"O Slavery---- Profuse of woes, and pregnant with distress, Eternal horrors in thy presence reign; Pale meagre famine leads thy horrid train; To each dire load subjection adds more weight, And pain is doubled in the captive's fate: O'er nature's smiling face thou spreadst a gloom, And to the grave dost every pleasure doom." Years had elapsed since Irving had indited the letters from which we have extracted, and every passing one had seen an increasing tendency to suffer humanity to yield to interest: what had been the practice of official duty, became the actuating principle, and gold, the "Insidious bane that makes destruction smooth, The foe to virtue, liberty, and truth," absorbed the better feelings, which had at first recoiled from the scenes of cruelty and oppression he had witnessed; and he could calmly execute the one and the other, and be at no loss to justify (at least to himself) the acts, and even reason upon the trade of human beings; if not, indeed, upon its humanity and justice, at least upon its expedience; forgetful of that great and comprehensive, but most simple maxim: "Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you." The order he had received from his employers, arrived at an opportune period; for he had, on that very day, been invited to attend the ceremony of the coronation of the king of Whidáh, to take place in a few days, at Sabi. With the true spirit of gain, he calculated that this event might, by a little judicious policy, be rendered, not only subservient to his present pressing demand for slaves, but also might open greater facilities than he had hitherto possessed, of obtaining a choice. Interest, therefore, united with curiosity, in his determination of attending the ceremony; a few preliminaries of which we will name, ere we accompany him to it.