QUITTING the sickly picture of society which Jamaica presents, nothing can be a more pleasing change than the humble and unsophisticated scenes of Cuba. In the walks of nature, there is no less difference than in human life. In Jamaica, every thing exhibits strong opposition of parts, grouped in distinct colouring, and massed in the excesses of light and shade; but in Cuba all things imperceptibly assimilate -Nature has spread out her beauties with a gentle hand, and man has clothed himself in simplicity. | when thrown open, presented, on one side, a among the flowers," and "the woodpecker, I entered the town of Manzanilla in the The country immediately contiguous to the obscurity of night; but I could perceive that it sea is a low level tract, from which no rocky presented a picture far different from any I craggs jut forth to interrupt the easy sloping of had witnessed in West Indian scenery. The the shores. From the sea, the landscape swells houses had a sullen, unsocial secludedness, upward into wavy lines of gentle rising and decidedly different from the smiling open air descent, almost imperceptibly forming hills of those light Venetian dwellings, ornamented and valleys, covered with measureless forests with piazzas and balconies, seen in our Eng- clothed in that majesty and splendour of folilish settlements. They were, indeed, for the age peculiarly characterising the orchards of most part, essentially cottages, with roofs the sun. Beyond this district of forest the thatched neatly with the leaves of the Areca country opens to the view wide levels and expalm; but there was frequently interspersed a tensive savannas, over which nature has spread massy building of bricks and plaster, covered occasional pools of water and small detached with a heavy sort of semicircular tiles, common groups of trees, blending with each other the in the pictures of Spanish and Italian scenery, most dissimilar foliage, and sweetly varying forming deep channels for the rain to run off, the eternal verdure of the plains. The splenor rather gutters to eject the floods of water dour, the variety, and luxuriance of vegetation, that pour from the clouds with such prodigious and the picturesque disposal of these clumps impetuosity, at stated seasons, in these cli and thickets, are beautiful in the extreme. mates. The horizontal curvature of the roof, Trees, in which fruits and flowers are mingled, with overhanging eaves, and massy cornices cluster around the wide-spreading ceiba and composed of a succession of mouldings, the the mahogany; and these, in their turn, are pilasters by the side of large pannelled door- opposed by the stately grandeur of the palways, and the immense barred windows, were metto, raising its perpendicular stem a hundred so perfectly Arabesque that a stranger could feet, then spreading its branches into a wide scarce fail immediately to recognize the circle of shadowy plumes. After travelling Moorish history of the people. This character through scenes where the view has no extenwas still more decidedly impressed by a large, sion beyond the precincts of a forest road, nosquare, flat, terrace-roofed building, that now thing can surpass the pleasurable emotion and then intermingled with the humbler and experienced on opening upon these continued better sorts of edifices. There was no great pastures, spread for many miles, and bounded diversity in the size of the houses, and I after-only by the distant mountains, as they are wards found no great variety in their internal seen, in these serene climates, distinct, and convenience; but the humblest of them im- beautifully blending their meek blue colour pressed the visitor with a sense of their roomy with the bright azure of the horizon. Anicomfort and airy coolness. mated nature is not wanting to complete the interest of the picture. Over these plains, or rather these embellished parks, wander a multitude of wild horses and cattle, that enjoy, not divide, the empire of these primeval fields of nature. Amid the teeming harvests of the fields, one might run over the objects enumerated in Bowles's description of South American Scenery, for there are "the parrot flocks darkening the passing sunshine," and "the chrysomel and the purple butterfly, wandering amid the clear blue light," and "the humming-bird, with twinkling wing, spinning The town extended itself about a mile and a half upward from the shore, and as much again along the sea. The houses, though built without any respect to uniformity, had a pretty equal altitude, and great prevailing similarity. The streets, wide and unpaved, intersected each other at right angles. The shops, which were generally very large, were profusely stored with articles of commerce in the best-arranged order. Their massy entrances, like the gateways of capacious barns, and serving for windows as well as doors, TO THE EDITOR OF THE TOURIST. SIR, It has been said by a celebrated author, who at the same time was no inconsiderable philosopher, that the proper study of mankind is man. This is, indeed, a maxim to which all either intuitively or by experience Bees-wax is an article of extensive commerce, and honey, perhaps, one of the cheapest commothe wild bees that hive in the hollow trees of the dities, of Cuba. It is gathered from the combs of forest. must assent. To detect the secret workings of | the human heart ere yet they have declared themselves in open action, and to infer, even with tolerable accuracy, the future conduct from that which has preceded, are advantages so eminently desirable, in the ordinary dealings and transactions of life, that no one can suppose the knowledge of mankind to be useless and insignificant, and, therefore, neither can the study of man be idle and unimportant. As, then, there are few who have not suffered by forming a wrong estimate of their neighbours, so also there are few who do not eagerly seek for some theory whereby to assist and regulate their judgments and observations of characters in general. Hence the origin of physiognomy, phrenology, noseology, and all other ologies and onomies that profess to determine the talents and dispositions by certain actual and visible manifestations. Of these, phrenology and hand-writing-ology are the most fashionable, because most recently introduced; but, Sir, I, who am a Septuagenarian, protest against explosion of every thing that is old, for, if this practice obtain, I feel that I also must be blown up. But, to be serious, if you should wish to ascertain the character of any particular individual, the question is, how are you to proceed? Locke and Bacon would say, Mark well the former conduct, of which make a patient and accurate analysis; and, when you have thus arrived at first principles, by successive combinations of these elements, you will obtain a perfect solution to the problem. Another exclaims, Get a sheet of his hand-writing; if the tails of his Y's are thrown off in a free and sportive manner, be assured that the man is bold and enterprising, of lofty notions, and excursive imagination; but if they should be made short, squat, and turned up to the right, the writer must be mean, low-minded, cowardly, and matter of fact. Again, Dr. Spurzheim cries, Feel his head; while Lavater says, Look in his face. Now, without presuming to decide on the merits of these various systems, it must be evident that physiognomy is by far the most convenient, and may be employed when there is no opportunity for the exercise of any of the others. A stranger comes to me upon important business, and I desire some insight into his character. I can draw no inference from his past actions, for I know of none; neither can I ask him to sit down and write a copy: it would certainly be most grossly indecent, on a first acquaintance, to set to manipulating his skull; but I may without any impropriety, indeed courtesy demands that I should, look at his countenance. For these reasons I have ever been a physiognomist, and I would particularly recommend every class of your numerous readers to adopt the same course without delay. I can now speak from the experience of nearly fifty years; and, were I to live fifty years longer, I should doubtless double the number of facts I have already acquired. As an encouragement to those who may feel disposed to receive my advice, permit me to subjoin a few initiatory remarks. And first, of noses;-have you, my friends, ever seriously thought of the great importance of noses? Noscitur naso, says the Latin proverb; and there is a depth of truth in the observation which we should do well to consider. There are, indeed, many secrets revealed by the nose which the lips would never acknowledge. nose. Above all things avoid a flattened aquiline A man of this description once robbed me of £500. The man was himself as good a man as ever breathed; he had served me as OF THE CLASSICS. No. V. GREEK DRAMA. clerk, for fifteen years, with fidelity and affec- [ MORAL AND RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE tion; his hand-writing was bold, ingenuous, and straight-forward; his organ of conscientiousness as large as a cocoa-nut; but his nose forged a bill for £500, and carried off the money to America. I respect, I entirely exonerate the individual; any physiognomist in THE epic poetry has been selected for the the world will tell you that it is impossible for more pointed application of my remarks, from a person to be honest who is the proprietor of the belief that it has had a much greater insuch a sinister feature; and, therefore, he fluence on the moral sentiments of succeeding might as reasonably have been persuaded to ages than all the other poetry of antiquity, by fight against his stars as to expect to make a means of its impressive display of individual successful opposition against his nose. Segreat characters. And it will be admitted that condly, a flat, prominent nose is an unlucky the moral spirit of the epic poets, taken togefeature, and is in general indicative of imbe-ther, is as little in opposition to the Christian cility: the more hooked it is, however, the theory of moral sentiments as that of the colbetter; but if you should encounter a speci- lective poetry of other kinds. Some just and men that rises in a gradual straight line, and fine sentiments to be found in the Greek trageflattens towards the extremity, you may rest dies are in the tone of the best of the pagan perfectly satisfied that there are no brains in didactic moralists. And they infuse themthat nose. One of my boys was a victim to a selves more intimately into our minds when proboscis of this nature. From his earliest thus coming warm in the course of passion infancy, from his very cradle, I watched the and action, and speaking to us with the emgrowing evil with all the solicitude of a fond phasis imparted by affecting and dreadful and anxious parent; and sometimes--I own events; but still are of less vivid and peneit with a blush-I was even guilty of com-trating charm, than as emanating from the pressing the disastrous feature with my thumb insulated magnificence of such striking and and finger: but all in vain; no effort could sublime individual characters as those of epic arrest the course of nature, and day by day I poetry. The mind of the reader does not, could perceive the hideous form becoming from those dramatic scenes, retain for months more and more developed. All that remained and years an animated recollection of some for me to do was to labour assiduously at the personage whose name constantly recalls the cultivation of his faculties, and with this view sentiments which he uttered, or with which I devoted more time to his education than I his conduct inspired us. The Greek drama is bestowed on that of all the other members of extremely deficient in both grand and intermy family put together; but I could never esting characters, in any sense of the epithets inoculate the poor boy with a solitary idea, that should imply an imposing or a captivaand, even when he was more than eight years ting moral power. Much the greatest number old, his apprehensions were so dull that he of the persons and personages brought on the would often make comparisons between things scene are such as we care nothing about, that had no analogy whatever. Thus he otherwise than merely on account of the cirwould say that he liked two slices of fat bacon cumstances in which we see them acting or better than fireworks, and that he loved his suffering. With few exceptions they come mother much more than fifty miles. Snub on the stage, and go off, without possessing us noses, or noses having a concavity in the bridge, with either admiration or affection. When, aspiring towards the extremity so as to betray therefore, the maxims or reflections which we the nostrils, and altogether somewhat resem- hear from them have an impressive effect, it is bling a shoe-horn, are for the most part warm less from any commanding quality in the perand vivacious. Damon and Pythias had both sons than from the striking, and sometimes such noses; so had also Tarquin and Appius portentous and fearful, situations, that the Claudius; those of Voltaire and La Sage sentiments have their pathos. There are a few touched a little on this genus: in short, it is a characters of greater power over our respect very desirable nose, although it has been assi- and our sympathies, who draw us, by virtue of milated to a pump-handle. Nor is this the personal qualities, into a willing communion only stigma that has been unjustly fastened on with them, at times, in moral principles and snub noses. It has been said that they are emotions. We are relieved and gratified, after conceited and overbearing, and that they are passing through so much wickedness, misforthus formed to render it inconvenient and dif- tune, and inane common-place moralizing, to ficult to pull them. But this is a very mistaken be greeted with fine expressions of justice, genotion, and a gross and unfeeling libel to boot; nerosity, and fidelity to a worthy purpose, by for it is one thing to be contemptuous and persons whom we can regard as living realizasupercilious, and another thing to turn up your tions of such virtues. It is like finding among nose. A Grecian nose, produced towards the barbarous nations (as sometimes happens) extremity so as to overhang the upper lip, is a some individual or two eminently and unacsure sign of sound intellect and an intensity countably above the level of their tribe, whose of the reasoning powers. Such noses adorned intelligence and virtues have, by the contrast the countenances of Euclid, Archimedes, So- and the surprise, a stronger attraction than crates, all the Grecian sages, Bacon, Shak- similar qualities meeting us in a cultivated speare-cum multis aliis—all of whom, it will community. But the delight, sometimes be admitted, were certainly no fools. kindled by sentiments of magnanimous or gentle virtue, is exceedingly repressed, and often quenched, in the reader of the Greek drama, by the incessant intrusion of a hideous moral barbarism; especially by the implication of the morality with an execrable mythology. There is an odious interference of " the gods," sometimes by their dissentions with one another, perplexing and confounding the rules of human obligation; often contravening the best intentions and efforts-depriving virtue But, Sir, I am trespassing on your valuable space without any consideration. I had better defer the rest of my observations till some future time. Your obedient Servant, NASO, Senior. of all confidence and resource-despising, frustrating, or punishing it-turning its exertions and sacrifices to vanity or disaster; and yet to be the objects of devout homage, a homage paid with intermingled complaints and reproaches, extorted from defeated or suffering virtue, which is trying to be better than the gods. Nothing can be more intensely dreary than the moral economy as represented in much of that drama. Let any one contemplate it as displayed, for example, in the Prometheus Chained, or the whole stories of Edipus and Orestes. On the whole, I have conceded much in saying, that a small portion of the morality of that drama may have a place with that of the best of the didactic moralists. THE TOURIST. MONDAY, APRIL 8, 1833. SUPPRESSION OF THE COLONIAL CHURCH UNION. THE intelligence received from Jamaica by the last packet is a fresh assurance of the determination of his Majesty's Government to protect the missionaries and their converts in the enjoyment of their religious rights. The outrageous proceedings of the Colonial Union have been regarded with astonishment and detestation in this country, and many persons have been surprised that the royal authority has not interposed earlier. The infatuation of the colonists has been equalled only by their malignity. Had they possessed a particle of wisdom they must have seen the absurdity of their course, and have been induced gladly to retrace their steps. This was their only hope of escape; but they have madly persisted, till forbearance itself has become exhausted. The unconstitutional character of their proceedings was sufficiently obvious; the displeasure of his Majesty's Government was well known; the signs of the times warned them of their folly; and every wise and virtuous man prayed them to desist. But, deaf to every entreaty, insensible alike to honour and religion, given over to a brutal and reprobate mind, they have added insult to transgression, and open defiance to secret revolt. It is, therefore, with pleasure we learn that the following proclamation has been issued; and we trust the same spirit which dictated its publication will enforce its execution. 46 "King's-House, 25th Jan., 1833. SIR,-I am commanded by his Excellency the Governor to transmit to you, for promulgation within your parish, the enclosed proclamation of his Majesty in Council, against certain societies calling themselves Colonial Church Unions, and, at the same time, to recall to your recollection that one of his Excellency's first acts upon assuming the administration of the government was to forward to you the Attorney-General's opinion on this subject, and impress upon you the propriety of cautioning all persons within your district against entering into any association founded on what was thus declared to be illegal. All the circumstances connected with the origin and objects of these societies have been since reported to the King. His Majesty now, in this marked manner, expresses his displeasure on the subject. His Excellency, therefore, trusts that implicit obedience will be henceforward paid | to the King's commands, and that no further 66 "I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant, island, that they do not only abstain from “GOD SAVE THE KING." "Whereas, it hath been represented to us that divers of our subjects, resident in our Island of Jamaica, have associated themselves together into certain voluntary societies, under the name of Colonial Church Unions, or other similar designations, and that public meetings of such societies have been holden in different parts of our said island, on which occasions By a private letter, accompanying the above resolutions have been entered into for the for- communication, we learn something of the cible removal from our said island of divers temper manifested by the colonists at the apteachers and ministers of religion, dissenting pearance of this proclamation. "In various from the doctrine or discipline of the Estab- parts of the island the King's proclamation, lished Church of England and Ireland: And with the Governor's despatch, were torn down whereas it hath been further represented to us almost as soon as posted; and placards such that the several resolutions aforesaid have been as these have been put up in several parishes: printed and dispersed throughout the said is--DOWN WITH MULGRAVE-NO SECTARIANS land, to the great disquiet and alarm, not only -INDEPENDENCE OF JAMAICA-NO WHIGSof such religious teachers as aforesaid, and of SUCCESS TO THE COLONIAL UNIONS—and this their several congregations, but of all other in the face of the King's proclamation! The peaceable and well-disposed inhabitants of our daily papers are full of the abuse of the King said island: And whereas such proceedings as and his representative. Our Governor is called aforesaid are contrary to law, and tend to the the BAPTIST-LOVING EARL-the HEARTLESS imminent danger of the public peace in our WHIG-the NAMBY-PAMBY NOVEL WRITER, said island: Now, therefore, we do hereby de- &c. &c. I assure you his Excellency is treated clare and make known to all whom it may with as little ceremony as the missionary, short concern, that we are purposed and firmly re- of personal violence. Although the proclamasolved, in the exercise of our lawful authority, tion calls on the printers not to publish the to maintain within our said island the princi- resolutions of the Colonial Unions, iminediples of religious toleration, and to protect and ately the most abusive articles appeared in the defend all our subjects, and others resident papers, laughing at the King, the proclamathere, in the public worship of Almighty God, tion, and the Governor; meetings of the Coaccording to their own consciences, although lonial Union were advertised, and the solemn such worship may not be conducted according declaration of July 28th, 1832, republished. to the doctrines or discipline of the Church of This was only yesterday; what the Governor England and Ireland aforesaid, so long as will do in the business is yet uncertain." such persons shall conform and be obedient to the laws: And we do hereby admonish all persons resident within our said island, that if any attempts shall be made to carry into effect any such resolution as aforesaid, for the foreible removal from our said island of any such teachers and ministers as aforesaid; or if any such society, or any other persons within our said island, shall re-publish any such illegal resolution as aforesaid, that then, and in every such case, we will enforce against all persons presuming so to offend, all such pains and penalties as they may incur by such their offences: And we do hereby strictly warn and admonish our subjects, and all others resident within the said island, that they do abstain from associating themselves with any society formed, or which may be formed, for any such illegal purpose as aforesaid, as they will answer the contrary to us, at their peril: And we do especially and strictly command all judges, custodes, justices of the peace, and all our officers, civil and military, in our said | | | | One of the newspapers had the audacity to reprint, in the same paper which contained the proclamation, the very resolutions which it interdicted, thus putting his Majesty's authority in direct and open defiance. THE SWISS HORNS.-It used to be the custom among the berdsmen of Switzerland to watch the setting of the sun. When he had already left the valleys, and was only visible on the top of the snow-capt mountains, the inhabitant of the cottage seized his horn, and, using it like a speakingtrumpet, he turned towards his next neighbours, and called out, "Praise ye the Lord!" The neighbours imitated him in their turn, and thus the words were repeated from Alp to Alp, and the for a whole quarter of an hour. A deep and solemn name of the Lord was proclaimed and re-echoed silence then ensued, until the last trace of the splendid luminary had entirely disappeared, when the first herdsman said again, "Good night," which was repeated, as before, from all the rocky walls of hill and dale, until every one had with drawn to his resting-place. purchaser. The Lord Mayor at length discharged Strong, as he had been taken up without a warrant. Mr. Clarkson tells us, "As soon as this determination was made known, the partics began to move off. Captain Laird, however, who kept close to Strong, laid hold of him before he had quitted the room, and said aloud, Then I now seize him as my slave.' Upon this, Mr. Sharp put his hand upon Laird's shoulder, and pronounced these words: I charge you, in the name of the king, with an assault upon the person of Jonathan Strong, and all these are my witnesses.' Laird was greatly intimidated by this charge, made in the presence of the Lord Mayor and others, and, fearing a prosecution, let his prisoner go, leaving him to be conveyed away by Mr. Sharp." Dis Numerous other cases similar to this subsequently occurred, in all of which Mr. Sharp acted a distinguished part. He was known as the friend of the African, and the cry of the oppressed and perishing frequently met his ear. But though he had been instrumental in freeing several poor Africans from the merciless fangs of their oppressors, he was far from being satisfied. Each case had been determined by its own circumstances, and the decision was greatly dependent on the feelings and interests of the parties by whom it was pronounced. There was, therefore, no security to Africans; no general principle had been assumed as applicable to all similar cases; and Mr. Sharp was in consequence uneasy. satisfied with the legal opinion which had been given by the Attorney and Solicitorgeneral, he applied to Doctor, afterwards Judge, Blackstone, and to several other eminent lawyers; but, obtaining no satisfaction, he nobly determined to devote two or three years to the study of the legal part of the case. His studies were prosecuted with success, and the triumphant result was given to the public in 1769, in a work entitled, "A Representation of the Injustice and Dangerous Tendency of Tolerating Slavery in Engticism, or it would be interesting to point land." Our limited space precludes criticism, or it would be interesting to point out the benevolence and legal erudition which are combined in this publication. other hand, were unwilling to surrender their right of property. In this dilemma they laid their case before the Attorney and Solicitor-General in 1729, and obtained as favourable an opinion as they could have desired. The encouragement thus given by the law officers of the crown emboldened the planters openly to seize the persons of the negroes, and to convey them on board of their ships. A case of this kind called forth the talents and zeal of Mr. Granville Sharp, and thus became mainly instrumental in effecting the abolition of the slave-trade. In 1765, Mr. David Lisle had brought over from Barbadoes Jonathan Strong as his servant; and, having used him in so barbarous a manner as to have rendered him utterly useless, he allowed him to go at liberty to avoid the expense of his maintenance. The disabled Africau applied to a brother of Mr. Granville Sharp, soliciting medical advice, and at length was cured. During this time Mr. Sharp supplied him with money, and on his recovery obtained him a situation. GRANVILLE SHARP, the son of Dr. Thomas Sharp, and grandson of Archbishop Sharp, was born in 1734. Of his early life but few memorials are preserved. He was educated for the bar, but did not practise; which is the less to be regretted, as it afforded an opportunity for the development of those qualitics which add so mild and honourable a lustre to his more advanced years. On abandoning the legal profession, he obtained a place in the ordnance-office, which, however, he resigned at the commencement of the American war. He then took chambers in the Temple, and devoted himself to a life of study, the happy fruits of which are well known to the philanthropist and scholar. It was during this period of his life he met with the African slave Jonathan Strong, whose condition made a deep impression on his benevolent mind, and awakened that virtuous determination on which he continued to act to the hour of death. In the early part of the eighteenth century, the West India planters and merchants were accustomed to bring negroes to this country in the capacity of servants, and subsequently to re-ship them to the colonies. A notion became prevalent among this degraded class that, by being baptized, they secured freedom, and strenuous efforts were in consequence made to obtain the administration of this Christian rite. When their masters attempted to send them back to the lagd of bondage, the slaves were accustomed to fly to their godfathers for protection. Much trouble and perplexity were thus induced. The merchants and planters knew not what to do. They were afraid of outraging public feeling by a seizure of their slaves; and, on the Strong happened one day to meet his inhuman master, who, finding his health to be recovered, determined on repossessing him. He was accordingly seized by two officers, without any warrant, and was conveyed to the Poultry Compter, where he was sold by his master to John Kerr, for thirty pounds. Mr. Sharp having been refused admission to him, waited on the Lord Mayor, and entreated him to send for Strong, and to hear his case. A day was accordingly appointed, when Mr. Sharp attended on behalf of the slave; and David Laird, captain of the vessel in which it was intended to send out Strong, on behalf of Kerr, the At length the effect of Mr. Sharp's labours began to be felt, and prepared the way for that decision which secured to outraged humanity protection on our soil. Lord Mansfield, there was reason to believe, now began to waver; and, seeing no end of the trials which this species of litigation would induce, was desirous, as was also Mr. Sharp, of trying the next case on some broad ground, which should be applicable to all subsequent ones. When, therefore, the case of James Somerset occurred, in 1769, it was agreed to proceed on the general principle, "Whether a slave, by coming into England, became free." The case was argued at three different sittings, in January, February, and May, 1772, and the opinion of the judges was subsequently taken on the pleadings. The glorious result was, that as soon as ever any slave set his foot on English territory, he became free. From this period Mr. Sharp contemplated the abolition of the slave-trade. As he had delivered his country from the fearful peril of harbouring slavery within its coasts, so he was deeply solicitous to free it from the guilt of this most monstrous traffic. He therefore cordialiy associated himself with Mr. Clarkson and other enlightened philanthropists, and became Chairman of the Committee formed in 1787 for the Abolition of the Slave-trade. To the close of his life he remained the consistent advocate of the principles he had early avowed. His time, property, and personal labours were consecrated liberally to this noble object, and secured him the admiration of an extensive circle; while his private virtues commanded the veneration and love of his more intimate friends. He died July 6th, 1813, in the 79th year of his age. His library was very extensive, and he possessed a curious collection of Bibles, which he presented to the British and Foreign Bible Society. His principal works are, "Remarks on the Uses of the Definitive Article in the Greek Testament," &c.; "A Short Treatise on the English Tongue;" "Remarks on the Prophecies;" "Treatise on the SlaveTrade;" "On Duelling;" "On the Law of Nature and Principles of Action in Man;" tracts on "The Hebrew Language;" "Illustrations of the Sixtyeighth Psalm." parishes, threatened the court at Whitehall, The absence of the fugitives, and the consequent cessation of trade and breaking up of establishments, served to aggravate the calamity. It was calculated that forty thousand servants had been left without a home, and the employment was still more considerable. It is true, that the charity of the opulent seemed to keep pace with the progress of distress. The king subscribed the weekly sum of £1000; the city of £600; the queen-dowager, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earl of Craven, and the lord mayor, distinguished themselves by the amount of their benefactions; and the magistrates were careful to ensure a constant supply of provisions in the market; yet the families that depended on casual relief for the means of subsistence were necessarily subjected to privations, which rendered them more liable to receive, and less able to subdue, the con number of artisans and labourers thrown out of tagion. The mortality was at first confined chiefly to the lower classes, carrying off, in a larger proportion, the children than the adults, the females than the men. But, by the end of June, so rapid was the diffusion, so destructive were the ravages of the disease, that the civil authorities deemed it time to exercise the powers with which they had been invested by an act of James I., "for the charitable relief and ordering of persons infected with the plague." 1. They divided the parishes into districts, and allotted to each district a competent number of officers, under the denomination of examiners, searchers, nurses, and watchmen. 2. They ordered that the existence of the disease, wherever it might penetrate, should GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE PLAGUE be made known to the public by a red cross, OF LONDON. AT another time, the report of such a victory (over the Dutch fleet in 1665) would have been received with the most enthusiastic demonstrations of joy; but it came at a time when the spirits of men were depressed by one of the most calamitous visitations ever experienced by this or any other nation. In the depth of the last winter, two or three isolated cases of plague had occurred in the outskirts of the metropolis. The fact excited alarm, and directed the attention of the public to the weekly variations in the bills of mortality. On the one hand, the cool temperature of the air, and the frequent changes in the weather, were hailed as favourable circumstances; on the other, it could not be concealed that the number of deaths, from whatever cause it arose, was progressively on the advance. In this state of suspense, alternately agitated by their hopes and fears, men looked to the result with the most intense anxiety; and at length, about the end of May, under the influence of a warmer sun, and with the aid of a close and stagnant atmosphere, the evil burst forth in all its terrors. From the centre of St. Giles's, the infection spread with rapidity over the adjacent the churchyard was full, in the outskirts of the parish. Of the hardened and brutal conduct of the men to whom this duty was committed, men taken from the refuse of society, and lost to all sense of morality or decency, instances were related, to which it would be difficult to find a parallel in the annals of human depravity. The disease generally manifested itself by the usual febrile symptoms of shivering, nausea, head-ache, and delirium. In some, these affections were so mild, as to be mistaken for a slight and transient indisposition. The victim saw not, or would not see, the insidious approach of his foe; he applied to his usual avocations, till a sudden faintness came on, the maculæ, the fatal "tokens" appeared on his breast, and within an hour life was extinct. But, in most cases, the pain and delirium left no room for doubt. On the third or fourth day, buboes or carbuncles arose; if these could be made to suppurate, recovery might be anticipated; if they resisted the efforts of nature, and the skill of the physician, death was inevitable. The sufferings of the patient often threw them into paroxysms of frenzy. They burst the bands by which they were confined to their beds; they precipitated themselves from the windows; they ran naked into the streets, and plunged into the river. Men of the strongest minds were lostin amazement, when they contemplated this scene of woe and desolation; the weak and the credulous became the dupes of their own fears and imaginations. Tales the most improbable, and predictions the most terrific, were circulated; numbers assembled at different cemeteries to behold the ghosts of the dead walk round the pits in which their bodies had been deposited; and crowds believed that they saw in the heavens a sword of flame, stretching from Westminster to the Tower. To add to their terrors came the fanatics, who felt themselves inspired to act the part of prophets. One of these, in a state of nudity, walked through the city, bearing on his head a pan of burning coals, and denouncing the judgments of God on its sinful inhabitants; another, assuming the character of Jonah, proclaimed aloud, as he passed, "Yet forty days, and London shall be destroyed;" and a third might be met, sometimes by day, sometimes by night, advancing with a hurried step, and exclaiming, with a deep sepulchral voice, "Oh, the great and dreadful God!" one foot in length, painted on the door, with graves at all hours of the day; and it was inhuman to shut up the dwellings of the infected poor, whose families must have perished through want, had they not been permitted to go and seek relief. London presented a wide and heart-rending scene of misery and desolation. Rows of houses stood tenantless, and open to the winds; others, in almost equal numbers, exhibited the red cross flaming on the doors. The chief thoroughfares, so lately trodden by the feet of thousands, were overgrown with grass. The few individuals who ventured abroad walked in the middle; and, when they met, declined on opposite sides, to avoid the |