of the late Lord Falkland, and is still a slave, and likely to suffer all the disadvantages arising from that state, to persons of her description: she is among those whose hearts appear to be touched by Divine Grace, and feels sensibly the evils of her condition. The greater number of these girls live with their mothers; who are, for the most part, sunk in sin, poverty, and wretchedness; and they daily witness scenes, the most improper and shocking that can well be conceived. Some of them are as white as the fairest Europeans; and, enfeebled by hunger and the heat of the climate, are not able to engage in laborious employments. Were they, indeed, ever so willing to work, they would find it difficult, or impossible, to obtain employment, as the system of slavery shuts the door against their being employed as household servants. A white girl, who belonged to the Sunday School, has, however, obtained a place, and is gone to service.

If these girls determine on leading a virtuous life, they have therefore no other prospect than great poverty and contempt while a life of unchastity, to which they have constant solicitations after the age of fourteen or fifteen years, holds out to them the advantage of a liberal supply of all their wants. If they are slaves, it opens to them the prospect of emancipation for themselves, and sometimes for their mothers; and, if they are already free, it promises them the accumulation of a small property, and the possession of a handsome wardrobe, together with a flattering degree of respect from their associates. These advantages on the side of vice are often realized, though their duration is always precarious, and in this part of the island peculiarly so; but they almost universally terminate with the decay of personal appearance, or the incumbrance of children.

Notwithstanding the powerful temptations to vice which this striking contrast affords, it is a most encouraging circumstance that seven of the girls in the English-harbour Sunday School, from the age of fourteen to twenty years, have determined "to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

There are some orphans in the school who live with their relations; and, being Free Black and Coloured people, they are not allowed any parochial relief. These relations are wholly dependent upon

their own exertions, which, after all, often prove insufficient for their own support in health: but when sickness occurs, with its attendant increase of expenses and incapacity for labour, some of them are reduced to the greatest possible distress. Unless these people have a strong principle of faith in God, it cannot therefore be expected that they should resist the temptations which surround them, to dispose of those orphans, according to the prevailing custom of the country, as concubines to men who are able to provide them with food and raiment, and to put it in their power to relieve their distressed relations.

Sunday, Oct. 1st, 1815, being the Sixth Anniversary of the English-harbour Sunday Schools, was celebrated as a day of thanksgiving. Notice of the design having been given by the Superintendants, more than 200 children and young persons assembled, between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, attended by their teachers. As president of the institution, Mr. Dawes addressed the children in an affectionate manner; and particularly called their attention to the great blessing vouchsafed them, in the establishment of a Sunday School in a neighbourhood where vice and ignorance had so long and so mightily prevailed. He commended several young women who were among the first objects which it embraced; and who, having derived benefit from it themselves, were desirous of imparting it to others, and with this view had become teachers in the school. He expressed a hope that their example would stimulate others-pointed out those things which he thought likely to be injurious to them, and to defeat the good effect of the exertions made in their behalf-strongly recommended reading the Scriptures, with prayer, obedience to parents, and to all the precepts inculcated in the Bible, with the practice of industry, frugality, and chastity. The address was followed by a hymn; after which tickets were distributed. Four Field Negroes received the highest tokens of approbation; and several children under six years of age were rewarded with inferior tickets. A little girl just turned of six received one of the first class. She is a very interesting child, reads prettily in the Bible, and was so anxious to have one of her own, that she eagerly brought to the Superintendant, for the purpose of purchasing one, various small sums obtain

ed from her friends at different times. A Bible Association is formed in the school; and the collection, in one month, amounted to 28s. The number of tickets distributed among the girls on this occasion exceeded sixty: the boys had only seventeen among them, they having for some time declined greatly in attendance; though, latterly, they had become more regular. The 100th Psalm was sung after the distribution of the tickets, and the meeting closed with prayer. A plain cake and an orange were given to each child at going away; and, excepting the disappointment experienced by some who had not received tickets, great and general satisfaction seemed to be inspired by this observance of the day.

On the day after the anniversary, a girl, about ten years of age, who is the illegitimate daughter of an officer in the army by a very depraved woman, came to Mrs. Thwaites, earnestly entreating to be permitted to live with her. Her grandmother, mother, and two sisters, are sunk into the lowest depths of disease, poverty, and wretchedness; though two of them are under twenty years of age. She had not even decent clothes to attend the school in. She was so urgent with her mother to give her up, that the unhappy woman came to Mrs. Thwaites, and professed her willingness to do so.

Another girl, much about the same age, is both fatherless and motherless; and lives with an aunt, who is experiencing in her own person such wretched effects of a life of prostitution, that she is desirous of having her niece brought up in habits of chastity and industry; and for this purpose, wished to board her with one of the teachers in the Sunday School. As the poor woman, however, had not the means of paying for the girl's board, or even schooling, and the teacher herself is in indigent circumstances, the girl must be abandoned to the miseries which surFound her, if she be not rescued by means of the institution.

These two instances are selected out of many others, as most recent and striking.

From a communication just received from Mr. Dawes, by the Committee of the Church Missionary Society, it appears that the schools continue to prosper. The males amount to about 100; the females to 165, although twenty-one of these have left the school with credit within the last six months, several of whom are at service in respectable and

creditable families. Three have been rescued from situations of great moral danger, at their own and their friends' earnest entreaty; and are placed with young women of good character, where they are learning to get a creditable subsistence by the needle. These three

are

now under the protection of a Female Society, lately formed, called the Female Refuge."

A paper, describing the nature and purposes of that society, was to be sent to every family in the island which has female inmates; for no male subscriber is to be admitted.

A similar institution was formed in St. John's, on the 25th of September last. The proposal originated with a few pious young women of Colour; and was so favourably received by other respectable women of the same class, that thirty-two were present at the formation, and subscribed liberally. The number has since increased considerably; and the Society promises to be the instrument of much good. It is called "The Distressed Females' Friend."

Mr. Dawes having recommended the appointment of Mr. James Bates, as assistant catechist and schoolmaster, his recommendation has been adopted. This worthy man has been lồng a zealous promoter of the schools, and of every plan which tended to advance the glory of God. His pity was awakened by the many poor Black and Coloured children of his neighbourhood, who could not procure even a rag to cover their nakedness, and who consequently could not be admitted into the school, though some of them were extremely anxious to learn it was some time since discovered that he had been in the habit of quietly and privately getting into his house a few of these children at a time, and teaching them to read. Having been discharged, in consequence of the reduction of the establishments, from his office as one of the Store-porters in the Dock-yard, he was about to quit the neighbourhood, but will now be retained in the service of the Society.

Beside the Sunday School which Mr. Dawes found established before his arrival at English Harbour, he has opened an early school, at six o'clock on Sunday morning, for the religious instruction of men and youths-a Monday evening school, for catechising men and youths; and for teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic--and a Thursday evening school, for men only, in which they are catechised, and taught to read.

Mrs. Dawes has also opened a Thursday evening school, for the instruction of females.

The Church Missionary Society, beside the appointment of Mr. Bates as assistant to Mr. Dawes, have placed 100l. at Mr. Dawes's disposal, in furtherance of the education of the poor children around him; and will continue or modify this grant annually, according to circumstances.

The above account of the Englishharbour Schools (which we have taken from the Missionary Register, it appears from the same work) has awakened much interest in several benevolent persons in different quarters, to render some assistance to the poor females whose ease is so affectingly described. Presents of clothing, adapted to the climate and to the situation of these poor girls, would, doubtless, be very acceptable. Books suitable for female children and youth might be added. Any presents of this nature, made up in packages, and addressed to the care of Mr. William Dawes, Antigua, if sent to the Church Missionary House, Salisburysquare, would be forwarded by the first opportunity.

A letter from Mr. Dawes, dated Jan. 18, 1816, states, "that the Country Schools present a most interesting scene to those who advocate the moral and religious improvement of this degraded portion of mankind. Several of the scholars now read the Testament well, and many others have improved beyond reasonable expectation; but their progress would doubtless have been much greater, had it not been impeded by the want of teachers. Some of those who, of necessity, have been appointed teachers can only read three or four syllables; and one, who is the most zealous and efficient of all, does not know his letters! This man, having several children who can read, assembles a number in his hut, and provides candle; and, while his children actually teach, preserves order, and stimulates the scholars to exertion.

"The importance of promoting these schools struck me so forcibly, that I determined on visiting them every Sunday, when not prevented by some insuperable impediment.

"The good effect of the schools is now acknowledged by many of the planters, although at first much opposition was excited. Three young women have been put to creditable service within a month past (now five in all) from the Englishharbour School; and three have been

regularly married from it within the last three years, and live creditably. Prior to 1803, such a circumstance as a Black or Coloured young woman in this neighbourhood MARRYING had, I believe, never occurred; but now there are twenty-one of this description, ALL living creditably, and some respectably, and exhibiting a striking contrast, in the comfort and regularity which prevail in their families, to the misery and wretchedness so common among those of the opposite character. From the Country. Schools seven young women have already been regularly married, and, with only one exception, (in which case a degree of compulsion was exercised by the girl's parents,) do credit to the state."

In another letter, of March 25th last, Mr. Dawes observes

"It is only the deficiency of Country Visiters which prevents our erecting another school, on or near an estate called Jefferson's; and, in fact, had we a prospect of sufficient European Visiters, several more schools might be immediately founded in various parts of the island; the slaves thirsting ardently for the instruction of their children, and many of the planters favouring it, from a conviction of the benefits resulting from it to themselves and their people.

"If the Committee of the Church Missionary Society should think fit to tura their attention this way, I think they could hardly serve the cause of truth more effectually than by sending hither one or two pairs of assistant catechists, married people, of genuine piety, adequate zeal, and sober chastised tempers; who, though strongly attached to the Church of England from principle, could endure to see Moravians and Methodists earnestly and successfully labouring in the same grand cause with themselves.

"These assistant catechists must be of our own country. The Negroes cannot at all understand English spoken with a foreign accent. Besides, these catechists will have to teach the Negroes to read English; and their own present barbarous pronunciation is alone a sufficient impediment to that important work.

"It would be well if the man were acquainted with some useful trade. His wife should, at least, be a good housewife and needle-woman; and if a plain mantua-maker, so much the better. If she also possessed the qualifications of a good, tender, sympathizing nurse, it would greatly attach the female Negroes to her."

THE distress caused by the deficiency of the last harvest appears to be still more severely felt throughout a great part of the Continent, and particularly in France, the Netherlands, and Savoy, than in this country. The difficulties, arising partly from this source, which France has experienced both in victualling the foreign armies quartered in that country, and in furnishing the stipulated pecuniary contributions to the allies, are said to have induced the latter to consent to a considerable reduction in the number of their troops. The French government has also been reduced to the necessity of negociating a loan of about twelve millions in foreign countries; and it is confidently reported that the houses of Barings, of London, and Hopes, of Amsterdam, have agreed to furnish this large sum by instalments, and on terms which will make the annual interest upon it equal to about 11 per cent. In consequence of the general credit given to this report, the French funds have risen about 7 or 8 per cent. This seems to indicate a growing confidence in the stability of the existing government.-That government supported by a decided majority in both the legislative houses, who have acquiesced in the measures of finance proposed by ministers, and have adopted also their plan for the future regulation of the elections of the members of the chamber of deputies. By this plan the elective franchise is vested exclusively in persons paying taxes to the amount of 300 francs, or about 121. sterling annually, and who have attained the age of thirty. If it be true that the number of electors under this new law will not exceed 100,000 for all France, the qualification may perhaps be considered as too high.-A law bas likewise been passed, legalizing, under certain circumstances, voluntary endowments for the support of ecclesiastical establishments.

On the 4th of December, the Congress of the United States commenced its session at Washington. The Message of the President enters at considerable length into the various relations, foreign and domestic, of the American Government. The produce of the harvest had been canty, but still sufficient for their wants,

and the year had been healthy. In the midst of the advantages of returning peace, a depression is experienced in some branches of manufactures, and by a portion of their navigation; the latter arising from their exclusion from the colonial possessions of Great Britain; and he suggests the adoption of such countervailing measures as may be consistent with regard to the friendly relations of the two countries, and the interests of the United States. The United States are in amity with foreign powers. Occurrences have taken place in the Gulf of Mexico, which have made it necessary to demand explanations from the Spanish Government, which it is hoped will prove satisfactory. The Indian tribes are disposed to remain at peace. The re-organization of the militia, the fixing of one uniform standard of weights and measures, the establishment of a university at Washington, and a comprehensive system of roads and canals, are strongly recom. mended to the attention of Congress. The President expresses much satisfaction in the concurrent efforts made by other nations to suppress the slave trade; and he invites Congress to adopt measures to give fuller efficacy to their own regulations on that subject, and to prevent unworthy citizens from mingling in the slave trade under foreign flags, and from collusively importing slaves into the United States. He recommends also a revision of the judiciary establishment. The revenue is stated to exceed the current demands: at the close of 1816 the surplus is expected to be nine millions of dollars. A currency, however, of equal value, credit, and use, is wanted for the interests of the community, and measures should be taken to provide one. The Bank of the United States has been organized under favourable circumstances. He concludes with announcing his intention of retiring from the public service.

It is expected that Mr. Munro will be elected President.

An African seminary has been lately established in New-York, for the purpose of qualifying young men of Colour to become the teachers of their countrymen, and to be employed as missionaries in Africa. "With the aid of these men,", it is observed, that on the Niger, as