vessels under Spanish colours were detained; total number of slaves on board at detention, 715; 380 of which number were unhappily lost by the upsetting of the schooner in a tornado; 16 of the crew, and two officers of His Majesty's ship Iphigenia, perished by that melancholy event. One vessel under American colours has been detained by Mr. Hunter, of the United States' navy,

and Lieut. Clarkson, of His Majesty's ship Iphigenia, and sent to America. There are now three vessels at the Gallinas, one Spanish and two French.

Havannah, July 12.-The Hornet has sent in a French brig, with 200 negroes on board, recaptured from a pirate. One of the United States' schooners sent in a few days since a canoe with eight men, found at a distance from the coast, but they had no war stores on board.

T

We can never contemplate the continuance of this nefarious traffic with coolness, regarding it, as we do, as an outrage upon every principle of humanity, of justice, and of religion; it is, therefore, with peculiar satisfaction, that we perceive that the highly respectable Society of Friends, to whose unwearied, persevering exertions, philanthropy and religion have been so much indebted, have raised their voice against the continued prosecution of this traffic by the foreign powers, in an address to the inhabitants of Europe; and that the Society of Christian Morals at Paris, have commenced their labours with the appointment of a Committee to endeavour to procure, by every means in their power, the entire annihilation of the Slave Trade, who have published a Prospectus declaratory of their object. Extracts from the former, and the whole of the latter, we shall lay before our readers.

After a cursory review of the steps taken by the Society of Friends, with others, towards procuring the abolition of the British Slave Trade, and of the success with which their labours were ultimately crowned, the Address proceeds

"We have rejoiced to hear that the respective governments of those countries, whose subjects are still implicated in the traffic, have proceeded so far as they have hitherto done towards its abolition; but we have learned with deep regret and sorrow, that it is still pursued to a great and truly lamentable extent, and that under circumstances of aggravated cruelty, by the subjects of those very powers. We hear 'that numerous vessels are still hovering along the shores of Africa, to procure cargoes of human beings, and transport them to distant lands, whence they are designed never to return. In fact we hear, and that from undoubted authority, that the trade which the Congress at Vienna, in 1814, pronounced to be the desolation of Africa, the degradation of Europe, and the afflicting scourge of humanity,' has been carried on with increased eagerness in the course of last year.

are now

"It is under the influence of Christian love and good-will, that we engaged to express our interest on behalf of this injured people. In thus introducing ourselves to the notice of our continental neighbours, we feel that we need not offer any apology, considering them as our brethren, as the children of one universal parent, as fellow-professors of a belief in one and the same merciful Saviour. The same feelings which lead us to consider the natives of France, of Spain, of Holland, of Portugal, and of the other nations of Europe, as our brethren, induce us to extend this endearing appellation to the inhabitants of Africa. Our heavenly father has made of one blood all nations of men that dwell upon the face of the earth; and we are all the objects of that great redemp. tion, which comes by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And although the kindreds of the earth are divided into distinct communities and nations, we are all bound one unto another by the ties of love, of brotherly kindness, and compassion. But the nations of Europe are united by an additional bond. To them has been granted a blessing, which has not hitherto been enjoyed by the greater part of the natives of Africa: this blessing, this invaluable treasure is the Bible, in which is contained the record of the Gospel of Christ."

The Address then presents an animated picture of the accumulated suffering and misery, which attend the present prosecution of the Slave Trade, which is succeeded with the following forcible appeal to the nations of Europe, as men and as Christians.

"Such is the cruelty practised upon thousands and tens of thousands of inno

cent sufferers, not by men who might attempt to palliate their conduct by retaliating injuries; but by those who, when they themselves are enjoying the blessings of liberty, when the comforts of social life are within their reach, leave their native land for the sake of sordid gain, and spread desolation, distress, and misery, amongst a people who have never injured them. May the nations of Europe consider in time the awful consequences that await such accumulated guilt!

"The arguments of the Christian, like the religion from which they are derived, are plain and simple, but they are in themselves invincible. The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is a system of peace, of love, of mercy, and of good-will. The Slave Trade is a system of fraud and rapine, of violence and cruelty. The Author of our Salvation, when he took upon him our nature, set us a perfect example of piety and virtue. He went about doing good to the bodies and souls of men. He taught his disciples that the evil dispositions and passions of man are not to be indulged, but that they are to be restrained by the power of his Spirit acting upon the soul. His parables teach us the happy effects of a religious life. His miraculous cures bespeak a tender compassion for the sufferings and afflictions of man. His discourses inculcate disinterested, genuine humanity. The man who traffics in the lives and liberties of his fellow-beings, goes forth to gratify the malevolent passions of selfishness and avarice: he does violence to all the tender feelings of humanity, and spreads around him distress and terror. Our blessed Redeemer has taught us pure impartial justice, in this plain but most important language, All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.' (Matt. vii. 12.) The Slave trader, in open violation of this injunction, acts towards others in a way which he would use every means in his power to resist, if it were practised upon him. He is indeed guilty of the greatest injustice: he deprives his fellow-men of their liberty, that gift of heaven, which is estimated as the greatest of civil blessings; and which is the natural, and, (whilst we are not disturbing the peace and tranquilright of the whole human race. lity of our neighbours,) the unalienable And here we would observe that, as the practice itself is clearly unjust, it cannot be warThat which is morally wrong cannot be ranted by any commercial considerations. politically right. And our beneficent Creator has wisely ordered, that our duty and our interest should be intimately combined; and it is contrary to his gracious purpose, that gain and advantage should be sought by one part of his rational creation, from the distress and sufferings of another,

"It has also been maintained by some, that we are justified in forcing the inhabitants of Africa from their native soil, to make them acquainted with the blessings of Christianity. To these we would reply, -The Divine Founder of our religion used no endeavours to compel his hearers to accept his doctrine, or to obey his precepts. He is our Lord and Master: He is the

great Head of the Christian Church: His precepts and his examples are equally obligatory upon all his true disciples, in all ages and in all countries. If we follow them, in the meekness and lowliness which he taught, under the influence of his spirit, we shall be happy here, and happy hereafter but if, bearing his name, and calling ourselves his disciples, even though we profess to be teaching his doctrine,-if we reject his example, and violate his precepts, in the presence of those who have not, like ourselves, been partakers of the outward knowledge of the gospel, awful and fearful will be our future condition.

:

"The nations of Europe owe indeed a heavy debt to Africa. Instead of improving the opportunity of their commercial intercourse with that unoffending people, to exemplify the excellence of the Christian religion by the kindness of their conduct, and the purity of their morals ;-instead of endeavouring to convey to them a knowledge of those exalted views, of that increase of temporal happiness, which the

spirit of Christianity produces, many of them have gone forth to plunder and to ravage, to spread desolation and terror, to practice injustice and cruelty in their most odious forms; and thus have caused the name of Christ to be blasphemed among the gentiles through them.

"We appeal to all who have felt that love of their country which is inherent in our nature; who can appreciate the blessings and enjoyments of social life; who can form an estimate of the endearing relation of parents and children, of brothers and sisters, of husband and wife. We entreat all to reflect on the violation of these feelings which is now practiced on the Continent of Africa: to cultivate in their minds from day to day, and from year to year, sentiments of pity for these poor unhappy sufferers to embrace every opportunity of advocating their cause among their neighbours, with Christian firmness and love.

"We hope that none will be disheartened from doing their utmost in this good cause, from the thought that their efforts will be of little avail. No one knows, let his sta

tion be ever so obscure, let his sphere of action be ever so limited, what may be the result of his persevering attempts in the

cause of justice and mercy. Great events have often followed what appeared to be but small and unimportant beginnings.

And we earnestly entreat those, whose influence may be more extensive, to lose no time, to neglect no opportunity of pleading a cause, in which the happiness and comfort of an incalculable number of our fellow-men, are most deeply involved.

"If the foregoing pages should be read by any who are employed in this cruel traffic, we would suggest to these a few reflections. We feel, whilst thus attempting to describe the miseries which you are inflicting, that you also are our brethren ;-and that although we view your actions with indignation and abhorence, you are the objects of our tender pity. As we are believers in a future state of rewards and punish. ments, we would warn you in Christian love, of the awful termination of that course of wickedness which you are pursuing. Our Lord, our righteous Judge, declared

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy;'-Matt. v. 7. what then will become of the unmerciful and cruel? In the same most excellent discourse, he uttered this solemn sentence, 'With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.'-Matt. vii. 2. What then will be the portion of those who have meted out cruelty, distress, and sorrow, to the innocent and unprotected?

"The voice of reason and justice, the voice of humanity and religion, proclaims that the Slave Trade is an iniquity of the deepest die. May then the friends of the

abolition of this abominable traffic, whereever they are scattered, combine their efforts in this righteous cause ;-may their energy and alacrity be in proportion to the enormity of the evil;-may their patience and perseverance be in proportion to the difficulties which they have to encounter; and may the labourers increase until the trade be eradicated from the face of the earth!

May it please the Almighty Parent of the universe to hasten the period of its extirpation, and by this and other means to prepare for the coming of that day, when from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, his name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto his name, and a pure offering.' "-Mal. i. 11.

We have been induced to quote so fully this excellent Address, because national warfare, if not so atrocious in its character, is nevertheless equally a violation of the command of Christ, and equally opposed to the meek and forgiving spirit of the Gospel. Cupidity and self-interest, which support the one, pleads for the other; and the same