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Lo! 'tis the Druid pomp, whose lengthening line
In lowliest homage bend before the shrine.
He comes-the priest-amid the sullen blaze
His snow-white robe in spectral lustre plays;
Dim gleam the torches thro' the circling night,
Dark curl the vapours round the altar's light!
O'er the black scene of death each conscious star
In lurid glory, rolls its silent car.

"Tis gone! e'en now the mystic horrors fade From Sarum's loneliness and Mona's glade; Hush'd is each note of Taliesin's lyre,

Sheath'd the fell blade, and quench'd the fatal fire.
On wings of light, Hope's angel form appears,
Smiles on the past, and points to happier years;
Points, with uplifted hand and raptur'd eye,
To yon pure dawn that floods the opening sky ;
And views, at length, the Sun of Judah pour
One cloudless noon o'er Albion's rescued shore.

SKETCHES OF SOCIETY.

(Lit. Gaz.)

GREENWICH HOSPITAL.

I paint from life, though with a tar brush.

''

COAST of Africa, Sir? Why

aye I've been there too, and once knew a little about it but 'tis many years since. Poverty is no disgrace, Sir, and so I'll tell you what took me there. My father was a dissenting minister-a worthy, pious man -had his peculiarities, to be sure; but there's few warm hearts that have cool heads. He taught me bits of Greek and Latin, and them there sort of things, and he used to praise me for my progress; but, bless you, I knows nothing about it now. I've been nearly all over the world, so I mingles Dutch, Italian, German, Spanish, Hindostanee, French, Portoguese, all together, and makes a confusion of tongues. 'Tis true I can remember Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and something about Tupto, but there I sticks

fast. Then there was hic, hæc, hoc, and Amo Amas, but I knows nothing about 'em now. I was left an orphan at eleven years of age, and mother's brother-that's my uncle-was Captain of a Guinea-man, and so he offered to take me with him to sea; though says he, I suppose his larning has spoiled him. However he'll have plenty of opportunity to practise his humanities in a slave ship; and as for his grammar, he'll meet with some rum articles, and no doubt often decline his duty, take up a preposition in the cook's

caboose, make an interjection in his

hammock, form a conjunction between

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his mouth and a doughboy; and for pronouns, aye, aye, he'll soon get hold of them, for our service is the worst in the world for swearing;' and so I found it. I parted with my mother, and never saw her afterward-but we shall meet again. I shall forbear telling about my first entry on board-the many privations and cruelties I suffered, as often getting thrash'd for not doing wrong, as for committing a fault; but there's little compassion in a slaveship. I should have sunk under it but for the conviction that there was a Power aloft that kept watch for poor Jack; and my good father used often to tell me, Boy, bear this always in mind: he who eyes a Providence will never want a providence to eye.' Well Sir, we arrived on the coast, and all my troubles were awhile forgot. Oh what a scene for a young enthusiastic mind! It was all enchantment to me. Well, we brought up at —, near Congo, and alongside comes several canoes full of natives; the decks were soon cover'd with 'em. Haugh, Captain, how he do, eh? Look dere, you see my King-King Tom-he tan upon de beash. Haugh, Captain, fire one salute for my King." The salute was fired, and fresh demands made. 'Haugh Captain, what he got for my King ?'. "I've got some fine chintz," replied

the Skipper. Ha, chintz, eh!'—head as if it was scorch'd and the burn"Some cotton and other articles.". Ha, good dat! What hab got a brandy "No."-- Rum ?"No." Rack ?'-"No." What for dat, eh? Haugh! hear him-Captain bring chintz, bring cotton-no bring brandy, no bring rum. What for bring tuff for de back and no bring tuff for de belly!' Well, Sir, we began to trade, and the poor creatures were brought aboard in droves. Oh it would have melted a heart of stone to have seen them stowed away below-many of them in irons! and then I thought of their father's curse, and pitied the poor descendants of Ham. And so I crept out on the bowsprit into the fore-stay-sail netting, and pretended to be asleep, that I might ease the anguish of my heart in secret; but when I came in again they found me out, and so I got a rope's-ending for being a lubberly sniveller-but indeed I couldn't help it. In about three weeks our cargo was completetwo hundred and forty, and we left the coast in a hurry. I fancy my uncle had cheated some of the traders, and was glad to be off. A limited number of slaves were permitted to be on deck at a time, and there was one, a youth of interesting countenance, rather sickly. Ah! I shall never forget his looks, as his native land receded from his view! At first it was calm dejection, mingled with a melancholy idea that he should always keep it in sight; but still it sunk lower and lower. He could not account for it, though his sudden starts express'd his anger and astonishment; but when it lessened to a dim speck just darkening in the horizon, he burst out in all the agony of bitter despair, raised his clench'd hands above his head, shook them at his oppressors, and utter'd a yell that fill'd me with horror. He was answered by the lash across his bare back, to keep him quiet. I see you shudder, Sir, and well you may-'tis all as true as gospel. There was a young mother, too, with her infant at the breast: she look'd at the shore, and then at her babe, and then at the shore again, but she shed no tear. Her forehead was wrinkled up, and her eyes red and swoll'n and every now and then she press'd her hand to her

ing anguish had dried up the source of tears; but she sigh'd-no, 'twas not a sigh, but a groan, as if her heart was bursting. What she was, or where she came from, I couldn't learn; but on the passage her baby died. Well, she conceal'd it for some time, but it was discover'd at last, taken from her, a shot tied round its middle, and thrown overboard before her face. I got another taste of the tarr'd gingerbread for snivelling; but I'm sure, Sir, you' couldn't help'd it yourself if you had seen the poor unfriended mother. After she lost her child she refused her allowance, and would sit huddled together in one spot, nor could any persuasion move ber; so the lash was applied, and in a day or two she grew more calm, and would look over the side, for the hour together, on the dark waters that entomb'd her babe. One morning, on mustering, she was missing and couldn't be found. There was no doubt but she had gone overboard in the dark, though no one could give any account of the matter. I didn't cry this time, for I began to get insensible, and now can readily account for the hardness and depravity of heart evinced by the crew,-they had been brought up to it from childhood. But this was not all: both officers and men were so rejoiced on nearing Barbadoes, that they indulged too freely in soaking their biscuits, and got completely groggy, excepting the second mate, the carpenter, the two apprentices, and myself. The negroes discover'd it by some means, seiz'd and kill'd the sentry over the hatchway without noise, and got possession of the arm-chest. They rush'd on the deck, some descending to the cabin; my poor uncle fell first, but not till he had laid two at his feet to rise no more. The chief mate, after a hard struggle, was thrown overboard: he was a good swimmer, and though severely wounded, got hold of the mizen channels; here he clung some time, but was seen at last, when a Black made a blow at him with a cutlass, which separated his hand from his wrist, and he dropp'd again, shriek'd, and sunk! A sudden shock will sometimes rouse a man from drunkenness ;

this was the case now: several of the crew concealed themselves, and were saved; the others were easily destroyed. On the first alarm the second mate and myself got into the main-top and the carpenter and two apprentices into the fore-top. Here we remained for some time undiscovered, while the negroes, who had broken open the steward's room and got at the liquor, were tearing about the decks with all the fury of wild beasts seeking their prey. At last they caught sight of us, and several mounted the shrouds. The mate kept encouraging me to persevere to the last struggle. There was an old case of empty bottles stowed away in the top, and, armed with one in each band, we waited their attack. The first whose head appear'd above the top-brim was instantly knock'd overboard by the mate; the second grappled him, but as quickly follow'd his companion, on a blow from a quart bottle which I gave him on his head with all my might. God forgive me, Sir; but life's precious! In the same manner five, one after the other, follow'd their leader; and the two apprentices joining us by the top-mast-stay, they gave over the attack. The lads knew nothing of the carpenter, and so we concluded he was massacred. The slaves now ransack'd every place for powder and ball; and though there were several cases of cartridges in the arm-chest which they must have handled, yet providentially their contents were passed over. All at once we heard the most dismal yells, and saw the carpenter and two of the men, each with a bayonet in one hand and a cutlas in the other, driving the howling slaves along the deck, and cutting all down before 'em. We joined as quick as possible, and had the satisfaction of seeing our numbers increase, so that we soon retook the ship. The carpenter had watch'd an opportunity-got down the fore-stay on to the bowsprit. Here he found the two men stowed away under the stay-sail; they descended the bobstay, and got along outside of the ship to the gangway, without being noticed. Cutlases and bayonets were lying on all parts of the deck, so they were arm'd in an instant. But what most contributed to

our success was a box of-of-I forget now what they call 'em, but they resemble a bullet, only instead of being smooth, are cover'd all over with spikes like a hedge-hog, or like the ball one of the giants holds in Guildhall.* On such occasions as these they are strew'd over the decks, and the poor wretches, with their bare feet, unable to step without treading on them, are easily overcome. A box full was in the stern sheets of the long-boat; the carpenter knew it, got 'em out, and spread them around; and oh how the slaves shriek'd as they pierced their feet. After securing them all below, we found the Captain, chief mate, seven whites, and about twenty blacks, killed and a great many wounded. Among the latter was the youth, who died shortly after; indeed few of the hurt survived. We were now reduced to the second mate, who took command, and 14 bands; and after a toilsome passage, in which we were obliged to be on deck night and day, armed, and burying upwards of sixty slaves, we arrived at the West Indies, Here, Sir, I could give you such a horrid picture of misery as would harrow up your soul; but I forbear, Sir, I forbear-I can see your heart is suffering severely already at the recital. But to witness it! God bless Mr. Willbe-force! he made a noble stand for Humanity,and deserves her thanks,aye, & the thanks of every lover of freedom. But why can't the trade be abolished altogether? only because in other countries, as Corporal Trim says, "they have nobody to stand up for them." But oh, Sir, could the nobles of the land see the poor African as I have seen him-pinioned on his back without sufficient room to turn-little food to eat-brought on deck, and, though weak and exhausted, compell'd by the whip to run, and dance, and submit to the caprice of his cruel masters-could they see this, every nerve would be strain'd to prevent the inhuman traffic. Arn't they flesh and blood, Sir? and sha'nt we all have to appear together at the last great day before the same unerring tribunal? God is no respecter of persons; and so the heart be right, no matter if the skin be black, white,

Star-shot.

or copper colour. I have been telling you a long story, Sir but bless you it isn't half what I could tel! you; and some other time, if you pleases, I'll

MR.

give you another about it. I am sure
you'll not value it the less for coming
from
AN OLD SAILOR."

BIOGRAPHY OF ECCENTRIC CHARACTERS.
Lond. Mag. Sept.

WALKING STEWART.

R. Stewart the traveller, commonly called "Walking Stewart," was a man of very extraordinary genius. He has generally been treated by those who have spoken of him in print as a madman. But this is a mistake; and must have been founded chiefly on the titles of his books. He was a man of fervid mind and of sublime aspirations: but he was no madman; or, if he was, then I say that it is so far desirable to be a madman. In 1798 or 1799, when I must have been about thirteen years old, Walking Stewart was in Bath-where my family at that time resided. He frequented the pump-room, and I believe all public places walking up and down, and dispersing his philosophic opinions to the right and the left, like a Grecian philosopher. The first time I saw him was at a concert in the Upper Rooms; he was pointed out to me by one of my party, as a very eccentric man who had walked over the habitable globe. I remember that Madame Mara was at that moment singing: and Walking Stewart, who was a true lover of music (as I afterwards came to know), was hanging upon her notes like a bee upon a jessamine flower. His countenance was striking, and expressed the union of benignity with philosophic habits of thought. In such health had his pedestrian exercises preserved him, connected with his abstemious mode of living, that though he must at that time have been considerably above forty, he did not look older than twenty-eight; at least the face which remained upon my recollection for some years was that of a young man. Nearly ten years after wards I became acqainted with him. During the interval I had picked up one of his works in Bristol,-viz. his Travels to discover the Source of Moral Motion, the second volume of which

is entitled The Apocalypse of Nature. I had been greatly impressed by the sound and original views which in the first volume he had taken of the national characters throughout Europe. In particular he was the first, and so far as I know the only writer who had noticed the profound error of ascribing a phlegmatic character to the English nation. "English phlegm" is the constant expression of authors when contrasting the English with the French. Now the truth is, that, beyond that of all other nations, it has a substratum of profound passion: and, if we are to recur to the old doctrine of temperaments, the English character must be classed not under the phlegmatic but under the melancholic temperament; and the French under the sanguine. The character of a nation may judged of in this particular by examining its idiomatic language. The French, in whom the lower forms of passion are constantly bubbling up from the superficial character of their feelings,have appropriated all the phrases of passion to the service of trivial & ordinary life: and hence they have no language of passion for the service of poetry or of occasions really demanding it: for it has been already enfeebled by continual association with cases of an unimpassioned order. But a character of deeper passion has a perpetual standard in itself, by which as by an instinct it tries all cases, and rejects the language of passion as disproportionate and ludicrous where it is not fully justified. "Ah Heavens!" or "Oh my God!" are exclamations with us so exclusively reserved for cases of profound interest,that on hearing a woman even (i. e. a

person of the sex most easily excited) utter such words, we look round expecting to see her child in some situation of danger. But, in France," Ciel!” and "Oh mon Dieu!" are uttered by

every woman if a mouse does but run across the floor. The ignorant and the thoughtless however will continue to class the English character under the phlegmatic temperament, whilst the philosopher will perceive that it is the exact polar antithesis to a phlegmatic character. In this conclusion, though otherwise expressed and illustrated, Walking Stewart's view of the English character will be found to terminate and his opinion is especially valuable-first and chiefly, because he was a philosopher; secondly, because his acquaintance with man civilized and uncivilized, under all national distinctions, was absolutely unrivalled. Meantime, this and others of his opinions were expressed in language that if literally construed would often appear insane or absurd. The truth is, his long intercourse with foreign nations had given something of a hybrid tincture to his diction: in some of his works for instance he uses the French word hélas! uniformly for the English alas! and apparently with no consciousness of his mistake. He had also this singularity about him-that he was everlastingly metaphysicizing against metaphysics. To me, who was buried in metaphysical reveries from my earliest days, this was not likely to be an attraction; any more than the vicious structure of his diction was likely to please my scholar-like taste. All grounds of disgust however gave way before my sense of his powerful merits; and, as I have said, I sought his ac. quaintance. Coming up to London from Oxford about 1807 or 1808 I made inquiries about him; and found that he usually read the papers at a coffee-room in Piccadilly: understanding that he was poor, it struck me that he might not wish to receive visits at his lodgings, and therefore I sought him at the coffee-room. Here I took the liberty of introducing myself to him. He received me courteously, and invited me to his rooms-which at that time were in Sherrard-street, Goldensquare a street already memorable to

me.

I was much struck with the eloquence of his conversation; and afterwards I found that Mr. Wordsworth,

19 ATHENEUM VOL. 14.

himself the most eloquent of men in conversation, had been equally struck when he had met him at Paris between the years 1790 and 1792, during the early storms of the French revolution. In Sherrard-street I visited him repeatedly, and took notes of the conversations I had with him on various subjects. These I must have somewhere or other; and I wish I could introduce them here, as they would interest the reader. Occasionally in these conversations, as in his books, he introduced a few notices of his private history: in particular 1 remember his telling me that in the East Indies he had been a prisoner of Hyder's; that he had escaped with some difficulty; and that, in the service of one of the native princes as secretary or interpreter, he had accumulated a small fortune. This must have been too small, I fear, at that time to allow him even a philosopher's comforts: for some part of it, invested in the French funds, had been confiscated. I was grieved to see a man of so much ability, of gentlemanly manners, and refined habits, and with the infirmity of deafness, suffering under such obvious privations; and I once took the liberty, on a fit occasion presenting itself, of requesting that he would allow me to send him some books which he had been casually regretting that he did not possess; for I was at that time in the hey-day of my worldly prosperity. This offer however he declined with firmness and dignity, though not unkindly. And I now mention it, because I have seen him charged in print with a selfish regard to his own pecuniary interest. On the contrary, he appeared to me a very liberal and generous man: and I well remember that, whilst he refused to accept any thing from me, he compelled me to receive as presents all the books which he published during my acquaintance with him: two of these, corrected with his own hand, viz. the Lyre of Apollo and the Sophiometer, I have lately found amongst other books left in London; and others he forwarded to me in Westmoreland. In 1812 it was I think that I saw him for the last time: and by the way, on the

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