friend, and knew the negro. Thus did the poor fellow escape drowning, and being flogged; either of which he would haye undergone, fooner than difclofe what he called the fecrets of his Maf ra." Without wishing to derogate from the fortitude of this fiave, our readers will probably be inclined to think with us, that the punishment could hardly have been intended forously, or that there muft be fome exaggeration in the narrative. If it be exactly and literally true, the defpotifm and cruelty practifed on the unhappy flaves at Surinam is inconceivably and wantonly atrocious. We pafs on to the Second Volume, in which we find a lively defcription of the Diary of a Surinam Planter, accompanied by a very characteristic print. Though we have feen an account very analogous to this, in a detail of the mode of life of an Eafern Nabob (by which term is meant an English merchant fettled at Calcutta or Madras), yet the refemblance is probably only fuch as arifes from a fimilar fituation. It is thus delineated by our author. "A Planter in Surinam, when he lives on his eftate (which is but seldom, as they moftly prefer the fociety of Paramaribo), gets cut of his hammock with the rifing lun, viz. about fix o'clock in the morning, when he makes his appearance under the piazza of his houfe; where his coffee is ready waiting for him, which he generally takes with his pipe, inftead of toaft and butter; and then he is attended by half a dozen of the finest young flaves, both male and female, of the plantation to ferve him; at this fan&um fanctorum he is next accofted by his overfeer, who regularly every morning attends at his levee; and having made his bows at feveral yards diftance,with the moft profound refpect informs His Greatnefs what work was done the day before; what negroes deferted, died, fell fick, recovered, were bought or born; and, above all things, which of them neglected their work, affected fickness, or had been drunk or abfent, &c. The prisoners are generally prefent, being fecured by the negro-drivers, and inftantly tied up to the beams of the piazza, or a tree, without fo much as being heard in their own defence; when the flogging begins with men, women, and children, without exception. The inftru.nents of torture on thefe occafions are long hempen whips, that cut round at every lafh, and crack like piftolfhot; during which they alternately repeat, Dankee, Maffera (thank you, Mafter). In the mean time he talks up and down with his overfeer, affecting not fo much as to hear their cries, till they are fufficiently mangled, when they are untied, and ordered to return to their work, without fo much as a dreffing. "This ceremony being over, the drelly negro (a black furgeon) comes to make his report; who being difiniffed with a hearty curie, for allowing any flaves to be fick, next makes her appearance a luperannuated matron, with all the young negro children of the estate, over whom fhe is governefs; these, being clean washed in the river, clap their hands, and cheer in chorus, when they are fent away to breakfaft on a large platter of rice and plantains; and the levee ends with a low bow from the overfeer, as it begun. "His Worship now faunters out in his morning drefs, which consists of a pair of the finet Holland trowfers, white flk tockings, and red or yellow Morocco flippers; the neck of his thirt open, and nothing over it, a loo flowing nightgown of the finest India chintz excepted. On his head is a cotton night-cap, as thin as a cobweb, and over that an enormous beaver hat, that protects his meagre vi fage from the fun, which is already the colour of mahogany, while his whole carcafe feldom weighs above eight or ten ftone, being generally exhaufted by the climate and difiipation. To give a more complete idea of this fine Gentleman, I prefent him to the reader in the plate with a pipe in his mouth, which almost every where accompanies him, and receiving a glafs of Madeira wine and water, from a female quaderoon flave,to refresh him during his walk. "Having loitered about his eftate, or fometimes ridden on horfeback to his fields, to view his increating ftcres, he returns about eight o'clock, when, if he goes abread, he dreffes, but if not, remains juft as he is. Should the first take place, having only exchanged his trowlers for a pair of thin linen or tilk breeches, he fits down, and holding out one foot after the other, like a horle going to be thed, a negro boy puts on his ftockings and fhoes,which he alfo buckles,while another dreffes his hair, his wig, or thaves his chin, and a third is fanning him to keep off the mufquitoes. Having now fhifted, he puts on a thin coat and waistcoat, all white; when under an umbrella, carried by a black boy, he is conducted to his barge, which is in waiting for him with fix or eight oars, well provided with fruit, wine, water, and tobacco, by his overier, Who has no fooner feen him depart, than he refumes his command with all the ufual infolence of office. But fhould this Prince not mean to ftir from his eftate, he goes to breakfast about ten o'clock, for which a table is spread in the large hall, provided with a bacon ham, hung-beef, fowls, or pigeons broiled; plantains and fweet callava's roafted, bread, butter, theele, &c. with which he drinks ftrong beer, and a glafs of Madeira, Rhenifh, or Mozell wine, while the cringing overfeer fits at the farther end, keeping his proper diftance, both being ferved by the moft beautiful flaves that can be elected :and this is called breaking the poor gentleman's faft. "After this he takes a book, plays at chefs or billiards, entertains himfelf with mufic, &c. till the heat of the day forces him to return into his cotton hammock to enjoy his meridian nap, which he could no more difpente with than a Spaniard with his fiefta, and in which he rocks to and fro, like a performer in the flack repe, till he falls afleep, without either bed or covering; and during which time he is fanned by a couple of his black attendants, to keep him cool, &c. Though the intelligent reader will not fail to remark fome strong lines of caricature in this portrait, it is nevertheless very fkilfully drawn, and by an artist who had the original before him. Juftice calls upon us to subjoin what the Author has added at the bottom of the page immediately fucceeding, "that hofpitality is in no country practifed with greater cordiality, or with lefs ceremony, than in Surinam, a ftranger being every where at home, and finding his table and his bed at whatever eftate neceflity or choice may occafion him to vifit." Our Author concludes his prailes with what he conceives to be an additional commendation, that there are no inns to be met with in the neighbourhood of any of the Sunam rivers, and therefore this hofpitality i■ the more to be regarded. Captain S. feems not to know, or to have forgotten, that gratuitous courtesy to travellers is inditpenfable where there are no means of procuring mercenary accommodation; and that to exclude theie, the only opportu nities of rest and refreshment on a journey, would be abfolutely to prohibit diftant intercourfe. "About three o'clock he awakes by a natural inftinet; when, having washed and pertumed himself, he fits down to dinner, artended, as at breakfast, by his Deputy Governor and footy Pages, where nothing is wanting that the world can afford in å weitern climate, of meat, fowls, venifon, fifh, vegetables, fruit, &c. and the most exquinite wines are often fquandered in protution; after this a cup of ftrong coffee and a liqueur finish the repaft. At fix o'clock he is again vifited by his overfeer, attended as in the morning by negrodrivers and prifoners, when the flogging once more having continued for fome time, and the neceflary orders being given for the next day's work, the affembly is difmiffed, and the evening spent with weak punch, fangaree, cards, and tobacco. His Worship generally begins to yawn about ten or cleven o'clock, when he withdraws, and is undreffed by his footy Pages. He then retires to reit, where he paffes the night in the arms of one or other of his fable Sultanas (for he always keeps a feraglio) till about fix in the morning, when he again repairs to his piazza walk, where his pipe and coffee are waiting for him, and where, with the rifing fun, he begins his round of dimpation, like a petty Monarch, as capricious as he is defpotic and despifa We shall find a better contraft to the character juft exibited of a Surinam planter, in the behaviour of a Mrs. Gode froy towards our Author, when he had the offer of purchafing his Mulatto miftrefs and his boy, without any vifible means of collecting the fum neceffary for that purpote. Read the tranfaction in his own words: "I now thought proper to take the firft opportunity of fettling matters with Mr. De Graav, by propofing him to give me credit till I fhould have it in my power to pay the money for which Joanna and my Johnny had been fold to me, and which I was determined to fave out of my pay, if I should exit on bread, falt, and water, though even then this debt could not be discharged in lefs time than two or three years. Providence however interfered, and at this moment fent that excellent woman Mrs. Godefroy to my affittance: for nofooner was the acquainted with my difficult and anxious fituation, than the fent for me to dine with her, when the addreffed me in the following terms: "I know, my good Stedman, the prefent feelings of your heart, and the incapacity of an Officer, from his income only, to accomplish such a purpose as the completion of your withes. But know, that even in Surinam, virtue will meet with friends. Your manly fenfibility for A 32 that deferving young woman and her little boy must claim the esteem of all rational perfons, in spite of malice and folly. Permit me then to participate in your happiness, by requesting your acceptance of two thousand florins, or any fum you stand in need of." "Seeing me gazing on her in a ftate of ftupefaction, without the power of fpeaking, the continued, with a divine benignity, "Let not your delicacy, my friend, foldiers and failors ought to be men of the fewest compli take the alarm : ments." "As foon as I recovered, I replied, that I was at a lofs how to exprefs my admiration of fuch benevolence; that Joanna, who had fo frequently preferved my life, had certainly merited my eternal affection; but that my gratitude could not be less to one who had fo generously put me in the way of redeeming that invaluable woman from flavery. I concluded with obferving, that I could not now touch a fhilling of the money; but fhould have the honour to call on her the next day. "I was no fooner returned home, than I acquainted Joanna with all that had happened, who burst into tears at the recital; but infifted that the herself fhould be mortgaged to Mrs. Godefroy till every farthing fhould be paid, the indeed was very anxious for the emancipation of her boy; but till that was done, the abfolutely refuted to accept of her own freedom. I thall not here endeavour to paint the coneft which I fuftained between affection and duty; but at last I yielded to the with of this charming creature, whofe fentiments endeared her to me till the more. I in#tantly drew up a paper, declaring my Joanna, according to her defire, to be from this day the property of Mrs. Godefroy, till the money the lent me fhould be repaid; and on the following day, with the confent of her relations, which is necellary when relpectable flaves are fold in Surinam, I conducted her to Mrs. Godetroy's houfe, where, throwing herself at the Anecdotes of the Life of the Right Honourable William Pitt Earl of Chatham, and of the pincipal Events of his Time; with bis Speeches in Parliament from the Year 1736 to the Year 1778. 3 Vols. 8vo. 6th Edit. Seeley. A WORK which has arrived at a fixth Edition will feem to be noticed, at this time, later than it ought to have been ; and fome feet of that incomparable woman, Joana "Mr. De Graav told me, on counting the money, that two hundred florins of this fum belonged to him as adminiftra tor; but that he begged to have a thare in this aufpicious event, by not accept ing his dividend; thinking himself amply repaid by being any way intrumental to the happinets of two deferving people. "Having thanked my difinterested friend with an affectionate thake by the hand, I inmediately returned the two hundred florins to Mrs. Godefroy; and we all were happy." We have ventured to abridge fome of the particulars of this interefting incident, chiefly in refpect to the dialogue, as at length it would have taken up more pace than our limits will allow. But we have retained the effential parts, which confer credit on all the perfons concerned in the tranfaction, and prove that in generofity, juftice, and delicacy of conduct, Europeans may equal, but cannot excel, the inhabitants of the Western Continent. (To be continued.) information to the future inquirer; but his work deferves a higher praife: it contains all the particulars of Lord Chatham's public life, fome private anecdotes respecting him, the whole of his fpeeches in Parliament, and collection of all his letters which have hi.herto been printed. For many of the anecdotes the Editor vouches the authority of the late Lord Temple, and the remainder he received from the first Lord Lyttelton, the late Lords Fortefcue and Carysfort, William Gerard Hamilton, Richard Rigby, Governer Pownal, Mr. Calcraft, Mr. Rous, and others. To thofe who wifh for information concerning the most interesting periods of modern times, or of the actions of the Minifter who elevated his country to the highest point of glory, these volumes will be particularly acceptable. The facts are important, though they appear with fome tinge of party prejudice, and the whole of the materials which form the work are curious, and, we believe, genuine. The following letter, from the Counters Dowager of Chatham to the Editor, will be acceptable to ⚫ur Readers : "I have received the obliging prefent of the books which you fent to me; the subject of which is fo interesting to my feelings. I cannot delay defiring you to accept of my fincere thanks for this mark of your attention. The fentiments exprefked by you of the abilities and virtues of my late dear Lord, are a fort of affurance to me, that I fhall find his character and conduct painted in thofe colours that fuit the dignity and wildom that belonged to them: the retracing of which will certainly afford me the highest fatisfaction, mixed with the deepest regret, that Myfelf, his Country, Family, and Friends, have fuffered by his death. "I remain, Sir, "Your obliged and most humble fervant, "HESTER CHATHAM." Fiefco, or the Genoefe Conspiracy, a Tragedy: tranflated from the German of Frederick Schiller, Author of "The Robbers," &c. by G. H. N. and 7. S. 8vo. Johnson. The Conjuration de Fifque by Cardinal de Retz, printed at the end of his Memoirs, furnishes the plot of this Play, which refembles The Robbers, by the fame Author, in its excellencies, in its defects, and particularly in its extravagances. The Author has contrived to introduce a great variety of characters, numerous incidents, pathetic fituations, and interesting embarrassments; but All his Play feems not likely to become Agreeable to an English reader. The ca taftrophe departs from the real event, which records, that the hero was accidentally drowned; here it is the effect of premeditation. The Rife of Mahomet accounted for on Naturcă and Civil Principles. By the late Nathan Alcock, MD, 8vo. Sael. 1796. In this pamphlet Dr. Alcock attempts to account for the fudden rife and prodigious progrefs of the Mahometan Empire and Religion, from the nature of the climate, the particular circumstances of the times, and the politic inflitutions of the Founder, adapted to the climate and times. This publication is made by his brother the Rev. Thomas Alcock, who has prefixed to it an intro duction, and made some small corrections and additions. The performance appears to be well defigned, and on the whole not ill executed. The Lives of Dr. John Donne. Sir Henry Wotton, Mr. Richard Hesker, Mr. George Herbert, and Dr. Robert Saunderson. By acc Walton; with Notes, and the Life of the Author, by Thos. Zouch, A. M. 4to. B. and J. White. 11. 55. Thefe Lives, written with great truth and fimplicity, celebrate men whose memory deferves to be held in remembrance. We remember, that fome years ago the scheme of a republication, fimilar to the prefent, was meditated by the late Mr. Bofwell, who relinquished it on being told that the plan had occupied the thoughts of the late Bishop Horne. Neither of thefe Gentlemen executed their own plans; and when we view the prefent performance, we see no reason to regret that it has fallen into the hands of the prefent Editor. Befides the life of Ifaac Walton, now firft written, Mr. Zouch has added, throughout, Not-s which contain much information, and add greatly to the value of the prefent Edition. Hope; an Allegorical Sketch on recovering fletely from Sicknjs. By the Rev. W. L. Boules, A. M. 4to. Cadell and Davies. 25. Mr.Bowles's penfive Mufe is not unknown to our Readers, and the prefent performance will detract nothing from his former fame. We do not profefs ouriclves to be very lond of allegory, though we are inclined to pardon it on the prefent occasion. The influence of Hope in various purfuits and fituations, exemplified in youth, beauty, and love, enterprife, ambition, captivity, melancholy, and mania, is painted in colours which the true poet will recognize as congenial with his own feelings. AC ACCOUNT OF PELEW. IT is very natural for a man who imagines that he has made a confiderable difcovery, to communicate it as foon as poilible to the World, that he may receive the praife it deferves, and participate in the illumination that it produces. This is fortunately my cafe at prefent: I have juft difcovered, that the lands of Pelew have been peopled by Greeks; an important point in the wanderings of mankind! The word Pelew is evidently derived from Pelops, a name famous in antiquity: Who does not, fays Virgil, know the ftory of Pelops ? He was the ion of King Tantalus, who, at a dinner that he gave to the Gods, ferved him up as one of the difles. None of the guests but Ceres touched this picfane piece of cookery; but the, before the was aware of it, had already fwallowed one of his arms: Jupiter in pity restored Felops to life, and fupplied him with an ivory arm, instead of the one he had loft: Pelops then became a conqueror, and gave his name at length to Peloponnefus, and I believe to Felew. The Pelopides, the Sæva Pelopis Domus of Horace, have been the fubject of inany Tragedies for the Stage, both in ancient and modern times: Cui non dictus Hylas puer, et Latonia Delos, Hippodamieque, humeroque Pelops infignis eburno? VIRGIL, GEOR. 3. The Order of Nobility at prefent in Pelew is distinguished by a large hollow bone refeinbling ivory, which is thruft over the hand, and is worn on the arm. Several of cur Gentlemen of Bombay have received the rank of the Bone, the higheft dignity that thote Illanders can bellow: I think that no petion now can doubt that this is an intitution in memory of their Hero Felops, nor that a Pelew Nobleman is a Pelops diftinguithed by his ivory arm-Humeroque Pops infignis eburno. As the people of Pelew had chofen Pelops for their Hero, and had given his name to their new lettinent, it was aatural enough for them to hold Ceres in deteftation, the only one of all the Geds who had done him an injury: we find, accordingly, that they low no kind of grain, nor offer her any honour. The only vegetable that they plant is a fort of yam; and to fuch a height have they railed their hatred to Ceres, that this light cultivation is carried on by women, for the men consider it as a difgraceful cccupation. It is no mall proof of my origin of the people of Pelew, that iome of their lands have always been under a Republican Form of Government*. From what country in their neighbourhood could they have gotten the idea of a Republic? Every other spot near to the Equator has long been loft in D-fp tim: Quintus Curtius has faid indeed, that Alexander met with a Republic in India, "lade Subracas adiit, validam India gentem, quæ populi non vegum imperio recebatur;" but he is a fellow of no authority. It is much more reasonable to think with me, that the Pelewers brought with them the model of a Republic from Plato and Peloponnetus. The people of Plew make use of long fpears in battle, which they throw with attonishing force: This ipear is evidently the Dou Macron of Homer. From throwing it well, a warrior of P.lew gets a great reputation; he becomes the doariclitos of the heroic ages of Greece. The great care they take in combing and regulating their hair, fo unlike the practice of Savages, is another proct their origin encnemides Acbaloi. uf I am informed by a Gentleman of much veracity, and ef a imgular talent for obfervation, that he has feen the women of Pelew finging their children to fleep by a mournful ditty, which, I doubt not, is the lala banalan of the Grecian mothers. We know that a man of Pelew who has not courage to go to war is obliged all his life-time to wear the drefs of a woman. Our Gentlemen, lately there, faw an unfortunate fellow in that habit, who appeared to be very much ashamed of himself. One mu be but little acquainted with the initi tutions of Greece, who does not fee the origin of this ingenious punitument : This fact, unknown to Captain Wilfon, has been established by the Ġentlemen, lately from Bombay, at Pelow, whe had better opportunities of information. * Among |