in number, who had a long time tamely submitted to their hard treatment, and who refused to do so any longer. They remonstrated with their officers—“ Have we not," said they "fought for our liberty, and been victorious, and are we still to be slaves?" Their question was answered significantly. They were cast into a dungeon, for the purpose of learning the sweets even of that liberty of which they complained.

It would be natural to suppose that Touissaint L'Ouverture, the former commander in chief of the blacks, who effected so much for their advantage in the revolution, and who so powerfully assisted them in the cause of liberty, would be remembered with gratitude and love. This is not the case; his name is seldom mentioned, but in terms of reproach. Christophe said to a friend of mine in conversation, that Touissant was a fool. The fact is, that every man appears to be jealous of another's fame, and endeavours to detract from his reputation, thinking thereby to add to his own. For my part, I am fully persuaded that the spirit of freedom which originally actuated the negro slaves of St. Domingo, to throw off the yoke of bondage, is now completely and effectually extinct, among the grandees of Hayti. It has given place to a spirit of insolence, of oppression, and self-importance. Every one is seeking for power, and the happiness of the inferior classes of the people never occupies a moment of their attention. They are like the rest of mankind, as soon as they have gained their ends by the agency of the people, they forget past favours, and behold with contempt the insignificant, credulous fools who raised them into pow

er.

The grandees of Hayti, I mean those who are admitted in the first circle, and who participate in the style of high life, are, the officers of the army as low down as a commandant or major, (a captain being seldom, a subaltern never admitted into company, unless he be an aidde-camp) the officers of the civil departments, the priests, judges, lawyers, physicians, and a few citizens of different denominations. The great body of the people of the second class are, however, noticed, and are often invited to the tables of the great.

Some of these gentry are nabobs of the first order, and live in a most sumptuous and extravagant manner. They have spacious houses splendidly furnished, servants and equipages, and a guard of soldiers at their doors, to prevent informal visits, and to convey a high and mighty idea of their importance. Their tables are furnished with delicate and expensive meats, fruits, and pastry, served up in the most elegant manner, and accompanied with the choicest liquors, while they themselves appear in all the grandeur of nobility.

You must know that the governor general is at this time in a distant part of the island, but his lady is now on a visit at the Cape, and no

thing is to be seen but festivity and rejoicing. Entertainments are going on with great lustre, and her ladyship has enough to do, to receive the visits, and swallow the fulsome flattery, which is constantly lavished upon her by some of the French white inhabitants.

Not long since I had the honour of being invited to a party given by this lady, and as a particular description, I knew, would be amusing to you, I took the pains to observe every thing with attention. The day before the appointed time, which was Sunday, the twelfth instant, invitations, printed on fine wove paper, with gilt borders, of which the following is a copy, were distributed.

"Invite Monsieur

"Cap, le 11 Février, 1804.

au dîner et au bal qu'elle donne

demain, à sept heurs précises du soir; Elle espère, qu'il lui procurera la douce

et agréable satisfaction d'y assister.

d'ordre

P. A. Charrier."

In consequence of this entertainment, it was, at the same time ordered, that the performances at the theatre (which is always open on Sunday) should commence earlier than usual, that the guests might have an opportunity of being doubly gratified, by assembly there, and proceeding thence in a body to the house of festivity. The theatre opened at half past five, and was attended by a very large and respectable audience, including the greatest part of the gentry, but the performances did not commence until the entree of the governor's lady and suite.

The theatre, though small, is very neatly ornamented within, and the players, who are whites and mulattoes, appear to have some talents for comedy; but as for the delicacy of the performances, little can be said in favour of it. At the conclusion, we moved on in procession, and at about eight o'clock found ourselves before the gates of the government house. It is a spacious and handsome building, situate a short distance from the street, having a lawn with a gravel walk in front, and was, before the revolution, occupied as a nunnery. The avenue from the gate to the entrance of the house was brilliantly illuminated with at least a thousand lamps. We passed through the hall of the house into a large saloon erected in the garden purposely for this occasion. It was about thirty feet broad, and three hundred long, covered and entirely lined with canvas. It was elegantly ornamented on the Inside with flowers, branches of trees, three hundred small lamps of coloured glass arranged around the room, four large chandeliers sus

pended over the table, twelve great looking-glasses, and a marble statue at each end of the room, in a recess. The table contained all the meats, vegetables, poultry, fruit, pastry, confectionary, and liquors, that could possibly be procured. Among these were beef, mutton, turkies, ducks, chickens, wild fowl, turtle, oysters, pine-apples, alligator pears, apples, oranges, puddings, jellies, preserves, cakes, and claret, Madeira, and Champaign wines.

There were two hundred and fifty guests at the table, besides many who could not procure seats. The company consisted of the general of division Christophe, who occupied the centre, with Lady Dessalines, our hostess, on his right hand, and Madame Christophe on his left, six or eight black and mulatto generals, as many colonels and others of high rank, with all the officers of any distinction, civil and military, then in the Cape, the captain and officers of a British man of war, about thirty American merchants and captains, a great number of the white French inhabitants of the most respectable class, male and female, a few black and coloured professional gentlemen, and citizens, and a great croud of mulatto and black damsels. The table was surrounded by about a hundred domestics and waiters, and a guard of soldiers to keep off the rabble, who had rushed in like a torrent to see this beautiful exhibition, and a grand band of music performed fine pieces during the whole of the repast. Except the meschianza given, during the American war, in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, I doubt if any fete ever given in the United States equalled this in luxury, variety, or splendor.

General Christophe was dressed in a scarlet coat, embroidered, I may say covered, with gold lace, for the cloth was scarcely visible, with two golden epaulets, a large military hat with gold lace border, boots with gold borders and tassels, an embroidered vest, and pantaloons,of yellow nankeen, beautifully worked in front. The other officers were dressed in a manner suited to their rank, some, however, very little inferior to Christophe.

Lady Dessalines wore a plain dress; her hair was ornamented with artificial flowers, beads, and combs; her arms with golden bracelets; her ears with suberb rings and bobs; and her finger with a ring containing a small gold watch set in diamonds, valued at several thousand dollars. The other ladies of distinction, and maids of honour, were also encumbered with trinkets and beads, but none of them so extravagantly as the governor's lady.

given by Chris

At the conclusion of the feast several toasts were tophe, and drank with loud expressions of applause; among these "The Governor General of Hayti," (who was absent) His Bri

were,

་་

tannic Majesty," and "The President of the United States." The greatest harmony previaled, and upon this occasion, the time-serving Frenchmen, who were present, had a glorious opportunity of displaying their gallant attention to the distinguished fair ones. After this the company retired into various parts of the house and garden, to keep out of the way, until the tables should be removed, and prepara tions made for the ball; when this was arranged, the music struck up, and the whole room was in motion. As I declined dancing, I amused myself by lounging about the room as a silent spectator. Their chief dances were cotillions; most of them danced well, and some of them elegantly; but the checkered appearance of the floor, was to me a novel, and, I must confess, an unpleasant sight. In one place would be seen, a handsome gentlemanly Frenchman dancing to an ugly, vulgar-looking negro wench, and in another, a delicate young lady, fair as a lily, and the picture of virtue and innocence, going right and left with a savage looking negro, bearing the very front of an assassin. I pitied the poor wretches who were obliged to submit to such degradation for the purpose of preserving their lives; and when I reflected, that, perhaps, at a future day, they might be butchered by these same partners, the very blood chilled in my veins.

It would be reasonable to suppose, that, upon an occasion of this Kind, where there was such a large and crowded assemblage of gentry, perspiring with the fatigue of dancing, and in a hot climate, that the atmosphere of the room would be impregnated with a certain something not too pleasant in its operation upon the olfactory nerves. Upon this subject, I beg leave to remark, that the very general use of musk and other scents in this place, so absolutely predominates, that an odour of any other kind, stands no sort of chance. In fine, a ball-room in Hayti, contains as pure and sweet air as one in any other country, except as it relates to the practice of perfuming.

About one o'clock of the following morning, being a little fatigued, I concluded upon going home, but was surprised to find the gates clo, sed, in consequence of orders given to the sentries to let no one pass. This appeared to me like overdoing the business, and reminded me of some of our Pennsylvania farmers, who think it is not a visit unless you stay with them all night. I however made the best of my durance, and without much ceremony, retired to a distant part of the ball-room, reclined upon a bench, and took a nap. I awoke a little after day-light, and found the ladies and gentlemen still dancing, All around me on the floor and benches, were to be seen sleeping beauties of all colours, but white, who, it seems, had been seized with the same infection as myself, while some of my countrymen, by way of amusement, vërej VOL. II.

tickling their noses as they lay asleep." At sunrise, a supper, to me a breakfast, was set before us, being the remains of our dinner, with some onion soup, upon which we regaled for a few minutes. The last ceremony was now to be performed, and hereupon a difference of opinion arose among some of the Americans, whether they should say good night or good morning to our kind hostess. Her ladyship was seated upon an elegant sopha, with her maids of honour around her. Her countenance proclaimed the joy and satisfaction she experienced upon an occasion where so much harmony and friendship prevailed, and where every distinction of colour appeared to be laid aside, where the black and the white, the yellow and the brown were spontaneously intermingled, as belonging to the same family of which she was the head. Her eyes sparkled with lustre, and her sable lips were prepared with a gentle pout, to receive the salutations of all those, who would prefer them to her shining cheek. The principal part of the French visitors embraced the noble lady, as did also the coloured gentry, but the Americans and Englishmen contented themselves with a respect

ful bow, and thus we took our leave.

R.

THE following very curious letter has, we believe, never before been published. It is addressed by Dr. Franklin to Dr. Samuel Johnson, the first President of King's (now Columbia) College, New-York, the venerable father of the Episcopal Church of Connecticut, and the apostle of sound lear ning and elegant literature in New-England It appears to have been written at the time of the first establishment of the College of Philadelphia, an offer of the presidency of which institution had been offered to Dr. Johnson. This offer he declined on account of a similar and more advantageous offer

from New-York.

A very well written life of Dr. Johnson by Dr. Chandler was published some years ago, containing, besides many very curious anecdotes of the his tory and early literature of our country, a very interesting series of corres pondence between Dr. Johnson and Archbishop Secker, and Bishops Lowth, Berkely, and Gibson, and several other very distinguished dignitaries of the Church of England.