academies and universities, where there can be no doubt it produced a beneficial and extensive influence on the minds of rising youth.

Among those who by their works advocated the cause of Africa, independently of any systematic efforts to abolish the slave-trade, we must notice Dr. Beilby Porteus, (born 1731, died 1809,) first Bishop of Chester, and afterwards Bishop of London. In 1783, he preached and published a sermon on behalf of the negroes, before the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, which was widely circulated, and tended much to excite a benevolent interest on behalf of that injured race. This pious and enlightened prelate never failed to aid the cause he had undertaken. His support, when the measure of abolition was brought before parliament, was uniform and important; and he lived to see the happy termination of the contest in the abolition of the slave-trade. We shall have repeated occasion to allude to the benevolent and indefatigable exertions of this excellent man, who claims a place both in our first and second class of worthies.

In 1784, Dr. George Gregory, (born 1754, died 1808,) produced a volume of Essays, Historical and Moral. In these he took an opportunity of disseminating a circumstantial knowledge of the slavetrade, and an equal abhorrence of it. By many weighty arguments he proved it to be an unmixed evil, whether regarded in a moral or political point of view. He proposed, as a parliamentary measure, the abolition both of the slave-trade and slavery itself, proving the advantage, both to England and her colonies, from such a measure, and

specified various articles in which a traffic with África might be substituted for that which he desired to suppress.

In the same year Gilbert Wakefield (born 1756, died 1801) preached a powerful sermon at Richmond, in Surrey, exhibiting the dreadful injustice, cruelty, and inconsistency of the slave-trade, as practised by Britons, who boast of their liberty, and by christians, who profess a religion of mercy, meekness, and love.

Another able advocate of the negroes was James Ramsay (born 1733, died 1789). He resided nineteen years in the island of St. Christopher's, where he held two rectories. There he had abundant opportunities of observing the treatment of the negroes, and had studied the laws relating to them. In 1781 he returned to England, and settled at Leston, in Kent. His West Indian recollections, however, were ever present to his mind, and he yielded to a sense of duty, and to the solicitation of friends, in publishing "An Essay on the Treatment and Conversion of the African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies." Beside the general topics, as to the injustice, cruelty, and degradation to which the negroes were exposed, he dwelt much on the difficulty of instructing them while in their oppressed condition, at the same time fully answering, from his own experience, all objections against their capability of receiving in struction under ordinarily favourable circumstances. He urged the advantage to the master's interest in giving them freedom, and granting them other privileges, especially the means of religious instruction.

Mr. Ramsay's attempt to serve the cause of his

much injured fellow-creatures, exposed him to the forfeiture of friendships contracted on the islands, to much injury in his private property there, and to the ill-will and persecution of many, whose sordid interests led them to desire that all subjects connected with slavery should be veiled over, or touched with a very delicate hand. These inconveniences, however, were more than counterbalanced by the knowledge that this testimony of an eye-witness attracted much attention, excited much conversation, and produced a considerable impression on the subject. It was evident that Englishmen could not much longer be kept in the dark, and continue unwittingly to sanction the guilty oppression. It became necessary to do one of three things: either to deny and disprove the statements which had been made as to the injustice and cruelty of slavery; or, admitting the truth of these charges, to persist in what was avowedly wrong, to resist the voice of conscience, to make paramount the pleas of interest, and to forfeit all claim to common humanity; or, to relinquish and oppose a system which, however rendered familiar by custom and endeared by interest, was manifestly a transgression against God and man. On the appearance of Mr. Ramsay's book, the first course was adopted by several persons, who attempted to answer and refute the charges; few were at that time hardy and shameless enough to admit the guilt and yet avow themselves the advocates of the practice; but in the first controversy ever entered into on this subject, truth was brought to light, and spread the more widely by the very efforts to oppose and suppress it; and thus the third class was daily multiplying among impartial, enlight

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ened, and conscientious persons. In addition to his first essay, Mr. Ramsay produced "An Enquiry into the Effects of the Abolition of the Slave-Trade; A Reply to Personal Invectives and Objections;' "A Letter to James Tobin, Esq.;" "Objections to the Abolition of the Slave-Trade, with Answers, and an Examination of Harris's Scriptural Researches on the Lawfulness of the Slave-Trade;' and "An Address on the proposed Bill for the Abolition of the Slave Trade." From the time this good man took up the cause, he was incessantly engaged in it until his death, which, to all human appearance, was hastened by his exertions. But it was a noble cause in which he fell a martyr; and the good man died satisfied in having been instrumental in exciting an investigation of the subject, which, he felt fully convinced, must inevitably lead to the total abolition of the slavetrade.

The African cause was materially assisted by Captain J. S. Smith, of the Royal Navy, who came forward to corroborate the statements of Mr. Ramsay, when his character and reputation were attacked, and his statements denied. This circunstance induced Captain Smith to stand forth in a noble cause, and in behalf of an injured character. He wrote to his friend, Mr. Hill, and gave him permission to publish his letter, fully confirming the facts stated by Mr. Ramsay, of which Captain Smith had also been an eye-witness, but which had been so boldly denied.

These were the persons who, in a greater or less degree, maintained and diffused just and liberal sentiments on the subject of slavery, by which, in some instances, their own conduct was regulated;

T

in others, where they had no personal interest in the concern, their sentiments proved influential on those who had, and gradually prepared the way for actual and combined effort, in which some of the parties now introduced to the reader took a distinguished and efficient part.

SECT. XVI.-STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM OF NEGROES IN ENGLAND.

IT has been a general observation, that the greatest darkness immediately precedes sun-rise, and the excessive aboundings of misery and oppression are generally the precursors of relief and deliverance. It was so in the case of the oppressed Israelites in Egypt, and it was so in that of the oppressed Africans. It had been a common practice with planters, merchants, and others, resident in the West Indies, when they occasionally came to England, to bring with them negro slaves to act as servants during their stay. It was perfectly natural that persons thus circumstanced should compare their own condition of slavery and hardship with the freedom and comfort enjoyed by servants in England. Such a comparison would, of course, make them very unwilling to return to the islands, and in consequence many of them absconded. The masters advertised, or otherwise searched for them, and, when found, they were seized and carried away by force.

There was a notion prevalent, that such proceedings were not sanctioned by the English laws, but that all persons who were baptized became free. The former idea was, after a long struggle,