Xx'u INTRODUCTION. 



rality, in the lower ranks of fociety ! For with all the boafted 

 glory of Britifh arms, and Britifli commerce, unnumbered 

 thoufands of fellow-beings, who might flourifli in our fields, 

 feem now to be only born to the miferable alternative of un- 

 natural folitude, or vicious and barbarous intercourfe ! Here 

 let the manufacturer and the merchant, who are emulous of 

 the mofl; honourable purfuits, in their refpeclive ftations, 

 anticipate the means of employment, on the moft folid and 

 liberal foundations. Here let the owner of lands, inftead of 

 fearing (if it were morally allowable to fear) a depreciation 

 of his property, anticipate a ftable and fubllantial value to 

 his fields, his mountains, and his vallies ! — Here let the go- 

 vernment of thefe countries, wifely defirous of cultivating 

 peace, of augmenting fecurity, internal ftrength, and national 

 greatnefs, lay the only fure and permanent foundation, on 

 which to rife from the calamity of warfare, into the proper 

 dignity of our peculiar fituation. — Here let the advocates 

 for chriftian morality, who take into their account the ufe- 

 fulnefs of fteady, honcft, and laborious induftrj', ground the 

 mofl. aufpicious arguments, for the renewal of thofe moral 

 bonds and virtues, which they have fo long and ineffeiSlually 

 been heard to deplore the want of! — It is a general com- 

 plaint, not only among the moft ferious profcffors of reli- 

 gion, but among reflecting perfons of various defcriptions, 

 that amid the fplendor of arts and fciences, of foreign 

 commerce, and the luxury confequent on national wealth j 

 internal poverty and wretchedncfs, among the inferior clafles, 

 are too little alleviated, till by accident they become fubjeds 

 of hofpitals and infirmaries; thefe indeed are frequent and 

 noble edifices — and their endo\yments and fi'.pport do credit 

 to the fympathy of the Englifli people. But it has been 

 lamented, with fome colour of reafon, that a calm, delibe- 

 rate. 



