Retrospect of Domestic Literature—Politics, Theology, Ke. 579 
» When we first heard of the publication 
of this work, we did not expect that so 
small a fragment of the reign of James 
would have been found to contain so cu- 
rious an interest, 
“ The History of the Rise, Progress, and 
Accomplishment of the Abolition of ‘rae 
African Slave Trade, by the British Par- 
iament,” in two volumes octavo, by Mr. 
CLarxson, is another work, of singularly 
miscellaneous information: replete with 
facts; and of strong piety in its inten- 
tions. 
tained by this contest,(Mr. Clarkson.says), 
or the great measure of the abolition of 
the slave trade, which has now passed, I 
know not how to appreciate. its impor- 
tance. To our own country indeed it is 
invaluable. We have lived in conse- 
quence of it to see the day, when it has 
heen recorded as a principle in our legis- 
lation, that commerce itself shall have its 
moral boundaries. We have lived to see 
the day, when we are likely to be deliver- 
ed from the contagion of the most bar- 
barous opinions. They, who supported 
this wicked traffic, virtually-denied, that 
man was a ioral being. They substi- 
tuted the law of force for the law of rea- 
son. But the great act now under our 
consideration, has banished the impious 
doctrine, and restored the rational crea~ 
ture to his moral rights. Noris ita mat- 
ter of less pleasing consideration, that, 
at this awful crisis, when the constitu. 
tions of kingdoms are on the point of 
dissolution, the stain of the blood of 
Africa is no longer upon us, or that we 
have been freed (alas, if it be not too 
late!) from a load of guilt, which has 
long hung like a mill-stone about our 
necks, ready to sink us to perdition.” 
Mr. Clarkson’s history opens with an esti- 
mate of the evil of the slave-trade; and 
proceeds with an account of those who 
favoured the cause of the Africans pre- 
vious to 1787, including Cardinal Ximenes, 
the Emperor Charles the Fifth, Pope Leo 
the Tenth, Elizabeth Queen of England, 
and Louis the Thirteenth ; dividing 
those whom he calls the subsequent fore- 
yanners of its abolition, into four classes; 
and brinying the history down to the time 
when the abolition bill received finally 
his Majesty’s assent, March 25, 1807. 
Here, also, may be meutioned the third 
edition of Mr. Wraxatr’s “ History of 
dance, under the Kings of the Race of 
Valois, from the Accession of Charles the 
#ith, in 1864, ta the Death of Charles 
tre Ninth, in 15743” accompanied by 
very considerable additions. 
“With respect to the end ob. 
POLITICS AND POLITICAL ECONOMY. 
In politics and political economy. we 
have had in the last half year, but few 
publications of a novel interest. , 
An able pamphlet, on the ministerial 
side, may be found, in An Eramination 
of the Causes which led to the late Ecpe- 
dition against Copenhagen.” By An Ope 
SERVER. ; 
On the orders of council, the three 
principal produations have been “ Mr. 
Barine’s. dnguiry ;” the “ Speech of 
Lorp Erskine in the House of Lords, 
March 8th;” and the ‘ Speech of Mr, 
Broucnam in the House of Cammens. 
April 1, 1808.” 
The emancipation of the Irish Catho« 
lies has also giyen rise to bne or two 
fresh pamphlets; among these, we have 
“A Summary View of the Rights and 
Clauns of the Roman Cathelies of Ire 
land ;” being a republication of the 
eighth article of the Edinburgh Review 
for October, 1807: as well as “‘ A Letter 
on the Catholic Claims, written to the 
Rught Hon. Edmund Burke, in the Year 
1795;” by the Hon. Wittiam Smirn, 
third Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland. - 
The subject of the Portuguese emigras 
tion has likewise given rise to two pam- 
phlets, which are both distinguished by 
considerable knowledge. One entitled 
“ A Sketch of the Causes and Conse- 
guences of the late Emigration to the’ 
‘Vhe other, 
) by 
Brazils;” by Mr. Ryiance. 
in answer, “ Vindicie Lusitane ; 
Mr. E. J. Lingua. 
Another pamphlet has created some 
sensation, from the pen of Mr. Rosco, 
entitled ‘ Considerations on the Causes, 
Objects, and Consequences of the present 
War, and on the Expediency or the Dan- 
ger of Peace with France.” , 
THEOLOGY, MORALS, AND RNCCLESIASTICAL 
AFFAIRS. 
In the first volume of “ The Futhers of 
the English Church; or a Selection from 
the Writings of the Reformers and Early 
Protestant Divines of the Church of Eng- 
land,’ we have an assemblage of tracts, 
and extracts from the works of Walliaiy 
Tindal, Joha Frith, Patrick Mamilton, 
George Joy, and Robert Barnes; with 
memorials of their lives and writings, 
from Fox and Bishop Bale. ‘ 
Mr. Nuisgser’s tract, entitled “. The 
Myscerious Lunguage of §t. Paul in his 
Description of the Man of Sin, proved 
Jrom the Gospel Hisiory, to relate, not to 
the Church of Rome, but to the Times in 
which it wus written,” will be found both 
curious atid interesting, It is accompa 
liled 
