phemous thanks offered up to Heaven, for victories obtained over men fighting in the facred cause of liberty, by murderers and oppreffors, are events generally known.

Note 10.

The fhrill horn blew.] The negroes in the West Indies are fummoned to their morning work by a fhell or a horn.

Note 11. How long was Timur's iron fceptre sway'd?

To elucidate this paffage, I fhall fubjoin a quotation from the preface to Letters from a Hindoo Rajah, a work of elegance and celebrity.

"The impoftor of Mecca had established, as one of the principles of his doctrine, the merit of extending it, either by perfuafion, or the fword, to all parts of the earth. How fteadily this injunction was adhered to by

his followers, and with what fuccefs it was pursued, is

well known to all who are in the leaft converfant in hif

tory.

"The fame overwhelming torrent, which had inundated the greater part of Africa, burst its way into the very heart of Europe, and covered many kingdoms of Afia with unbounded defolation, directed its baleful courfe to the flourishing provinces of Hindoftan. Here thefe fierce and hardy adventurers, whofe only improvement had been in the fcience of deftruction, who added the fury of fanaticifm to the ravages of war, found the great end of their conquefts opposed, by objects which neither the ardour of their perfevering zeal, nor favage barbarity, could furmount. Multitudes were facrificed by the cruel hand of religious perfecution, and whole countries were deluged in blood, in the vain hope, that by the de

ftruction of a part, the remainder might be perfuaded, or terrified into the profeffion of Mahomedism: but all these fanguinary efforts were ineffectual; and at length, being fully convinced, that though they might extirpate, they could never hope to convert any number of the Hindoos, they relinquished the impracticable idea, with which they had entered upon their career of conqueft, and contented themselves with the acquirement of the civil dominion and almost universal empire of Hindoftan."

Letters from a Hindoo Rajah, by Eliza Hamilton.

NOTE 12. And brav'd the stormy spirit of the Cape. See the description of the Cape of Good Hope, tranflated from Camoens, by Mickle.

Note 13. While famish'd nations died along the fhore.

The following account of British conduct, and its confequences, in Bengal, will afford a fufficient idea of the fact alluded to in this paffage. After defcribing the monopoly of falt, betel nut, and tobacco, the hiftorian proceeds thus: "Money in this current came but by drops; it could not quench the thirft of those who waited in India to receive it. An expedient, fuch as it was, remained to quicken its pace. The natives could live with little falt, but could not want food. Some of the agents faw themselves well fituated for collecting the rice into ftores; they did fo. They knew the Gentoos would rather die than violate the principles of their religion by eating flesh. The alternative would therefore be between giving what they had, or dying. The inhabitants funk; they that cultivated the land, and faw the harvest atthe difpofal of others, planted in doubt; scarcity enfued

Then the monopoly was eafier managed-ficknefs en

fued. In fome diftricts the languid living left the bodies

of their numerous dead unburied."

Short History of the English Tranfactions

in the East Indies, page 145.

Note 14. Nine times hath Brama's wheels of lightning hurl'd

His awful prefence o'er the proftrate world!

Among the fublime fictions of the Hindoo mythology, it is one article of belief, that the Deity Brama has descended nine times upon the world in various forms, and that he is yet to appear a tenth time in the figure of a warrior upon a white horse, to cut off all incorrigi

offenders. Avatar is the word used to express his defcent.