Wilberforce had already thought of slavery. "It was the condition of the West Indian slaves which first drew my attention, and it was in the course of my inquiry that I was led to Africa and the abolition."

Wilberforce commenced a thorough inquiry into the subject. He began by consulting the African merchants; but he found their accounts "full of prejudice and error.”

Wilberforce began to talk the matter over with leading men in the councils of the nation. "Pitt recommended me to undertake its conduct, as a subject suited to my character and talents. At length, I well remember, after a conversation in the open air at the root of an old tree at Halwood, just above the steep descent into the vale at Keston, I resolved to give notice on a fit occasion in the House of Commons, of my intention to bring the subject forward."

This was done on May the 11th, 1789, in a speech which Burke styled "masterly, impressive, eloquent," and the grand pervading idea of which-that slavery was a national iniquity

-lighted a flame throughout the British dominions. Viewing the subject in this light, Wilberforce carried all true hearts with him, as he traced the destructive effects of the slavetrade on Africa, on its victims, on our colonies; weighing conflicting evidence, and appealing in glowing language to the spirit of humanity.

After this Wilberforce headed a number of associations of benevolent people-chiefly Quakers, which collected, published, and diffused, information on the abominations of the human traffic. And, during the sittings of parliament, year after year, while the question seemed to retrograde rather than advance, Wilberforce undauntedly grappled with all difficulties-prejudice, custom, interest, opulence, pride; commercial, civil, and kingly power; for all these were in arms against his cause; and not Napoleon, amidst his armies, could have displayed more skilful generalship, more untiring energy, than did this Christian warrior on behalf of the

ignorant, debased African slave. From morn to night his house was crowded with abolitionists, with whom he was holding frequent consultations.

When the immense mass of information collected by them had to be thoroughly mastered by Wilberforce to prepare him for the debates in the House, he scarcely took food or rest, sat nine hours daily, and the midnight taper often gleamed upon his pale and anxious face, as he sat immersed in study.

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Year after year the hero of abolition kept the field gallantly, but his course seemed to grow desperate, so powerful was the opposition of the monied classes, and especially of the Guinea merchants, and the great body of West Indian planters. The feeble faltering hand of the venerable John Wesley was exerted for the last time on the bed of death, to encourage Wilberforce still to contend against that execrable villany which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out with the opposition of men and devils, go on, in the name of God, and in the power of his might, till even American slavery, the vilest that ever saw the sun, shall vanish away before it." [Alas! American sla

very still exists, and where is now the Wilberforce to make effectual war against it?] Wilberforce wrote on this letter-"The last words

of John Wesley."

Wilberforce longed to cease the strife, protracted through near, twenty years. "I am sick of bustle, and long for quiet; but I will not leave the poor slaves in the lurch."

The day of triumph arrived at last.

The bill for the abolition of British slavery passed by a large majority. The members of the House of Commons were animated on that memorable day by a more lofty, holy, generous enthusiasm than ever before or since. They felt that the triumph was of no common order. The Spirit of Christ was in the midst of them.

Sir Samuel Romilly intreated young members to let this day be a lesson to them-how much the rewards of virtue exceeded those of ambition. He contrasted the feelings of the Emperor of the French, the then mighty Napoleon, with those of that honoured individual, who would this night lay his head upon his pillow and remember that the slave trade was

K

no more." The whole House, by one impulse, gave three tremendous cheers.

A thousand congratulations poured in on Wilberforce. Amongst them all, the following merits your most earnest attention.

"To speak of fame and glory to Mr. Wilberforce would be to use a language far beneath him; but he will surely consider the effect of his triumph on the fruitfulness of his example. Who knows whether the greater part of the benefit that he has conferred on the world, (the greatest that any individual has had the means of conferring,) may not be the encouraging example that the exertions of virtue may be crowned with such splendid success. * * A short period of the short life of one man is, well and wisely directed, sufficient to remedy the miseries of millions of ages. Benevolence has hitherto been too often disheartened by frequent failures; hundreds and thousands will be animated by Mr. Wilberforce's example, * to attack all the forms of corruption and cruelty that scourge mankind. Oh! what twenty years

*

in the life of one man those were which abo