struction, through the medium of a free 96 press would be beneficial to the colony at large.

As there are few heiresses, marriages are usually contracted either from motives of personal affection, or a desire of posThere are few of the elements of repub- terity. Now, as the former of these oblicanism to be discovered here, nor can I jects may be attained without the shackles find any point of resemblance between of matrimony, which is by many considered these Africans and the old Spartans, but essential only for the purpose of legitimizJin their common admiration of thieving, ing the issue, they sometimes have reboth mistaking rascality for a proper de- course to a very delicate sort of arrange», gree of dexterity and ingenuity. A ment, which is worthy of notice. The swindler is called a slim fellow at the Cape. parties meet together under a provisional There are a Lutheran, a Calvinistic contract or promise of marriage as man church, and numerous dissenting chapels and wife: if the lady conceives, the cere at the Cape; but the lessons of religion mony is performed in good time; if there are little taught, and still less put in prac-is no appearance of progeny, their innotice. The moral virtues seem not to be cent pleasures may be prolonged without implanted by nature. There is no law of detriment, till passion is satiated, or other nature, that I know of, which teaches the motives may induce a separation. I am restraint of those dangerous propensities, sorry to say, our own countrymen are, as the indulgence of which infringes upon usual when from home, most forward in 1, the peace and order of society, Nature every excess. This is an old saying in does not prohibit the coveting another Italy: Inglese Italionato e diavolo incar man's wife, or another man's goods, but nato." rather seems to say, 'If this thing hits thy "fancy, 'take it to thyself—if this man troubles thee, even put away his life.' Have, then, those philosophers by whom virtue is termed, tyrannic custom,' and faith, an obscene worm,' maturely considered the nature of man, when they talk of disencumbering him of his shackles; for he does not appear to move with greater ease or dignity without them.

Decency is seldom openly outraged in the disgraceful manner we daily witness at home, though vice has an unlimited sway in the walks of private life. There is more temperance and moderation amongst the female part of the world, because a lack of chastity is more a thing of course. Where women can be profligate without shame, they rarely exhibit to the eye those grosser excesses which, in other countries, where disgrace and infamy are attached to the indulgence of these venial delights, so frequently shock us. Conjugal fidelity is rarely to be met with here. The men have their slave girls, without any dis"agreeable feelings on the part of their wives; and these, again, have their cicisboes with the good will and permission of their husbands. An intrigue, with an unmarried young lady, under a promise of marriage, has this unpleasant consequence attending it if the lady can bring proof of such promise, and chooses to exact the is performance of it, the party is compelled either to marry her or to leave the colony. -ak or emol on it and ca

The word delicacy, which has undergone such revolutions, and at this day means such different things in different countries, may be said to have no place at all in the Dutch Cape nomenclature. As an instance of this, the ceremony of marriage is usually performed in open church on Sundays, during the hours of public service. On such occasions, men are apt to sneak into church, and sneak out again; but a young lady of the Cape is not satisfied unless she can display her unblushing charms and her wedding dress to the gaze of an unlimited number of spectators. A Dutchman was engaged to be married to an English lady residing at the Cape, whose father had stipulated to pay down a certain sum of money, by way of portion, on his daughter's wedding day. The day arrived, and the bride and bridegroom, with the friends of both parties, assembled in splendid attire at the father's house, on their way to church. At length, every preparation for the ceremony being ccmpleted, all rose up to go, when the bridegroom, instead of leading his fair bride to the altar, paused for a few inoments, in an attitude of calculation, and then suddenly advancing to the father, and striking his fist upon the table, broke out into this delicate exclamation before the whole party. I tell you vat, if I no get the rix-dollars, I no take the vife.'atagelja

Slave girls, when possessed of any personal charms, are an invaluable property. They are sent forth elegantly equipped,

and are immediately hired of the owner, When we consider the long time either by the month or year, or perhaps that Greece has been under the dopurchased altogether by some enamoured minion of conquerors, and especially admirer. If this property should belong the dreadful tyranny under which it to a lady, the traffic is not considered as indelicate, but an honest source of emolu- at present labours, we ought not ment, which it would be fastidiousness to surely to be surprised that the present decline. A married lady, of great respec- Greeks are so different from the former. tability, was possessed of a slave girl, whom she bad regularly hired to an East Oppression is the sure cause of deIndia officer by the month; but the girl moralization; it spreads its båneful had the presumption to engage in other effects over all under its power, amours, and he made a complaint of this nurses in the breasts of the oppressed, impertinent conduct to the mistress in the public dancing assembly, with an intent of having her punished. The lady very composedly told him the fault was his that he ought to purchase the girl at once.

Ex una disce omnes.'

own,

This is a very disgusting, but a very true picture of natural morality.

The pusillanimity of the Africanos was conspicuous enough in the last capture of the Cape. The epitaph in Westminster Abbey, which so nobly commemorates the the family of the Lord Lucas of Colches ter, wherein it is said, that all the brothers were valiant, and all the sisters virtuous," might be aptly reversed to pourtray the qualities of an African family.

To the Editor of the Melange.

REMARKS

ON THE

1 PRESENT STATE of the GREEKS.

deceit and cunning-alarmed to give free vent to their feelings of indignation at the injuries they receive, their complaints are uttered in low and sullen murmurings- unable to assert their just rights, and to punish their oppressors by open force, they employ artifice for the gratification of their revenge. Thus, that free and manly spirit, possessed by nations enjoying the blessings of liberty, will never be found in Greece, or any other country in similar circumstances...

But it cannot be justly said, that the Greeks are more debased than some other people in Europe. By the misrepresentation of travellers, and the prejudiced accounts of merchants in the Levant, we have formed the lowest opinion of their moral state. But these individuals have seen the worst of the Greeks, and even those In the present state of the affairs in the most unfortunate circumstances, of Greece, any thing connected with unprotected by any law, liable to be that country cannot but be interest-imposed on, and defrauded by the ing. The history of ancient Greece-Franks, equally with the Turks, they its poets, statesmen, and the heroic are forced, for their own preservation, exploits of its warriors, have been the to resort to the same means of deceit subjects of our early education, and and injustice, which are employed by the admiration of our more advanced others against them. The enlightened years. Now, learning and liberty have and disinterested scholar, who repairs deserted their former favourite abodes, to Greece, not for personal aggrandizeand the present inhabitants are so ment, but to view those scenes already changed, and possess so few of the familiarized to him in story, and for characteristics of their predecessors, which he has cherished feelings of that it is now become a matter of veneration, and who has had an opdispute, whether or not they can lay portunity of observing a Greek of the claim to them as ancestors. better sort, has been at no loss to dis

4

cover, in the degenerate son, the own country, and the possession of true lineaments of his illustrious father. which has cost them a life of severe Nor is it true, that the Greeks do study. The Greeks, in general, renot possess the genius of their ances-ceive a good, though not a liberal *tors. Greece has given birth to men education; but, from the system of of the most cultivated ability, who policy in the country, they can never would reflect honour on any coun- arrive at any great proficiency in the try; but the recollections of the for- more useful departments of literature. mer glory of their nation, contrasted They possess no means of improvewith its present condition-the un-ment; no hooks are allowed to be supportable tyranny of its rulers-the disseminated, but a few of the most debased and servile state of their coun-trifling and despicable kind. Thus the trymen have forced them from their learning of the Greeks must remain native soil. Though exiles in a fo- light and superficial.

reign land, their thoughts are ever Poetry is the chief study of the turned to their former homes: and Greeks, and gives them great delight. they have devoted all their talents to It is wild and unconnected-filled the improvement of their countrymen. with figures and similies more reGrammars, Lexicons, and other liter-markable for passion and imagination Tary productions, are the labours of than feeling and nature-possessing, some; but others, fired by a more ac- however, a considerable sweetness. tive patriotism, have lampooned, and It partakes more of the Eastern richassailed in other ways, the enslavers ness than the Grecian simplicity. of their country. Every trifling circumstance calls forth Although it is comparatively few the Muse; and the great number of of the Greeks that possess a liberal their love and convivial songs, 'shows education, which is only to be pro- the fertility of their poetic powers. "cured abroad, yet the whole nation Bad as the Grecian poetry is, we canare actite and ingenious. The an- not believe it could obtain among a cient Greeks devoted no part of their people so degraded as the Greeks are time to the study of any language but represented to be. their own. The whole force of their But there are a few poets of a 'genius was directed to the study of the higher rank than those to whom we arts and sciences, and to this perhaps have already alluded, who tune their "may be ascribed their perfection in lyres to nobler strains the injuries those things to which their attention and emancipation of their country. was turned. But the exertion of the Possessing, in an eminent degree, the modern Grecks have been directed to poetical genius of their nation, and, the acquirement of languages, and in fired by patriotism, they have comthis, they have displayed the most un-posed songs that are sung thoughout rivalled powers. Possessing a fine all Greece, and which kindle, in the and discerning ear-a flexibility of breasts of their countrymen, the greattongue and a most astonishing me- est enthusiasm. Very remarkable mory, the youngest is soon enabled to is the similarity of idea in the song speak a variety of tongues: likewise, with which I will conclude these rethose of the lowest ranks are able to marks, and one of our own at present make themselves understood in lan- so much admired and so popular. guages that are spoken only by the To some it may appear that the most learned and accomplished of our translation is unworthy to be com

cause of his being so uncommonly on this head, for believe me, John, heavy, when he ought to have been at-we really felt for your situation. tending to his duties. You also in- Hoping you will be able to collect form me, that you are not the head so much from my answer, as will serve taller than any in the congregation, to regulate your conduct in future,

and that

you

do not stand upon any thing. Of the comparative stature of gentlemen, I don't pretend to be a judge; but as to your standing, you

I remain,
Your most obt.
A
7.1; 1

P.S.-Be a good boy, and it's hard

at least don't appear to stand upon ce- to say what may happen.

"LORD LOVAT,

Of all the Chiefs who figured in

remony, when you can address, in so public a manner, a person who has not the honour of your acquaintance.— Your experience in optics,' Mr. Ogle, I am not inclined to call in the unfortunate attempt of 1745, cerquestion, for really, John, considering tainly the most singular and notorious, their size, your management of them was Simon Fraser of Lovat. To the is remarkably expert,' and you make wild ferocity, unsubdued passions, and them perform their obliquities with as cunning and caprice of savage life, he much precision, as if their motions added the insinuating address, dissiwere regulated by a pendulum.mulation, and crafty policy, of a more That they make impressions is also a civilized state. Bold, restless, aspirtruth, which the poor female, who ing, and avaricious in the extreme, he fainted beside me, found to her expe- was continually plotting the means of rience, as you, no doubt, had been self-aggrandizement; false and deccitogling and frightening into fits, as the ful, he was profuse of oaths and propoor creature, no doubt, imagined she mises, when in his heart he had rehad seen something. solved to act contrary to his protesta

I am sorry to be obliged to say any tions. But his schemes often failed thing harsh to a gentleman who seems through a refinement of cunning; to stand so well with himself; but while his restless and turbulent dispothere is a degree of self-sufficiency in sition was continually leading him into your epistle, which is quite subversive new plots, until at last his intrigues of that respectful line of conduct, which brought him to the scaffold. His ought to be pursued by every gentle- station in life, and the period in which man, who acknowledges himself af- he lived, were unfortunately too fafected with a palpitation in the sto-vourable for the developement of such mach. Your suspicion, that I am a character. Living in a remote part privy to your glances,' and have set of the country, and the head of a peoa young lady to watch you, is ridicu-ple, who knew no law but the nod of culous enough. To be serious with their chief, he exercised an authority Mr. Ogle, we were both equally nothing short of regal sway; his vioat a loss to tell what could be the lent passions raged without controul, matter with you; and, from your and there was no enterprise, however glances, as you are pleased to call lawless, oppressive, or criminal, in them, were rather inclined to suspect which he was not seconded by his folit was a paralytic affection, than an lowers. affection of a more tender description; your letter, however, has made us easy

you,

Simon was the son of Thomas Fraser of Beaufort, the male heir of