Wollen manufaPure, encou of 19 Y. 82 Wynwyk, letter of Humphry YARMOUTH, herring-fish- 296 likely to be found - green X. ery cause 275 402 Yates, Sir Jofeph,epitaph on 441 126 XENOPHON, remarks on his villa at Byer's- 213 422 York, Duke of, embarks for INDEX to the BOOKS Reviewed in VOL. LXIII. PART I. 58 Carcott's Account of Park Pen GIBBON's History 61, 252, Lyjens's Environs of London hole 157 353 440 MA M. MALONE's Shakspeare 200 Man. The Duries of Man 440 Milner on the Divine Right of N. 251 162 Natural Hittery. The Beau- refque Defcription of the mation of Parliament 448 Pindar, Peter, a Pair of Lyric 252 Epistles to Lord Macartney 446 333 258 Pitt's Speech on the Reduction Stedman's Sermon Vols. V. and VI. Priftley's Appeal 137, 145. R. 133 T. 41 547 546 TATHAM Sermon 60 READ's Methed of topping Fire on-board Ships 161 fearches 161 County of P. 435 U. 436 129 PAINE. Adam's Anfwer to Ryland's Addrefs to Youth, Wool. The King's House at INDEX to the POETRY in VoL. LXIII. PART I. 450 ELEGY to Majefy 464 165 168 Epicure 166 Convent, written at one Epgram, occafioned by an dras D. Mas. on the beautiful 167 262 Epigrams 70, 155, 360 F. 167 462 HAIR, on a Lock of N. 262 Sonnets the 557 556 360 T. 265 Havardur, the Haunting of NIGHTINGALE and Lark, TRANSLATION from the 461 Hieroglyphicks, Answer to a Letter in Hood, Sir Sam. Stanza to 358 168 I. INFIDEL, on a celebrated Prologue at Dr. Barrow's 357 Y. 358 68 Lichfield new Theatre 559 Year, Ode for the new INDEX to the PLATES in VOL. LXIII. PART I. - Arms, Coat of, at Brancafter 520 Images, antique, found in Charles I. Autograph of 223. Infcription, antient 320, 321 416 Roundels 397 223 Longitude, Triangles for 223 Waltham, Much, Chorch 321 Wilion, Gavin, Portrait of 3:3 M. Wright, Tho. Portrait of 9 Font, old 324 Madagascar Portraits 201 Wyddial Hall •་ Dr. claimed and obtained his Freedom in Scotland, 1777. "IT must be agreed, that in moft ages many countries have bad part of their inhabitants in a state of flavery yet it may be doubted whether flavery can ever be fuppofed the natural condition of man. It is impoffible not to conceive that men in their original state were equal; and very difficult to imagine how one would be fubjected to another but by violent compulfion. An individual may, indeed, forfeit his liberty by a crime; but he cannot by that crime forfeit the liberty of his children. What is true of a criminal feems true likewife of a captive. A man may accept life from a conquering enemy on condition of perpetual fervitude; but it is very doubtful whether he can entail that fervitude on his defcendants; for no man can ftipulate without commiffion for another. The condition which he himself accepts, his fon or grandfon perhaps would have rejected. If we should admit, what perhaps may with more reafon be denied, that there are certain relations between man and man which may make flavery neceffary and juft, yet it can never be proved that he who is now fuing for his freedom ever ftood in any of thofe relations. He is certainly fubject by no law, but that of vio lence, to his present mafter, who pretends no claim to his obedience, but that he bought him from a merchant of flaves, whofe right to fell him never was exa mined. It is faid, that, according to the conflitutions of Jamaica, he was legally endlaved. Thefe conftitutions are merely pofitive, and apparently injurious to the rights of mankind; becaufe, whoever is expofed to fale is condemned to flavery without appeal, by whatever fraud or violence he might have been originally brought into the merchant's power. In our own time, Princes have been fold, by wretches to whofe care they were entrusted, that they might have an European education; but when once they were brought to a market in the plantations, little would avail either their dignity or their wrongs. The laws of. Jamaica afford a Negro no redrefs. His colour is confidered as a fufficient teftimony against him. It is to be lamented that moral right should ever give way to political convenience. But if temptations of intereft are fometimes too ftrong for human virtue, let us at least retain a virtue where there is no temptation to quit it. In the prefent cafe there is apparent right on one fide, and no convenience on the other. Inhabitants of this inland can neither gain riches nor power by taking away the liberty of any part of the human fpecies. The fum of the argument is this: No man is by nature the property of another: The defendant is, therefore, by nature free: The rights of mature must be some way forfeited before they can be juftly taken away: That the defendant has by any act forfeited the Nights of nature we require to be proved; and, if no proof of fuch forfeiture can be given, we doubt not but the justice of the court vill declare him free*." * 1 record Dr. Johnion's argument fairly upon this particular cale; where, perhaps, be was in the right. But I beg leave to enter my moft folemn proteft against his general doctrine with respect to the fave-trade. For I will refolutely fay, that his unfavourable notion of it was owing to prejudice, and imperfect or falfe information. The wild and dangerous attempt which has for fome time been perfifted in to obtain an act of our legislature, to abo Lifh fo very important and neceffary a branch of commercial intereft, must have been crushed at once, had not the infignificance of the zealots who vainly took the lead in it made the vaft body of planters, merchants, and others, whose immense properties are involved in that trade, reafonably enough fuppofe that there could be no danger. The encouragement which the attempt has received excites my wonder and indignation"; and, though fome men of fuperior abilities have fupported it, whether from a love of temporary popularity when profperous, or a love of general mischief when desperate, my o.inion is urfhaken. To abolish a flatus which in all ages God has fanétioned, and man has continued, would not only be robbery to an innumerable class of our fellow-subject, but it would be extreme cruelty to the African favages, a portion of whom it faves from mafiacre, or intolerable bondage in their own country, and introduces into a much happier ftate of life, especially now when their paffage to the Weft Indies, and thei: treatment there, is fo humanely regulated. To abolish that trade would be to thut the gates of Mercy on mankind.” 66 Whatever may have paffed elsewhere concerning it, the House of Lords is wife and independent i Arbitrio popularis auræ. I have read, converfed, and thought much upon the fubject; and would recommend to all whe are capable of co viction an excellent tract, by my learned and ingenious friend John Ranby, Efq, intituled, "Doubts on the Abolition of the Slave-trade." 1o Mr. Ranby's "Doubts" I will apply Lord Chancellor Hardwicke's expreffion in praise of a Scotch law book, called "Dirleton's Doubts." His Dewors (laid his Lordship) are better than molt people's Certainties. BOSWELL, Life of Johnfon. 2d edit, p. xiv. VOLUME LXIII. END 03 THE FIRST PART |