38 Sketch of the Life of Grimr Fobnfon Thorkelin, L. L. D. [ Aug. I, 
ceftors, in which he found many valuable 
maxims, rich with the ‘* hoar of time.” 
There were not wanting men, who had 
fuficient difcernment to mark the bias of 
his (tudies, and who recommended him to 
thofe that could enable him to trace them 
up to the fountain-head. His firft publi- 
cation, on the ancient Laws of Norway, 
recommended him to the notice of fome 
Jearned men in Denmark : they confidered 
it as an effiy that promiied a great deal in 
the bud, and that might be ripened into 
maturity in the beams of patronage. 
He was recommended to the heir apparent 
of the Danifh {ceptre, who fent him to 
England, at his private expence, to make 
fuch obfervations in the arts and manu- 
faftures as might tend to further their pro- 
grefs in Denmark. He came to England 
am the winter of the year 1787. As he 
had letters of recommendation to men of 
the firft charaéter in this kingdom, he 
found a ready reception wherever he cal- 
led. Whenthe writer of this fketch firft 
became acquainted with him (about three 
weeks after his arrival,) he lodged in 
Brownlow-fireet, Long-acre. He could 
fearce {peak one word of Englith, but in 
the courfe of a few months he could write 
it with tolerable fluency. His favourite 
writers in the Englifh language were 
Lockeand Bacon. At his leifure moments, 
which were few, he tranflated a large por- 
tion of the laft-mentioned writer into the 
Danith language, to which he added fome 
valuable notes. He ufually {pent an hour 
or two every morning in the Britifh Ma- 
feum, in confulting and tran{cribing feve- 
ral paflages in the Manufcripts concained 
in that literary depot. His firft publica- 
tion in England was a final! traét on the 
flave-trade. This eflay appeared in the 
year 1788. When he firft turned his 
thoughts to this fubjeét, he did not pro- 
pofe that it fhould extend beyond the 
bounds of a moderate letter, which he in- 
tended to addrefs toI.H. Browne, Efq.M.P. 
but the matter grew cn him. In this pub- 
lication, replete with learning, he recom-. 
mends the gradual abolition of that infa- 
mous traffic. Let us hear his own words. 
% Imyfelf hate every branchof flavery ; yet 
I with that of the negroes to be {till con- 
tinued, under the cye of Goverament, 
whole duty itis to demand accounts of the 
treatment of the flaves during their voy- 
age tothe Weft Indies. Here let the pur- 
chafers be reftrained in their bargains toa 
certain number of years, after which the 
. flave fhould be free. In the mean time let 
not the life of the flave lie at the mercy of 
the matter ; for man, I was almoft going 
tofay, is naturally cruel. He fhould not 
have the fmallett right to mutila‘e or tor- 
ture him. Let the matter be obliged te 
indulge his flaves in certain lifure-hours 
to attend theTeachers of the Golpel, who 
fhall inftruét them in the eftablithed reli- 
gion; for here I believe the Miffionaries 
willdo more good than in Africa, at leaft 
this is the firft objeét. Let the flaves have 
what the Romans call peculium, a fmall 
property to be cultivated when they are 
not employed in their mafter’s fervice.— 
Let the propagacion of the flaves be en- 
couraged by premiums to be divided be. 
tween the parents and the matter. Let all 
children of flaves born in a Chriftian coun- 
try be free, and let them be educated at 
the public expence, as in the Foundling- 
holpital and the workhoules. But if this 
be too much to attempt, let fuch children 
ferve only acertain term of years, to repay 
their maiter the expence their fupport has 
brought upon him. By humane treat- 
ment and affiduous inftruétion. in divine 
and moral truths, the Danifh miffionaries 
and the Moravian Brethren have been of 
great comiort and utility to the Danifh 
negroes. Thefc flaves become virtuous by 
the aid of fuch preachers ; and the hope of 
certain liberty appears to influence their 
minds with fuch principles ay are an ample 
recompence to themfelves, anda fource of 
unftained riches to the public.”” 
His fecond publication might be called 
a hint to the lovers of Northern ftory.— 
It appeared in 1788, under the title of 
Fragments of Englifh and Irifh Hiftory im 
the Ninth and Tenth Century, tranflated 
trom the original Icelandic. Mr. Thor- 
kelin dedicated this colleétion to the Earl 
of Moira, the laft friend of the Mufes in 
this ruft of the iron age. 
The third publication appeared in 1789. 
The following is a tran{cript of the title : 
‘¢ Edwardi-Ruvei Neorefi A.M.etSoe.Ant. 
Soc. de Aflfrico, Dorobernenfi Archie- 
pifcopo, Commentarius : Ex autographo 
in BibliothecaThome Aftlei, Arm. affer- 
vato, edidit et prafatus eft Grim. J. 
Thorkelin, L.L.D.” &c. &c. &c. Ael- 
fric was of a noble family, fon of the Earl 
of Kent. He was breda monk in the 
abbey of Abingdon. He fucceeded Si- 
geric in the Archbifhopric of Canterbury, 
A.D. 995. ‘It now appears that AElfric 
the Archbifhop was the grammarian and 
tranflator of the Saxon homilies. 
Mr. Thorkelin’s laft publication during 
his ftay in this country was written with 
avicw te bring the Englifh reader ac- 
quainted 
