

/ET. 26.] THE EDINBURGH REVIEW/ 267 



its publication. I should ask pardon of you and John 

 Playfair for the phrase, however, even after the ex- 

 ception of it had cased it with vigorous propriety; 

 but all I meant was, that there was scarcely any 

 article that was likely to make a noise, or to become 

 very popular, which, if it be true at all, is in many 

 instances the fault of the subject. 



" I am glad you think my ' Slave Trade ' passable. 

 You see I have not ventured an inch beyond you, and 

 have aimed at nothing more than a clear and popular 

 exposition of the most striking parts of your pamphlet. 



"I am sorry that you think P. so very objectionable. 

 I was a little staggered with the colonisation of India, 

 but that project was the very text and spinal marrow 

 of the article, and could not possibly be separated 

 from it ; besides, I think the public is too quiescent 

 and timid in its ignorance of such subjects, and I 

 cannot help thinking you a good deal too decisive. 

 India cannot be colonised, indeed, like a country that 

 is thinly or barbarously peopled ; and that distinction 

 ought to have been considered.'" 



" But it may be colonised in a sort, by intermarriage 

 and the constitution of small landed estates. I do 

 not believe P. is very profoundly prepared to answer 

 objections or follow out his scheme in detail ; but the 

 suggestion, I think, may do some good, and in my 

 heart I believe that the poor youth had no wicked 

 designs whatever in indicting this article. What 



* Alluding, apparently, to an article in the Review for July 1804, 

 in which colonisation is suggested. See ' Edinburgh Review,' iv. 305. 



