1846.] SLAVERY IN THE EAST. 177 



The apathy of two centuries still reigns supreme with 

 the enlightened people of England, as well as their Go- 

 vernment, and whilst they willingly make expensive 

 efforts favourable to science, commerce, or Christianity in 

 other quarters, the locality which eminently combines 

 these three objects is alone neglected and alone uncared 

 for. It has unfortunately been the fate of our Indian 

 possessions to have laboured under the prejudice and 

 contempt of a large portion of the well-bred community, 

 for whilst the folly of fashion requires an acquaintance 

 with the deserts of Africa, and a most ardent thirst for a 

 knowledge of the usages of Timbuctoo, it, at the same 

 time, justifies the most profound ignorance of all matters 

 connected with the Government and Geography of our 

 vast possessions in Hindostan. 



" The Indian Archipelago has fully shared this neglect, 

 for even the tender philanthropy of the present day, 

 which originates such multifarious schemes for the ame- 

 lioration of doubtful evils, and which shudders at the 

 prolongation of apprenticeship in the west, for a single 

 year, is blind to the existence of slavery in its worst and 

 most exaggerated form, in the east. Not a single pro- 

 spectus is spread abroad, not a single voice upraised in 

 Exeter Hall to relieve the darkness of Paganism and the 

 horrors of the slave trade ! Whilst the trumpet tongue 

 of many an orator excites thousands to the rational and 

 charitable object of converting the Jews, and reclaiming 

 gypsies, whilst the admirable exertions of missionary 

 enterprise in the Austral climes of the Pacific, have 

 invested them with worldly power, as well as religious 

 influence, whilst the benevolent plans of the New 



VOL. n. N 



