fhall be able to accomplish all they wish for; yet it must be admitted that the defign is as noble in its conception, as any that ever graced the annals of humanity; and that at all events it must prove beneficial to the natives of the country. For my own part, I fcruple not to acknowledge, that when I contemplate the profpect with attention, ideas burft upon the mind that are of the most exhilirating kind. I think I fee the feeds of a great revolution in the univerfe, that may, in time, reverse the order of things that now prevail. While Europe fhall fink into the abyfs which luxury at length prepares for all mankind, then may Africa prove an afylum to the virtuous part of mankind; and after an interval of ages, the may once more, as fhe has already done, diffuse the light of knowledge upon Europe. Such are the changes that experience teaches us to look for on the globe. Afia, which was the cradle of mankind, is now inferior to Europe : Egypt, which was long renowned for knowledge and for arts, is now funk in the moft deplorable ignorance and debafement: Palestine, which for a time overflowed with milk and honey, is now a defart wafte: Tyre, whofe merchants were princes, is now a den of thieves: Greece, which for a few centuries, contained within itfelf almost all the learning and the arts that existed on the globe, is now in a ftate of the most humiliating ignorance: Carthage, which long difputed the empire of the world with Rome itself, is fo totally ruined, that the very place of it can fcarce be known: Rome itself is fallen and the nations which the deemed the most ignorant barbarians, are now become her inftructors in knowledge, in arts, in arms. Britain was to Rome, Africa may be to Britain. Let us not, therefore, vainly arrogate to ourselves, a fuperiority of endless duration: Let us refpect human creatures, wherever we meet with them, as beings capable of rifing to the highest exaltation of which finite exiftences can boaft, when they fhall be placed in circumftances favourable to the developement of their faculties. Yes, let us embrace the negro, and fay to the fcorched African, Am I not thy brother? Let us mutually aid and affist each other to attain thofe bleffings, which in every part of the world prove the folace and comfort of the human mind,

What

ANECDOTE.

DR FRANKLIN, when a child, found the long graces used by his father before and after meals, very difagreeable. One day after the winter's provifions had been falted, "I think, father," fays Benjamin, " if you faid grace over the whole cafk-once for all-it would be a vast faving of time."

7

To the Readers of the Bee.

ONE year has now elapfed fince the commencement of this work, daring which time, the Editor has experienced the kindness of an indulgent Public in a very high degree, for which, and for the valuable communications of his refpectable correfpondents, his moft grateful acknowledgements, are justly due. The demand for this Mifcellany has far exceeded his moft fanguine expectations, and called for fuitable exertions on his part; but he has met with difficulties in the OPERATIVE department, that he himself did not expect, and fuch as he could not have believed poffible, had they not actually occurred: Such indeed have been the difficulties of this kind, as nothing but the most determined refolution,on his part, to make every poffible exertion to fulfil the engagements he had come under to the public, could have overcome. When a man employs workmen in the way of their bufinefs, and allows the full price that works of that nature regularly coft, or what the operators demand, he might expect reafonably to get it performed in a proper manmer; but fo unfortunately has he been circumftanced in this refpect, that he has been obliged to employ no lefs than four printers, and has not been able to get almoft a fingle sheet of it fo printed, as to admit the poffibility of having it correct; no time being allowed for revifing proofs, nor, on some occafions, even for allowing any person but the printer to fee them, before they were put to prefs. In this way of going on, as no affiftance could be given by proper correctors, if the printer himself, either would not or could not perform this task, correctness in printing was impoffible; and as fome of the printers were unacquainted with any other language than English, it has fo happened, that the errors in printing other languages have been fuch as to be a difgrace to a literary journal; no time was allowed for folding or stitching properly; no time for drying; no time for packing up, and forwarding the numbers: This has been the caufe of much unnecefsary expence, much trouble, and many mistakes.

The mind of the Editor too, being thus kept in a perpetual state of anxiety, it has not been in his power to attend to the literary department, as he ought and as he wished to have done.

In these circumftances the Editor fenfibly feels the weight of his obligations to the Public, for their fingularly indulgent reception of fuch at

imperfect work. For a little time paft, (unless towards the very clofe of the prefent volume) things have been conducted in a fomewhat better train; and he has had the fatisfaction to find, that his correfpondents have unanimoufly concurred in faying the work has begun to improve. It has yet many degrees of improvement to pafs through, before it comes near to what he expected, and hopes it will yet attain. He has been dri ven, from neceflity, to eftablish a printing-house kimfelf for this work; and things are now, he hopes, in fuch a train, as to enable him to fpeak with fome degree of certainty, about the poffibility of having it printed correctly, at least, in future; fo that his ingenious correfpondents need not now be under the apprehenfion that their compofitions will be mangled, as they. too often have been. The letter to be employed is all new; the paper that is now to be ufed, is of the best quality this place can afford, wirewove, and made on purpofe for the work; and though at the very outlet the next volume, he cannot flatter himself that every article will be as perfect as he wishes it; yet, in a few weeks, he thinks that, as to the OPERATIVE part, it will give fatisfaction to his readers; and when more attention can be bestowed upon the literary department, that may perhaps alfo improve.

As many perfons who are advancing in years, take in this work, the Editor has been particularly attentive to them. In compliance with many requests from fuch perfons, he has avoided to diminish the fize of the type fo much as he once intended; and in the next volume, he has fo arranged this article, as, he hopes will meet with their approbation. It was always his intention rather to give fome extra pages above the quantity ftipulated, than to diminish the type; and though he has already done this, at times, yet the impoffibility of getting the printing of the work forwarded, has hitherto prevented him from doing it fo often as he wished. He trufts it will be foon, though perhaps not for a few weeks, in his power to indulge his inclination in this refpect. On the whole, no endeavours on his part fhall be wanting for regaining that character, which, from the crofs accidents above ftated, he thinks he has in fome measure apparently loft. Nor does he defpair.

He thought this apology, for once, neceffary to account for circumftances that have given him much pain, and to ease his mind of a load, that he has found very burdenfome.

*

The Editor wishes good health, and many happy returns of the feafon, to all his readers.