clergyman, to promote the establishment of Episcopacy in the American province of Vermont, adjoining Canada; with assurances of having large tracts of land secured to the Society for Propagating the Gospel, for that purpose; which I will lay before the Archbishop as soon as I can get it copied.

These applications from Canada and Vermont are strong proofs of the general conviction entertained by all parties, of Mr. Sharp's religious sincerity, and of the disinterested views which at all times prompted his conduct towards America.

Ms. "1789. March 13.-Waited on the Archbishop of Canterbury, about Canada affairs."

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May 25th.-With the Archbishop of Canterbury, about Canada. He now has hopes of proceeding with success."

Among the measures which Mr. Sharp had considered as most likely to improve his unexpected success in the attempt to establish a pure Protestant Episcopacy in America, he had anxiously endeavoured to promote, through the same channels that were already opened to him, the extension of Christian knowledge over a continent where the human mind appeared to him to be just verging to maturity*, and

* I find among Mr. Sharp's papers on this subject, the following stanzas, in his own handwriting, "On the Prospect of planting Arts and Learning in America, by Dr. Berkley, Bishop of Cloyne."

"IV. There shall be sung another golden age: The rise of Empire and of Arts,

The good and great inspiring epic rage,
The wisest heads and noblest hearts-

"V. Not such as Europe breeds in her decay; Such as she bred when fresh and young, When heavenly flame did animate her clayBy future poets shall be sung.

"VI. Westward the course of empire takes its way:
The four first acts already past,

A fifth shall close the drama with the day :--
Time's noblest offspring is the last."

where he conceived that, consequently, a general diffusion of the precepts contained in the Scriptures might be of the highest avail. For this virtuous purpose he had followed up his arduous outset by large donations of religious books to the several public libraries in America, adding also such other works as he thought most useful to the advancing state of the provinces. "I have sent presents of books (he says, in a letter to his brother Dr. J. Sharp, 1784) " to the libraries in all the principal places in America, in order to gain some little influence to enable me to promote Episcopacy throughout that continent."

The various letters that passed on these occasions are proper to be inserted in this place, but being too numerous for the purpose of a narrative, they will be found in the Correspondence. They contain some interesting particulars of the literary institutions of the colonies. In one of them, we meet with the two brothers, William and Granville, uniting their endeavours to diffuse the blessing of religious instruction.

But Mr. Sharp's liberality extended beyond the motives which gave it birth. Long after his purpose had been fully attained, we shall find him largely renewing his gifts to the various American colleges and public libraries *.

His bounty to public libraries appears to have had a very early date, and to have continued to a very late period of his life. One of the earliest, and one of the latest instances, are found in the following documents.

Sir,

To Granville Sharp, Esq.

"Reigate, 11th May, 1773.

"I have received from Mr. Bryant twenty-seven volumes, as a present from you to our public library--not founded by Lord Somers, as I suppose you have been misinformed, but by a poor predecessor of mine in this poor vicarage; his name was Andrew Cranston.

"It is very kind in you to consider the wants of us country parsous, who are early in life banished the society and conversation of the learned, and excluded by our situation from all access to libraries, and so quickly lose the small smattering of learning which we had picked up at the university; and this not always through our own fault or idleness, but often merely for want of tools to work with. For, by the wholesome regulations of King Henry VIII. we are generally reduced to so scanty an allowance, as, after the necessary provision of food and raiment, to have little to lay out on books or other literary apparatus; and so we soon and insensibly slide into the character and habits of the country farmers with whom we are condemned to pass our days. This misfortune is partly prevented, or alleviated, by the institution of parochial libraries, where they take place; and might be so in a greater degree, were men of

On the return of peace, he had also renewed his communication with Anthony Benezet; but this correspondence was of short duration: the term of Benezet's labours was approaching, and Mr. Sharp's last letter was withheld on account of the declining state of his correspondent. This excellent man died at Philadelphia in the spring of 1784. The interment of his remains was attended by several thousands of all ranks, professions, and parties, who united in deploring their loss. The mournful procession was closed by some hundreds of those poor Africans who had been personally benefited by his labours, and whose behaviour on the occasion showed the gratitude and affection which they considered to be due to him as their own private benefactor, as well as the benefactor of their whole race.

your considerate and liberal spirit more frequently met with. These being my real sentiments, you will believe it is with sincerity that, as well on my own behalf as on that of my neighbouring brethren, I return you hearty thanks for your very handsome present. "I am, Sir, your obliged humble servant,

"MIDDLE TEMPLE.

"W. STEAD."

At a Parliament holden the 8th day of February, 1805: "Ordered, that the Thanks of this Parliament be presented to Granville Sharp, Esq. for his very obliging present of several volumes and pamphlets, chiefly on legal subjects, and of the greater part of which he is the Author, to be placed in the Library of this Society. ELDRED, Sub-Treasurer.”

W.

CHAP. VIII.

IT is here requisite to interrupt the history of the zealous exertions of a philanthropist in favour of a new world, in order to turn once more to the vices of the old one. In 1783, Mr. Sharp found himself called on for a renewal of his benevolent efforts in behalf of African slaves. The case which presented itself was of the greatest enormity, and most atrocious description. Let us first see his own Manuscript notes of the transaction.

S." March 19.-Gustavus Vasa, a Negro, called on me, with an account of one hundred and thirty Negroes being thrown alive into the sea, from on board an English slave ship.

"20th.-Called on Dr. Bever this evening, to consult about prosecuting the murderers of the Negroes.

"21st.-Called on the Bishops of Chester and Peterborough, and General Oglethorpe, and Dr. Jebb.

22d.-Ordered Messrs. Heseltine and Lushington to commence a prosecution in the Admiralty Court, against all persons concerned in throwing into the sea one hundred and thirty Negro slaves, as stated on a trial at Guildhall on the 6th of this month.

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May 19th.-Attended the Court of King's Bench with a short

20th.

21st.

22d.

hand writer.

This day the Negro cause came on between the

insurers and the owners of the slave ship, from on board of which the one hundred and thirty poor Negroes were cast into the sea. A new trial is granted to the insurers."

The circumstances of this case could not fail to excite a deep interest. The master of a slave ship, trading from Africa to Jamaica,

and having four hundred and forty slaves on board, had thought fit, on a pretext that he might be distressed on his voyage for want of water, to lessen the consumption of it in the vessel by throwing overboard one hundred and thirty-two of the most sickly among the slaves.

On his return to England, the owners of the ship claimed from the insurers the full value of those drowned slaves, on the ground that there was an absolute necessity for throwing them into the sea, in order to save the remaining crew, and the ship itself.

The underwriters contested the existence of the alleged necessity; or, if it had existed, attributed it to the ignorance and improper conduct of the master of the vessel.

This contest of pecuniary interest brought to light a scene of horrid brutality, which had been acted during the execution of a detestable plot. From the trial, it appeared, that the ship Zong (or Zung), Luke Collingwood master, sailed from the island of St. Thomas, on the coast of Africa, Sept. 6th, 1781, with four hundred and forty slaves, and fourteen whites, on board, for Jamaica; and that on the November following she fell in with that island; but instead of proceeding to some port, the master, mistaking (as he alleged) Jamaica for Hispaniola, run her to leeward.

Sickness and mortality had by this time taken place on board the crowded vessel: so that, between the time of leaving the coast of Africa and the 29th of November, sixty slaves and seven white people had died; and a great number of the surviving slaves were then sick, and not likely to live long. On that day, the master of the ship called together a few of the officers, and stated to them, that if the sick slaves died a natural death, the loss would fall on the owners of the ship*, but if they were thrown alive into the sea,

This was in fact the law then observed respecting Negro slaves.

Lord Mansfield (on application for a second trial). "Since the trial, I was informed, if the slaves die a natural death, the underwriters do not pay for them, but, in an engagement, if they are attacked and the slaves are killed, they will be paid for as much as for damages done to goods; and it is frequently done: just as if horses were killed. They are paid for in the gross, as well as for horses killed; but you don't pay for horses that die a natural death."

From Minutes taken in Court, May 21, 1783,