man nature, by the blasphemous thanks offered up to Heaven, for victories obtained over men fighting in the sacred cause of liberty, by murderers and oppressors, are events generally known.

D

Note*. The shrill horn blew.] The negroes in the West Indies are summoned to their morning work by a shell or a horn.

Note'. How long was Timur's iron sceptre sway'd? To elucidate this passage, I shall subjoin a quotation from the Preface to Letters from Hindoo Rajah, a work of elegance and celebrity.

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The impostor of Mecca had established, as one of the principles of his doctrine, the merit of extending it, either by persuasion, or the sword, to all parts of the earth. How steadily this injunction was ad

hered to by his followers, and with what success it was pursued, is well known to all who are in the least conversant in history.

“The same overwhelming torrent, which had inundated the greater part of Africa, burst its way into the very heart of Europe, and covered many kingdoms of Asia with unbounded desolation, directed its baleful course to the flourishing provinces of Hindostan. Here these fierce and hardy adventurers, whose only improvement had been in the science of destruction, who added the fury of fanaticism to the ravages of war, found the great end of their conquests opposed, by objects which neither the ardour of their persevering zeal, nor savage barbarity, could surmount. Multitudes were sacrificed by the cruel hand of religious persecution, and whole countries were deluged in blood, in the vain

hope, that by the destruction of a part, the remainder might be persuaded, or terrified into the profession of Mahomedism; but all these sanguinary efforts were ineffectual; and at length, being fully convinced, that though they might extirpate, they could never hope to convert any number of the Hindoos, they relinquished the impracticable idea, with which they had entered upon their career of conquest, and contented themselves with the acquirement of the civil dominion and almost universal empire of Hindostan."

Letters from a Hindoo Rajah,

by Eliza Hamilton.

Note". And brav'd the stormy spirit of the Cape.

See the description of the Cape of Good Hope, translated from Camoens, by Mickle.

Note". While famished nations died along the shore.
The following account of British conduct, and its

consequences, in Bengal, will afford a sufficient idea

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as

of the fact alluded to in this passage. After describing the monopoly of salt, betel nut, and tobacco, the historian proceeds thus: Money in this current came but by drops; it could not quench the thirst of those who waited in India to receive it. An expedient, such as it was, remained to quicken its pace. The natives could live with little salt, but could not want food. Some of the agents saw themselves well situated for collecting the rice into stores; they did so. They knew the Gentoos would rather die than violate the principles of their religion by eating flesh. The alternative would therefore be between giving what they had, or dying. The inhabitants sunk;—they that cultivated the land, and

saw the harvest at the disposal of others, planted in doubt; scarcity ensued. Then the monopoly was easier managed—sickness ensued. In some districts the languid living left the bodies of their numerous dead unburied.”

i

Short History of the English Transactions

in the East Indies, page 145.5

"Note". Nine times hath Drama's wheels of lightning hurl'd

His awful presence o'er the prostrate world! Among the sublime fictions of the Hindoo my- . thology, it is one article of belief, that the Deity Brama has descended nine times upon the world in various forms, and that he is yet to appear a tenth time, in the figure of a warrior upon a white horse, to cut off all incorrigible offenders. Avatar is the word used to express his descent.