were directed towards my journey, cording to some travellers, are a sort and on the means necessary to be ob- of petty sovereigns in the Holy Land, served, that I might finish it in safety: and enjoy the greatest honours. "for," said they to me, "we are answerable now to your country for your safety." They had already sent an express to the sheick of the Arabs of the mountain of Judea, and another 66 to the Pere Procureur of Rama. "We receive you," said father Francois Munoz, with a heart limpide e bianco." It was not necessary for this Spanish monk to assure me of the sincerity of his sentiments: I should have read it easily in the pious frankness of his countenance and of his looks. [To be continued.] An Account of the Commerce of France with Africa, and the Islands of France and Bourbon. Europeans have not always Tappeared as corsairs upon the shores of Africa: towards the end of the fourteenth century, the Normans and Britons had several establishments upon its western coasts, between Cape Verd and Guinea; they even penetrated into the interior of the country, by means of the rivers Senegal and This Christian and charitable recep- Gambia; and having afterwards protion in a country where Christianity ceeded a short journey by land, they and charity took their rise, this apos- re-embarked their European mer tolic hospitality in a place where the chandizes upon the Niger, and sold first of the apostles preached the evan- them throughout the provinces of Nigelist, touched me to the very heart: gritia, the rich kingdom of Tombut, I remembered that other missionaries and that of Melli.These merchanhad received me with the same cordi- dizes principally consisted of linen ality in the deserts of America. The cloth, knives, spirituous liquors, salt, monks of the Holy Land have so much and glass-beads; in return for which the greater merit, that in shewing to were given skins, ivory, gums, ostrich the pilgrims of Jerusalem the charity feathers, ambergris, and gold dust. of Jesus Christ, they have preserved The fatal wars during the reign of for them the cross which was planted Charles VI. gradually diminished the on these very shores. This father, French expeditions to Africa; so that with the heart limpide e bianco, as- by the fifteenth century, of all their sured me also, that he found the life establishments, there only remained which he had now led for fifty years a to the French that of the island of St. vero paradiso. Would you know Louis. The discovery of America what this paradise is? Every day some having effected a change in the aninsult, to be threatened with a stick, cient commercial system, some Dieppe with chains, and with death. Some and Rouen merchants formed themtime since these monks washed the selves into a body, under the name of linen of the altar: the water, impreg- the Cape Verd Company, which, in nated with starch, in running out of 1621, began to traffic with the western their convent had whitened a stone. coasts of Africa, forming at the same A Turk passed along, saw this stone, period a settlement upon the river and went and told the cadi that the Senegal; which, however, they refathers had repaired their house: the signed in 1664, in favour of the New cadi repairs to the spot, declares that West India Company. The latter the stone, which was black, is now obtained at this epoch, amongst its white, and, without hearing the other grants, the exclusive privilege monks, he compels them to pay him of trading to the coasts of Africa lying a considerable sum. The very even- between Cape Blanco and the Cape ing of my arrival at Jaffa, the Pere of Good Hope, an extent of 1500 Procureur of the convent had been leagues. The patent of this company threatened with the cord by a servant of the aga, in the presence of the aga himself. He contented himself with peaceably rubbing up his mustachios, without deigning to speak a favoura tle word to the dog. Such is the vero parauiso of these monks, who, ac having been cancelled in 1672, Colbert offered a premium of 10 francs for every slave brought by French privateers from the coast of Africa to the American colonies; but soon the monopolizing plan was renewed; for, in 1673, a Senegal Company was formed, to which 13 francs per head were al- granted exclusive privileges, and cons lowed for slaves. The African com- siderable sums of money, for the carrymerce, at this period, was divided into ing on of this chimerical scheme, which two parts; namely, the commerce it is almost needless to add totally failed. with Senegal, and that with Guinea. Two years afterwards the direction of The former comprises the traffic car- the monopoly passed into better hands, ried on between the rivers Senegal who connned the traffic to the purand Gambia. The right of trading chase of slaves only. Some years sub thither was vested in a company, call- sequent to the peace of 1783, the Seed the Senegal Company, in 1685. negal Company obtained a prolonga The charter of this company was re- tion of its patent (dated November, newed at three subsequent periods, 1786,) to July, 1796, its territorial namely, in 1696, 1704 and 1718; limits being fixed from Cape Blanco to but in 1719 it was sold to the great Cape Verd, and the articles of traffic India Company, which enjoyed its stated to be slaves, gum, ivory, wax, privileges till 1743, when it was forced and camwood; with this proviso, that to abandon the western coasts of Afri- the company should bear the expences ca. The commerce with Guinea is of its civil and military establishinents, that exercised between the river Sierra and moreover send annually 400 slaves Leone inclusively, and the Cape of to Cayenne. In fine, the whole comGood Hope. The exclusive privilege merce with Africa was pronounced of trading to these parts was given, in free, by a decree of the National As 1685, to a company which undertook sembly, in January, 1791. As to the to furnish the American colonies with traffic in slaves upon the eastern coasts 1000 negroes annually; but failing in of Africa, as well near Mozambique the fulfilment of this contract, it was as Madagascar; the French privateers obliged, in 1701, to yield its patent to have only frequented these parts habia new association, which undertook tually since the middle of the present to provide 3000 negroes annually, on century, when the colonies of the conditions of enjoying the privileges isles of France and Bourbon were of the former coinpany, with an addi- established. The blacks of these tional one of receiving a moiety of the coasts serve to augment the culture duties laid upon West India produce and population of the aforesaid isles; brought into France. The affairs of nevertheless, since 1783, the French this company throve better than did traders carry a vast number of slaves those of the former, without however from Mozambique to St. Domingo; benefiting the French colonies of and there receive a remuneration of America; this arose from the liberty 40 francs per ton npon the measurewhich was given to the company dur- ment of their vessels. At the end of ing the war of succession, of providing the reign of Louis XIV, or rather durthe Spanish colonies with blacks. The ing the first years of that of Louis XV, patent of this company (as the Guinea the imports into France from the Company) ought in justice to have western coasts of Africa, amounted expired in 1705; but, under the title to the sum of 500,000 francs, in of the Assiento Company, it was pro- gums, elephants' teeth, and skins, the longed to the peace of Utrecht in slaves were in number 2009, at the 1713. Finally, during the first year price of 1000 francs each, rendering a of the reign of Louis XV. (1716) the sum total of 2,000,000 francs. At trade to Guinea became free, and thus the same period the total amount of it has continued to the present time, the exports for Africa was 650,000 The French merchants in general francs. At the epoch of the revoluprofited from the circumstance of the tion, France sent to the western coasts East India Company's abandoning the of Africa goods to the value of Senegal trade, in 1743, and enjoyed a 18,000,000 francs, out of which, fofree trade thither till 1772, when a reign articles amounted to 10,000 000, hot-headed individual persuaded some and those of the growth or manufaccredulous persons, that nothing was ture of France to 8,000,000 francs. easier than to reach Bambouk by routes The merchandizes of these parts of till then unknown; this delusion was Africa brought into France at the peseconded by a weak minister, who riod of the revolution, amounted in UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. VIII. 2 E value to 140,000 francs; and the slaves lonies in America, that the humane sent to the colonies, in number to meritorious, and excellent designs of 30,000, at the value of 1300 francs our legislature, in abolishing the slave each, making a total of 39,000,000 trade, will not be counteracted through francs. In treating of the commerce the means of French traders. of Airica it will be perceived, that there is an affinity between it and that of the islands of France and Bourbon: SIR, SINGULAR PHENOMENON. we shall therefore proceed to say A Silie science and study of Natural something of the latter. These colo- Philosophy is at the present day nies, which are situate in the Indian universally held in high estimation, Ocean, 3 or 400 miles distant from and as the professed object of your Madagascar, were almost unknown at most valuable Miscellany is to convey the conclusion of Louis the XIVth's through its medium instruction and reign, and in fact had no political ex- amusement, I hope these consideraistence before 1735, when Bourdon- tions will be a sufficient excuse for naie was appointed governor of them. having troubled you at present. The The first inhabitants of those islands following curious phenomenon, it is were some Frenchmen, who had presumed, will not be unacceptable to escaped from the massacre to which most part of your readers.many of their countrymen were On Monday, the twenty-fourth of doomed by the natives of Madagascar. August last, the day was extremely At the epoch of the revolution the hot, and attended by intermitting exports of France for the isles of thunder and lightning, which someFrance and Bourbon amounted to times ceased for the space of half an 4,600,000 francs, and the imports of hour, till, towards night, it became France from these colonies, at the incessant, and peal after peal succeedsame period, to 2,700,000 francs. ed each other with such astonishing These imports consisted entirely of rapidity, that the reverberations of the Bourbon coffee, for notwithstanding preceding one were generally interthe efforts of M. Poivre (who super- iupted by the sudden clap of that imintended the cultivation of the two mediately succeeding. Whilst the isles from 1770 to 1773) to raise spices, lightning darted forth in cloves, and nutmegs, not a single car- different forms, I observed one apgo of these valuable articles has hi- pearance more particular than the therto been brought thence to France. rest, which was a perpendicular coThere is a commerce carried on, as lumn of flame, that seemed to forma already stated, between the two islands communication between the earth and and the eastern coasts of Africa, as also clouds, in the form of an Ignis Pyrain the Asiatic seas, to which latter, midalis, at the same time the lightning however, the late East India Company burst forth as if discharged from a gave a considerable check; but at pre- piece of large ordnance, and soon after sent the two islands not only enjoy it descended diagonally from a chasm the privilege of free trade with India, in the clouds, illuminating the whole but have at length seen the project sensible horizon. From Sheffield to originally formed by Bourdonnaie car- the S. W. along the high moors toried into execution, namely, the Isle wards Buxton, the thunder and lightof France formed into a rendezvous ning were tremendous, attended by for all vessels trading to Asia. By a incessant rain; and near Calver, a vildecree of the month of May, 1787, lage S. W. from this town, about half all foreign vessels are allowed to enter way from here to Buxton, about eight Port Louis in the said island, without o'clock at night, a very heavy shower paying any duty. . of hail fell, which continued for some How far the commerce of France time, and very much surprized the with Africa may be benefited by our country people to see lightning and noble resolution to abstain from the hail, two such extremes, both make detestable traffic in human flesh, we their appearance together, evincing at will not pretend to determine; but once an elementary discord, as if to we have every reason to suppose from stamp the character of uncertainty on the miserable state of the French co- nature, and still to leave man ignorant Sheffield, Sept. 7, 1807. On the GERMAN and ENGLISH LAN- O nation, in the present day, has either applied with greater ardour to the acquisition of know ledge, or made greater advances in the sciences than the Germans. They have arrived at excellence in every branch of literature, and are worthy of applause for their successful efforts. Their medical professors have long since taken the lead in Europe. They have many laborious chemists, and to them we are indebted for our Herschel, the most distinguished optician and astronomer that any age or country has produced. They are as remarkable for works of imagination as for those of deep reflection and severe investigation. No poets have taken more lofty flights than theirs have done, nor have any novelists acquired greater celebrity than those of Germany may justly claim. and bewildered in attempting to ac- count for it; and if they can clear up count for the incomprehensible works these seeming irregularities and inof divine providence. Now, as we congruities in nature, on any of the are taught to believe that hail is drops known principles of philosophy, they of falling rain, congealed and crystal- will much oblige your humble serlized by the action of cold in the at- vant, T. S. mosphere, and changed into a glassy substance, white and hard, varying in figure according to the size or shape of the particles of water of which it is composed, how is it possible that such a process could take place at a time when the heat was so great as to cause so much thunder and lightning? Philosophers inform us, that in the higher regions of the atmosphere the air is rarified immensely by the continual action of the sun's rays, so that vapours from the earth being much more dense and heavy than that light er air, can never rise to that height to be there condensed into rain, and it is evident that where there is no rain there can be no hail; and in the lower regions near the earth, where the air is rendered hot by the reflection and refraction of the sun's rays, so as to collect the electric fluid in such quantities, as to create so much thunder and lightning, how is it possible there can be any cold to freeze the particles of water so as to produce hail? and then the intermediate space between the two former must have the sun's rays darting directly through it, which Till of late, whatever they pubmust cause a considerable degree of lished was in Latin, the common lanheat, and thereby partially prevent guage of the learned; but now they the freezing from taking place, and if confine themselves in all their comit did not totally prevent it, it is rea- munications to the German, with sonable to suppose, that though it which few English scholars are acmight congeal, and actually be chang- quainted. ed into hail, yet, by falling through Even they among our countrymen, the ambient medium, where the elec- who are most distinguished for literatric fluid is gathering and discharging ture, and pay attention to languages; itself in the form of thunder and even they who are conversant with lightning, that it would again assume French, Italian, Spanish, seem to deits aquos form, and not descend to spair of learning German. Little do us in the form of hail, dry and hard, they suspect, that all the Teutonic as if the attenuating heat of the ambi- languages are radically one; and that ent air had made no more impression the German must be considered as on it than the cold air of winter would essentially the same with English, dishave done. guised only by its uncoun habiliThe appearance of hail with thun- ments. These being skilfully reder and lightning seemed very extra- moved, the features of resemblance ordinary to me, and struck me very cannot fail to be discerned even by forcibly; and being desirous to know, those who have paid the least attenif possible, the cause of such a singu- tion to these subjects. lar phenomenon, I shall be particularly happy, if any among your philosophical readers will undertake to ac The Germans multiply their consonants, and are fond of the Serquepedalia verba. With them a single from those who have gone before me. compound occupies so much space as to appear like one connected sen- In all languages letters of the same tence, whilst the English, anxious to organ are apt to glide into each other's express much in little time, abbre- place; and every nation, in its deriviate their terms and abound with vative expressions, substitute without such as, in the lapse of ages, have be- scruple one consonant for another, come monosyllabic. provided only there subsist organic This multiplicity of compounds, affinity between them. This privihowever, is not the greatest obstacle lege is assumed by the Hebrew, to the acquisition of German. The Greek, Latin, French, Italian, Spa greatest perplexity arises commonly nish, Portuguese, and English, and from ignorance of those laws, which not less freely by the German. govern the mutations of language; Grammarians have paid particular faws, to which all nations yield obe attention to this in Greek, and it is dience, and which in every country only by similar attention that the have been unremittingly producing learner can understand the changes dialects, or converting dialects into which take place in the conjugation distinct and several languages, such of its verbs. Without this, all is as ultimately retain little resemblance confusion, and the Greek verbs must to each other. appear anomalous in the extreme, a This precisely has been and still burthen to the memory. With this, continues to be the operating cause of dissimilitude between the English and the German. They are descended from the same stock: they are nearly related, although in speech they seem barbarians to each other. In disposition they resemble; they have the same love for science, and the same indefatigable industry in pursuit of it. They are equals in been added, because, to mention only mental powers and exertions; for, the word grammar, M takes the place whilst they excel other nations in the of and as in ypaw, reɣpantal number and variety of their literary γεγραμμένος. such changes no longer appear capri, cious, the reason for them becomes obvious, and the acquisition of the verbs in all their inflections will be rendered easy. Our graminarians say, that in Greek the commutable consonants are P. B. F.; K. C. Ch.; T. D. Th. In the first series M should have productions, neither of them can Till within these few years even claim superiority over the other. This genteel people paid little attention to appears by such works as have, from orthography, and felt no shame for time to time, been translated from the German. But, although many valuable pub. lications have been selected from the rest, and rendered accessible to the English reader, many others equally valuable are locked up from him and concealed in a language which he does not understand, and has little inclination to acquire. For this reason, I shall endeavour to facilitate its acquisition, by removing those difficulties which have a tendency to quench the ardour of enquiry.. their ignorance in this respect. At a more remote period, the feudal lords were obliged to sign and seal their deeds drawn up by scriveners, because they could not write their names. At the present day most people learn to write and read: yet this does not sufficiently preserve orthography, because the pronunciation varies in every county, and all men are disposed to write precisely as they speak. But, if in adjoining counties the pronunciation varies, how great must be the dissonance in distant provinces which have little or no communication with each other! It is not my intention to compose a Grammar for the use of students. This has been done already by able Let us then begin our vocabulary linguists. The rules of Grammar are of German and of English, with such not my object in this dissertation. words as either merely change their Mine is a more laborious undertaking, vowels in these kindred languages; or more out of the beaten track, a work retaining their vowels, make some in which I can derive little assistance little change in their consonants, dif |