In those warm latitudes interment follows

he has found reason "to doubt of its correct-knowledge pervades the whole but personal ness. He now entertains the opinion, that incidents or the results of particular observadeath was caused by "some sudden affection tion are rarely met with. This mode of comof the heart." We refrain from any comment position perhaps imparts value as an instructon either facts or opinions and will content ive exposition, but rather detracts from the ourselves with adding a picture of the last popular character. Mr. Cruickshank, morescene of all from the narrative of this eye-over, is rather too prone to reflection or diswitness :cussion, which often gives to his pages the air of a sermon or lecture. In spite of these death with a haste which often cruelly shocks drawbacks, the book is a full and lifelike picture of a people whose hardships as plantathe feelings. Mrs. Maclean was buried the same evening within the precincts of the castle. tion-slaves have brought them more fully Mr. Topp read the funeral service, and the whole before the world than their own importance of the residents assisted at the solemn ceremony. or deeds would have accomplished; whose The grave was lined with walls of brick and character and condition at home has been the mortar, with an arch over the coffin. Soon after subject of much dispute; and whose social the conclusion of the service, one of those heavy position is well worth study. The institushowers only known in tropical climates suddenly tions and civil state of the Negroes seem to came on. All departed for their houses. I re- bear a closer resemblance to that of the Germained to see the arch completed. The brick-manic tribes than might have been expected ; layers were obliged to get a covering to protect them and their work from the rain. Night had come on before the paving stones were all put down over the grave, and the workmen finished their business by torchlight. How sadly yet does that night of gloom return to my remembrance! How sad were then my thoughts, as, wrapped up in my cloak, I stood beside the grave of L. E. L., under that pitiless torrent of rain! I fancied what would be the thoughts of thousands in England, if they could see and know the meaning of that flickering light, of those busy workmen, and of that silent watcher! I thought of yesterday, when at the same time I was taking my seat beside her at dinner, and now, O, how very- very sad the change!

The second volume of this work contains a good account of the manners and customs of the native tribes of the Gold Coast - but these have not sufficient interest to warrant ex

tract.

Part of an Article in the Spectator.

MR. CRUICKSHANK has passed the last eighteen years of his life at Cape Coast Castle, or the settlements under its influence, engaged for a considerable portion of the time in the discharge of public duties which brought him into constant connection with the natives in matters of law and custom. His book is the result of his long opportunities and experience; and it contains the most thorough and complete account of the character, customs, superstitions, laws, and social state of the Western Negroes, that we have seen. To this survey Mr. Cruickshank has added a history of our settlements on the Gold Coast, with a geographical sketch of the region.

The book is full of stories or cases illustrative of the topics in hand, but it is rather a series of essays upon classes of subjects than anything approaching to what is understood by travels. Here and there the author throws in a description, and an evidently living

while some of their customs and laws are counterparts of those of the Hebrews as recorded in the Mosaic writings.

The subjects Mr. Cruickshank most fully discusses are Fetish their religion or superstition; laws, and usages having the effect of laws; slavery, and the results of missionary teaching, with the future prospects of this part of Africa. The system of Fetish has often been handled before, but never so fully or so philosophically, with such a complete exposure of the arts of Fetish men, or so fair an estimate of its results. Bad and fraudulent as, is the system, it was held by the principal and best-informed natives that its abolition, without something to put in its place, would be dangerous, since it still exercised a control over the conduct of the people by means of fear. Circumstances, however, have lately enabled the government to thoroughly expose the fraud, and they have done so, without apparent evil consequences. On the contrary, it has extended a nominal Christianity, and led to the building of chapels.

The extent of African slavery, the tyranny which the native master can exercise over his slave, and very often does, except when checked by British influence, give some countenance to the planter's argument, ridiculous as it sounds, that the Negro is worse off at home. Slavery is interwoven with the whole system of life. Almost every man is born a slave, or is liable to become a slave. In the case of captured, purchased, or slaves born of slaves, the case is intelligible enough. The peculiarities of African law render almost every one a slave, or so deeply indebted that his freedom is unsubstantial. By a singular and rather complex system of marriage-laws, children are not often born free; but besides, the father or mother may belong to the father's or mother's family. As in many other na tions, a debt which cannot be discharged reduces a man to slavery. There is also a

be paid to purchase rum for the judges, 17. for the gratification of the followers, ten shillings to the man who took the trouble to weigh out these different sums, and five shillings to the courtcriers. Thus Quansah had to pay 121. 15s. to bring his case before this august court; the memant carouse of rum and palm wine.

The preliminaries having been thus arranged to their satisfaction, the defendant Oboo was then brought before them; and, notwithstanding his protestations of innocence, he was compelled to pay 127. 15s. as Quansah had done. An investigation then took place amid the wanton jokes and obscene ribaldry of the crowd, who prolonged the entertainment while the drink lasted.

system of pawning. The head of a family may pawn his relations to raise money; and though they may have an option on some occasions, the point of honor prevents its being enforced. Till the debt is repaid with fifty per cent. interest, the pawned are prac-bers of which during the trial carried on a pleastically slaves, and so are the children unless they are redeemed; while the pawnee seems to possess a summary sort of foreclosing power, by which he may sell them all. This state of things renders our direct interference on the subject of slavery a ticklish affair, especially as we have no political rights in the country either by conquest or cession; in fact, we are truly no more than tenants of the factories we occupy. The Colonial Office Quansah had nothing to ground his charge could not be made to understand this; and at upon but his own suspicions, drawn from several a more fanatical period, or perhaps when the inconclusive circumstances not deserving of consideration. His wife was examined, and declared anti-slavery party were supposed to be more powerful than they now are, it directed pro-mained unsupported by a single iota of evidence. her innocence; and the charge altogether receedings that would have inevitably ended in As Quansah, however, insisted that both Oboo war, had they been carried out by the authorities at Cape Coast Castle. Even now the office persists in "ignoring" the subject. The Negro mind is litigious and casuistical. Few persons are found without a knowledge of the laws, or the power of conducting a case; for a man's fortune or freedom may depend upon his skill. Mr. Cruickshank gives a very bad account of their law and practice. Abstractedly such may be the fact; but it does not strike us that Negro jurisprudence is much worse than law in other places. The case of Quansah versus Oboo, which our author adduces as an instance of African judicial iniquity, is not without parallel at home in its main features. The plaintiff, Quansah, was jealous of his cousin and family head, Oboo, though on no better grounds than some superstitious notions. He proceeded against the suspected; but in lieu of going before his proper chief, Ottoo, he carried his case before the Pynins, or assembly of headmen - the Collective Wisdom.

and his wife should take the oath of purgation, the Pynins were not allowed to declare their innocence until this ceremony was concluded. But even this oath did not satisfy Quansah; he represented that the Fetish by which they had sworn was not sufficiently powerful to reveal their guilt, and that he would not be satisfied until they had made a journey to the Braffoo Fetish at Mankassim, and taken the oath of purgation before the priests there. This being considered the principal Fetish of the country, an appeal of this kind is not made without considerable expense; Oboo's innocence without the confirmation of the but the Pynius declared themselves satisfied of Braffoo Fetish, whom they made it optional for him and the woman to consult or not as they thought fit.

This finding made Quansah liable for the payment of Oboo's expenses; but there was little compensation to be found in this, for to raise the funds to enable him to begin this prosecution, Quansah had pawned his services to one of the head men who assisted at this mockery of justice; and, unless by any extraordinary good fortune he was enabled to repay the loan, he would very probably pass the remainder of his life in servi

The decision of the Pynins conveys to the mind of the Fantee a species of abstract necessity, antude. irresponsible kind of fatality, which admits neither of resistance nor redress.

When the day arrived for the hearing of Quansah's charge, a large space was cleanly swept in the market-place for the accommodation of the assembly for this a charge of ten shillings was made and paid. When the Pynins had taken their seats, surrounded by their followers, who squatted upon the ground, a consultation took place as to the amount which they ought to charge for the occupation of their valuable time; and, after duly considering the plaintiff's means, with the view of extracting from him as much as they could, they valued their intended services at 6l. 158.; which he was in like manner called upon to pay. Another charge of 21. 5s. was made in the name of tribute to the chief, and as an acknowledgment of gratitude for his presence upon the occasion; 17. 10s. was then ordered to

But the evil consequences of this iniquitous transaction did not stop short here. Oboo and his family were simple tillers of the ground, whose entire riches consist for the most part in their periodical crops of corn, yams, plantain, and cassada, which barely suffice to support the family, and to supply them with funds to purchase a few articles of clothing and a little rum for the performance of their annual customs; upon any sudden demand for money, they have no other resource than that of selling or pawning themselves and their relations. On the occasion which we have been describing, Oboo was obliged to pledge two of his nephews to obtain the 127. 15s., which was shared among the head men and their myrmidons. Thus we have seen, in this brief history, with what a fatal facility the corrupt nature of the native tribunals becomes instrumental in gratifying the passions of vindic

tive men.

The instance here cited is far from | stroyed, Mr. Moore was not legally liable to repay the two thousand guineas to Mr. Mur

being a solitary one, either in its criminality or in the injuriousness of its consequences, and it has been selected as of late occurrence, and as having come under the official notice of the writer; who had the pleasure of being able to restore to freedom the nephews of Oboo, by means of a process of disgorging to which he compelled Oboo and his head men to submit.

ray:

Albemarle Street, May 19, 1824.

Dear Sir On my return home last night, I found your letter, dated the 27th, calling on me for a specific answer whether I acknowledged the accuracy of the statement of Mr. Moore, communicated in it. However unpleasant it is to me, Twelve pounds fifteen shillings is undoubtyour requisition of a specific answer obliges me to edly a large sum for the Gold Coast; but if say that I cannot by any means admit the acthe costs of each litigant in our courts on a curacy of that statement; and in order to explain somewhat similar occasion were reduced to to you how Mr. Moore's misapprehension may African value, they doubtless would amount have arisen, and the ground upon which my asto as much at least. The plaintiff failing insertion rests, I feel it necessary to trouble you his suit, and not being worth the cost, of the defendant, sometimes occurs in happy England, where men are also occasionally ruined by law or its charges. The decision was sound enough; and from all the cost, anxiety, and wearing suspense of the law's delay the litigants were freed. The job was settled out of hand and finally. Had Mr. Quansah been a British litigant, he probably might have been able to carry his case before a British court which should be analogous "to the Braffoo Fetish at Mankassim."

From the Athenæum.

with a statement of all the circumstances of the case, which will enable you to judge for yourself.

Lord Byron having made Mr. Moore a present of his Memoirs, Mr. Moore offered them for sale to Messrs. Longman & Co., who however declined similar offer, which I accepted; and in Novemto purchase them; Mr. Moore then made me a ber, 1821, a joint assignment of the Memoirs was made to me by Lord Byron and Mr. Moore, with all legal technicalities, in consideration of a sum of 2,000 guineas, which, on the execution of the agreement by Mr. Moore, I paid to him; Mr. Moore also covenanted, in consideration of the said sum, to act as editor of the Memoirs, and to supply an account of the subsequent events of Lord Byron's life, &c. Some months after the execution of this assignment, Mr. Moore requested me, as a great personal favor to himself and to Lord Byron, to enter into a second agreement, which I had in the Memoirs, and give Mr. Moore by which I should resign the absolute property and Lord Byron, or any of their friends, a power of redemption during the life of Lord Byron.

LORD BYRON'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. WE expressed, our readers will remember, last week, a doubt as to whether the property in the manuscript of the Byron Memoirs was legally in Mr. Moore at the time of Lord Byron's death though we argued the question of Mr. As the reason pressed upon me for this change Moore's conduct in the matter on the ground was, that their friends thought that there were of the right over the document assumed by some things in the Memoirs that might be injurious himself. We have now had communicated to to both, I did not hesitate to make this alteration us the following letter from the late Mr. Mur- at Mr. Moore's request; and, accordingly, on the ray, of Albemarle street, to Mr. Robert Wil- 6th day of May, 1822, a second deed was exemot Horton, the friend of Lord Byron's cuted, stating that, “ Whereas, Lord Byron and family; written, it will be seen, shortly after Mr. Moore are now inclined to wish the said work Byron's death, in answer to a statement made not to be published, it is agreed that, if either by Mr. Moore relative to the sale and destruc- of them shall, during the life of the said Lord tion of the Autobiography. A limited nun- Byron, repay the 2,000 guineas to Mr. Murray, ber of copies of the letter have been printed if the sum be not repaid, during the lifetime of the latter shall re-deliver the Memoirs; but that by the present Mr. Murray for distribution Lord Byron, Mr. Murray shall be at full liberty among his father's friends—not so much, it to print and publish the said Memoirs within is understood, in needless vindication of his three months* after the death of the said Lord father's conduct on this occasion, as in reply Byron." I need hardly call your particular atto certain passages in Moore's journal which tention to the words, carefully inserted twice Lord John Russell, after cancelling the prin- over in this agreement, which limited its existcipal entry, has, nevertheless, allowed to ence to the lifetime of Lord Byron; the reason stand and contradict his own summary of of such limitation was obvious and natural, Moore's conduct in this unfortunate affair.namely, that although I consented to restore the The letter, our readers will observe, confirms work while Lord Byron should be alive, to dithe statement which we made, that the MS. had been offered by Mr. Moore for sale to the Messrs. Longman, and refused by them, before it was offered to Mr. Murray; and states, among other points of moment, a new and important fact that when the MS. was de

To this passage the present Mr. Murray has added this note:-The words "within Three Mr. Moore's request—and they appear in pencil, Months," were substituted for " immediately," at in his own handwriting, upon the original draft of the Deed, which is still in existence.

rect the ulterior disposal of it, I should by no means consent to place it after his death at the disposal of any other person.

I must now observe, that I had never been able to obtain possession of the original assignment which was my sole lien on this property; although I had made repeated applications to Mr. Moore to put me in the possession of the deed, which was stated to be in the hands of Lord Byron's banker.

As I myself scrupulously refrained from looking into the Memoirs, I cannot from my own knowledge say whether such an opinion of the contents was correct or not; it was enough for me that the friends of Lord and Lady Byron united in wishing for their destruction. Why Mr. Moore should have wished to preserve them, I did not nor will inquire; but having satisfied myself that he had no right whatever in them, I was happy in having an opportunity of making, by a pecuniary sacrifice on my part, some return for the honor, and, I must add, the profit, which I had derived from Lord Byron's patronage and friendship. You will also be able to bear witness that, although I could not presume to impose an obligation on the friends of Lord Byron or Mr. Moore, by refusing to receive the repayment of the 2,000 guineas advanced by me, yet that I had determined on the destruction of the Memoirs, without any previous agreement for such repayment, and you know the Memoirs were actually destroyed without any stipulation on my part, but even with a declaration that I had destroyed my own private property, and I therefore had no claim upon any party for remuneration. I remain, Dear Sir, your faithful servant, (Signed) JOHN MURRAY.

doubt that, under all the circumstances, the public curiosity about these Memoirs would have given me a very considerable profit beyond the large sum I originally paid for them; but you yourself are, I think, able to do me the justice of bearing witness that I looked at the case with no such feelings, and that my regard for Lord Byron's memory, and my respect for his surviving family, made me more anxious that the Memoirs should be immediately destroyed, since Feeling, I confess, in some degree alarmed at it was surmised that the publication might be inthe withholding the deed, and dissatisfied at Mr.jurious to the former and painful to the latter. Moore's inattention to my interests in this particular, I wrote urgently to him in March, 1823, to procure me the deed, and at the same time expressed my wish that the second agreement should either be cancelled or at once executed. Finding this application unavailing, and becoming by the greater lapse of time still more doubtful as to what the intentions of the parties might be, I, in March, 1824, repeated my demand to Mr. Moore in a more peremptory manner, and was in consequence at length put into possession of the original deed. But not being at all satisfied with the course that had been pursued towards me, I repeated to Mr. Moore my uneasiness at the terms on which I stood under the second agree ment, and renewed my request to him that he would either cancel it, or execute its provisions by the immediate redemption of the work, in order that I might exactly know what my rights in the property were. He requested time to consider of this proposition. In a day or two he called and told me that he would adopt the latter alternative, namely, the redemption of the Memoirs, as he had found persons who were ready to advance the money on his insuring his life, and he promised to conclude the business on the first day of his return to town, by paying the money and giving up the agreement. Mr. Moore did return to town, but did not, that I have heard of, take any proceedings for insuring his life; he positively neither wrote, nor called upon me, as he had THE LAST MOMENTS OF ROB ROY. - His deathpromised to do (though he was generally accus- bed was in character with his life; when contomed to make mine one of his first houses of fined to bed, a person with whom he was at en"Raise me up," call), nor did he take any other step, that I am mity proposed to visit him. aware of, to show that he had any recollection of said Rob Roy to his attendants, "dress me in my the conversation which had passed between us best clothes, tie on my arms, place me in my previous to his leaving town, until the death of chair. It shall never be said that Rob Roy MacLord Byron had, ipso facto, cancelled the agree-gregor was seen defenceless and unarmed by an ment in question, and completely restored my enemy." His wishes were executed; and he reabsolute rights over the property of the Memoirs. ceived his guest with haughty courtesy. When You will therefore perceive that there was no he had departed, the dying chief exclaimed: "It verbal agreement in existence between Mr. Moore is all over now -put me to bed-call in the and me, at the time I made a verbal agreement piper; let him play Ha til mi tulidh' [we rewith you to deliver the Memoirs to be destroyed. turn no more] as long as I breathe." He was Mr. Moore might undoubtedly, during Lord obeyed- he died, it is said, before the dirge was Byron's life, have obtained possession of the Me- finished. His tempestuous life was closed at the moirs, if he had pleased to do so; he, however, farm of Inverlochlarigbeg (the scene, afterwards, neglected or delayed to give effect to our verbal of his son's frightful crimes), in the Braes of agreement, which, as well as the written instru- Balquhidder. He died in 1735, and his remains ment to which it related, were cancelled by the repose in the parish churchyard, beneath a stone death of Lord Byron, and there was no reason upon which some admirer of this extraordinary whatsoever why I was not at that instant perfectly man has carved a sword. His funeral is said to at liberty to dispose of the MS. as I thought have been attended by all ranks of people, and a proper. Had I considered only my own interest deep regret was expressed for one whose characas a tradesman, I would have announced the ter had much to recommend it to the regard of work for immediate publication, and I cannot | Highlanders. - Memoirs of the Jacobites.

To Robert Wilmot Horton, Esq.

From the N. Y. Journal of Commerce.
THE SPIRIT RAPPINGS.

ROBERT OWEN having done us the honor to send us a copy of his Manifesto to All Nations, touching the new light which has beamed upon his understanding through the medium of spiritual rappings, we lose no time in laying it before our readers, together with his "Narrative" of the ways and means by which he became converted to the new delusion. In this Narrative he states that he has had numerous interviews with the spirits; that all his questions relating to the past and present have been answered by them promptly and truly except one (the result of his own error), and that he has received "very rational replies as to the future." One of the questions which he states to have been answered promptly and truly, is as follows:

Q. Have I (Owen) been assisted in my writings for the public by any particular spirit? Ans. Yes."

Q. What spirit? Ans. "God.”

This last answer, Owen tells us, was made in such a manner as to create "a peculiarly awful impression on those present." We should think so. For a veteran infidel, who through a long life has been diffusing his pernicious doctrines far and wide, to be told that he has been specially assisted in these writings by God, or the Spirit of God, is indeed awful horrible-blasphemous. And this answer he supposes to have been given by the spirit of Benjamin Franklin! Much more likely by the Spirit of Darkness. But we will let the old gentleman (Owen) tell his own story in his own way.

a

few weeks since, I believed that all things are Until the commencement of this investigation, eternal, but that there is a constant change in combinations and their results, and that there was no personal or conscious existence after death.

By investigating the history of these manifestations in America, and subsequently, as will be narrated, through the proceedings of an American medium, by whose peculiar organization manifestations are obtained, I have been compelled, contrary to my previous strong convictions, to believe in a future conscious state of life, existing in a refined material, or what is called a spiritual state. And that, from the natural progress of creation, these departed spirits have attained the power to communicate their feelings and knowledge to us living upon the earth, by various means.

From the communications which have been made to me, through the aid of this American medium, from Jefferson, Franklin, Grace Fletcher, and the father of our present sovereign, I am informed that these new manifestations, or revelations, from the spiritual, or, more truly, the refined material world, are made for the purpose of changing the present false, disunited, and miserable state of human existence, for a true, universal education, or formation of character, united, and happy state, to arise from a new from birth, to be based on truth, and conducted in accordance with the established laws of human nature.

A change which, with the concurrence of the existing authorities in Europe and America, MANIFESTO OF ROBERT OWEN TO ALL GOVERN-disregarding all old prejudices, may be now

MENTS AND PEOPLES.

Peace, Charity, Love, Union, and Progress, to all the Inhabitants of the Earth.

easily effected, to the lasting benefit of all upon earth.

To delay the public announcement of these allimportant truths, now that they are known to A great moral revolution is about to be effected me, would be to delay unnecessarily the change for the human race, and by an apparent miracle. from ignorance to knowledge, from poverty to Strange and incredible as it will at first appear, wealth, from disunion to union, from falsehood communications, most important and gratify-to truth, from deception to honesty, from evil to ing, have been made in great numbers in Amer-good, and from general misery to universal hapica, and to many in this country, through mani-piness. festations, by invisible but audible powers, purporting to be from departed spirits, and to me especially from President Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, His Royal Highness the late Duke of Kent, Grace Fletcher, my first and most enlightened disciple, and many members of my own family, Welsh and Scotch.

No one who knows me will attribute superstition to me, or want of moral courage to investigate truth, and to follow it wherever it may lead. I have honestly and fearlessly applied my best faculties to examine the religions, laws, governments, institutions, and classifications, of all nations and peoples, and I have found them to be based on a fundamental principle of error,

The means to effect this change in all countries are known.

The means by which the evils enumerated are created have become obvious.

The means by which the good may be secured

The medium referred to is Mrs. Hayden, residing at No. 22 Queen Anne street, Cavendish Square. All who have had opportunities of becoming well acquainted with Mrs. Hayden will testify to her lence of her disposition, and to the truthfulness simplicity of mind, to the kindness and benevoof her professional statements, as well as to her extreme sensitiveness when her veracity is doubted.