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-formosa superne Desinit in piscem.

We are extremely glad that our avocations did not call us from Bath to London, on the day that the Bath coach conversation took place. We except from this wish the story with which the conversation terminates; for as soon as Mr. Edgeworth enters upon a story he excels.

ceived, he must suppose a degree of first, however, ends in a very foolish information very different from, and a way; species of character very heterogeneous to, his own; a process which diminishes surprise, and consequently pleasure. In the above-mentioned story of the Irishman overlooking the man writing, no person of ordinary sagacity can suppose himself betrayed into such a mistake: but he can easily represent to himself a kind of character that might have been so betrayed. There are some bulls so extremely fallacious, that any man may imagine himself to have been betrayed into them; but these are rare and, in general, it is a poor contemptible species of amusement; a delight in which evinces a very bad taste

in wit.

Whether the Irish make more bulls than their neighbours is, as we have before remarked, not a point of much importance; but it is of considerable importance that the character of a nation should not be degraded and Mr. Edgeworth has great merit in his very benevolent intention of doing justice to the excellent qualities of the Irish. It is not possible to read his book, without feeling a strong and a new disposition in their favour. Whether the imitation of the Irish manner be accurate in his little stories we cannot determine; but we feel the same confidence in the accuracy of the imitation, that is often felt in the resemblance of a portrait of which we have never seen the original. It is no very high compliment to Mr. Edgeworth's creative powers, to say, he could not have formed anything, which was not real, so like reality; but such a remark only robs Peter to pay Paul; and gives everything to his powers of observation which it takes from those of his imagination. In truth, nothing can be better than his imitation of the Irish manner: it is first-rate painting.

We must confess we have been much more pleased with Mr. Edgeworth in his laughing, and in his pathetic, than in his grave and reasoning moods. He meant, perhaps, that we should; and it certainly is not very necessary that a writer should be profound on the subject of bulls. Whatever be the deficiencies of the book, they are, in our estimation, amply atoned for by its merits; by none more, than that lively feeling of compassion which pervades it for the distresses of the wild, kind-hearted, blundering poor of Ireland.

ACCOUNT OF SIERRA LEONE. (E. REVIEW, 1804.)

An Account of Native Africans in the Neighbourhood of Sierra Leone. To which is added, An Account of the present State of Medicine among them. By Thomas Winterbottom, Physician to the Colony of Sierra Leone. Hatchard, Piccadilly. Vol. I.

IT appears from the Preface of this book, that the original design of Dr. Winterbottom was to write only on the medical knowledge of the Africans in the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone; but as he had lived among them some time in quality of physician to the colony, and had made many observations on the genius and manners of the various African nations which surround Edgeworth and Co. have another it, it was thought fit (i. e. profitable) faculty in great perfection. They are that he should write one volume for eminently masters of the pathos. The general, and one for therapeutic Firm drew tears from us in the stories of readers. -The latter has not yet come little Dominick, and of the Irish beggar to our hands. The former we have who killed his sweetheart: never was read with pleasure. It is very sensibly any grief more natural or simple. The and agreeably drawn up; and the only

circumstance we regret is, that, upon | of Sierra Leone, called from them the Manthe whole, it must be rather considered as a compilation from previous writers, than as the result of the author's ex

perience not that he is exactly on a
footing with mere compilers: because
every account which he quotes of scenes
to which he is familiar, he sanctions
by his authority; and, with the mass
of borrowed, there is a certain portion
of original matter. It appears also,
that a brother of the author, in
pany with a Mr. Watt, penetrated
above 400 miles into a part of Africa
totally unknown to Europeans; but
there are very few observations quoted
from the journal kept in this excursion;
and the mention of it served for little
more than to excite a curiosity which
is not gratified by further communica-

tion.

dingo country. As is the practice of the professors of that religion, they formed schools in which the Arabic language and the doctrines of Mahomet were taught: and the customs of Mahommedans, particularly that of not selling any of their own religion for slaves, were adopted; laws founded on the Koran were introduced; those practices which chiefly contribute to depopulate were eradicated; and, in spite of many intestine convulsions, a great comcomparative idea of civilisation, unity, and Isecurity, was introduced: population, in consequence, was rapidly increased; and the whole power of that part of the country in which they are settled has gradually fallen into their hands. Those who have been taught in their schools are succeeding to wealth and power in the neighbouring countries, and carry with them a considerother chiefs are adopting the names asable portion of their religion and laws; sumed by these Mahommedans, on account of the respect with which it is attended; and the religion of Islam seems to diffuse itself peaceably over the whole district in which the colony is situated, carrying with it those advantages which seem ever to have attended its victory over African super

By the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone, Mr. Winterbottom means the windward coast, or that portion of the western shore of Africa which extends from the river Senegal to the latitude of nearly five degrees north, where the coast quits its easterly direction, and runs away to the south, or a little to the east of south.

The whole of this coast is inhabited by a great number of independent nations, divided by different shades of barbarism and disputed limits of territory, plunged in the darkest ignorance and superstition, and preyed upon by the homicide merchants of Europe. The most curious passage in this section of the work, is an extract which Mr. Winterbottom has given us from a report made to a Committee of the House of Commons by the Directors of the Sierra Leone Company; and which (as we conjecture, from Dr. Winterbottom's mode of expressing himself, it has never been printed) we shall extract from his book.

"A remarkable proof (say the Directors) exists in the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone, of the very great advantages of a permanent, though very imperfect, system of government, and of the abolition of those African laws which make slavery the punishment of almost every offence. Not more than seventy years ago, a small number of Mahommedans established themselves in a

stition."

Agriculture, though in a rude infant state, is practised all along this coast of Africa. All the lands must be strictly appropriated in a country, and the greater part cultivated, before any can be cultivated well. Where land is of little value, it is cheaper and better to till it slightly than perfectly; or rather, perfection, under such circumstances, consists in idleness and neglect. The great impediment to be removed from the fresh land which the Africans mean to cultivate, are those troublesome weeds called trees; which are first cut down, and then, with the grass, set fire to at a particular season of the year. This operation is performed when the Pleiades, the only stars they observe, are in a certain position with respect to the setting sun. At that season the fires are seen rolling in every direction over the parched and inflammable herbage; and the blazing provinces are discerned at an immense distance in the night by ships approaching the coast. At this period of arson, it is not safe to travel without a tinder-box;

country about forty miles to the northward for, if a traveller is surprised by the

pursuit of the flame, his only safety, enter, unless his salutation is returned. consists in propagating the same evil Nay, when the door is thus slightly before, by which he is menaced behind; closed, a woman, by pronouncing the and, in trudging on amidst the fiery word Mooradee (I am busy), can prehyphen, multiplying destruction in vent her husband from entering, even order to avoid it. The Foolahs, who though he is assured she is entertaining seem to have made the greatest ad- her gallant. His only remedy is to vances in agriculture, are, however, still wait for their coming out. ignorant of the use of the plough, though Dr. Winterbottom is quite per-pieces of superlative refinement among suaded they might easily be taught to use cattle for that purpose.

"There came, (says the Doctor) during my residence at the colony, a chief of considerable importance, from the river Gambia, attracted by curiosity, and a desire of information. The man, whose appearance instantly announced a mind of no common cast, was so much struck with what he saw

there, that before he went away he engaged

in his service two of the most ingeniou's mechanics in the colony, one of whom, a carpenter, among other things, was to make a plough, and the other was to teach his people the art of training oxen for the draught, and fixing them to the yoke. For a further account of this person, see the Report of the Directors of the Sierra Leone Company. London, 1795.

It is curious to remark, that where any instance of civilisation and refinement is discovered in the manners of a barbarous people, it exists in a much higher degree than the same virtue in nations generally refined. There are many single points of barbarous courtesy much more rigidly adhered to than the rules of European politeness would require. We have often remarked this in the voyages of Captain Cook, among the islands of the Indian Archipelago; and there is a very remarkable instance of it among the natives of this coast. The houses (says Dr. Winterbottom) have seldom any other opening than the door, of which there are usually two opposite to each other. These serve the purpose of keeping up a current of air; they also admit the light; and afford an exit to the smoke of the fire, which is made in the middle of the floor. The entrance of a house is seldom closed by anything but a mat, which is occasionally let down, and is a sufficient barrier against all intruders. The most intimate friend will not presume to lift the mat and

The explanation of these insulated

savages, frequently is, that they are not mere ceremonies, but religious observances; for the faith of barbarous people commonly regulates all the frivolous minutiae of life, as well as its important duties: indeed, generally considers the first as of greater consequence than the last. And it must be a general fact, at all times, that gross ignorance more tenaciously adheres to a custom once adopted, because it respects that custom as an ultimate rule, and does not discern cases of exception by appealing to any higher rule upon which the first is found.

The Africans are very litigious; and display, in their law-suits or palavers, a most forensic exuberance of images, and loquacity of speech. Their criminal causes are frequently terminated by selling one of the parties into slavery; and the Christians are always ready to purchase either the plaintiff or defendant, or both; together with all the witnesses, and any other human creature who is of a dusky colour, and worships the great idol Boo-Boo-Boo, with eleven heads.

No great division of labour can of course be expected in such a state of society. Every man is a city in himself, and is his own tailor, hairdresser, shoemaker, and everything else. Among the Foolahs, however, some progress has been made in the division of employments. The tanner and the blacksmith are distinct trades; and the ingenuity which they evince in overcoming obstacles, by means so inadequate to those which Europeans possess, may convince us what a stock of good qualities human nature has in store for cases of emergency. They put to sea canoes of ten tons' burthen hollowed from a single tree; and although they are ignorant of the use of

the potter's wheel, make earthen pots | cence by submitting to an ordeal. If fit for every domestic use. Dr. Win- he is burnt by red-hot iron, or scalded terbottom thinks they may have learnt by boiling oil, he is immediately hurtheir pottery from Europeans; but if ried to the gallows, with a zeal proporthis is true, it is rather singular they tioned to the force and perspicuity of were not instructed by the same masters the evidence. In the neighbourhood in the use of the potter's most conve- of Sierra Leone, a curious species of nient and most prominent instrument. pharmaceutical tyranny is resorted to The common dress of the men consists for the purpose of ordeal. The bark of in a shirt, trowsers, woollen cap or hat, a particular tree, of purgative and which they buy of Europeans. Those emetic qualities, is infused into a large who can afford it, are fond of deco- quantity of water, of which the prirating themselves in all the second- soner is to drink about six calabashes hand splendour they can purchase at quite full. If this judicial and inquisithe same market; and Monmouth tive drink take a superior direction, Street embarks its decayed finery for and return by the aperture through the coast of Africa, where Soosoo rakes which it is admitted, all is well; but if and loungers are joyfully vested in the the least honourable and elegant of its habiliments of their Bond Street pre- powers predominate over the other, and decessors. The dress of the Pagan it evince a disposition to descend, all African is never thought complete, un- opportunity of changing its line of less a variety of greegrees, or amulets, egress is prevented, by the immediate be superadded; these are to guard elevation of the accused person to the against every possible accident; but, gibbet. as Dr. Winterbottom observes, are such The desire of penetrating into futu. very cumbersome protectors, that in all rity, and the belief that some persons real dangers they are commonly thrown are capable of doing it, is as difficult away. The Mahommedan religion is to eradicate from the human mind, as inimical to dancing, singing, and all the is the belief in an immediate Providence; lighter species of amusement. Riding and consequently, the Africans not only on horseback is the only exercise of have their ordeal, but their conjurors those Africans who have adopted this and magicians, who are appealed to in dull faith. Sedentary amusements, all the difficulties and uncertainties of such as reading and writing, which life, and who always, of course, preserve flatter the literary pride with which their authority, though they are perthey are puffed up, are most congenial petually showing, by the clearest evito their habits. The collation of manu- dence of facts, upon what sort of founscripts, which they perform with indus-dation it rests. But the most singular try and accuracy, takes up much of circumstance in the history of barbarians their time. The Pagan African, on is, that tendency to form interior sothe contrary, is commonly a merry, cieties, comprehending a vast number dancing animal, given to every species of members, and rivalling the governof antic and apish amusement; and as ment in their influence upon public he is unacquainted with the future and opinion. Such is the Areoy Society promised delights of the Arabian pro- at Otaheite, and such the Society of phet, he enjoys the bad music, and im- the Purra in Africa. Every person, perfect beauty of this world, with a on entering into this Society, lays aside most eager and undisturbed relish. his former name, and takes a new one. There is something so natural, and They have a superior, whose commands so closely derived from human govern-are received with the most profound ments, in the notion of the immediate veneration. When the Purra comes interference of Providence, that mankind are only weaned from it by centuries of contradiction and discussion. In all cases, where crime is alleged, the accused is obliged to prove his inno

into a town, which is always at night, it is accompanied with the most horrid screams, howlings, and every kind of awful noise. The inhabitants, who are not members, are obliged to secure

themselves within doors. Should any one be discovered without, or peeping to see what was going forwards, he would infallibly be put to death.

Mere

TRIMMER AND LANCASTER.* (E. REVIEW, 1806.)

seclusion of females is not considered A Comparative view of the New Plan of

by the Society as a sufficient guarantee against their curiosity; but all the time the Purra remains in town, the women are obliged to clap their hands, to show they are not attempting any private indulgence of espionnage. Like the Secret Tribunal which formerly existed in Germany, it punishes the guilty and disobedient, in so secret a manner, that the perpetrators are never known, and, from the dread of the Tribunal, not often inquired for.-The natives about Sierra Leone speak of the Purra men with horror, and firmly believe that they have all strict and incessant intercourse with the devil.

This account of Africa is terminated by a single chapter on Sierra Leone; a subject on which we cannot help regretting that Dr. Winterbottom has not been a little more diffuse. It would derive a peculiar interest from the present state of St. Domingo, as the perils with which West India property is now threatened must naturally augment curiosity respecting the possibility of a pacific change of that system; and we should have read with pleasure and

instruction the observations of so intel

Education promulgated by Mr. Joseph Lancaster, in his Tracts concerning the Instruction of the Children of the Labouring Part of the Community; and of the System of Christian Education founded by our pious Forefathers for the Initiation of the Young Members of the Established Church in the Principles of the Reformed Religion. By Mrs. Trimmer. 1805.

THIS is a book written by a lady who has gained considerable reputation at the corner of St. Paul's Churchyard; who flames in the van of Mr. Newberry's shop; and is, upon the whole, dearer to mothers and aunts than any other into the mouths of babes and sucklings. author who pours the milk of science Tired at last of scribbling for children, and getting ripe in ambition, she has now written a book for grown-up people, and selected for her antagonist as stiff

a controversialist as the whole field of

dispute could well have supplied. Her opponent is Mr. Lancaster, a Quaker, who has lately given to the world new and striking lights upon the subject of Education, and come forward to the notice of his country by spreading order, knowledge, and innocence among the lowest of mankind.

Mr. Lancaster, she says, wants method in his book; and therefore her answer to him is without any arrangement. The same excuse must suffice for the desultory observations we shall make upon this lady's publication.

ligent and entertaining a writer as Dr. Winterbottom, who is extensively acquainted with the subjects on which he writes, and has a talent of selecting important matter, and adorning it. Dr. Winterbottom says he has been in Africa some years, and we do not doubt the fact; he might, however, have The first sensation of disgust we exwritten this book without giving him-perienced at Mrs. Trimmer's book, was self that trouble; and the only diffe- from the patronising and protecting rence between him and a mere compiler air with which she speaks of some small is, that he sanctions his quotations by part of Mr. Lancaster's plan. She authority, and embellishes them by his ingenuity. The medical volume we have not yet seen, but this first volume may be safely purchased.

seems to suppose, because she has dedi

*Lancaster invented the new method of education. The Church was sorely vexed at its success, endeavoured to set up Dr. Bell as the discoverer, and to run down poor Lancaster. George the Third was irritated by this shabby conduct, and always protected Lancaster. He was delighted with this Review, and made Sir Herbert Taylor read it a second time to him.

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