SPEAKER, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE ASSEMBLY-The late declaration of martial law in this island, and the circumstances which attended it, have induced me to convene you once more, notwithstanding the regret which I feel in calling you from your homes after so many interruptions to the attention due to your private concerns, but I trust that your meeting will not be of long continuance... MR. SPEAKER, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE ASSEMBLY, I am confident that you will cheerfully make such provision for the payment of the expenses incurred by the assembling of the militia, the establishing of depôts of articles of subsistence and ammunition in the interior, and other necessary measures which have been adopted for the security of the island, as those services may require. GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, MR. SPEAKER, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE ASSEMBLY,-Although I have no certain information of the present situation of the combined forces of the enemy, yet the arrival of a British squadron at Barbadoes, in pursuit of them under the command of Lord Nelson, on the 4th of last month gives me reason to expect that they have left the West-Indies; and I trust that the preparations made here to receive the enemy had they presumed to have attacked us, will give you great confidence of success against any attempts they may make in future. - Answer of the House of Asssembly. IT MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUR,We, his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Assembly of Jamaica, beg leave to thank your Honour for your specch at the opening of this session.The necessity of declaring martial law, and the consequences attending it, having induced your Honour to call us together again, we most cheerfully obey the summons, confident that our meeting will not be of a longer continuance than the exigencies of the country may require.We will take into consideration the expenses incurred by the assembling of the militia, the establishing of depôts in the interior, and such other measures as have been adopted for the security of the island, and will make such provision for them as the public faith, and the existing circumstances of the country, render necessary.-From the arrival of British squadron in the West-Indies, under the command of Lord Nelson, and the time which has since elapsed, we have great satisfaction in concurring with your Honour in the belief that the enemy have left these [The following article is the former part of the pamphlet of DR. BRADSLEY; the latter being inserted in p. 371 et seq.--I differ from him as to bullbaiting; but, I shall reserve my reasons for that difference, till the reader has had leisure to peruse the Doctor's remarks; for, if our cause cannot be sup→ ported by fair argument, fairly employed, it will not prevail, and it ought not to prevail.- I will just add here a request, that the reader will well consider the apology made for hunting.] Human nature is so constituted as to require both bodily and mental recreation. This instinctive propensity to amusement in man, is sufficiently proved by the universality of the appetite, in every stage of life, under every variety of clime, and constitution of government. But the regulation of this natural propensity differs greatly according to the circumstances under which he is placed. The recreations and sports of mankind are therefore diversified by the influence of moral, political, and physical causes. The means of gratification are va rious and complex: the end simple and uni form. To escape from the sensations which may be induced by too great or too little exertion of body or mind, and to enjoy the pleasure which sympathy extracts from the varied intercourse with fellow man, give rise to that fondness for public diversions and sportive contests, so conspicuously displayed in the history of mankind. The influence of physical causes, in regulating the nature of these diversions, may be readily conceiv ed. The hardy, strenuous and active amusements of the inhabitants of the temperate and frigid zones, would depress and exhaust, rather than enliven and invigorate, the residents of a torrid clime. Hence the supreme in the enjoy delight of the Asiatic consists ment of those pleasures which are purchased with little, fatigue of body, or agitation mind. To inhale the grateful fumes of his pipe, and to foil his adversary in the stratag gems of chess, or other sedentary games, constitute the principal' part of his amusements. Although physical causes necessarily circumscribe the sphere of man's active pursuits, yet they have much less coutrol than those of a moral and political kind. Man is endued above all other animals with a frame and constitution which can adapt itself to every diversity of clime and change of temperature. He can, in a measure, subdue physical obstacles, when powerfully stimulated by moral and political causes. The savage, compelled to hunt his prey for food, has little leisure to cultivate his intellectual taste and powers. If not exposed to danger from hostile neighbours, his recreations are mostly of a negative kind. He is happy when idle and at ease. But if he be stimulated by the prospect of war, all his amusements tend to accomplish him for carrying on successfully his military exploits. His songs are praises of the heroes of his nation; and his dances are connected with martial discipline. The public shews and festivals of his country are, almost without cxception, of the character of savage war. * -According to the degree of civilization. will the public sports and amusements of a people partake more or less of the mixed character fof corporeal and mental recreation. A display of the arts which refine and gladden life, can only flourish where the condition of man has been long meliorated by the enjoyment of moral and political advantages. Indeed the kind and nature of the popular sports and exhibitions of a people, whether just emerging from barbarism, or passing through the various stages of improvement, or arrived at the highest pitch of refinement, serve to measure, as by a scale, the different degrees of their advancement to the acme of civilization. The two most powerful and celebrated nations of antiquity, Greece and Rome, afford ample proofs of the truth of this remark. The shews and public sports of each of these nations, while they issued from their character and man *The savage tribes of America furnish various proofs of the truth of this remark. Likewise in Collins's account of the natives of New Holland, there is a curious illustration of the propensity of a rude and savage people to those amusements which are adapted to their peculiar situation. Indeed the singular and ludicrous ceremony of initiating youth into the rank of warriors, at the celebration of their military exercises and games, is a striking instance of that disposition to amusement, which even the most savage and wretched state of life cannot eradicate. ners, operated on this very character and manners, and rendered them more ardent and permanent. This connection between the character of a people and their sports, was forcibly impressed on their legislators and rulers. Their public games were insti tuted for other purposes than mere amusement and relaxation. They were rendered subservient in Greece to the noblest views of legislative policy. Intimately connected with the whole system of government, whether civil, military, or religious, they had a moral as well as a political tendency. To promote ardour, emulation, friendship, patriotism, and all the animated principles and connections of active life, the Olympic, and other solemn festivals, were instituted. In order to investigate some of the moral and political effects of these popular sports and public games, which contributed so largely in raising the Greeks and Romaus to a height of unparalleled grandeur, it will be necessary. to examine the foundation of a system, which, in some respects, when freed from its worse abuses, particularly those which the more ferocious character of Rome introduced, may not illaudably nor unusefullybe imitated by the most civilized nations,→ Though it may, perhaps, be admitted, that the difference in the state of knowledge and general policy, in the ancient and modern world, will not admit of a close approxima tion in the system of their public sports and amusements; yet the principles to which the Greeks directed their attention in controling popular amusements, deserve the limited imitation of every free and enlightened people. For, their aim was to direct to innocent and useful objects, two of the most powerful principles of the human breast ;— the love of pleasure and the love of action. Hence arose the institution of the * gymnas tic exercises, which formed the principal part of all the solemn games. The gyminastic art consisted in the performance of bodily exercises calculated for defence, health, and diversion. That branch of these exer *Lycon, according to Pliny, first instituted the gymnastic games in Arcadia, whence they were extended throughout Greece and successively contributed to the. highest gratification of both the Greeks and Romans, in their private schools and public solemnities.They were performed in the Gymnasium, where not only youth were instructed in these exercises, but also the philosophers taught their different doctrines. The Palæstra, which formed a part of the building, was the school for the gymnic ex ercises. rit amongst a people devoted to military enterprise, than the training of youth in these hardy and laborious exercises, and in proclaiming rewards for those who excelled in their public exhibition. If man were only destined to conquer and triumph over- the weaker and less valiant of his race; if the lust of dominion were the only appeti e wor thy of gratification, then the cut vation of bodily prowess and ferocious courage would properly form the business, as well as pleas sure of life. But man has a nobler part to act in society; and enjoyments more pure, lasting, and better fitted to the dignity and character of his nature, become necessary tọ his well being in an advanced stage of civilization. It may readily be conceived, that those arts which sooth and embellish human existence, and which depend on the cultivation of feeling and of taste, would be ne cises, called the athletic or sportive, must be art." And, perhaps no better plan could considered as coecal with the formation of, have been contrived to foster a warlike spisociety, * The five + gymnic exercises, so i accurately described by Homer, Pindar, Sophocles, and Pensanias, formed the principal branch of the ecreation of youth.-To be enabled to excel in the performance of these, they were tramed with the greaten care; and every means was employed to excite powertil emulation. Their orfect was, to recreate and strengthen the boce, as well as forấty-and exalt the mind. For, the firm organization acquired by perpetual exercise, Counteracted the propensity to vicious indulgence, which a voluptuous climate naturally inspires.-They likewise infused a curage depending on animal strength and Vigour, which was excited to the highest pitch among this warlike people. ‡. Besides, the ambition of honest fame (the sure § reward of excellence in these sports and contests) taught them to control the appetites of the body by the affections of theglected by the Greeks, when only bodily soul.-But the chief aim and end of the institution of athletic gymnastics among the more warlike states of Greece, were, perfection in the military character. Their philosophers inculcated this doctrine by their precepts and example. Plato, in his book of laws, after having viewed the high importance of acquiring bodily force and agility, adds," a well governed commonwealth, instead of prohibiting the profession of the athletic, should, on the contrary, propose prizes for all who excel in those exercises, which tend to encourage the military strength, activity, and address could carry off the palm of victory. In the distracted state of the first settlers in Greece, when the bodily energies were constantly in action, courage and personal strength decided the day in most of their military conflicts. Hence courage became associated with every idea of patriotism, honour, and virtue. It is the opinion of Aristotle, "That the nations, most attentive to the formation of the body, strive to give it too athletic a habit, which. injures the beauty of the shape, and stints the growth of the person. The Lacedemonians avoid this error; yet, by imposing excessive labour on the body, they engender ferocity in the mind, thinking this conducive to martial spirit. But mere warlike courage, taken separately by itself, is a doubtful and defective quality, and, cultivated too as * In almost every island of the great Pacific Ocean, we find a similarity, more or less striking, in the athletic and warlike exercises of the natives, with those practised in Greece. These five exercises were called Pentathlum by the Greeks, and Quin-siduously by the hardening discipline of quertium by the Romans. They consisted of leaping, running, throwing the Discus, darting the javelin, and wrestling; but instead of darting the javelin, others mention boxing. The last exercise was combined with wrestling; and then took the name of Pancratium. See Hieronymus Mercurialis, de arte gymnasticâ; and Potter's Archeclogía. Hac arte, Pollux et vague Hercules Innixus, arces attigit igneas.-HOR. Thus mounted to the towers above, "The vagrant hero, son of Jove." Such as gained victories in any of these games, especially the olympic, were universally honoured, and almost adored.--See Plutarch's Sympos. lib. 11. Quest. VI. and Potter's Archaol. toils and struggles, will degrade and debase the man, blunt his faculties, narrow his soul, and render him as bad a soldier as he is a contemptible citizen." This necessity of rendering the gymnastic art subservient to nobler pursuits, was felt and acted upon by the Athenians, and other polished states of Greece. The cultivation of poetry and music was encouraged by bestowing the highest honours and rewards on those who excelled in these delightful arts at the cele bration of all the public games. To such a happy combination of mental with corporeal excellencies, cherished and displayed under the most pompous and fascinating ap pearances in their popular diversions and * Gillies's Aristot polit. p. 259him be solemn festivals, may the splendid achievements of this distinguished people be attributed. Considered in the light of affordIng amusement, exciting generous emulation, and of creating robust and hardy citizens, endowed with energy to resist slavery at home, and enemies from abroad, the gymnastic exercises, with some exceptions, and under proper regulations, are worthy of the admiration and imitation of all free and civilised states. But there was another kind of popular sport, common to the less polished states of Greece, and which has been practised by mankind, not only in the rude and barbarous, but (to the disgrace of humanity) in the most advanced and polished period of civilised life. This amusement depended on the contests of ferocious animals, whose natural antipathies were made use of, and designedly enflamed to gratify a depraved and barbarous taste. "They delight," says Lucian, (speaking of the Greeks,)" to behold the combats of bold and generous animals, and their own contentions are still more animated." The savage ferocity inspired by the frequent repetition of such barbarous exhibitions, accounts in some measure for the conduct of the Ephori of Sparta, who, when they declared war against the Helots, ordered that the young bull-dogs should be employed in worrying these miserable slaves. To the Greeks may be attributed two barbarous diversions which have * Montesquieu is of opinion, that the want of employment for the majority of the citizens, compelled the Greeks to become a society of athletic and military combatants; for, he observes, "they were not permitted to follow the ordinary occupations of agriculture, commerce, and the baser arts; and they were forbidden to be idle; consequently, their only resource was in the gymnastic and military exercises." But this assertion is contradicted by the practice of some of the Grecian states. We know that in Athens commerce was highly esteemed and successfully cultivated. This writer must therefore be understood in a restrictive and qualified sense, when he says, "Il faut donc regarder les Grecs, comme une societé d'athletes et des combattans."-Montesquieu de l'esprit de loix. liv. IV. chap. VIII.-The Pancratium, in which the antagonists yoluntarily threw themselves on the ground, and an-: noyed each other by pinching, biting, scratching and every kind of savage attack, ought not to be endured in a civilized country. been eagerly adopted by succeeding nations. The fighting of cocks, and the diversion of bull-fights. The former was first introduced by Themistocles, as a religious festi yal: it soon degenerated into a sport for the gratification of avarice and cruelty. The latter had its rise in Thessaly, and was afterwards transported to Rome by Julius Cæsar. —To Greece, Rome was indebted for almost every institution of popular sports and bodily exercises; but the Romans carried them to a height of splendour and magnificence unknown to their first inventors. The Circus and Amphitheatre of Rome, exhibited, on a scale proportioned to the immense extent and power of the nation, all the popular sports † celebrated at Grecian solemnities. In their gymnassia, youth were likewise carefully instructed in the gymnic exercises, and likewise the athletic combatants trained up for public exhibition: but the barbarous policy of the state, or rather the rude and ferocious manners of the people, gave rise to the alliance of bloody shews and combats, with manly sports and exercises. A gloomy and ferocious superstition, operating on the minds of a people inured, like the Romans, to foreign warfare and intestine broils, suggested the practice of shedding the blood of captives, as a grateful sacrifice to the manes of illustrious warriors, This practice, at first a superstitious rite, became a ceremony of more pomp and ostentation at the obsequies of distinguished persons. Hence the origin amongst the Romans of the profession of a gladiatorand when the people had once acquired a taste for bloody exhibitions, the detestable spectacle of gladiatorial combats was presented for their amusement. (To be continued. * See Pegge's Dissertations on Cockfighting in the Archeologia-Brittan and Potter's Antiquities of Greece. †The Ludi circenses, or Circensian games, included all the diversions of the Circus, viz. The Penthalum, or Quinquertium, chariot races, Pyrrhic dance of the Greeks, to which were added sports of Roman erigin. The Naumachia, or sea fights, and bloody combats of gladiators, and the contests of ferocious animals with each other and with man. The first shew of gladiators was instituted by Marcus and Decius Brutus, on the death of their father, in the year of the city 490.See Kennet's Antiquities of Rome. Printed by Cox and Waylis, No. 75, Great Queen Street, and published by R. Bagshaw, Bow-Street, Cavent Garden, where former Numbers may be had; sold also by J, Budd, Crown and Mitre, Pall Mall VOL. VIII. No. 13.] LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1805. [PRICE 10D." 4491 "Corruption, like Jealousy, is a Monster which makes the theat it feeds on."--SWIFT. LORD MELVILLE. SIR-I enclose you the copy of what was actually the answer to a letter justifying Lord Melville in general terms.—I am, your humble servant, &c. &c.- -A. B. I have been favoured with your letter on the subject of the charges made against Lord Melville, and observe, that though you acknowledge that he has acted imprudently, you are of opinion that he is not grossly culpable. I have not the least doubt of your candour, nor is it any impeachment of that, to say you may have been led to take erroneous views, and to avoid the investigation of a disagreeable subject, from old habits of friendship. I think you cannot have considered the evidence, direct and presumptive,, against his lordship, with your usual attention and discrimination, when you declare your conviction, that he never had a corrupt idea or conception in the conduct of the Treasurership of the Navy. In the earlier period of his public career, I had opportunities of studying his character, and I think I knew it well. I was convinced that he possessed none of what is called public principle, or that which leads a man to act independently of selfish views. His objects were place and power, and his grand one, in those days, to have the management and patronage of Scotland; to attain which, he was ready to serve any minister, and to support every measure of government.- It were easy to exhibit a trait of him as a private individual, a politician, and a statesman; but to you it is unnecessary, and it might be thought foreign to the present purpose; though I apprehend not, for charges such as occur here will be believed with more difficulty, when applied to a man of liberal education and refined sentiments, than to one who has not the least pretensions to either-But with all bis imperfections, he seemed to me totally -regardless of money, and to be generous and profuse to a fault, as he was always in want, and thereby exposed to situations humiliating and degrading, if he had any feeling. I do not mean to impute to him any action dishonourable in private life. I never heard him accused of any thing of that kind.Such was Mr. Dundas when I knew him. No man, I thought, had less of avarice and por [450 apacity in his composition; and, though of 66 knowledged, and accordingly, the resolution. charging him with connivance had passed without a dissenting voice, after there had been inserted, in parenthesis, on the motion of Sir William Pulteney (whose accuracy was remarkable, and who certainly had no hostility to Lord Melville) these words after connivance, as acknowledged by his lordship." His warmest advocates did not attempt to deny the connivance, though they maintained it was not to be stigmatized as corrupt. The fact was on all hands understoud to be confessed, and if it had not, it is impossible to believe that he who saw Trotter living for many years at an expense infinitely beyond his salary, buying estates, and building a palace under his lordships own eye, never inquired how he could año d it; and at the same time lend large sums of money to himself. It cannot be believed, that he supposed the small premium, which in the same speech, for the first time, he said, he imagined that Mr. Coutts might give for the money lodged in his hands, (a cre * See Parl. Debates, vol. IV. p 321. |