place was attended with many difficulties, on various ac counts; the unhealthiness of the situation was one. The house of the missionaries was frequently injured by violent storms of thunder and rain; and sometimes the plantations were destroyed by hail. Earthquakes shook their dwellings, and filled them with apprehensions. But their principal danger arose from the drunkenness and fury of the Indians; as in that state they threatened the lives of all who interfered with them. They were also often alarmed by parties of different nations, then at war with the Catawas, passing to and fro with captives; to whom they behaved with the greatest cruelty. But the confidence of the Brethren in God remained unshaken, and his merciful hand supported them with faith and courage under the various trials they had to pass through. The mission to Long Island and Great Island failed. The missionaries were much affected in observing these people addicted to every Heathenish vice, though tormented with famine and sickness; which seemed a time to impress the love of our Lord and Saviour, whom they endeavoured to describe as ever ready to help all those who believe in him. But they found few disposed to hear; the Indians very naturally quoting the bad example of the Christians in the neighbourhood, as a sufficient cause for rejecting this doctrine of the missionaries. Thus they returned in 1748 with sorrowful hearts from their labours; having several times been in danger of losing their lives by the brutality of the savages.

[To be continued.]

Travels in some Parts of North America in the Years 1804, 1805, and 1806. By Robert Sutcliff. pp. 293. York printed 1811. Alexander, York; and Darton and Co., and W. Phillips, London.

THE customs and manners of the inhabitants of different parts

of the world cannot fail to interest those who are desirous of tudying human nature under all its varied circumstances: to e philanthropist, knowledge of this kind is of the greatest portance, and may render him material assistance in devising 1 executing plans for the comfort and happiness of our vies.

The value of information of this kind depends, however, upon several circumstances; as the veracity of the narrator; his opportunities for observation; the extent of his talents; and the degree in which his love of truth secures him from the bias of prejudice or party: a traveller who possesses these qualifications, and faithfully reports what he sees, performs a most important service to the community. Facts are speaking things; and, while they often enable us to discover the connection between cause and effect, teach us the consequence of certain actions, and carry conviction to the mind in a manner not to be effected by volumes of mere declamation.

The author of the little work before us appears to have been an intelligent observer, and to have made reflections and observations upon what he saw in his travels, which, with proper allowance for the circumstances under which they were published, will, we think, prove amusing and instructive.

Being one of the Society of Friends, his remarks are often made in a style peculiar to that body of Christians: and many of these remarks are more adapted to those of his own society, than to the public in general; some of the incidents are even too trifling to interest any but the author's particular friends; and there appears also an awkwardness in giving only the ini tials of most of the names of the persons he mentions in the work, which, however, probably arose from the circumstance of its being composed from the notes in his private j which it appears, from the following account of the were not originally intended for publication.

"The narative and observations now presented to the were the fruits of a voyage undertaken solely with comr views. They were written without any expectation o being copied, and without the remotest thought of publi But falling accidentally under the notice of the editor, pleased with perusing them, and believed that, if printer would also be agrecable to many others. He accor communicated this idea to the writer, who, after consi: the subject, consented to the proposal.

"Whilst the author was in America, he had frequen vals of leisure, which the nature of his mercantile concernen dered unavoidable. Of some of these opportunities he av himself to visit his connexions and friends in various p the country, having also the view of gratifying his cuy and enlarging the sphere of bis information. Being a observation, of a strong memory, and benevolent dispo and having formed an extensive acquaintance with respe

persons in America, by whom he was treated with kindness. and attention, he seems to have been qualified to render an account of his travels both pleasing and interesting. The nar rative appears to be judicious, and is given with great simplicity and the editor has not the least doubt of its strict veracity."

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Our limits will not permit us to follow the author through the details of his voyage and subsequent travels. The justice of one rema k, however, on a circumstance which took pall that his arrival in America, has been fully confirmed by all that has happened since,

Describing the manner in which they were brought-to by a shot from a British frigate, in company with some other armed vessels, he observes:

"Their object was to watch two French frigates then lying in New York, as the lieutenant of the Boston informed us; and at the same time to examine all American ships, in order to discover if there were any of the subjects of Great Britain serving on board, with a view to impress them. It appeared to be an arduous and delicate situation in which the comminder of these ships was placed. Having to fulfil the orders of his government on the one hand, and being in danger of giving offence to the Americans on the other, it seemed impossible for him to steer clear, unless possessed of a very uncom mon share of prudence and discretion."

It is a melancholy reflection that America, almost the only asylum from the horrors or the effects of that cruel war which has so long de-olated Europe, should itself be in danger of going down in the general vortex, and mingling its wreck with those of ancient establishments, Hitherto, freedom from restrictions on account of religious opinions, and from heavy taxes, the pice of labour and cheapness of provisions had pointed out this country as a refuge for the poor and the oppressed. The means adopted by emigrants not possessed of sufficient property to pay the expenses of their voyage, are thus stated:

"I noticed that the two female servants (Germans) employed in the family, had both of them been lately hired from on board a vessel lying in the Delaware, and which had recently arrived from Amsterdam with several hundred Germans, men, women, and children, of that description of people called, in America, Relemptioners. These are people in low circumstances, who, being desirous of settling in America, and not having money to pay their passage, agree with the

VOL. II.

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American captains of vessels to be taken over on condition of hiring for a term of years, on their arrival in America, to masters who are willing to advance ten or twelve guineas, to be deducted out of their wages and it not unfrequently happens, that they agree to serve two, three, or four years for meat and clothes only, on condition of their passage being paid.

"I noticed many families, particularly in Pennsylvania, of great respectability, both in our society and amongst others, who had themselves come over to this country as Redemption ers, or were the children of such; and it is remarkable, that the German residents in this country have a character for greater industry and stability than those of any other nation."

The following anecdote is so much to the credit of the parties, and the closing remark so liberal, that we shall transcribe it. "In conversation with a friend, of the name of R. W., he informed me, that in the early part of his life he was at the Havannah, where he had considerable business to transact; but being ignorant of the Spanish language, an Irish Roman Catholic priest kindly lent him his assistance on various occasions; and so effectually, that the priest was the means of his acquiring a large property during a short stay there. At the time of parting with this friendly priest, he presented him with a purse of one thousand dollars as a small compensation for the assistance he had received; but the truly Catholic priest declared, that he would not accept of any compensation of this sort; adding, All I ask of you in return for any service I may have rendered you is, that if at any future period you happen to meet a countryman of mine in need of assistance, you would do to him as I have done to you.' This affords one amongst many proofs, that the truly christian spirit is not confined to any profession of religion.'

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We have been the more inclined to give this anecdote a place, from a full conviction that the ceremonies of religion have proved most formidable barriers to the flow of christian charity, to the very essence of religion itself. It was well observed of Lord Lyttleton, that he who hates another man for not being a Christian, is himself not a Christian; and with equal reason, he who professing himself a Christian persecutes his fellow professor, or indulges hard thoughts of him for not conforming to all the ceremonies which he deems essential, is not a Christian. A large proportion of mankind has been unhappily taught to look upon the observance of certain rites with as much reverence as if they were the only means of salvation hence the persecutions which have disgraced the

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pages of history; hence that narrow and bigoted spirit which too plainly distinguishes many in the present day, who would be thought exclusively religious. The truth is, that religion consists not in forms, (which any hypocrite may assume,) but in a perfect subjection of the will of the creature to the will of the Creator, and an ardent endeavour to know and perform this will in the best manner we are capable of with the assistance afforded us. The idea of the particular mode of worship must vary with the particular circumstances of education, habits, &c. in which any given individual may happen to be placed; but sincerity of heart is the only foundation upon which true religion can be built.

In travelling through the southern states, the feelings of the author were frequently shocked by a near view of the horrors ot slavery, and its brutalising effects on the minds of slaveholders: the permission of such an order of things is the opprobrium of America, and altogether inconsistent with the high profession she is making of her love of liberty; it tarnishes the glory which she has justly earned by her care to avoid ecclesiastical tyranny, and her adoption of an enlightened system of criminal jurisprudence, which may serve as a model for the rest of the world. We shall insert several observations and anecdotes on this subject, from the work before us, with the painful reflection, however, that the same tragedies are acting, and the same effects produced, in our own colonies. The grand principle, that personal security and enjoyment of property are the right of every one, is maintained no where in more sounding terms than in England; but if we look at our West Indian possessions, we shall be compelled to acknowledge that no where are those rights more openly and scornfully trampled upon. Why, may we be permitted to ask, should there be one law for the mother country, and another law for the colonies?-The circumstances of distant possessions may require particular regulations; but these should all be in exact conformity with the spirit of those fundamental laws by which the mother country is governed: till this is the case, our colonies will remain a curse to us, and may ultimately prove a burden too heavy to be borne.

It is curious to observe the different impression made upon the mind by the very same action, under a little variety of circumstance. If the Romans had been reduced to slavery by the Carthaginians, and one of these slaves, in attempting to shake off the yoke, had been discovered, and had the firmness of mind to justify his attempt to the last,. and upbraid his