46 TlMEHRI. 
abrupt and unprepared emancipation of all slaves. The 
Dutch colonists of Guiana, who, in PlNCKARD'S time, 
derided and deplored the early phase of the movement, 
were not unprejudiced witnesses, but they knew the 
character of the negro better, and practically, if not 
theoretically, showed that they knew human nature 
better, than did their English rulers and fellow colonists. 
" We are told," says Pinckard. 
" that since the arrival of the English in these colonies the people of 
colour are grown unusually disobedient and even insolent, which is 
attributed to our being more lenient toward them than their Dutch 
masters. Whether or not this be admitted as the cause, it has happened 
that two very recent instances have occurred in proof of the fact, and 
which have made it necessary to use means of correcting their daring 
presumption." 
Other improvements were also introduced at this 
time by the English. For example, the white colon- 
ists were formed into a militia for purposes of self- 
defence ; church services were for the first time insti- 
tuted in Stabroek, the one important centre of popula- 
tion in the colonies ; and newspapers were established 
in Demerara and in Essequibo. In short, for six years 
the sister colonies advanced rapidly in prosperity, and 
became during the same time more and more saturated 
with English feeling. 
Then suddenly, by the Peace of Amiens in 1802, these 
colonies were given back to Netherland rule, to the great 
consternation of the colonists, many of whom were by 
this time English by birth, many more, though Dutch by 
birth, were English in feeling. Just at that time the 
Dutch in Europe, suffering from a violent attack of re- 
publicanism, caught from their French neighbours, and 
having just rechristened themselves the Batavian Repub- 
