STUDY VII. 85 



Whatever may may have been faid of tlie am- 

 bition of the Church of Rome, fhe has frequently 

 interpofed in behalf of fuffering humanity. I 

 produce an inllance taken at random, and which 

 I fubmit to the judgment of the Reader. It is on 

 the fubjeâ: of the African flave-trade, which is 

 pradifed without fcruple by all the Chriftian and 

 maritime Powers of Europe, and condemned by 

 the Court of Rome. *' In the fécond year of his 

 " miffion, Merolla was left alone at Segno, by 

 " the death of the Superior General, whofe place 

 *^ Father Jojeph BiiJJeto went to fill at the Convent 

 " of Angola. Much about the fame time, the 

 " Capuchin miffionaries received a letter from 

 *' Cardinal Cibo, in name of the facred College. 

 " It contained fevere reproaches on the conlinua- 

 " tion of the fale of ilaves, and earneft remon- 

 *' ftrances, to put an end, at laft, to that abomi- 

 " nable traffic. But they faw little appearance of 

 " having it in their power to execute the orders of 

 ** the Holy See, becaufe the commerce of the 

 " Country confifts entirely in ivory and flaves *.'* 

 All the efforts of the mifllonaries iffued fimply in 

 an exclufion of the Englidi from a (hare of the 

 traffic. 



* Extraâ: koxn the General Hijîcry of Foyages, by the Abbe 

 Prevoji. Book xxii. page 180: Merolla. A. D. 1633. 



G 3 The 



