1800, } 
rities ; impartiality in flating facts, draw- 
ing from authentic fources, original wri- 
ters and ftate papers ; and generous, libe- 
ral feniiments on the fubjects of religion, 
virtue, and liberty. He was ardent in the 
caule of liberty ; and every inftance of 
perfecution, tyranny, and oppreffion, raif- 
ed his honeft indignation. It has been juft- 
ly obferved, that while ** Eachard, Hume, 
Smollet, and others of their turn, wrote 
their hiftories upon the principles of Ma- 
chiavel, for the ufe of kings, or rather ty- 
rants, with a view of teaching them to 
rule at ther eale, wi hout moieftation from 
their people, or other complaints of op- 
preffion; Harris, Wilfen, Ofborne, Ra- 
pin, &c. wrote for the ufe of the people, 
to fhew them that they had claims of 
rights, liberties, privileges, protection, 
and equal government, prior to the autho- 
rity conferred upon kings*. 
The abil'ties and merits of Dr. Harris, 
as an hiftorian, introduced him to the ac- 
quaintance, regards, and corre{pondence 
of fome of the moit eminent charaéters 
and literati of his days, viz. the late Lord 
Orford, Archdeacon Blackburn Dr. Birch, 
Mrs. Macauley, Dr. Mayhew, of Bofton, 
and one’ yet living, not to be mentioned 
but with fentimenis of great refpect, the 
Rev. Theophilus Lindfey. 
On his death, Mr. Hollis fent to the 
public papers the following paragraph, 
drawn up by his own pen. 
“‘ February 4, died at Honiton, in De- 
vonthire, the Rev. William Harris, D. D. 
a proveftant diflenting minifter, of eminent 
abilities and character. He publifhed an 
hifforical and critical account of the lives 
of James I. Charles I. Oliver Cromwell, 
and Charles II. in five volumes, 8vo. af- 
ter the manner of Mr. Bayle. He was 
preparing a like account of James II. He 
alfo wrote the life of Hugn Peters ; be: 
fides many fugitive pieces occafionally, for 
the public prints, in fupport of liberty and 
virtue. All his works nave been well re- 
ceived: and thofe who differ trom him in 
principles, (till value him in point of in- 
duftry and faichfulnefs,”’ 
To the notification of his death, and 
detail of his peculiar excellencies as an 
hiftorian, in a country paper, was added 
this jult delineation of his general and mo- 
ral character: ‘© Asa preacher, the ftrain 
of his ditcourfes was plain and praétical ; 
as aman and a Chrittian, he was diftin- 
guifhed by ever expreffing a juft indigna- 
tion of every thing bafe and difhonourable, 
by an inflexible integrity, and by a feries 

* Memous of Hollis, p. 230, v. i. 
Life of Dr. Harris ——Account of Cayenne, 21 
of liberal and benevolent a€tions ; his abt- 
lity for which was improved by a virtu- 
ous felf-denial and moderation; his heart 
was friendly ; and his manners marked by 
franknefs and fimplicity.” 
The writcr of this article apprehends 
that, befides the above mentioned works, 
Dr. Harris was the author of a tract, 
without his.name, on religious eftablith- 
ments, in aniwer to ** An Effay on Efta- 
blifhments in Religion,’ which pafled as 
the work of Mr. Rotheram ; but was fuf- 
pected to have been diftated, or at leaft 
revifec, by Archbifhop Secker. Dr. Har- 
ris was alfo the editor of a volume of the 
Pofthumous Sermons of a much efteemed 
friend, Mr. William Weft, minitter of the 
congregation of proteftant difienters at the 
Mint, in Exeter, where he fucceeded the 
learned Mr. Jofeph Hallet. 
Dr. Harris left no children. His wi- 
dow died the 4th of June, 1787, aged 78, 
refpected for worth and piety, and endear- 
ed tomany by her friendly difpofition, and 
her charitable benevolent deeds. On her 
death a niece, by a fier, fucceeded to his 
fortune, cherifhing the moft grateful and 
affeétionaie refpect for his memory; who 
married the Rev. John Hughes, paftor, 
though himfelt a Pedobaptift, of the Bap- 
tift congregation in Honiton. 

For the Monthly Magazine. 
An authentic ACCOUNT of FRENCH GUI* 
ANA, commonly called CAYENNE, e€x- 
tra&ed fromthe JOURNAL Of a FRENCH 
OFFICER, who, by Order of the late Go- 
VERNMENT of FRANCE, undertook three 
different VOYAGES to explore and afcer~ 
tain the NATURE of the SOIL,CLIMATE, 
and PRODUCTIONS of that COLONY. 
(Continued from page 425, of Vol. IX.) 
ROM what has been hitherto faid, it 
will be eafily inferred, tha: the effe- 
minacy in manners and cufioms, which 
generally prevails in tropical countries, is 
not le(s obfervable in Guiana than in other 
parts between the tropics. The diels of 
the male {ex confifts in white pantaloons 
and a linen jacket, and the women {pend 
the greateft part of their lives in a ham- 
mock. There is perhaps no country 
where fo much meney is laid out for this 
piece of furniture as in Guiana, where it 
ferves for ornament as well as conveni- 
ence. All hammocks are made of cotton $ 
they are in general from fix to feven feet 
in length, and nearly as broad; yet their 
immenfe width is not perceived but on ly- 
ing down in them. ‘They are wn ip 
ot 
