M A - University of Limerick Institutional Repository

^ M A G A 2 1 ^ E of M A G A 2 1 N E
IS it is Said that their Situation in life
is mended ; how can we judge oS
that ? And Supposing that, which is
Seldom the case, that their circumstances,
when Sold, may to outward appearance
Seem agreeable, or to us more
So than it was beSore ; yet how can we,
who Scarce know what is best for our-
Selves, pretend to judge oS the happineSs
of another person, which must depend
on variety of circumstances Suitable
to his disposition and temper ? If
we would pretend to form any judgment
os their case, it can be done by no method
but that of putting ourselves in
their circumstance : Let us Suppose that
we were by war, or by a Sudden invasion
of the enemy taken prifoners, and
Sold and transported into another country,
and there made to endure the difficulties
and hardships that the negroes
labour under ; does there need any aggravating
circumstance to render this diStreSs
more compleat, or any but just
colours to paint out this dreadful seene,
fo as to strike with piny and amazement
every heart which hath still a Spark of
humanity lest? -.See the tender infant
pull'd from its mother's breast, crying
for its natural food 1 See the aged father,
the labours of whole life were
Crown'd by the maturity, manhood and
dignity of his son, just arrived at such
an age os lite, when he should be the
support of his tottering years, and the
stay of his old age. Lo ! he is gone,
but hoyv ? by the stroke of death : No ;
then he migl.t be happy in a state of
rest, where " rao christians thirst for
" gold.'' But to conccive the labours
and difficulties he may undergo whilst
living, must give a greater wound to
the mind than even death itfelf Need
we add any thing to heighten the distreSs
1 Lo ! the saithlitl friend, parted
by a mischance of war, and condemned
to labour in a diflant country, far
from every kind office of a friend. Beholdthe
faithful generous couple, who
after many many months of anxious
love. and careful fears, are come almost
to the summit os their bliss, only
e
one day waits. to bring the reward of
their mutual constant love, in such a
short interval they are fnatch'dfrom
each other, and feperated to such naileries
as may be better conceiv'd than
exprels'd. These circumstances are not
fictitious, or founded in the imagination
only, but are such as mult and will happen
continually, tho' they may not be
quite so discoverable as certain, occasioned
by the unintelligible language
in which they probably utter their distress.
Has not nature distresses enough.
that we must encreafe the number of
them Or have Brilons, who have so
long tasted the Sweets of liberty, forgot
the relish of it ?
No, forbid it, O my countrymen !
let it not be said that distreSs and anguish
were brought on the father, mo- "
thet, huiband, wife, Son, daughter or
friend on our account; and that we Sor
the fake os filling our coffers coined in
any trade which had thefe effects, and
which made Such inroads on the liberties
oS our innocent Sellow creatures.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
RestecSlions on the unbounded and astonish-
ing Scenes of Creation.
Come forth, O ^tan! yon Azure round survey,
And view those Lamps which y iel d eternal Day
' I ^H E Sun had quitted the horizon,
and withdrew his prolific beams,
when, tired with the labours oS the day,
1 took a Solitary walk on the western
cliffs. At the foot of the steep mountain,
the Sea, all clear and fmooth,
formed an immense plain, and held a
watery mirror to the skies. The lively
vermilion, which lately streaked the
chambers of the yvest, began to fade,
and the planets one aster another lighted
up their lamps, and the stars advanced
in their glittering train ; a
thousand and a thousand luminaries
shone forth in Successive Splendors, and
the yvhole firmament kindled into the
most beautiful ^lo*,*:. Night had now
wrapped