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Messrs. S. and B.-saw the Castle Spectre performed— and "Count Bengowthi" a play of the Celebrated Kotzebue.

Boston, Thursday, Octor. 31st. In the morning Messrs. Smith and Bourn took the Stage for Bristol-and the Commerce being ready for Sea at 4 P.M. took on board a pilot-weighed and made sail-Wind W.N.W. At half past 6 discharged the pilot opposite the Light house

At 8 P.M. the light bore West distant 2 leagues. At 11 P.M. carried away our Main gaft-fresh breeze and heavy sea all night. Next day employed in taking the jaws from the old Gaft and fixing on a new one-attended with difficulty for want of proper tools. Fresh breeze and heavy sea-almost every man more or less sea-sick-for several days rainy rough and disagreeable weather-but the wind being so that we can lay our course we do not so much mind other inconveniences.

coast of Africa, etc. The usual list of rum, food and shackles follows with 'sixty musketts, six half Barrels Powder,' and so on, the bill ending at last with these words: ‘And so God send the good Schooner to her desired port in safety. Amen.""-The American Slave Trade, by John R. Spears.

In 1801 when the prices on the slave-coast were at the highest, the following goods were given for one prime slave:

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'One piece of chintz, 18 yards long; one piece of baft, 18 yards long; one piece of chelloe, 18 yards long; one piece of bandanoe; seven handkerchiefs; one piece of niccannee, 14 yards long; one piece of cushtae, 14 yards long; three pieces of romalls; forty-five handkerchiefs; one large brass pan; two muskets; twenty-five kegs powder; 100 flints; two bags of shots; twenty knives; four iron pots; four hats; four caps; four cutlasses; six bunches beads; fourteen gallons brandy. The total cost of the articles were £25."-The American Slave Trade.

At Sea-Tuesday, Novr. 5th. A fine clear day succeeds to a rainy and boisterous night-towards evening it grows smooth and after Sunset the Moon appears beautifully serene. An evening like this naturally leads my thoughts to my friends on shore. My lovely Niece is perhaps now enjoying herself on the banks of the Lehigh and casting many an anxious thought towards her absent Uncle. May peace and happiness be yours my dear child and may the calm of conscious innocence ever preside in your breast. We have had several delightful nights-the Moon near her full-and the weather in general mild and clear-interspersed however with squalls of wind and rain. Thus it is too in the great voyage of life, our passage is chequered with rough as well as pleasant weather-and our course marked with variety and change. 'Tis to this circumstance that we owe no inconsiderable part of our happiness. If Life was one unvarying scene even of pleasure it would soon clog, and listlessness and languor would depress us. But in this unceasing change there is food for the activity of our Minds, and by passing thro' Difficulty and Danger we are prepared to receive with a higher relish the more pleasureable scenes that may await us. Interest, therefore, as well as the sacred principle of Duty should teach us to receive every allotment in humble submission to Him who ordereth all aright.

Sunday, Novr. 10th. The last 24 hours we have had a very fine run-having made on a due East course 156 miles distance. This morning I called all hands aft and read to them some parts of the prayers and morning

service appointed by the Episcopal Church and informed them that it was my intention to repeat the same every Sunday during the Voyage when the necessary avocations on board would permit. This appeared odd to some of my people and probably would appear so to many others. I however never intend to neglect the practice of any Duty for fear of appearing singular-and if the worship of the Deity is a duty it surely does not cease to be so because we are at Sea. And setting aside everything that relates to the religious or moral part of the business-I can find sufficient inducements to this practice at Sea by the obligation that each individual finds himself under of appearing clean and decent once a week. I remember too what Goldsmith said on a similar occasion-that if there is anything ridiculous in the novelty of the attempt, (illegible in MS.)

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I found in a late Boston newspaper, the following Ballad, which I very much admire, both for its beautiful simplicity of expression and for the excellent morality which it contains. It is called:

*FATHER DENNIS' COMFORTS AND HOW HE CAME BY THEM

You are old, Father Dennis, the young man said
Your locks that are left are quite grey

You are hale Father Dennis, a hearty old man

Now tell me the reason I

pray.

*This poem was written by Southey in the same year (1799) in which this version of it appeared in a Boston newspaper as quoted by Captain Russell. Oddly enough, and for unknown reasons, the poem had suf

In the days of my youth, Father Dennis replied
I remembered that youth would fly fast
And abused not my health and my vigor at first
That I never might want them at last

You are old Father Dennis, the young man said
And pleasures with youth pass away
And yet you regret not the days that are gone
Now tell me the reason I pray.

In the days of my youth Father Dennis replied
I remembered that youth could not last
So I thought of the Future whatever I did
That I never might grieve for the Past.

You are old Father Dennis, the young man said
And life must be hastening away

You are cheerful and love to converse upon Death
Now tell me the reason I pray.

fered a sea-change. As Southey wrote it, these well-known verses are called: "The Old Man's Comforts and How He Gained Them." They begin:

66

'You are old, Father William," the young man cried,
"The few locks which are left you are gray:
You are hale, Father William, a hearty old man;
Now tell me the reason, I pray."

Father William became "Father Dennis" during his passage across the Atlantic in 1799, but otherwise the poem is substantially unchanged. Of course the parody in "Alice in Wonderland" is more familiar to modern readers than the extremely didactic verses of Southey. These latter would strongly appeal to Captain John Russell, godly mariner that he was, " for the excellent morality" with which they are surcharged.

I am cheerful indeed Father Dennis replied
Let the cause thy attention engage.

In the days of my youth I remembered my God
And my God has remembered my age.

Friday, Novr. 15th. For several days past the wind has been S.E. to S.b.E. and quite light-from observations yesterday and to-day I suspected that there was considerable current and at 2 P.M. this day lowered down the yawl and on trial find a current setting N.N.E. about one Knot per hour-the wind still unfavorable-but the weather very pleasant. The nights in particular being remarkably fine-I spend a large part of them on Deck walking-viewing the Moon and smoking a segar at intervals—having but few books and little leisure in the day time for reading. I find much satisfaction now in recurring to the store house of my memory and reviewing again what I have formerly read. Nature in this respect has been bountiful to me, my memory rarely failing. I relieve it at times by suffering Imagination to take the reins and sport in Reason's seat. Building castles in the air has often been ridiculed but it is a source whence I think considerable happiness may be drawn. No enjoyments are more free from alloy than those of the imagination for in these cases we throw Nature out of the question and cook the dish according to our own liking. This sportive power frequently leads me back to Bristol where I have certainly spent some very happy hours. I fancy myself again in the society of those I love conversing in the cheerful circle or rambling by the light of the Moon

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