[B] A small negro kingdom near the river Senegal.--_Freneau's note._ [C] See Eneid, Book 6th.--and Fenelon's Telemachus, Book 18.--_Ib._ [D] The mountains northward of Kingston.--_Freneau's note._ [E] Alluding to the _Independent_ negroes in the blue mountains, who for a stipulated reward, deliver up every fugitive that falls into their hands, to the English Government.--_Ib._ [286] Text from the edition of 1809. The poem seems first to have been published in the _National Gazette_ of July 21, 1792, under the title, "The Island Field Hand," with the note: "Written some years ago at a sugar plantation in Jamaica." The present text contains numerous minor variations from the edition of 1795. The four lines beginning "The eternal driver" are original in the 1809 edition. ELEGY ON MR. ROBERT BELL[287] The celebrated humourist, and truly philanthropic Book-seller formerly of Philadelphia, written, 1786 By schools untaught, from Nature's source he drew That flow of wit which wits with toil pursue, Above dependence, bent to virtue's side; Beyond the folly of the folio's pride; Born to no power, he took no splendid part, Yet warm for freedom glowed his honest heart Foe to all baseness, not afraid to shame The little tyrant that usurped his claim: Bound to no sect, no systems to defend, He loved his jest, a female, and his friend:-- The tale well told, to each occasion fit, In him was nature--and that nature wit: Alike to pride and wild ambition dumb, He saw no terrors in the world to come. But, slighting sophists and their flimsy aid, To God and Reason left the works they made. In chace of fortune, half his life was whim, Yet fortune saw no sycophant in him; Bold, open, free, the world he called his own, But wished no wealth that cost a wretch a groan-- Too social Bell! in others so refined, One sneaking virtue ne'er possessed your mind-- Had Prudence only held her share of sway, Still had your cup been full, yourself been gay! But while we laughed, and while the glass went round, The lamp was darkened--and no help was found; On distant shores you died, where none shall tell, "Here rest the virtues and the wit of Bell." [287] First published in the _Freeman's Journal_, February 28, 1787, with the explanation, "Written more than two years ago." The date in the title above, taken from the 1809 edition, is doubtless wrong.