The Slaver and the Missionary. 309 
equal, there are infinite shades of solid rule and 
government which the wisdom of nations adapts 
to their wants. The medium of constitutional 
monarchy or hereditary presidentship recommends 
itself under existing circumstances to the more 
advanced peoples, and with good reason ; we no¬ 
where find a prevalence of those manly virtues, dis¬ 
interestedness and self-sacrifice to the “ respublica,” 
which rendered the endurance of ancient republics 
possible. Rome could hardly have ruled the 
world for centuries had her merchants supplied 
Carthage with improved triremes or furnished the 
Parthians with the latest style of weapons. We 
must be wise and virtuous before we can hope to 
be good republicans, and man in the mass is not 
yet “ homo sapiens he is not wise, and certainly 
he is not virtuous. 
The present state of Africa suggests two 
questions concerning the abolition of the export 
slave-trade, which must be kept essentially distinct 
from domestic servitude. The first is, “ Does the 
change benefit the negro?” Into this extensive 
subject I do not propose to enter, contenting 
myself with recording a negative answer. But 
upon the second, “Is the world ready for its 
abolition ? ” I would offer a few remarks. They 
will be ungrateful to that small but active faction 
which has laboured so long and so hard to mis¬ 
inform the English public concerning Africa, and 
