One hardily plung'd, he was 'mers'd in the deep,
The mighty flood bore him away;
Already death's power narcotic did creep,
And his senses in Leathe's oblivion steep;
His associates were lost in dismay :

When a being, unseen till this perilous hour,

Sprang forth to the succour of woe,

From the gold-emboss'd bank, from the much-desir'd shore,
Grasp'd the hand of the dying, who in one moment more
Had sunk 'midst the coral below.

He sav'd him, he sooth'd him,-he toil'd till ere long
His companions were all at his side;

His talents were few,-he was brave, he was strong,
He had succour'd the weak, and was ready from wrong
The orphan and widow to hide :

This summ'd his acquirements, and now for his sin,-
One grievous crime jaundic'd their sight,-

Whatever the virtues he boasted within,

Tho' his conscience was spotless, yet black was his skin,
And black was inferior to white.

He pours forth his treasures-he calls them to share;
The stronger took all,- -nor content

With his gold, claim'd his service, ingratitude rare!
By ambition and civilization deem'd fair ;

To bondage the Negro was sent.

The tale soon was spread, that the talisman, gold,
In the river's rich sand-banks abound;

The sable race went, were enslav'd, and were sold,
Sex nor age prov'd a barrier,-the infant, the old,
Are all in the horoscope found.

But, see, one approaches with olive-branch crown,
The band of oppressors to stay;

Tho' mild is her aspect, the tyrants bow down,
The chain falls from the slave,-no longer they frown,
Shrunk weak, and unnerv'd in dismay;

A helmet of gold her dark tresses comprest,
On her shield a bright radiance shone;
Her steed was a lion,—her lance in the rest,
'Twas Britannia, the guardian of freedom confest,
For Britannia and Mercy are one.

"Forbear," she cried, "this hateful sin,
For are not these of darker skin,
To heavenly eye, our brethren?
And when from the material clay
The deathless spirit flits away,

Obedient to the trumpet's call,

Shall these not tread the Eternal's hall?-
Their deeds, like ours, with gifts compar'd,
And destinies impartial shar'd?

Where justice bears the balance even,
And more requires where more is given ;
No frowning brow shall meet the child
Of Zaara's waste, or Gambia's wild,—
No threatening voice shall cry give place
To favor'd son of fairer race;

The cumb'ring earth remov'd, behold!
Sublim'd more pure than drossless gold,
Amid the virtuous of each land,

The loreless African shall stand."

""Tis nobly said," cried I, and broke the spell, -
The slave was kneeling as the curtain fell.

R. B.

DISCUSSION:

ARE MANKIND MORE INFLUENCED BY THE FORCE OF CUSTOM, OR THE LOVE OF NOVELTY?

THE Proposer of this question maintained, that the Force of Custom had the more powerful influence. The observations on that side were, in effect, as follows:

The point at issue depends on the extent and degree of that influence, which custom and novelty respectively pos

sess.

For the question, when expressed in more explicit terms, is this,-whether mankind in general are, with greater force, constrained by the one to prefer what is old, or stimulated by the other to pursue what is new. Mankind, then, are more influenced by that, which produces the stronger effect upon the greater number. This, on examination, will appear to be the case, with respect to the force of custom,whether we contemplate its effects on nations or individuals.

The force of custom upon nations, is in no respect more remarkable, than in the pertinacious attachment which they have frequently shewn for the laws and religion of their ancestors, even when antiquity has been the chief or only ground of preference. Having been accustomed to regard the one as in all respects having justice for its basis, and to look upon the other as being, in every point, sanctioned by Heaven, they could not be prevailed upon to relinquish either. So far as their

firmness in adhering to ancient opinion, can be fairly attri buted to the force of truth,-we should not impute it to that of custom. But, when (which has often happened,) all ground for their prepossession has been wanting, there has been no corresponding absence of obstinacy. On the contrary, nations, as well as individuals, are generally perverse, in proportion to their errors; as they, who appeal rather to prejudice than to reason, have no other resource but that of an implicit reliance on the authority of past times, the existence of which cannot be denied, and the validity of which they will not permit to be questioned. Accordingly, it has only been by some irresistible power, or other accidental causes, or by gradual and imperceptible means, that revolutions in church or state have, for the most part, been produced. But direct attempts at extensive innovations, even where their propriety, and indeed necessity, was obvious, have almost always failed. This has likewise been the case too frequently, with such partial and limited changes, as would have left the system, in which they were proposed to be made, totally unimpaired.

Thus, particular laws of long standing, which, if now proposed, would be rejected with indignation or contempt, are, if a repeal is called for, defended with as much zeal, on the ground of their antiquity, as if the very existence of the state depended on their continuance. A striking instance of this sort has been exhibited of late years, in the failure of the endeavours made, to entitle persons accused of felony to the aid of counsel. Had such persons always been, by law, entitled to that aid, instead of having been always deprived of it, any attempt to take away the privilege, would have exposed the maker of it to general odium. But, as the law has hitherto prohibited counsel in such cases, those who have proposed the alteration, have been ridiculed by some, abused by others, and more than once defeated in their endeavour to procure a change, which is imperiously demanded, alike by common justice and by common sense.

Again, with regard to religion, history presents us with similar occurrences, which the rules of the Institution will not permit to be discussed in detail; but from which it is sufficiently obvious that, while the force of custom makes it difficult to effect any alteration, it makes it equally difficult, when once effected and long adhered to, ever more to adopt either the ancient or any other system.

But, in matters of less importance than laws or religion, national prejudices, the effects of custom, have often been displayed, sometimes, indeed, rather whimsically.

The government of Spain, about sixty years ago, issued a

decree, prohibiting the people from wearing the slouched hats and long cloaks, to which they had been accustomed, and great endeavours were made to bring about a change in their ancient dress and manners; but the consequence was, so dangerous an insurrection at Madrid, that the king was obliged to part with his minister.*

The people of Minorca exhibited the effect of custom in an instance equally absurd, though less alarming. In consequence of a certain old road being in very bad repair, and also, from its circuity, unnecessarily long, Governor Kane made a new one. He might, however, as well have saved the time, labour, and money, which the new road cost, as the people entirely neglected it, preferring the old, worn-out, and tedious way, which time and custom had concurred to consecrate.†

A still more striking and preposterous manifestation of the force of custom, has been remarked in certain inhabitants of the regions about the Alps, where enormous wens are very common, which by us would be regarded as equally ugly and cumbersome; but so long and so often have those people been accustomed to see them upon persons whom they loved and respected, that it is said they are regarded as enviable ornaments, instead of disgusting deformities.t

May we not impute, to a like cause, the difference of opinion between white people and Negroes, as to personal, beauty? They consider, as charming, features by which we are disgusted; but then they have been accustomed to them from infancy, the impressions of which, long continued, can never be effaced. It is true they admire white people, though not equally used to them; but that only shews the difference between real and fancied beauty: the one is universally admired, the other by those only on whom custom, or some such adventitious circumstance, happens to operate.

In this country, also, the great influence of custom was once shewn in a very singular instance. The merchants of Bristol had been long accustomed, originally for want of a proper building, to meet in a certain open part of the street, for the purpose of transacting their business. After a time, however, an exchange, with piazzas and every requisite accommodation, was erected; but the same evil spirit, which stimulated the people of Minorca to disregard their new road, seems to have urged the men of Bristol to neglect their new exchange. As if determined not to be comfortable, they continued to meet in the street, though a commodious building, equally handy in point of situation, and far *Historical Account of Spain and Portugal, in Guthrie's Geographical Grammar.

+ Kames's Elements of Criticism, vol. i. p. 324. Idem, vol. i. p. 389.

more suitable, of course, for the transaction of business, was ready to receive them. Their assembling in the street not being convenient, the magistrates of the city interposed, and remonstrated with the merchants for thus meeting in the street, instead of resorting to the proper place, which had been provided for their accommodation. But neither the interposition of the magistrates, nor the novelty and other recommendations of the exchange, could overcome the effect which had been produced upon them by the force of custom; for they still obstinately continued to meet in their old spot. The magistrates, finding it impracticable to eject the incorrigible merchants, while it was physically possible for them to occupy their accustomed place of meeting, were obliged to dislodge them, by breaking up the pavement, and leaving large heaps of stones in different parts, so that the commercial promenade could no longer be frequented; and it was not till they were thus actually expelled from their ancient place of resort, that they could be induced, by the united charms of novelty and convenience, to meet in another.*

The force of custom on individuals is also daily observable. What is more common in old persons, than extreme particularity with regard to their times of retiring to rest, rising, or taking exercise, to their occupying a certain chair, or sitting at a certain part of the table? They have been so long accustomed to the same times and places, that the slightest change is a great annoyance. So far from the love of novelty causing them to like what is new, the force of custom induces a dislike of whatever interferes with that, which is emphatically called their " way.' It is the same with persons of all ages, more or less, in some thing or other.

The exclusive use of the right or left hand, is a strong proof of the force of custom. There can be no doubt, that, at first, the use of either hand may be acquired; and some persons have, by the indiscriminate use of both, become ambidexter. Yet, when custom has once constrained us to the use of either only, it is a task of immense difficulty to make the other generally useful, and it never can be done so completely as to be free from extreme awkwardness.

The inveterate habits produced by long-continued custom, prove how great is its influence, even in trifling things. Were it not for this, how would people ever become smokers or snuff-takers? What, but the omnipotence of custom, could ever create an ardent desire for the mastication of delicious pig-tail? These things are all, originally, offensive. But custom makes them not only tolerable, but even agreeable, nay, indispensable.

Many kinds of food, drink, sauces, and the like, which the *Kames's Elements of Criticism, vol. i. p. 324. in not.