HE RESORTS TO THE PEN 43 



tion) for the suppression of the slave trade, then and not 

 till then will we give the 'old country' credit for motives 

 of humanity and a sincere desire to succor the slave". 



These were the last articles that Maury wrote before 

 he was appointed to an office of great potential impor- 

 tance, which was to afford the appropriate place for the 

 complete flowering of his peculiar genius. This appoint- 

 ment was given to him largely because of his writings ; 

 namely, his ''New Theoretical and Practical Treatise on 

 Navigation", "Scraps from the Lucky Bag", and other 

 magazine articles. It might be said, therefore, that 

 though he had been faithful in the performance of all the 

 duties of his profession and, courageous as he was, would 

 almost certainly have distinguished himself in warfare, 

 yet up to this point in his career the pen, as an instru- 

 ment for acquiring fame, had indeed been mightier than 

 the sword. 



