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masters to England, with an intention of carrying them back again to the West Indies.

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Upon the whole, long and severe as this conflict has been, the labour of it is amply repaid by the immense magnitude of the benefit obtained by it. It is nothing less than a total change in the condition of one quarter of the habitable globe, containing many millions of inhabitants; a change from the lowest abyss of human misery, to ease, to freedom, and to happiness. What a glorious work for this country to have accomplished ! and what a contrast is there between the conduct of the common Enemy of mankind, and that of the English Government-the former desolating, enslaving, and deluging with blood the Continent of Europe the latter giving liberty, not merely political liberty, but real, substantial,

substantial, personal liberty to the Continent of Africa!*

"It was said by Mr. Pitt, that the Slave Trade was the greatest practical evil that ever afflicted the human race: and, if this be true, the annihilation of that trade is the greatest practical good that can be conferred on man; and so I firmly believe that it will prove to be. There never was, I am persuaded, from the beginning of the world to this hour, a single instance, in which so great a quantity of evil was ever exterminated

from

*How perfectly applicable to this country, with a few slight alterations, is that eloquent eulogy of the Greeks upon the Roman people. The former exclaimed with ecstacy-" Esse aliquam in terris gentem, quæ suâ impensâ, suo labore ac periculo, bella gerit pro libertate aliorum; nec hoc finitimis, aut propinquæ vicinitatis hominibus, aut terris continenti junctis præstet: maria trajiciat, ne quod toto orbe terrarum injustum imperium sit, et ubique Jus, Fas, Lex potentissima sint." Liv. 1. xxxiii. c. 33.

from the earth, and so great a quantity of good produced, as by this one act of the British Legislature. It will call down upon us the blessing of millions, not only now in existence, but of millions yet unborn and, what is still more important, it will draw down upon our arms the blessing of Heaven; and be the means of securing to us the favour of that Being, whose hand outstretched in our defence can alone carry us safely through the dangers that surround us!

"Of the conduct of Mr. Wilberforce in the prosecution of this great cause, I cannot express my admiration in adequate terms. The applause he received was such, as was scarcely ever before given to any man sitting in his place in either House of Parliament: but, had it been even greater than it was, he would have deserved it all, for the unceasing

efforts,

efforts, the firm, unshaken, intrepid perseverance, with which he maintained, and finally brought to a successful issue, the most glorious battle, that ever was fought by any human being."

In this just panegyric of the illustrious Champion of the Abolition, all men must unite: but still let it not be forgotten, that the Bishop was one of its earliest promoters and most strenuous advocates. Next to the great and paramount concerns of religion, it was the object of all others nearest to his heart. He never spoke of it but with the utmost animation and enthusiasm. He spared no pains, no fatigue of body or mind, to further its accomplishment. He not only expressed his sentiments, on every occasion that presented itself, publicly and strongly in Parliament; but he was indefatigable in urging all, over whom he

had

had any influence, to conspire and cooperate in what he considered the general cause of civilized man, against a most intolerable system of cruelty and oppression. In short, the best years of his life, and all his talents and powers, were applied and devoted to it; and, I believe, the happiest day, beyond comparison, that he ever experienced, was the day of its final triumph.

But, though he contended with so much zeal and earnestness for the abolition of the Slave Trade, he resisted, in common with many other supporters of that measure, an injudicious though benevolent attempt which was afterwards made to emancipate the Slaves in our West-India Colonies. All that was safely attainable, had been attained; and to have aimed at more would have been

imprudent and dangerous. At the same

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