Imatges de pàgina
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alienation of property, estates in mortmain, absurd regulation of plantations, and non-importation of negroes.

The eighth chapter discusses the commercial system of Spain. Nearly a century and a half passed before any connexion of this kind subsisted between these colonies and the mother country; nor would they then have been incited to trade, but by the intervention of their Dutch neighbours at Curracoa. An attempt was then made to confine the channels of commerce to the parent country; but it was miserably unsuccessful. The trade was wholly enjoyed by foreigners, till the company of Guipuscoa obtained the exclusive right in 1734. The conduct of this corporation was acceptable to the crown, and profitable to its members; but the all pervading infection spread among them at last.

This original delicacy of the company experienced a fatal alteration. The moderation of its

prices, its scruples on the quality of articles, the mildness and forethought of its agents, all disappear ed almost at the same time. A part of its profits were employed in tampering with the assembly, destined to curb its cupidity, or rather, in paralysing its action by gaining the chief into its interests. It carried the forgetfulness of its duties, the abuse of its credit, to such a degree, as to carry on, with the Dutch of Curracoa, the contraband, which it had pledged itself to its sovereign to destroy. By these means the planters were injured, and the mother country deprived of the trade, which the company carried on thus shamefully with strangers,' p. 278.

The commerce was then made free. But there is little intercourse between the different Spanish colonies:

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During the war, which followed on the last alliance of France with Spain, it was found necessary to open their ports to foreigners; but as the whole trade was instantly, by this measure, transferred to strangers, of whom our countrymen had the chief share, the Spanish merchants procured a repeal of that decree.

The courier or packet, bearing and published it in the month of this fatal order, arrived at Laguira, April following; but, fortunately for Havana, the same vessel was captured by the English, in its passage from the coast of Terra-Firma to the island of Cuba; and, in consequence of this lucky accident, interrupted. The prosperity, which foreign commerce was not there resulted, has frequently excited a regret at Terra-Firma, that the vessel had not been captured immediately on her departure from, Spain.

The numerous promises, made to government by the Spanish merchants, to regain the exclusive commerce with America, producedwhich increased the means of the no other effects, than expeditions cies, which suspended all comenemy, and occasioned bankrupt-1mercial relations with America. Scarcely one vessel in six sent from Spain to the West-Indies,

ever returned.

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Upon the declaration of war by France against Spain, naval forces were dispatched to the gulf of Mexico. A squadron was sent in 1793. It proceeded directly to Porto-Cavello, where it continued a sufficient time to lose a considerable number of men by the pestilential miasmas. After a station of six months, it crossed as rapidly as possible from Porto-Cavello to Fort Dauphin, where a part remained; the rest went to Havana. In the commencement of 1796, the whole squadron, composed of seven ships of the line and ten frigates, collected at Havana, where, notwithstanding the rupture with England, it waited as patiently for peace, as if it had been a stranger to war. In the mean time, it was very possible for this considerable force to have disputed the dominion of the sea, since there had not been, during the war, more than six English vessels in the gulf of Mexico, as well for the defence of Jamaica, as to protect the commerce at sea.'

p. 311.

In the next paragraph we must correct an inaccuracy. The fleet from Jamaica is not composed of the vessels from other English islands. The outward bound fleet amounts to about three hundred sail, but to and from Jamaica alone not more than one hundred and fifty are employed.

We now come to the most interesting phenomenon in the present history of this colony, the trade with enemies. On these subjects we are charmed with the author's boliness, and confident in his veracity.

During the war which terminated in the year 10, of the French republick, the Spaniards of America had not only the privilege of frequenting English ports, but each vessel had also a safe-conduct or passport from the English admirals, by means of which they were respected, protected, and even es

corted by English cruisers, The safe-conduct answered only for one voyage; but was renewed without difficulty: at first for the sum of eighteen dollars, but the price augmented in proportion to the demand.. No other formality was required than the exhibition of this passport on entering an English harbour, and to all armed vessels of that nation encountered at sea. The Spanish flag alone received this protection. No such secret understandings were attached to the tri-coloured flag. Every French vessel was a good prize for the English; but every Spanish vessel was not.' . 315.

Such is the admirable policy of the English.

'There have been counted in the road of Kingston, eighty Spanish vessels, all under their proper flag; in that of Curracoa sixty, and at Trinidad more than forty. This Commerce occupied above four hundred vessels, which cleared out in Spanish ports, for some French or neutral colony, whither they never went. On their return, they hood of which, though evident, presented French papers, the falsewas never either punished or investigated.' p. 316.

The author assures us, there was no Spanish possession in America, where the contraband was not practised,' With Jamaica, Curracoa, Trinidad, Surinam, this trade is almost incalculable. But does the government sleep, while such frauds are practised? No; the officers of government sleep soundly. By sea and land, guarda costas and patroles are payed for vigilance; but much better paid for negligence. Sunt certa piacula. The nation pays niggardly, and the smugglers well.

The modes of effecting this trade are, we presume, well explained. The facts are as wonderful, as the principles are perverse.

• No Spaniard, rich or poor,' says Depons, refuses protection to the illicit trade.'

• A vessel, driven by a storm on the Spanish coasts, is robbed and plundered by the country people, if the cargo is covered by legal papers; they succour and protect it, if contraband.

etor.

In the first case, they save the effects to appropriate them to themselves; in the second, to hide them, to keep them from the revenue, and to restore them to the propri The government, which in vain opposes to this opinion the severest laws, invokes incessantly the authority of the church, to make this considered as a sin, which nobody will consider as a fault. Decrees of the king, renewed and published at intervals in homilies, order the bishops to announce to the faithful, that the contraband is a mortal sin, which communicates to those who favour it, and to those who buy or trade in merchandises of contraband; that deunciation is a duty, the neglect of which would be a heinous sin. In short, the confessors are bound to refuse absolution to every smuggler, who does not restore to the king the duties, of which he has defrauded him. There is no time worse employed than that, which the priest spends in making this publication; for there is no act in the whole ecclesiastick liturgy, which makes less impression on the Spaniard.' f. 329.

This is a true picture of a Spanish colonist's morals.

From the establishment of the consular assembly much was expected; but where individuals are all indolent, corporations must be inert.

I hoped that the examination of the first operations of the consulative assembly would have furnished additional food and excitement to my enthusiasm. But, having with difficulty procured the

means of learning its labours in fayour of agriculture, I found they consisted merely in having demanded, in 1797, of enlightened cultiva tors, memoirs on the kind of cultiva tion peculiar to each of them, which remained for four years,in the hands of commissioners appointed to examine them, and to render a general report, without the same having ever been made or demanded. Desirous of viewing these memoirs, I found them at length, covered with dust, at the house of Count de

la Grange, one of the commission

ers. He lent them to me with uncommon facility. After having read them, I returned them into his hands, and I dare assert, that centuries will elapse before they will be again displaced.

Can a people thus careless justifiably tax the laws or the govern

ment with the slowness or the nul

lity of its progress in the arts and sciences? What could the king of Spain do more praiseworthy, than to order the citizens to contribute their information to publick welfare? Men, whose torpid and sluggish dispositions prefer the repose and indolence of poverty, to the activity of fortune, should never complain of misfortune or indigence.'

ART. 54.

p. 344.

The Picture of New-York, or the traveller's guide through the commercial metropolis of the United States. By a Gentleman of this city. New-York, published by I. Riley & Co. 1807. 12mo. pp. 224.

We are not disposed to discourage the publication of any works, which may tend to correct the topographical or geographical accounts of our country. So few have been published, that it is much more difficult for an American to learn accurately the internal state and productions of his native land,

than those of any part of civilized Europe.PotionİTİT

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enjoy the fresh breezes from the bay and the shade of the trees, every afternoon of the summer, and receive refreshments after a sweltering day. In the morning, the prospect of the Jersey shore, of Staten-Island, of Long-Island, and of Fort Jay, and the other small islands, of the ships at anchor, and of the vessels passing and repass

lightful. And if more gratification is desired, musick, ice-creams and other delicacies, are provided in the evening, at Mr. Corrie's publick garden, not far from the cen-, tre of this exquisite place of recre

As a first attempt, the present may not be considered an uninteresting sketch, though the matter is not very novel, nor the researches very profound. In some parts the work resembles a directory, or mercantile diary, more than a picture; but the topographing, is at once variegated and deical sketches of the neighbourhood of New-York contain some pleas ing information, which may be of use to the traveller and the man of business. We cannot, however, but wish the work were condensed into a smaller space, which might be done, in our opinion, without injury or loss. But the present is the age of book-making, and the republick of letters is overwhelmed with tomes of ponderous size, of which the useful matter might be comprised into a six-penny pamphlet.

We have cast our eyes over the volume for the purpose of select ing a short specimen of the work; and recollecting the pleasure we have derived from walks on the Battery and in the Park, we give them to our readers, as faint outlines of the living pictures:

The battery is an open space at the south-western extremity of the city, situated between State-street and the bay. It is so called, because part of its space was, in the early settlement of the city, occupied by Fort James, and much of the remainder was a battery to strengthen the fort on the waterside. It is reserved for that purpose to the present day.

ation.

The park is a piece of inclosed ground situated between Broadway and Chatham-streets, in front of the new City-hall. The area consists of about four acres, planted with elms, planes, willows, and catalpas, and the surrounding footwalk is encompassed with rows of the middle of the city, combines in poplars. This beautiful grove, in a high degree,ornament with health and pleasure; and to enhance the enjoyments of the place, the English and French reading-room, the Shakespeare gallery, and the theatre, offer ready amusement to the' the London hotel, and the Newmind; while the mechanick-hall, York gardens present instant refreshment to the body. Though, the trees are but young, and of few years growth, the park may be pronounced an elegant and improving place.' p. 153.

ART. 55.

Calii Symposii Enigmata. Hanc novam editionem, juxta lectiones optimas, diligenter congestam curavit Lucius M. Sargent. Bos toniæ, Nov-Angl. prelo Belcher & Armstrong. 1807. pp.35. THIS pleasant collection of tri

Military parades are frequently helds there. On the 4th of July, which is the national anniversary, and on several other days, there is usually a martial and brilliant ex-files is extracted from the latter hibition of the regiments of artillery, and the other uniform troops, upon the ground. The walk is open to all the citizens. Here they may

part of vol. 6 of the Poeta Minores by John Christian Wernsdorf, printed at Helmstat 1799. The

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German paper is very bad, and we therefore purchase at a low price one hundred and seventy pages of the riddles of Symposius the American editor has then done no less service by reducing the work to its present size, than by publishing it on fine paper. His greatest praise however (and how few among us aspire to it) is, that there is hardly a letter, or a point, misplaced, or omitted. On page 33 for habit read habet.

*།

Mr. Sargent presents us with a neat Latin preface,in which, abridging the wordy dissertation of the German editor, he informs us, that several Greek writers of Enigmas are recorded by Athenæus, and that many remnants of their wit have come down to our days; but a single poem of Ausonius is the only example of that style among the Romans, except these jocularia of Symposius. Of the edition of Wernsdorf he expresses his respect, but not without limitation : ejus editio, prioribus longe emendatior et auctior, atque præmio pene sempiterno commitata, est multo magis quam priores,' &c. to ' medullam habet."

Factitious honour may have heretofore been rendered to this work, as it has been attributed to the venerable Lactantius, the most eloquent of the fathers of the Christian church;

but so little

reason does there appear for it, that much interest can never again be excited by the circumstance, though the verses hold their place in the Leipsic and Bipont editions of that divine.

The catalogue of editions of Symposius is ample. In the one before us the various readings are abundant, from the inexhaustible German mine. In tenui labor.

For the notes Mr. Sargent deserves praise. We agree with his 3Q

Vol. IV. No. 9.

opinion of Miles Podagricus: fæ• nigma valde podagricum.' : In his reference to Cæsar's Commenta "ries, Bel. Gal. lib. 5. cap. 13, the editor mistakes by following Tacciolatus. It should be cap 10.

This pamphlet may be amusing and useful to young men, in the early part of their Latin studies, and to such we strongly recommend it; and even within the proud walls of the university some might be found, whose skill would hardly solve some of these riddles.

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A discourse, delivered before the members of the Portsmouth Female asylum, on Lord's-day, Aug. 9, 1807. By Abiel Abbot, A. M. pastor of a shurch in Beverly. Portsmouth, S. Sewall.

We have often puzzled ourselves in conjecturing the motive, which may be supposed to influence a man of sense to publish an occasional sermon. It cannot be the hope of fame, one would think, for who ever reads a charity sermon, except his nerves are so out of order as to require an anody ne? And yet we can hardly ascribe it to the

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