The soil, when well Iv:at:red, is luxuriant beyond what the iniirnitants of more northern climates can well conceive ; and the whole of this c ontinent, except what is cot crud with sand, might be gi eatly improved by cul tiv;ttion.
Nooe of the other continents is so favourably situated for con,me Fee as Africa. Placed almost in the centre of the woild, it enjoys an easy communication with Eu rope, Asia, and America. For almost a thousand miles from cast to west, its northern coast is opposite to Eu rope ; While the distance is nowhere greater than a hun dred leagues, and sometimes does not exceed twenty. The Arabian Gulf affords it a communication with Asia, for a considerable extent from north to south, at a dis tance of from fivc to fifty leagues ; and though separated by a wider interval from the southern coast of Asia, the interposition of islands from Madagascar to Malabar, as well as the alternation of the trade-winds, render that interval particularly advantageous for commerce. Two thousand miles of its western coast lie opposite to Ame rica, and the western islands, at the distance of five hundred to seven hundred leagues. Unfortunately, however, those advantages are more than counterbalan ced by one great deficiency' peculiar to this continent. Penetrated by' no inland seas, like those of Europe and Asia; overspread by no extensive lakes, as North America; nor containing, like the other continents, na vigable rivers, which flow from the centre to the ex tremities, its regions are separated from each other by the least surmountable of all boundaries, arid deserts of formidable extent, which cannot be traversed without the most imminent danger, and the severest suffering.
Hence the progress of civilization in Africa has been beyond comparison slower than in any other quarter of the globe. ..A.t a very remote period, indeed, some of its nations were eminent for their opulence, and their ac quaintance with the liberal arts. Egypt was long the lu minary of the world, from which the rays of knowledge diverged in various directions, enlightening with pecu liar splendour the states of Greece. Ancient writers have been fond of celebrating the superior refinement of some of the Ethiopian nations. Carthage stood long unrivalled in power, in opulence, and in the arts of ele gance and ingenuity, to which extensive commerce gives birth. The conquests of the Romans extended the civilization of the north, of Africa ; and, during the period 01 Roman dondnion, many of the natiyes of this country rose to distinguished eminence in the v ariuus departments of literature. The unexpected appearance of wealth and refinement, whien has been observed in sonic of the interior nations, and the superior skill which they have been reported to possess in a few of the arts of manufacture, have led an ingenious writer to suppose, that in some of these insulated empires, the knowledge and language of ancient Egypt may still im perfectly survive ; or that the Carthaginians, who do not appear to have perish( d with their cities, may have re tired to the southern parts of Africa; and though lost to the world in the vast oblivion of the Desert, may have carried with them to the new regions which they occupy, sonic portion of those arts and science's, and of that com mercial knowledge, for which the inhabitants of Car thage were once so eminently famed. (Proceedings of thc
African Association for I 792.) We would gladly cherish such a pleasing supposition ; but to us, we own, it ap pears improbable, that the Carthaginians, to whom the coasts of Africa, with which they were already acquaint ed, offered a more inviting, and almost as safe an asylum, should ever have attempted to penetrate the Desert ; not to mention, that our ideas of the magnificence tend civilization of the empire of Houssa have been consider ably lowered by the recent communications of Mr Horncmann, who represents the cultivation and natural abilities of the Houssanians, as well as their strength, and the extent of their possession, as far below the des criptions which had been given of them. To the fri cans, in short, the arts which improve and embellish life, arc almok wholly unknown. The nations in the in terior have scarcely advanced beyond a state of nature ; and the striking difference which travellers remark in their manners and dispositions, seems wholly to re sult, either from the difference of their religious senti ments, or from original constitution. The natives of Africa may be divided into two great classes, the Moors or Mahommedans, intolerant perfidious, and sanguinary. ; and the Ne goes, a simple, mild, and hen c VOU9 race, who need only to be enlightened and directed by the gen tle spirit of the Gospel, to render them the most happy and amiable of mankind.
It will remain an indelible reproach on the name of Europeans, that, for more than threT e centuries, their intercourse with Africa, instead of imparting to the na tives the blessings of religion, of industry, and civiliza tion, has tended only to destroy their happiness, and to debase their character. The accursed slave trade has naturally excited their detestation against Christians; while the arts of the slave merchant have inflamed the hostility of their various tribes, and heightened their ferocity, by increasing the frequency of their vas. But we must not now enter into a detail of the enormities to which this abominable traffic has given rise. Ac present, we shall only congratulate our readers on the auspicious prospects which begin to open on this unlbitunate coo, tinent. The persevering and godlike benevolent - of GRANVILLE, SHARPE, CLARKSON, and WILBERFolICE, aided by the powerful influence of Fox and his friends, men whose names will be clieFish.-d wan atiection any generous feeling is prese;-il d in the world, has at lereeth effected the abolition of the slave '.ratle. A few gentlemen actuated by the sari- of humanity, have formed themselves into an INsTITL• nox, to watch over the rights and Intel es's NC:VOCS ii the arts of industry ; and to dill'use among thew Hu lileSSiligS 01 knolvicii:?• iind Belovi• th hoseahuth" Africa "tY ""gc the darkness in which it is now involved ; rise. to its doe im portance among the great continents of the w orld ; and repay, by the riches of its commerce, the bent' (dent e x ertions which are in its bchalf. (k)