ed with equal ardour with thofe of other fpiritual fects. The chief, which has obtained eftimation and repute in Japan is Sjuto or Koof, known in Europe by the name of the Morality of Confucius. This fyftem derives its origin from China, where Confucius was born 400 years after Budfdo. Its followers, though they cannot properly be faid to worship any god, place their fummum bonum, nevertheless, in a virtuous life; and admit of rewards or punishments for man in this life only. They confefs that a univerfal foul or fpirit belongs to the world, without acknowledging any othergods, without having churches, and without worthipping any one. Their doctrine, therefore, chiefly inculcates the following maxims; to lead a virtuous life, to do justice

to every man, to behave at the fame time to all perfons with civility, to govern with equity, and to maintain an inviolate integrity of heart. They do not burn their dead, but lay them, like the Europeans, in a cheft, and bury them in the earth. Suicide is not only deemed lawful among them, but it is even applauded, and confidered as an heroic aết.

"The difference between this fyftem of morality, which has been introduced among them in latter times, and their moft ancient religion, is very great and remarkable. In their modern fyftem we difcover the offspring of human wit; whilft their ancient religion exhibits evident traces of the divine law of Mofes."

7ITH refpect to the Dahoman religion, it will hardly be expected that we fhould be able to fay much. Like that of many other countries, it confifts of a jumble of fuperftitious nonfenfe, of which it is impoffible to convey any fatisfactory idea to the reader. The Portuguese word, feitiço, or, as the Englith pronounce it, fetish, fignifying witchcraft, has been adopted by most of the maritime natives of Africa, as well as by the Europeans who trade thither. This word at prefent is very comprehenfive in its fignification, meaning either the feveral objects of worship, whether ideal or corporal, the act

of worship itfelf, or the various amulets, charms, and fuperftitions mummery of the priefts, or fetiskmen, who abound in this country. They obferve no fabbath, unless their market-days, which are confidered as days of recreation, may be fo called. Moft of the favage nations have fome confufed notion of a Supreme intellectual Being, the maker of the univerfe; but this idea not being easily understood among a people not much addicted to metaphyfical reafoning, a variety of corporeal beings have been fe lected as objects of devotion, fuck as the fun, moon, living animals, trees, and other fubftances. The

f

tiger is the fetish of Dahomy; the Snake, that of Whydah. Among the amulets, or charms, the principal is, a fcrap of parchment, containing a fentence of the Koran, which the natives purchafe from the Moors who vifit this country. This they hang up in their apartments, which are likewife decorated with crude, mis-fhapen images, tinged with blood, befmeared with palm-oil, ftuck with feathers, bedaubed with eggs, and other abfurd applications, of which a particular account would be both tedious and unprofitable.

"We shall not, therefore, dwell on the religion, but pafs on to the government and manners of the Dahomans, which deferve more particularly to be confidered. The former is the most perfect defpotifm that exifts, perhaps, on the face of the earth. The policy of the country admits of no intermediate degree of fubordination between king and flave; at least in the royal prefence, where the prime minifter is obliged to proftrate himself with as much abject fubmiffion as the meaneft fubject; all acknowledging the right of the fovereign to difpofe of their perfons and property at pleafure. Beyond the precincts of the palace, indeed, the minifters enjoy very eminent privileges. It is true, they are forbid the wearing of fandals, and other ornaments peculiar to royalty, or to use, fuch an umbrella as a white man ; yet their inferiors muft falute them with bent knees, and clapping of hands; they may fit on high ftools, ride on horfeback, be carried in hammocks,

*See Life of Adahoonzou II. c. I.

wear filk, maintain a numerous retinue, with large umbrellas of their own kind, flags, drums, trumpets, and other mufical inftruments. But, on their entrance at the royal gate, all thefe infignia are laid afide. The ilk garment is fubituted by a tunic and a pair of drawers t made of cotton, manufactured in the country; the neck is adorned with a valuable ftring of coral; a pair of broad filver bracelets encircle the wrifts; at the fide hangs a filver-hilted feymitar, while the hand grafps an ivory club. Thus equipped, one of the minifters of ftate is always found in waiting at the palace gate; and in this garb only may he enter, which muft be with the utmost caution and respect, and not till the monarch's permisfion be fignified by one of the women.

On his entrance, he crawls towards the apartment of audience, on his hands and knees, till he arrives in the royal prefence, where he lays himself flat on his belly, rubbing his head in the duft, and uttering the moft humiliating expreffions. Being defired to advance, he receives the king's commands, or communicates any particular bufinefs, ftill continuing in a recum bent pofture; for no perfon is permitted to fit, even on the floor, in the royal prefence, except the women; and even they must kifs the earth, when they receive or deliver the king's melkage.

The king's fons, not excepting the heir apparent, have no rank; being obliged to falute the minifters with clapping of hands, in a kneeling attitude. On fuch

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occafions,

occafions, however, thofe officers, out of respect to the blood-royal, haften to take them by the hand, and raise them from fuch an humble posture.

"The king, and all his fubjects, receive strangers with the moft re- marhalde courte fy. Ambaffadors, from whatever state, are not put to the neceffity of learning the Dahoman etiquette from the mafter of the ceremonies. Every one falutes the fovereign according to the fafhion practifed in his own country. Chairs are placed for European governors, or mafters of fhips, upon which they fit, covered, till the king makes his appearance, when they make a bow, ftanding and uncovered; after which, they refume their feats, and put on their hats. Sometimes the Dahoman monarch has been known to fhake hands with an European; but this is a very uncommon mark of royal condefcenfion, and beftowed only on fome great favourite.

"White vifitors are always honoured with a glass of fome cordial liquor, filled by the king's own hand; which, if refufed, is apt to give offence *. Favours of this kind are received with avidity by his own fubjects, not fo much for the fake of the liquor, as the honour conferred on them. On fuch occafions the fubject lies on his back, while the king holds the bottle to his mouth. In this pofture he must drink till the royal nand be withdrawn; which fometimes does not happen before the whole con

tents be emptied, efpecially when he has a mind to fport with the drinker.

"So great is the veneration of the Dahomans for their fovereign, that their hiftory produces no inftance of a depofition. The doctrine of paffive obedience and nonrefiftance is universal amongst them, and the moft oppreffive mandates of the monarch are fubmitted to without a murmur. The apparent abject humiliation of the minifters, on the days of public audience, contributes powerfully to keep the people in fubjection. The lower clafs cannot think that homage unreasonable which is paid by the first officers of the state; whofe only privilege, in the royal prefence, is that of lying proftrate neareft the king's perfon, and being the medium of communication between him and his inferior subjects. For none but high officers must converfe immediately with the fovereign, though near enough to be heard; it being beneath the king's dignity to be addreffed by, or to speak to, the vulgar. But although this humiliation be rigidly kept up by the minifters of ftate in public, they are allowed to converfe more familiarly at private audiences, where all the public bufinefs, whether legislative or executive, is managed.

"The king of Dahomy maintains a confiderable standing army, commanded by an Agaow †, or ge neral, with feveral other fubordinate military officers, who must hold

↑ Perhaps from the Turkish word, Aga.

themfelves

themselves in readiness to take the field upon all'occafions, at the command of the fovereign. The payment of thefe troops chiefly depends on the fuccefs of the expeditions in which they are engaged. On extraordinary occafions, all the males able to bear arms, are obliged to repair to the general's fiandard; every Caboceer marching at the head of his own people. Sometimes the king takes the field, at the head of his troops; and, on very great emergencies, at the head of his women *.

"Whatever might have been the prowefs of the Amazons among the ancients, this is a novelty in modern history, which ought not to be flightly paffed over. Within the walls of the different royal palaces in Dahomy, are immured not lefs than three thoufand women. Several hundreds of these are trained to the use of arms, under a female general and fubordinate officers, appointed by the king, in the fame manner as thofe under the Agaow. These warriors are regularly exercifed, and go through their evolutions with as much expertnefs as the male foldiers. They have their large umbrellas, their flags, their drums, trumpets, flutes †, and other mufical inftruments. In fhort, the fingularity of this inftitution never fails to attract the particular attention of the Europeans, when, among other uncommon exhibitions, they

are prefented with the unufual fpectacle of a review of female troops.

"The chief part of the public revenue confifts of voluntary gifts, paid by the fubjects at the time of the Customst, when the Caboccers § and traders attend, bringing their contributions, according to their refpective circumftances. Befides thefe, a duty is levied on commerce; and fomething arifes from captives taken in war, of whom, all that are carried to market are fold for the king's account; but as he pays a certain fum to his troops for every prifoner they bring in, and as the greateft part of the captives are put to death, a fmall proportion only being referved for fale, the amount they produce muft fall far fhort of the expence of procuring them.

"The well-known fhells called Cowries, which come from the Maldiva iflands, are the currency of the country, where one thoufand are reckoned equal to half a crown.

Thefe circulate in the country, loofe; but all difburse. ments from the king's house are made in branches of ftrung cowries, containing two thousand each, deducting one fortieth part, as a perquifite to the king's women for piercing and ftringing them.

"When any public work is to be done, fuch as the erection or repairs of royal buildings, the king funmons his caboceers, and

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portions