of diplomacy effaces all hope, and after producing despondency, they are at length, under promises of good treatment, induced to abjure Christianity, and accordingly become Mooselmin; after which their fate is sealed, and they terminate their miserable existence, rendered insupportable by a chain of calamities, in the Desert, to the disgrace of Christendom, and the nation under whose colours they navigated. If the interest of the munificent bequest of Mr. Thomas Betton, (who himself experienced during his life the calamity of bondage in Barbary), which now amounts, at simple interest, to 55,900_l._, had been appropriated, agreeably to the spirit of his will,[192] to the alleviation of the dreadful sufferings; to shortening the duration of captivity; to establishing (with the Emperor of Marocco’s consent) a respectable resident agent, who, to a knowledge of the country, people, and language, added such a philanthropic disposition, as would induce him to exert his utmost energies towards the emancipation of these poor unfortunate men, and direct his time and attention exclusively to this charitable and laudable object, how many an unfortunate Englishman would have been delivered from bondage? how many of our valuable countrymen would have returned to their families and connections? how many valuable sailors would be navigating on the ocean, who, dreadful to relate, are now bereft of all hope of ever again seeing their native land, and are dragging out a miserable existence in the interior of the wild, uncouth African Desert? It is true, that a competent agent would, with difficulty, be found; the inducements of African commerce have not led many of our countrymen to exile themselves from civilized society, to pass their days in regions like these; but where remuneration is offered adequate to the sacrifice, an _efficient_ agent might probably be procured, whose philanthropic soul, glowing with the anticipation of relieving so many useful members of society; of being instrumental in alleviating the hard sufferings of so many fellow creatures, would exult in self-satisfaction, and would experience, in the accomplishment of this great and national object, pleasures ----------------“compared with which “The laurels that a Cæsar reaps are weeds.” COWPER.