OR THE UNIVERSAL EMPIRE OF LOVE: A P O E M.

By James Boswell, Esq.

Facit indignatio versus. Horat.

Omnia vincit amor. Ovid.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR R. FAULDER, IN NEW BOND STREET. MDCCXCI.

[Price One Shilling and Sixpence.]

Entered at Stationer’s Hall

ERRATUM. P. 13, l. 7, for mighty read magick.

TO THE RESPECTABLE BODY OF WEST-INDIA PLANTERS and MERCHANTS, THE FOLLOWING POEM IS…

NO ABOLITION OF SLAVERY: OR, THE UNIVERSAL EMPIRE OF LOVE. ADDRESSED TO MISS ——.

THE END.

1 Had he the command of thunder, there can be no doubt that he would long before now have cleared a troublesome quarter.

2

3 If the abettors of the Slave trade Bill should think they are too harshly treated in this Poem, let them consider how they should feel if their estates were threatened by an agrarian law; (no unplausible measure) and let them make allowances for the irritation which themselves have occasioned.

4 That the Africans are in a state of savage wretchedness, appears from the most authentic accounts. Such being the fact, an abolition of the slave trade would in truth be precluding them from the first step towards progressive civilization, and consequently of happiness, which it is proved by the most respectable evidence they enjoy in a great degree in our West-India islands, though under well-regulated restraint. The clamour which is raised against this change of their situation, reminds us of the following passage in one of the late Mr. Hall’s ‘Fables for Grown Gentlemen.’

5 The question now agitated in the British Parliament concerning slavery, is illustrated with great information, able argument, and perspicuous expression, in a work entitled, “Doubts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, by an Old Member of Parliament;” printed for Stockdale, in Picadilly, 1790. It is ascribed to John Ranby, Esq.

That the evils of the Slave Trade should, like the evils incident to other departments of civil subordination, be humanely remedied as much as may be, every good man is convinced; and accordingly we find that great advances have been gradually made in that respect, as may be seen in various publications, particularly the evidence taken before the Privy-Council. It must be admitted, that in the course of the present imprudent and dangerous attempt to bring about a total abolition, one essential advantage has been obtained, namely, a better mode of carrying the slaves from Africa to the West-Indies; but surely this might have been had in a less violent manner.

6 Diogenes being discovered in the street in fond intercourse with one of those pretty misses whom Sir William Dolben dislikes, steadily said, “Φυτενω Ανδρας—I plant men.”

7 Manchester Petition.

8 Some of the Scottish Presbyteries petitioned.

9 Risum teneatis amici. Horat.

10 When I forget Him, may God forget me!

11 Mira cano, Sol occubuit, nox nulla sequuta. See Camden’s Remains.

12 The state of slavery is acknowledged both in the Old Testament and the New.

13 The great Dr. Bentley was Mr. Cumberland’s grandfather.

14 Mr. Cumberland is a descendant of Bishop Cumberland, who wrote De legibus Naturæ.

15 Messieurs Carpmeal, Macmanus, Jealous, and Townshend, gentlemen of the Publick Office, in Bow-Street.

16 Sir William Young has a series of pictures, in which the negroes in our plantations are justly and pleasingly exhibited in various scenes.

17 The Angola blacks are the most ferocious. The author does not boast, like Abyssinian Yakoob, “of no ungracious figure”: nor does he, like another beau garçon, Mr. Gibbon, prefix his pleasing countenance to captivate the ladies.

Transcriber’s notes

All original spellings and punctuation have been retained, except as noted.

Title page: “By James Boswell, Esq.” is handwritten below “P O E M.”

Erratum: the change of “mighty” to “magick” has been made.

Line 9: “Thurlow” is handwritten above “T——”.

Line 12, footnote 2: “Sedet eternumqre sedebit” corrected to “Sedet eternumque sedebit”.

Line 27: There is no footnote marker in the original text for footnote 5.

Line 35: “Brown” is handwritten above “B——”.

Line 100: The line numbering is inconsistent.

Line 109: “magick” substituted for “mighty” as specified in the erratum notice.

A press cutting from The Athenæum of 4th May 1896 was included with the original. It reads as follows:

A POEM ON THE SLAVE TRADE BY JAMES BOSWELL

A hitherto unrecognized work by James Boswell was sold a few days ago by Mr. Salkeld, of Clapham Road. It is in quarto, and the title is, ‘No Abolition of Slavery: or, the Universal Empire of Love: a Poem, 1791.’ The authorship appears to have been attributed to Boswell on the strength of an inscription, “By James Boswell, Esq.,” in a contemporary handwriting on the title-page, and there is little doubt that the inscription is correct.

In the volume of Boswelliana edited by the Rev. Charles Rogers for the Grampian Club there is a letter, written in April, 1791, to Mr. Dempster by Boswell, who mentions a recently published poem on the slave trade, written by himself. The editor, in his comments on the letter, remarks that the work referred to by Boswell is unknown to bibliographers. Mr. Salkeld’s discovery, though interesting, will not confer additional lustre on Boswell’s reputation as a bard; but the poem is characteristic and amusing. It is “Addressed to Miss ——,” perhaps intended for Miss Bagnal, who was occupying his attention at that time, and is described in one of his letters as “about seven-and-twenty ... a Ranelagh girl—but of excellent principles, in so much that she reads prayers to the servants in her father’s family every Sunday evening.” The merits of the work are pretty nearly on a level with ‘The Cub at Newmarket’ and other poetical effusions of the writer. Nothing could be more Boswellian than the manner in which the subject is treated, and the piece is

full of personal allusions. Now that the authorship of the work is known, it is probable that other copies will turn up.