ACCOUNT OF BOOKS. 



737 



of the interruption health may 

 sustain in the change that has 

 been undertaken. And, although 

 regarding the recital of many of 

 the feats of Death as tales for the 

 nursery, not to indulge a belief by 

 a too emboldened conduct, that no 

 such personage stalks the earth. 

 Secondly, no circumstance being 

 more evident, than that thebodyis 

 greatly dependant on the mind for 

 the share of health it enjoys 



Mens Sana in corpore sano — 



to consider, if this maxim holds 

 generally, that it will be found to 

 apply with increased force in re- 

 mote and unhealthy countries ; 

 where much is new, and to many, 

 where all is unpromising ; where 

 habits and association become en- 

 tirely dissimilar, and which are 

 seldom found, with all the novelty 

 they possess, sufficiently powerful 

 to obliterate the anxietyand regret 

 that is felt for that which has been 

 resigned. This is the Promethean 

 vulture that must not fasten on its 

 victim if the force of philosophy 

 can prevent it. 



" It is, possibly, from the indul- 

 gence of feelings like the above 

 — from a sensibility which broods 

 gloomily on the past — that much 

 arises to embitter the present ; and 

 that, in its despondent effects, will 

 seldomallow anything to be placed 

 on the future. Tiiis is the last and 

 most dangerous state of this men- 

 tal affection, which not unfre- 

 quently fixes the sufferer in a con- 

 firmed state of hypochondria, a 

 tedium vitce, that no relief but 

 sudden change of situation and 

 restoration to former scenes, can 

 ever reach." 



The amusements of this settle- 

 ment are few. 



Vol. LII. 



" Christmas, however, is the 

 season that in this country usually 

 brings all ranks together; the bond 

 and the free; and the hilarity which 

 prevails amongst the former order 

 cannot possiblybemorelargelypar- 

 takenofby anybeingsin the world. 

 The young, the old, even the 

 maimed, and the decrepid, all 

 unite in contributing to render 

 this period joyous and happy ; it 

 may be added, and noisy ! 



"Themorningof Christmas-day 

 is invariably ushered in by the 

 discharging of small-arms in every 

 direction, every thing now from 

 established custom being free and 

 unrestrained ; and the master's 

 house (where the festivity com- 

 mences), and whatever it con- 

 tains, is now open to all. The 

 members of the several African 

 tribes, again met together after a 

 Jong separation, now form them- 

 selves into different groups, and 

 nothing can more forcibly de- 

 note their respective casts of 

 national character than their 

 music, songs, and dances. The 

 convulsive rapid movements of 

 some, and the affectedly reluctant 

 steps of others, appear inconceiv- 

 ably ludicrous : whilst the oc- 

 casional bursts of loud chorus, 

 with which all are animated, con- 

 tribute greatly to heighten tht, 

 singularity of the entertainment. 



" The endurance of the negroes 

 during the period of their holi- 

 days, which usually last a week, 

 is incredible. Few of them are 

 known to take any portion of rest 

 for the whole time ; and for the 

 same space they seldom know an 

 interval of sobriety. It is the 

 single season of relaxation grant- 

 ed to their condition ; that it 

 should be partaken of immode- 



3 B 



