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scarcely ever heard of Radical Reform.

It may be suggested for serious consideration, whether universal education will not render the press of England, of necessity, dependent on the Government; for, if the people become buyers of printed papers, the market will be supplied with daily food for their prevailing humours; and, as curiosity and excitement are the feelings most useful to the dealers, such methods will be naturally resorted to, for the prosecution of their interests, as will oblige the legislature to interfere, and induce the moderate part of the community to acquiesce in its restrictive measures.

every reflecting person must be conscious that the first effect of his in--It surely is not to the uneducated, formation was, to suggest doubts and that Cobbett, Wooller, Hone, and produce an unsettled state of mind Sherwin, address their writings; and upon every subject not capable of if popular ignorance renders a people demonstration. Even the religious obnoxious to the designs of such perBeattie, in his early life, was affected sons, how does it happen that they by that false science" which leads to cannot sell one pamphlet in districts bewilder, and dazzles to blind." The where the inhabitants are comparayouth of all Universities are more or tively benighted? less prone to general scepticism; and it is truly remarked by a luminary of the modern school of philosophy, that the only mode of removing our doubts is to acquire perfect information. Now, it is obvious that the tone of opinion amongst the middle and higher ranks is regulated by those who have made the greatest attain ments in every branch of knowledge, and whose natural genius qualifies them to dictate to others. The sophistry of the half-learned sinks before them the schoolboy philosopher dares not shew himself; and each new error becomes exposed by reasoning or ridicule, and is quickly obliged to withdraw itself and seek followers. elsewhere. But amongst the common people this can never be the case: their jealousy of rank and riches nakes every opinion connected with them unpopular and suspected: their own champions are alone looked up to, and those champions can only ac quire or retain their pre-eminence by fattering those passions which are radically injurious to the people themselves, as well as to the state.

When religion is discussed, what effect has Watson's Apology amongst a doubting populace? Or, will the politics of even Hampden, Russell, or Sydney, be respected, if satirized and ridiculed by Paine or Cobbett ?

One most important fact is established by the late turbulent proceedings of the Radicals, namely, that the classes who possessed that precise education which we are now giving to the whole people, were those alone who received the pernicious doctrines, the educated lowlanders of Scotland, the reading and expounding attendants of public-houses in all great towns, and the reading families of cottages, who eagerly gave their pennies for the blasphemous and seditious trash conveyed in waggons through the country, while the ignorant peasantry of Ireland were unassailable, and the highlanders of Scotland

Amongst an uneducated people, real grievances may be effectually used as instruments by the ambitious, and the passions urged to acts of inconsiderate violence against oppressors: but the experience of all ages teaches, that new doctrines have been rejected by the common people, unless connected with the redress of real misery. In an educated community, each sophist finds an audience, and every theory a set of disciples: all striking and obvious incongruities in politics and religion are caught by impulse, whilst explanations are disregarded, because they depend on modes of reasoning and knowledge beyond the power of a people to attain themselves, and distrusted when emanating from others."

In answer to what many persons may say, on reading the above lines, I beg leave to declare, that I am not connected with any Church or party; that my philosophy is rather of the school called modern, or liberal; and that I look upon the actual Constitution of England (Radicals and restrictive statutes forgotten) as the most perfect of all political forms. The power of the democracy is what it ought to be, indirect, but invincible; and the aristocratic branch is forced to exercise its direct authority in such a manner as most conduces to the general welfare,

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1820.]

Customs of the Feejee Islands.

Were I to decide upon the question of national education, my present view would present the following alternative: Every man educated, and a censorship of the press; or limited instruction, and perfect freedom of publication. Yours, &c.

A PRACTICAL POLITICIAN.

History of some curious Customs used by the Natives of the FEEJEE ISLANDS. By J. A.

Tofter South latitude, and THE Feejee islands are situated 174° West longitude. They are very little known, and have received various names from different navigators. Tongataboo is the best known of this group, and there is an account of it in a work by the Missionaries, who endeavoured to convert the inhabitants to our holy religion.

These islands have been but little frequented except by the Missionaries, some of whom were massacred in their devout attempts. They have, however, been sometimes visited by men who had a less holy intention; viz. by persons in search of sandel wood, which forms a valuable article of commerce in China, where it is said to be worth 807. a ton.

In the pursuit of this article many persons have had intercourse with the inhabitants; and have by no means left a favourable opinion of white men among them. One vessel particularly, after promising to as sist them in their wars with the natives of a neighbouring island, for which piece of service their brig was to be laden with sandel wood, received from them their cargo, and left them without any return. In consequence of some nefarious transactions of this sort, they have sometimes shewed signs of hostility, and more than once innocent persons have suffered for the guilty.

Having occasion to pass at no great distance from these islands in the year 1815, the master of a brig in company, whose name is Siddons, gave me the following account. Mr. Siddons had been several years living among them, had an estate there, and they even acknowledged him as a Chief.

As to the truth of his relation I have no manner of doubt; for, although on hearing it, some circumstances were enough to startle me,

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yet having met with another man soon afterwards, who had been in the same trade, I took the opportunity to converse with him on the subject; he gave the same account, and without knowing that I had heard them before, related many circumstances that had happened to Siddons himself; for it appeared they had both been there at the same time.

When a man dies (said Mr. Siddons), if he be a chief or man of importance, one or more of his wives are strangled at his funeral; some have but one wife, but I have known several with five or six. I myself was present at one of these ceremonies. The defunct was an old chief who had died of some lingering disease, and his body was wasted to skin and bone. A native friend, who was a chief, came on-board my brig, and invited me on shore to see the ceremony, as I had formerly expressed a wish to that effect. The corpse was rolled up in large folds of a kind of cloth that is made in these islands, similar to, but coarser than that which is made at Taheite. They conveyed the body to the door of the house of the coloo or priest; who are men having great influence in the country, and who are supposed to foretel future events. The corpse was placed on the ground with the feet towards the door of the priest's house, and many hundreds of the natives were surrounding it. A woman was sitting at the head, which was uncovered, for the cloth was principally rolled across the belly. She had in her hand something like a powder-puff, and she continually puffed the face of the corpse with a black powder. I was anxious to get near the body, but my friend continually exhorted me to keep at a distance. I nevertheless persisted, and advanced to within a few yards of it. The woman continued to sprinkle the face with the black powder, and when I had waited about an hour, a murmur among the multitude and a sort of shout attracted my attention. My native friend, who kept beside me, informed me that it was occasioned by the approach of the principal wife of the defunct chief, who lived some miles off, and who had just arrived in a canoe. In a few minutes she made her appearance, accompanied by her female friends. I did not observe any

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mark of extreme dejection about her, but she appeared serious and thought ful; she advanced to the body, kissed it, and then retreated backwards about twenty steps, keeping her face towards it. A woman well known to me was sitting there, and the widow placed herself upon her lap, when the females who had accompanied her to the place approached her and attempted to kiss her; but she repelled them scornfully with her arms. The woman upon whose lap she sat, then put one of her hands at the back part of the head of the widow, and the other on her mouth; a man suddenly placed a cord round her neck; six men who were ready took hold of it, three at each end, and pulled with all their force. I did not observe that the widow made the least struggle, although after the manner of the country she was only covered about the middle; not even her legs moved. I was anxious to know what would be done with the bodies, and had recourse to my friend for that purpose He told me, however, that that was not permitted to be known, but I might see all that they themselves knew; the final part of the ceremony being known only to the caloo. I accord ingly went to the priest's house in the evening. The dead chief and his strangled widow were placed near the door. I had brought one of my boat's crew with me, and as the few natives that were present had some difficulty in forcing the chief's body through the door-way, in consequence of the many folds of cloth that were about it; this man assisted them in this part of the rite, and while this was doing I went into the apartment, anxious to discover whether there was any grave dug. It was dark, and I felt about the house cautiously with my feet, lest there should be a cavern beneath it, but I found none; and as they had then placed the two bodies beside each other, in the house, my friend told me that I could not be permitted to see more, and we retired *.

Another instance of the same cere, mony I was more intimately acquaiuled with, and indeed was in sobie measure a party concerned. I had been

*A description of the ceremony may be found in the voyage of a Missionary, printed in Mr. Dalrymple's Collection.

on a cruise, and at my return, I found my friend Riceammong dead. He was a fine young man, and a chief; I had formerly entered into an agreement with him for a cargo of sandel wood, which was not yet fulfilled. I greatly regretted the death of this man, not only because I had a friendship for him, but because I feared it would be a means of my losing my cargo of sandel wood. I called immediately upon his mother, who had also been a great friend to me. As soon as she saw me she embraced me; and not knowing I had been informed of her loss, with tears told me, that Riceammong was dead; and what can I do, said she, how shall I be able to procure you the sandel wood? I told her I was much grieved at the loss of her son, and requested to pay my respect to the body. I knew very well before that it was customary to visit and speak to the dead as if they were living, and that there was always some person present to give answers for them. I therefore went with the mother to the apartment where the body was laid, and taking hold of the dead chief's hand, I said to him, "I see, Riceamong, what has happened to you; you are dead, and have left us: you know, Riceammong, the agreement that existed between us, that you were to procure me a freight of sandel wood, which I have already paid you for, and which I have not received; what is to be done in the business, Riceammong?" The mother, who stood by, answered, “yes, I recollect the agreement, and I will take care that it shall be fulfilled." Much more conversation passed between us which it is needless to repeat, when we retired from the body. I was by this time intimate with many of the natives. I had a house and farm, and most of my property was rendered sacred, or as it is called in the country, tabooed, so that any person injuring it might be destroyed.

The old mother took me to her house, and we had much conversation respecting the saudel wood that I had agreed with her son for; she wept much during our conversation, and anxiously spoke of Riceammong's principal wife. You know, said she, that she paid great attention to the white people, that she fed them, and cloathed them. Alas? unless some of her

1820.]

Feejee Islands.

Expence of Witnesses.

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her friends rescue her, she must follow my son to the grave. I know of no friend she has in the world, added she, embracing me, but yourself: are you willing to save her? I would do my utmost to save her. Run then, said she, hastily; wait not a moment, there is still a chance of her life being preserved.-I was ignorant what it was necessary for me to do to effect the purpose, and enquired of the mother; she added quickly, you know that you bave the authority of a chief. Bring to the place of funeral a valuable present, hold it up in your bands, on your knees repeat the words; I beg the life of this woman; and her life may be spared. But con, tinued the old woman quickly, if you save her, you will have a right to her. I do not wish any person to possess the widow of my son. I told her I only wished to save her life; when she embraced me weeping, and I went away. I had unfortunately nothing on shore with me sufficiently valuable for the purpose. I therefore ran down to the boat to go off to the brig, which was thirty miles distant: pulled on-board as fast as possible, and I took one of the largest whales' teeth, which I knew to be more valued there than gold. With a fresh boat's crew we pulled back again; I was certain there was not a moment to spare; on my reaching the shore I leaped out of the boat, and ran to the spot where the ceremony would take place. The caloo, however, was my enemy; indeed he was the enemy of all the white people; he had even predicted that the increased intercourse with the whites would endanger the nation. Hearing what I had intended to do, he had hastened the ceremony. He was a man apparently above the ordinary occurrences of life; whether through hypocrisy or a real hardness of heart, he seemed to be bereft of the ordinary affections of men; and I am inclined to think much instigated by hatred towards the white people, he bad, under the cloak of religion, already bereft the widow of Riceammong of life. The mother had endeavoured with all her power to prolong the time; the widow also, equally anxious to escape, had used her utmost efforts to avoid the fatal cord, but all was in vain. The priest, with a look of sanctity, explained to the people that it was ne

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cessary; that men only had a right to interfere in these concerns; that it was the law, and that he was determined for reasons known only to himself, that the usual sacrifice should take place immediately. It was therefore done as he had commanded, and the widow of Riceammong strangled about a quarter of an hour before I arrived with the whale's tooth. My departed friend had threewives, two of whom were strangled; the third was saved by the influence of her relations, who were persons of great influence.

(To be continued.)

Mr. URBAN,

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Feb. 10.

Y last Supplement, p. 594, is no doubt aware that great expence may always be saved by the parties making mutual admissions on the trial of a cause; but as this depends upon the caprice of the parties interested, or perhaps their attornies, it often happens that instead of saving trouble, a disposition of harassing each other to the extent of their power frequently prevails.

OUR Correspondent S. P. in the

A plan, however, might be adopted, with the sanction of the Judges, or at farthest of the Legislature, to avoid the unnecessary expence which usually attends the examination of witnesses, ore tenus, when their evidence relates to facts, which in themselves are not intended to be disputed; such as the execution of a deed, a demand of goods previous to an action of trover, the delivery of an attorney's bill, signed pursuant to statute before commencement of suit, and many other common-place circumstances, which it would occupy too much space to enumerate.

The mode I propose would be, to receive as evidence the depositions of witnesses taken in writing, according to the practice of the Court of Chancery. Mr. Justice Blackstone (Commentaries, Book 3, 383) suggests the same thing in the event of the witness going abroad, or being aged; the evidence to be taken conditionally, to be read in case the witness leaves the kingdom, or dies previous to the trial; this of course would not answer the proposed end.

Notwithstanding the forcible objections made by that great lawyer (ibid. 373) to this kind of evidence becoming

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