25 The Moralizer.-No. 4. 26 usher him into futurity, with a ten-posed rarities. His attention was re fold weight of guilt on his accursed head. "Nam veræ voces tum demum pectore ab imo “Eliciuntur; et eripitur persona, mane tres.” Will. Legune was the only son of parents, whose information and whose circumstances contributed to furnish him with a liberal education. His father occupied two conspicuous offices, being at the same time clerk and collector of taxes in the parish where he resided. He was a man of considerable intelligence, and unusual sobriety; having been heard to swear but once, and that when he was interrupted in an attempt to demonstrate his affinity to Susanna, wife of *** ****, parish clerk, whose memoirs, written by himself, have been perused with so much interest, in the works of A. Pope, Esq. His son William, by a voice naturally good, and a disposition unusually facetious, became the favourite of the squire, who, before his hopeful client had seen seventeen summers, sent him with a recommendatory letter to the manager of one of the London theatres. Elate with expectation, and glowing with gratitude, Will. repaired to the metropolis; and was not a little mortified, on his arrival, at missing his credentials. Pride prohibited his return; whilst emulation encouraged his stay; and in the prosecution of a scheme, with the success of which he had identified all his hopes of satisfaction and comfort, he resolved that personal negligence should not constitute the cause of his disappointment. But in vain was his attendance regular, and his address respectful. After fruitless solicitations, and repeated delays, he resigned all hope of obtaining a situation, for which he had anxiously applied, and on which he had confidently calculated. In the orchestra of a neighbouring church, where he occupied a weekly station, the propriety of his behaviour, and the melody of his voice, introduced him to the notice, and eventually into the service, of a childless widower; whose foibles he so artfully flattered, and whose affections he so fully won, as to be appointed one of his executors on the death of his master, with a legacy of £300. | He now commenced trade, rose early, lived frugally, dressed neatly; printed cards, bowed to customers, and exNo. 23-VOL. III. warded, and his credit increased. In twelve months he doubled his capital; and in nine successive years, found himself in circumstances sufficiently shop and business. He then devoted easy, to justify him in disposing of his his time to reading, and employed his abilities in investigation. He studied polemical publications, and discoursed on controverted points; read Hobbes's Leviathan with admiration, was enraptured with the sentiments of Hume's History and Essays, and could repeat more than one-fourth of Creech's Lucretius. The fund of argument with which these obnoxious productions had supplied him, was not designed for concealment. quented a coffee-house, and daily He regularly fremade proselytes. His advocates at length became so numerous, and his sentiments so notorious, that he quitted his accustomed rendezvous, and formed a club at another end of the town, of which he was constituted the president. Here infidelity usurped the power of reason; and atheism was invested with the ensigns of virtue. Scepticism was denominated unprejudiced inquiry; and Christianity subjected to senseless derision. The surest road to the esteem of these unhallowed deriders of sacred subjects, was an unsolicited insult on the scriptures, or an indirect sarcasm on religion, Quem dixere chaos, rudis ingestaque moles, But Will. to his mortification soon perceived his principles utterly incapable, either of imparting moral excellence, or of ensuring uninterrupted prosperity. In the short space of three years, he saw two of his associates transported for felony, two lodged in the Fleet for debt, and one hung for forgery. After the execution of this unhappy miscreant, he evidently became the subject of much mental dejection; was often alone, and seldom accessible. At length his total confinement to his apartment, during the course of a great part of the morning, excited alarming apprehensions. No reply was made to loud and reiterated applications for adm ission: at length the door was burst open, and the unfortunate champion ofspecious infidelity, was found stretched on the sofa, an inanimate corpse. On the table was a bottle of laudaC 27 Shocking Instance of Cannibalism in New Zealand. num, and a slip of paper, with this sentence in his own hand-writing : Hic jacet GULIELMUS LEGUNE; qui, si modo quantum sibi consuluit, Deum coluisset, nunquam in extremo fato ita destitutus esset. SHOCKING INSTANCE OF CANNIBALISM, ALTHOUGH We copy the following ar- Our readiness to comply with a request which was then made to us, not to give immediate publicity to the relation, furnishes the reason why we did not at that time insert this, and several anecdotes of a similar description and character, in the pages of the Imperial Magazine. Its public appearance, however, having rendered the request inefficacious on the part of those who solicited, cancels, we conWe ceive, the obligation on ours. state these circumstances, that the parties concerned may not think we have treated their request with disrespect. 28 savage-looking man, of gigantic stature, entirely naked, and armed with an axe. Mr. Leigh, though somewhat intimidated, manifested no symptoms of fear, but boldly demanded to see the lad. The cook, for such was the occupation of this terrific monster, then held him up by his feet. He appeared to be about fourteen years of age, and was about half roasted. Mr. Leigh returned to the village, where he found several hundreds of the natives seated in a circle, with a quantity of coomery (a sort of sweet potato) before them, and waiting for the roasted body of the youth. In this company were shewn to him the parents of the child, expecting to share in the horrid feast. reasoning with them for about half an hour on the inhumanity and wickedness of their conduct, he prevailed on them to give up the boy to be interred, and thus prevented them from consummating the most cruel, unnatural, and diabolical act, of which human nature is capable." After Mr. Leigh, on rescuing the body from their hands, found on examination, that it was in a mutilated state; it having no head, and only one arm. He then informed the savages, that he must have the absent parts, especially the head, as the body was no good without the head." Finding him both resolute and persevering, they, after some time, reluctantly procured the head, and gave it up. Having ob"ONE day, while Mr. Leigh was walk-tained this, he then urged similar ining on the beach, conversing with a quiries respecting the arm, and insistnative chief, his attention was arrested ed on having it restored. This, they by a great number of people on a neigh-soon gave him to understand, was imbouring hill. He inquired the cause of possible; and on being pressed closely such a concourse, and being told that on the ground of the asserted imposthey were roasting a lad, and had as-sibility, they put their fingers to their sembled to eat him, he immediately open mouths, to signify that this part proceeded to the place, in order to as- had been already eaten. With regard certain the truth of this appalling rela- to the intestines, we do not recollect tion. Having arrived at the village that Mr. Leigh made any particular where the people were collected, he remark. asked to see the boy. The natives appeared much agitated at his presence, and particularlyat his request, as if conscious of their guilt: and it was only after a very urgent solicitation that they directed him towards a large fire at some distance, where they said he would find him. As he was going to this place, he passed by this bloody spot on which the head of the unhappy victim had been cut off; and on approaching the fire, he was not a little startled at the sudden appearance of a It furthermore appears, from the account given by Mr. Leigh, that with these horrid repasts the barbarians of New Zealand were but too well acquainted. They had so far polished cannibalism into refinement, that they could distinguish the most delicate portion in the human body, from the parts which were less palatable to the savage epicure. They informed him, that the most delicious morsel was a particular part of the arm, to which they directed his attention. 29 The Seven Icebergs of Spitzbergen. THE SEVEN ICEBERGS OF SPITZBERGEN. THE Seven Icebergs are each, on an average, about a mile in length, and perhaps near two hundred feet in height at the sea edge; but some of those to the southward are much greater. A little to the northward of Horn Sound, is the largest Iceberg I have seen. It occupies eleven miles in length of the sea coast. The highest part of the precipitous front adjoining the sea, is, by measurement, four hundred and two feet, and it extends backwark to the summit of the mountain, to about four times that elevation. Its surface forms a beautiful inclined plane of smooth snow; the edge is uneven and perpendicular. At the distance of fifteen miles, the front edge subtended an angle of ten minutes of a degree. Near the South Cape lies another iceberg, nearly as extensive as this. It occupies the space between two lateral ridges of hills, and reaches the very summit of the mountain, in the background, on which it rests. 'It is not easy to form an adequate conception of these truly wonderful productions of nature. Their magnitude, their beauty, and the contrast they form with the gloomy rocks around, produce sensations of lively interest. Their upper surfaces are generally concave: the higher parts are always covered with snow, and have a beautiful appearance; but the lower parts, in the latter end of every summer, present a bare surface of ice. The front of each, which varies in height from the level of the ocean, to four hundred or five hundred feet above it, lies parallel with the shore, and is generally washed by the sea. This part, resting on the strand, is undermined to such an extent by the sea, when in any way turbulent, that immense masses, loosened by the freezing of water lodged in the recesses in winter, or by the effect of streams of water running over its surface, and through its chasms in summer, break asunder, and with a thundering noise fall into the sea. But as the water is in most places shallow in front of these icebergs, the masses which are dislodged are commonly reduced into fragments before they can be floated away into the main sea. This fact seems to account for the rarity of icebergs in the Spitzbergen sea. 30 'The front surface of icebergs is glistening and uneven. Wherever a part has recently broken off, the colour of the fresh fracture is a beautiful greenish blue, approaching to emeraldgreen; but such parts as have long been exposed to the air, are of a greenish-grey colour, and, at a distance, sometimes exhibit the appearance of cliffs of whitish marble. In all cases, the effect of the iceberg is to form a pleasing variety in prospect, with the magnificence of the encompassing snow-clad mountains, which, as they recede from the eye, seem to "rise crag above crag," in endless perspective. The 'On an excursion to one of the Seven Icebergs, in July 1818, I was particularly fortunate in witnessing one of the grandest effects which these polar glaciers ever present. A strong north-westerly swell having for some hours been beating on the shore, had loosened a number of fragments attached to the iceberg, and various heaps of broken ice denoted recent shoots of the seaward edge. As we rowed towards it with a view of proceeding close to its base, I observed a few little pieces fall from the top, and while my eye was fixed upon the place, an immense column, probably fifty feet square, and one hundred and fifty feet high, began to leave the parent ice at the top, and leaning majestically forward with an accelerated velocity, fell with an awful crash into the sea. water into which it plunged was converted into an appearance of vapour or smoke, like that from a furious cannonading. The noise was equal to that of thunder, which it nearly resembled. The column which fell was nearly square, and in magnitude resembled a church. It broke into thousands of pieces. This iceberg was full of rents as high as any of our people ascended upon it, extending in a direction particularly downward, and divided into innumerable columns. In some places, chasms of several yards in width were seen, in others they were only a few inches or feet across. One of the sailors who attempted to walk across the iceberg, imprudently stept into a narrow chasm filled up with snow to the general level. He instantly plunged up to his shoulders, and might, but for the sudden exertion of his arms, have been buried in the gulf.'Scoresby. 31 Female Character at Otaheite.-Remarkable Coincidences. 32 SKETCHES OF FEMALE CHARACTER AT OTAHEITE, IN 1796. THE Women of quality allow themselves greater liberties than their inferiors; and many among the Arreoy women, (a licentious society enjoying various privileges,) pride themselves on the number of their admirers, and live in a fearfully promiscuous intercourse. Few children can be the consequence of this mode of life, and these are universally murdered the moment they are born. Yet with all this, many are true and tender wives; their large families prove their sacred attachment to the individual with whom they are united; and our European sailors who have cohabited with them have declared, that more faithful and affectionate creatures to them and their children could no where be found. The history of Peggy Stewart marks a tenderness of heart that will never be heard without emotion. "This woman was the daughter of a chief, and was taken for his wife by Mr. Stewart, one of the unhappy mutineers. They had lived with the old chief in the most tender state of endearment. A beautiful little girl was the fruit of this union: she was at the breast when the Pandora arrived, seized the criminals, and secured them in irons on board the ship. "Frantic with grief, the unhappy Peggy (for so he had named her) flew with her infant in a canoe to the arms of her husband. The interview was so affecting and afflicting, that the officers on board were overwhelmed with anguish ; and Stewart himself, unable to bear the heart-rending scene, begged she might not be admitted again on board. She was separated from him by violence, and conveyed on shore, in a state of despair and grief too big for utterance. "Withheld from him, and forbidden to come any more on board, she sunk into the deepest dejection; it preyed upon her vitals; she lost all relish for food and life; rejoiced no more; pined away under a rapid decay of two months; and fell a victim to her feelings, dying literally of a broken heart. Her child is perhaps yet alive, having been brought up by a sister, who nursed it with peculiar care, discharging towards the helpless orphan, all the duties of an affectionate mother." REMARKABLE COINCIDENCES RESPECT ING SNEEZING. IT was formerly a prevailing custom in this country, on the sneezing of an infant, for its father, mother, nurse, or some friend present, to say, “God bless you," or " God bless you, my dear;" and in many parts of the nation this usage is not yet abandoned. This custom seems to have been founded upon an ancient superstition, that sneezing was occasioned either by witches or evil spirits, portending evils, which this invocation was introduced to prevent. It is somewhat remarkable, that in Otaheite the same custom prevails among the natives; but their views of the occasion have not been communicated. With us, the expression "God bless you," &c. is chiefly confined to the sneezing of infants, but not exclusively so, it being sometimes used in reference both to men and women. In Otaheite, when a stranger enters the habitation of a native, the people of the house call out Mannow wà, "Welcome," to which the stranger replies, Harre minay, I am coming:” immediately those of the house answer, Yourana t' Eatooa, "God bless you." And if any person sneeze, whether old or young, they use the same salutation or expression, "God bless you.” After the origin of this singular coincidence it would be in vain to inquire. ANOTHER COINCIDENCE ON THE TRINITY, STILL MORE REMARKABLE. THERE is another coincidence in the names given by the inhabitants of Otaheite to the objects of their worship, that is equally striking, and far more important. The deities of Otaheite are nearly as numerous as the persons of the inhabitants. Every family has its tee, or guardian spirit, whom they set up and worship at the morai. But they have a great god, or gods, of a superior order, denominated FwHANOW PO, born of Night. The general name for deity, in all its ramifications, is Eatooa. Three are held supreme; standing in a height of celestial dignity that no others can approach unto; and what is more extraordinary, the names are personal appellations. 1. Tane, te Medooa, "THE FATHER." 33 Reflections on the New Year. 2. Oromattow, 'Tooa tee te Myde, "GOD IN THE SON." 3. Taroa, Mannoo te Hooa, "THE BIRD, THE SPIRIT." "To these dii majores they only address their prayers in times of great distress and seasons of peculiar exigency, supposing them too exalted to be troubled with matters of less moment than the illness of a chief, storms, devastations, war, or any great calamity.”—Missionary Voyage, page 333. REFLECTIONS ON THE NEW YEAR. Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours, And ask them, what report they bore to heaven; news. If Wisdom's friend, her best; if not, worst foe. 34 hours, and enliven the lonesome path. The mariner, who is sailing on a sea replete with rocks and quicksands, steers his fragile bark with much anxiety and solicitude, and ever and anon, amid impending dangers which threaten him with immediate destruction, he inquires, Whither am I directing my course? Shall I arrive in safety at the haven of security? Whilst hope keeps his mind buoyant; and the prospect of seeing those he loves, and who are related to him by ties the strongest, and most endearing, adds a sweet to the bitters of many a cheerless day, and joyless night. The Christian is a traveller; the world, in his estimation, is a dreary region; he is beset with merciless and cruel foes; he is continually in danger of mistaking his path, and becoming a prey to his blood-thirsty and implacable enemies: how indispensably necessary then is it for him to cultivate reflection, and to make frequent inquichild.ries with regard to his situation, but above all to solicit the aid and guidance of that God, whose he is, and condescendingly and kindly engaged whom he professes to serve, who has to become the guide and protector of his people, whilst they are wandering through this vale of tears. The more our joy, the more we know it vain; To review a past year, a past month, a past week, a past day, yea, even a past hour, well becomes those who are candidates for eternal happiness. To pause a moment, and inquire, The Christian is a mariner; he is What have I been doing? Whither am sailing over a tempestuous ocean, and I going? Am I in a safe path? Shall his feeble bark is in continual danger I arrive eventually at that place where of dashing upon a rock, or of founderhappiness is unallayed by misery, and ing upon the quicksands; he expeholiness is unmixed with sin and sor-riences wave upon wave, billow upon row?-well becomes those who are feelingly alive to the destinies of mankind. The queries are of such infinite importance, as to need no enforcement upon the mind of the true Christian; upon the mind of that man, who is aware of the awful responsibility attaching itself to his conduct, whilst in a state of trial and probation. The traveller, who is directing his course through a dreary region, abounding with savage beasts, and more savage men, billow, and often gives up all for lost. taken away:" at this moment, how"All hope that he shall be saved, is ever, with restless importunity he invokes the assistance of that Friend who is born for adversity, whose aid he has heretofore experienced in circumstances as urgent as those in which he is now placed; and exercising implicit confidence in his veracity and fidelity, he exclaims, "Lord, save, or I perish.' Nor does he supplicate in vain; for soon, in accents sweet and melodious, more sweet than e'er flowed from mortal tongue, he hears his Father's voice, saying," Peace, be still; and, lo, there is a calm." Then he dismisses his fears, and banishes his sorrows; with alacrity and joy, he unfurls his sails and speeds his course, whilst the consciousness of his possessing a skilful and unerring pilot, and the anticipation of a speedy arrival at the haven |