suc a sketch of the taste and character of the spirit of antiquity, as would have all the effect of the regular education requisite to a painter. When this liberal proposal was communicated to old Mr. West, he readily agreed that Benjamin should go for some time to Philadelphia, in order to take advantage of the Provost's instructions; and accordingly, after returning home for a few days, Benjamin went to the capital, and resided at the house of Mr. Clarkson, his brother-in-law, a gentleman who had been educated at Leyden, and was much respected for the intelligence of his conversation, and the propriety of his manners." The following description of a Mo. hawk Indian is highly characteristic of their natural disposition: "Before Mr. West left America, an attempt was made to educate three young Indians at New York; and their progress, notwithstanding that they still retained something of their original wildness of character, exceeded the utmost expectations of those who were interested in the experiment. Two of them, however, in the end, returned to their tribe, but they were rendered miserable by the contempt with which they were received; and the brother of the one who remained behind was so affected with their degradation, that he came to the city, determined to redeem his brother from the thraldom of civilization.. On his arrival, he found he had become an actor, and was fast rising into celebrity on the stage. On learning this circumstanee, the resolute Indian went to the theatre, and seated himself in the pit. The moment that his brother appeared, he leapt upon the stage, and drawing his knife, threatened to sacrifice him on the spot, unless he would immediately strip himself naked, and return with him to their home in the woods. He upbraided him with the meanness of his disposition, in consenting to make himself a slave. He demanded if he had forgotten that the Great Spirit had planted the Indian corn for their use, and filled the forests with game, the air with birds, and the waters with fish, that they might be free. He represented the institutions of civilized society as calculated to make him dependant on the labour of others, and subject to every chance that might interrupt their disposition to supply his wants. The actor obeyed his brother, and returning to the woods, was never seen again in the town." The manners of the Indians are further illustrated by Mr. Galt, in a curious "Extract from the Journal of a Friend, who has lately travelled through the principal parts of the United States;" and the whole Work is extremely interesting. 20. Travels in Belochistan and Sinde, accompanied by a Geographical and Historical Account of those Countries; with a Map. By Lieut. Henry Pottinger, of the Honourable East India Company's Service, Assistant to the Resident at the Court of his Highness the Peishwa, and late Assistant and Surveyor with the Missions to Sinde and Persia. THE personal narrative of Lieut. Pottinger lends an interest to this highly-intelligent Work not often discovered in the Itinerary of an Asiatic traveller. The account of the mission to Sinde is curious and important, and we consider the whole as forming a valuable supplement to Capt. Elphinstone's description of the Afghan people; a work which should never be mentioned without the tribute of respect due to its superior merit. 21. Narrative of a Ten Years' Residence at the Court of Tripoli, in Africa; from the Original Correspondence in the Possession of the Family of the late Richard Tully, Esq. the British Consul. 4to. with Coloured Plates. THIS interesting Work comes before us at a most critical period; at the time when those Barbarians, whose manners and customs, bere so ably delineated, are about to receive an adequate punishment for the injuries and insults so long inflicted with impunity on the navigators of the Mediterranean, and on the peaceable inhabitants of the Italian shores. The Authoress enjoyed singular adVantages from her rank and station, which have enabled her to describe with accuracy the religious ceremonies, domestic habits, and warlike customs of the Moors, concerning which our previous information was scanty and imperfect. It is well known how jealous the Moors are of admitting Europeans within their domestic circles; and since the days of Lady Wortley Montagu, to whose celebrated Letters this Work bears a striking resemblance, no individual appears to have enjoyed such an unconstrained access to the interior of the Harem. As sister to the the late Consul General at Tripoli, the Authoress was constantly admitted to the private parties of the females of the family of the late Ali Coromalli, Bashaw of Tripoli, the father of Sidy Useph, the reigning Bashaw. The narrative commences in the year 1783, with a lively description of the first impressions received on arriving off the port of Tripoli, and notices the singular appearance of the long rows of palm-trees, planted on a sandy soil; an account of the dress of the principal personages who were ready to receive our Authoress and her friends on their arrival, next follows, and prepossesses the Reader at once in favour of the Writer's descriptive talents. The City of Tripoli, the capital of the Regency of that name, is situated in latitude 32° 54′′ North, longitude 13° 18' East, and is built on a neck of land, which projects a short distance into the sea. As this place has been but little visited by Europeans, it may gratify our Readers to peruse the Author's account of it: "The whole of the town appears in a semicircle, some time before reaching the harbour's mouth. The extreme whiteness of square buildings covered with lime, which in this climate encounters the sun's fiercest rays, is very striking. The baths form clusters of cupolas very large, to the number of eight or ten, crowded together in different parts of the town. The mosques have in general a small plantation of Indian figs and date trees growing close to them, which at a distance appearing to be so many rich gardens in different parts of the town, give the whole city an aspect truly novel and pleasing. On entering the harbour, the town begins to discover its dilapidations from the destructive band of Time, large hills of rubbish appearing in different parts of it. The Castle, or Royal Palace, where the Bashaw resides, is at the East end of the town, within the walls, with a dock-yard adjoining, where the Bey (the Bashaw's eldest son, and heir to the Throne,) builds his cruizers. This castle is very antient, and is inclosed by a strong high wall that appears impregnable, but it has lost all symmetry on the inside, from the innumerable additions made to contain the different branches of the Royal Family; for there is scarcely an instance of any of the blood royal, as far as to the Bashaw's great grand-children, living out of the castle-walls. These buildings have increased in it by degrees to a little irregular town. The city of Tripoli is, or rather has been, surrounded by a prodigiously strong wall and towers, which are now in bad order; but persons of judgment in these matters say, that, with repairs only, it might soon be made one of the strongest fortifications. The sea washes this town on three sides; on Messea, joins it to the rest of the counthe fourth, a sandy plain, called the try. On the East it is divided from Egypt by the dreary deserts of Barca, where none reside except occasionally the wandering Arab. The town is so uneven with accumulated rubbish, on which they often build without removing it, that the threshold of some of the street-doors are on a level with the terraces or tops of houses not far from them. The streets are narrow, but nearly double the width of those at Tunis and Algiers. The town stands on a foundation of rock. Here and there are a few remains of pavement, some of which are very antient, and evidently appear Roman. They do not shine here in shops, the best of them being little better than booths, though sometimes their contents are invaluable, consisting of pearls, gold, gems, and precious drugs. There are two covered bazars, or market-places; one very large, built in four ailes meeting in a cross. These ailes are fitted up with shops built on each side of them, containing every sort of merchandize, and having a way in the middle for purchasers to walk. The next bazar is much smaller, and has no shops in it. Here only black men and women are brought for sale! The very idea of a human being bought, and examined as a common bale of goods, is repugnant to a feeling heart, yet this is one of their principal modes of traffick." The account of a visit to the Bashaw in the Castle is interesting, and pourtrays in animated language the character, personal accomplishments, and behaviour of the female branches form a most striking contrast with of the Royal Family, whose manners those of Europeans. "I propose, my dear friend, to give you in this, the account of a visit we have recently paid to the Bashaw's family; and as the interior of the Harem and the Castle of Tripoli have not yet been pourtrayed by any one admitted confidentially within its walls, I trust a relation of the hours we spend here will in general interest you. On approaching the Castle of the Bashaw, you pass pass the first intrenchment escorted by the hampers (the Bashaw's body-guards). Having passed through the gate, you enter the first court-yard of the Castle crowded with guards, waiting before the skiffar or hall, where the Chiah sits all day. Through this hall is a paved square, with a piazza supported by marble pillars, in which is built the Messeley, or council chamber, where the Bashaw receives his court on Gala days. It is finished on the outside with Chinese tiles, a number of which form an entire painting. No Gentlemen are permitted to approach nearer the Harem, or ladies' apartments, than the Bagnio; from bence you are conducted by eunuchs through long vaulted passages, so extremely dark, that it is with great difficulty the way can be discerned. On entering the Harem a striking gloom prevails; the court-yard is grated over the top with heavy iron bars, very close together, giving it a melancholy appearance. The galleries round the courtyard, before the chambers, are enclosed with lattices cut very small in wood. On entering the apartment of Lilla Kebbierra, the wife of the Bashaw, we found her seated with three of her daughters." We regret that our limits will not allow us to present our Readers with the portraits of Lilla Halluma, Queen of Tripoli, and her daughters, who are represented as bighly accomplished, and most magnificently dressed, being nearly covered with jewels and precious stones; their hallhalls, or bracelets round their ancles, were of solid gold, each weighing four pounds. As the eyes of all Europe are pow turned towards Britain's bulwarks, employed on the expedition against Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, it may be useful to avail ourselves of the information contained in this Work relative to the Navy of the latter power: "The Christians were invited to be present yesterday at the launching of one of the Bey's cruizers. There was little to notice in it, except one or two singular circumstances:- - Just at the moment of its quitting the docks, a black slave of the Bey's was led forward and fastened to the prow of the vessel, to influence a happy reception of it in the ocean. Some embarrassment happened at the time of its going off, and Mustapha (the first Minister) not having seen the Black attached, said, it was no wonder the vessel did not go easily off the stocks, for they had neglected to bind a Black on board and send off with it. A beautiful lamb, fitted for the purpose, washed white as snow, and decorated with flowers and ribbands, stood on the deck, which, at the instant the vessel plunged into the water, received the fatal knife, being devoutly offered as a sacrifice to Mahomet for the future prosperity of the cruizer. It was saluted by the colours and guns on the shore, and by those of all the different ships in the harbour. The Bey's chief revenues are produced from his own navy, which his father allows him. His dock-yard, the only one here, is regulated by himself entirely; the two young Princes never interfere concerning it, though they often wish to do so. This esta blishment costs the Bey so much, that when the cruizers fail for a time in making adequate returns, it is a serious loss to him." The cruizers are generally absent about three weeks; the crews receive a small consideration previous to sailing the provisions allowed by his Highness are, biscuit, oil, and water; on their return they are examined, and any thing valuable they may have got is taken away. No person but the Bashaw is allowed to have any share in a prize. It appears from the present Narrative, that the number of Christian slaves at Tripoli is much smaller than either at Algiers or Tunis, and their treatment comparatively milder and more humane; in fact, it appears that the system of Christian slavery has been long on the decline, and forms no part of the policy of the present Pashaw, whose hospitable treatment of Lord Exmouth on a late occasion is a convincing proof of this assertion. Respecting the Algerine cruizers, we are informed that "The captains, if they are not the sole owners, have always a share in the vessels they command; they cruize where they please, but are obliged, when summoned, to attend the service of the State, in transporting provisions at their own expence. They have always on board an experienced officer appointed by the Dey, without whose consent they can neither give chace, return to Algiers, nor punish the sailors. On their return, this officer reports to the Dey the conduct of the captain of the cruizer and his crew, and the captain must deliver immediately an account of his success to the Government, which claims an eighth part of the prizes, slaves, or merchandize, he has taken. The Christian prisoners prisoners are brought to the Dey's Palace, where the European Consuls repair, in order to examine whether any of them belong to their respective nations: if they do, and are only passengers, they can reclaim them; but if it is proved they have served in any Nation for pay, who are at war with Algiers, they cannot be released without paying such ransom as the Government may set on them. The Dey has his choice of every eighth, and generally prefers those who are good mechanicks to others. The rest, who are left to the owner and captors, are directly led to the bezistan, or slave market, where they are appraised, and a price fixed upon each person, from whence they are brought back to the court before the Dey's Palace, where they are sold by auction, and whatever is bid above the price set upon them, belongs to the Government. On the spot where they are sold, these unhappy people have an iron ring fastened on their ancle, with a long or short chain, according as they are supposed to be more or less inclined to escape. Instances do happen of their voluntarily, after a time, becoming renegadoes: they fare ill and work hard all day, and at night are locked up in public prisons without roofs, where they sleep on the bare ground, exposed to the inclemency of the weather, and they are sometimes almost stifled in mud and water." Such is the picture of the cruelties and indignities experienced by Christians in captivity at Algiers; a system pursued with impunity for ages, and which calls aloud for redress and revenge. How long shall our hearts remain hardened like steel? How long shall the cries of Christian captives from the sandy deserts be heard in vain? We eagerly turn from the detail of such scenes of human misery, to the relation of the comforts of domestic life: "Two weddings have been celebrated at the Castle this week. Sidy Hamet, the second son of the Bashaw, who has been for a short time a widower, was married to a lady of Turkish extraction; and a daughter of the Bashaw's to the Duganeer's nephew. The present Duganeer, or officer at the head of the Customs, is a Neapolitan renegado; but I have before observed to you, that when Christian slaves become renegadoes, they often hold the highest offices in Turkey and Barbary. According to the custom of this country, a Moorish lady's wedding clothes are accumulating all her life; consequently, the presents sent : from the father's to the bridegroom on the eve of her wedding are most abundant. Among the articles in the Princess's wardrobe were two hundred pair of shoes, and one hundred pair of rich embroidered velvet boots, with baracans, trowsers, chemises, jilecks, caps, and curtains for apartments. Each set of things was packed separately in square flat boxes; these would have been taken to the Duganeer's house, but Lilla Howisha (as the Bashaw's daughter) not quitting the Castle, they were conveyed with great pomp and ceremony, in a long procession, out of one of the gates of the Castle into another, escorted by guards, attendants, and a number of singing-women, hired for the purpose of singing the festive song of Loo, Loo, Loo, which commences when the procession leaves the bride's father's house, and finishes when it enters the bridegroom's house. Two separate feasts for these weddings were celebrated in the Castle on the same day that for Lilla Howisha, the Bashaw's daughter, at her apartments; and Sidy Hamet's wedding in that part of the Castle where be resides. Sidy Hamet, who could not be seen at his bride's feast, received the compliments of his subjects, and the foreigners of rank at Court, and was superbly habited on the occasion. In our way to Lilla Halluma's apartment, the great concourse of people at the Castle rendered it, as usual, impossible to proceed a step without being surrounded with attendants to clear the way.-The apartments of the two brides were entirely lined with the richest silks. A seat elevated near six feet from the ground was prepared for the bride, where she sat concealed from the spectators by an embroidered silk veil thrown over her. Her most confidential friends only went up to speak to her. Her eye-lashes were deeply tinged with black; her face was painted red and white, but not ornamented with gold. She is one of the handsomest women in Tripoli. Her dress was the same as I have already described to you, but the gold and silver jewels with which it was almost covered, left little of its texture to be seen; her. slippers were brilliant, discovering her foot and ancle, which were partially dyed with hinna, nearly the colour of ebony; she wore on her ancles double gold bracelets. The jewels on her fingers appeared more brilliant from the dark colour underneath them, which also added much to the whiteness of her hand and arm. Two slaves attended to support the two tresses of her bair behind, which were so much adorned with jewels, and gold and silver ornaments, that 4 that if she had risen from her seat, she could not have supported the immense weight of them.” Jealousies and dissentions having long existed between the Bashaw's sons, Sidy Useph at length gratified his revenge by the assassination of his eldest brother the Bey, while sitting on a sofa close by his mother's side, whose hand was lacerated in endea vouring to ward off the fatal blow; in consequence of this atrocious act, and his subsequent misconduct, he was driven by the Bashaw from the City, and sought refuge with a body of his troops among the neighbouring tribes of Arabs, whom he induced to join him, and make war on his father: these civil broils afford the Writer frequent opportunities of describing the Moorish method of warfare: "Sidy Useph is again with the Arabs. He had taken possession of a great part of the suburbs of Tripoli, in retaining which, he would have been entirely master of the Messeah, and have kept this place in a state of famine. The Bashaw sent off forces to drive him away, which was with great difficulty effected. At sun-set the Bashaw sent out several hundred men, with cannon, to attack a body of the enemy, who were stationed within his own gardens, from whence they were not driven till late to-day. We remained till near day-break this morning on our terrace, observing the efforts made on both sides to maintain their ground: we had a most safe and perfect view of all that was passing in the pianura. It was one of those clear still nights only known in the Mediterranean: the bright beams of the moon from a brilliant sky discovered to us the greatest part of the Messeah, with every object in it, distinctly. The silence in the town was striking; the greatest part of 'the inhabitants were without the ramparts, guarding the town. In the streets no objects were visible but the townguard, with their hungry pack of dogs prowling about in vain for some strolling victim to repay them for their vigilance. Frequent parties of Moorish horsemen and foot-soldiers we distinctly saw, by the light of the moon, passing with incredible swiftness over the sands in pursuit of the Arabs. The death-song breaking from parts of the country, often announced to us the loss of some distinguished person on either side, who at that moment was numbered with the slain." It would be easy to multiply extracts; but it is presumed that suffi cient has been done to enable the Reader to form his own opinion of its merits. The language appears correct ; the numerous characters interspersed throughout the Work are well sustained, and the whole has a dramatic effect, which keeps the Reader's attention alive to the conclusion. The numerous notes have been gleaned from the best writers antient and modern, and present a valuable body of information respecting that interesting portion of the world; they also confirm in a remarkable manner the authenticity of the Writer's narrative. T. F. 22. Systematic Education, or Elementary Instruction in the various Departments of Literature and Science, with Practical Rules for studying each Branch of Useful Knowledge. By the Rev. W. Shepherd, the Rev. J. Joyce, and the Rev. Lant Carpenter, LL. D. 2 vols. 8vo. IT is not often that a book is found to correspond with its title-page; and a still greater rarity is a systematic work on Education of real practical utility. We have found in these Volumes nothing speculative or theoretical; but sound principles, judicious precepts, correctness of design, with a most felicitous arrangement. The elementary course is offered as a succedaneum to the usual course of classical instruction. It embraces, however, every subject of Literature and Science, and altogether forms the most compendious chart of knowledge that has ever fallen under our observation. 23. Sermons on Moral and Religious Subjects; adapted for the Use of Families as well as for the Pulpit. 8vo. pp. 362. Rivingtons. WHOEVER the Author of this Book may be, whatever his sect or his profession, he has claims on public gratitude. The Work is good: it is good in itself, in its object, and in its tendency. In a world of vanity and dissipation, and in a country abounding with every species of frivolous compositions, no small praise, no trivial honour or reward, is due to him, who dares to think, to write, and to print, in the much-neglected cause of Morality and Religion. A volume of |