to the utmost stretch of a morbid mind. Let Great Britain survey the deep and damning misery which is to be found among the underground subjects of the realm, laboring and toiling in those hells, the coal-mines, shut out from the light of heaven, and crouching under their burden, until their limbs becoming contracted, premature old age follows, and death is their only hope of relief from the wretchedness of their condition.

This is the nation which it was once said was "the bulwark of the Christian religion!" When Great Britain will make some effectual effort to free her white slaves, we of this nation may feel more inclined to receive council and instruction from her, in relation to real or imaginary wrongs, which are to be found in this country. With her present policy, we have reason to believe that her aim and object is, to divide, if possible, these United States, regardless, entirely, of the state and condition of the slaves, which, if they had the control, would still be found in the cotton-fields, laboring to keep in successful operation their extensive manufacturing establishments.

The writer to whom we are to refer as evidence of the truth of the above remarks, is the Rev. William Sewell, B. D., Author of "Christian Politics," and late Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Oxford :

"We sigh over the inprisonment of the canary-bird, exclaim against the cruelty of its oppressor, unbar the doors of its cage without a moment's delay, and the poor bird claps its wings with joy, flutters into open air, regains its liberty, its blessed liberty, and the next day is found dead of cold and hunger. It is not for a Christian to argue in favor of slavery; still less to speak of it, except with abhorrence, when the master abuses his power, and the slave, instead of being raised by him by degrees, to the capability and enjoyment of his freedom, is riveted in his chains forever. But a Christian may indeed ask, whether the total exclusion of all restraint, of all fear, of all positive external obligation from the relation of master and servant, has not ended in reducing the servant in this country to a condition far worse, far more abject and degraded, far more hopeless, far more vitiated, than that of any slave in any period or country of the world? Our mines, our factories, our common workshops, even our farms and agricultural cottages, full of crippled children and deformed women, of famine and

fever, of drunkenness and vice,-of depraved, miserable, hopeless beings, doomed by their own free act, the free act of a being in the agony of starvation,-to the severest toil in darkness, at midnight; deprived of rest, stinted in food, selling their children to the same misery with their own for a few shillings, or sickening over hours of toil to earn their pence,—all the horrible scenes revealed by late inquiries into the state of our lower classes,-what is there in the records of slavery to be found more heart breaking or more appalling, to those who believe that nations, like individuals, are visited by curses from the Almighty, and that the first curse denounced in His commandments is uttered against those who depart, even in the slightest degree, from His positive, external, revealed truth, and shape out ideas of the divine nature after their own fancy." -pp. 313-328.

In the year 1768, March 21st, it being the anniversary of the repeal of the Stamp Act, the day was celebrated with public exhibitions of joy. A flag was displayed on the top of the noble wide spreading tree of liberty, and a copper-plate affixed to its venerable trunk, in the room of that which was infamously taken from it on the 25th of August preceding. A flag was hoisted at Fort George, at Liberty Mast, on the Point; and the shipping in the harbor displayed their colors. The bells rung a merry peal, and every thing wore a joyous aspect. In the evening, rockets were discharged from the tree of liberty, at Liberty Mast; and at the house of John Madsly, Esq., a number of gentlemen were politely entertained, and the glass circulated in honor to the British and American patriots. Many other gentlemen assembled, in different parts of the town, to commemorate the glorious event, and the whole day was spent in decent festivity.

John Madsly owned and occupied the house, now in the possession of Dr. Watson, at the head of King-street. He is said to have been a polished gentleman, and distinguished for his benevolence, ever ready to confer favors on those who stood in need. The French fleet, in firing on the British batteries, threw several shot unintentionally into the town; Mr. Madsly had apprehended such an event, and had fitted up his oil-house cellar, adjoining his mansion, and invited the neighbors to take shelter there. A bullet entered the building, and lodged, with

out causing damage to any person in the cellar. It remained where it lodged, until the building was repaired and fitted up as a dancing hall for Carpentiere.

We find, as a matter of record, that " many persons were determined to use their influence in putting a stop to the destructive and pernicious effects attending the immense consumption of foreign teas, which must, otherwise, soon render us a poor, weak, debilitated people. The Hyperion, or Labrador tea, is much esteemed, and by great numbers vastly preferred to the poisonous Bohea."

Newport, in 1767, passed resolutions to discourage, as much as possible, further importations of European manufactures.

"We have heard of many gentlemen in town, of figure and fortune, who are determined to clothe themselves and families for the future, with the manufactures of this country. These resolutions were responded to by other sections of the country."

The New York Journal, May 30, 1768, says, "What a glo rious example Newport has set us. Rouse, O my countrymen ! We are well informed that one married lady and her daughter, of about sixteen, have spun full sixty yards of good fine linen cloth, nearly a yard wide, since the first of March, beside taking care of a large family. The linen manufacture is promoted and carried on, with so much spirit and assiduity, among all ranks, that we are assured there is scarcely flax enough to be had in town, to supply the continued consumption of that article."

King Lemuel says, Prov. 31: 28, "Her children arise up, and call her blessed." v. 19, "She layeth her hand to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff," &c.

Spinning and weaving was for ages an art of distinguished life, and was considered in the same light as needle-work now is with us. Accordingly, it was customary to represent those most distinguished, as excelling in the art of spinning, and poets sang of the distaff and loom. Homer alluded to it in the address of Alcondra to Helen; so also Theocritus, in presenting a distaff to his friend's wife, says,

"O distaff; friend to warp and woof,
Minerva's friend in man's behoof."

It is said that Augustus, at the height of his regal splendor, appeared among his nobles in a robe, made for him by the queen.

Dr. Bushnell has wisely remarked, in his centennial address, that the age has been called a homespun age" and we would add, one of simplicity, and of comparative happiness, when those artificial distinctions, the result of mere wealth, was then in a great degree unknown." The homespun age produced economy in every member of the family, and they were contented with small things.

The expense of living, prior to the revolution, was far less than now, and what would then have been considered a sufficient sum to have rendered a man independent, would be looked upon at the present time as quite insignificant. Simon Pease, of Newport, one of the " upper ten thousand" at that day, who lived in a state of elegance befitting his station, was accosted by a William Hookey, a silversmith, who had witnessed the expensive living of Mr. Pease: "It must cost you a great deal to support your family." Mr. Pease replied, "that it cost him the enormous sum of $500 per annum A person then worth ten thousand dollars, was considered a rich man, and even at this day of extravagance in the price of living, perhaps there is no maritime town, where the income arising from ten thousand dollars, would go as far in supporting a family, as it would in Newport.

EXTRACT FROM A SERMON

Preached in Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island, on MONDAY, June 3rd, 1771, at the Funeral of Mrs. ABIGAIL WANTON, late Consort of the Hon. JOSEPH WANTON, Jun., Esq., who departed this life on Friday, May 31st, 1771, in the 36th year of her age.

BY GEORGE BISSET, M.A.

"St. Luke xii. 40.- BE YE THEREFORE READY ALSO.'

"It is to be remembered to her honor, that in the day of prosperity, and in an age noted for its thoughtlessness and

MRS. WANTON'S FUNERAL SERMON.

113

dissipation, her heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord, to keep his commandments. It was a practical maxim with her, that as God is our chief benefactor, and can alone be our exceeding joy, so he is justly entitled to our highest veneration and regard; and that, consequently, it is surely good for us on every occasion, to draw near to him, both in his word and in his sacraments. Constant and regular was her attendance here, where her behaviour was remarkably composed and serious, equally distant from the indecent levity of those who come hither solely to comply with custom, not having God in all their thoughts, and from that constraining stiffness of the gloomy and superstitious, who imagine the object of their worship to be altogether such a one as themselves.

"She carefully and steadily observed the precept of the wise man, Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God;' and the whole of her deportment here always discovered that happy mixture of religious awe and filial confidence, which necessarily arises from just and worthy conceptions of the greatest and best of Beings, who is greatly to be feared in the meeting of his saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are about him.

"But her sense of religion was not confined to the Church, nor to the closet, but as she set God always before her, so that great Being, who honoreth those who honor him, kindly conducted her, with dignity and applause, through the several connections and relations of life. She was a grateful and dutiful daughter, a prudent and affectionate wife, a tender and indulgent parent, a mild and gentle mistress, a sincere and constant friend. She was a safe and easy companion, and pos sessed, in an eminent degree, the happy art of pleasing and entertaining in conversation, without ever having recourse to the fashionable topics of slander and defamation. Her most intimate friends knew not, indeed, whether to admire more her sweet and engaging compliance towards those who were present, or her tender regard for the character of the absent. Being highly sensible of the value of a good name, she always looked upon it as base and ungenerous meanness to hurt any one in that respect, either through malice, or a vain and unmeaning spirit of censoriousness; and if wit and good nature be incompatible, it must be honestly acknowledged, that she