ure, be pardoned. But now, when our eyes were
opened, could we tolerate them for a moment, unless we were ready at
once to determine, that gain should be our god, and, like the heathens
of old, were prepared to offer up human victims at the shrine of our
idolatry?

This consideration precluded also the giving heed for an instant to
another plea, namely, that if we were to abolish the trade it would be
proportionably taken up by other nations. But, whatever other nations
did, it became Great Britain, in every point of view, to take a forward
part. One half of this guilty commerce had been carried on by her
subjects. As we had been great in crime we should be early in our
repentance. If Providence had showered his blessings upon us in
unparalleled abundance, we should show ourselves grateful for them by
rendering them subservient to the purposes for which they were intended.
There would be a day of retribution, wherein we should have to give an
account of all those talents, faculties, and opportunities with which we
have been intrusted. Let it not then appear that our superior power had
been employed to oppress our fellow-creatures, and our superior light to
darken the creation of God. He could not but look forward with delight
to the happy prospects which opened themselves to his view in Africa,
from the abolition of the Slave Trade, when a commerce, justly deserving
that name, should be established with her; not like that, falsely so
called, which now subsisted, and which all who were interested for the
honour of the commercial character (though there were no superior
principle) should hasten to disavow. Had this trade indeed been ever so
profitable, his decision would have been in no degree affected by that
consideration. "Here's the smell of blood on the hand still, and all the
perfumes of Arabia cannot sweeten it."

He doubted whether it was not almost an act of degrading condescension
to stoop to discuss the question in the view of commercial interest. On
this ground, however, he was no less strong than on every other. Africa
abounded with productions of value, which she would gladly exchange for
our manufactures, when these were not otherwise to be obtained: and to
what an extent her demand might then grow, exceeded almost the powers of
computation. One instance already existed of a native king, who being
debarred by his religion the use of spirituous liquors, and therefore
not feeling the irresistible temptation