488 
MORAL AND POLITICAL 
In the political state of Africa, much variety is 
observable. The profession of Islamism, establish- 
ed over all the northern parts of the continent, is 
scarcely compatible with any regular and legitimate 
freedom. The power of the sovereign is restrain- 
ed by no fixed laws or institutions ; but it is ren- 
dered extremely precarious by the turbulent habits 
of the people, and the absence of all regard to he- 
reditary succession. A long reign, and a natural 
death, are considered as singular phenomena in 
the history of a Barbary prince. The yoke of the 
Turks, however, has been entirely shaken off. In 
Morocco, and, to a certain extent, in Tripoli, the 
sovereign power is now in a great measure main- 
tained by a military force composed of Negroes, 
■ brought as slaves from Soudan. 
The native tribes, situated in the mountainous 
and desert tracts, exhibit some traces of republican 
institutions. Through the great kingdoms in the 
interior of Eastern Africa, Bornou, Cassina, Sen- 
naar, &c. there appears to exist an elective privi- 
lege, exercised by the chiefs. The sovereign must 
be of the royal family, but any member of it who 
is most popular, daring, or fortunate, mounts the 
vacant throne. Abyssinia is legally absolute ; but 
the overgrown power of the chiefs and governors 
of provinces has reduced the royal authority almost 
to nothing. The king there is now a mere instru- 
ment in the hands of any one who has in his hands 
the chief military power. 
