One of the earliest examples of this species of warfare may be found in holy writ. The Israelites in invading Canaan, waged against the inhabitants a war of extermination; and the only people (the Gibeonites,) rescued from the sword, were reserved for bondage. "We will even let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation."

War, therefore, appears to have been the first and great source of slavery among the ancients. As the nations of that period were generally warlike, the number of captives must have been very great. In truth, the slaves in many countries exceeded in number the free; and the insurrections, which were not unfrequent, were always bloody and destructive.

Another fruitful source of slavery in the ancient world was piracy. This practice prevailed to the greatest extent in the earliest ages, when the human reason had not emerged from the indistinctness of its dawn, when the rights of property were but dubiously understood, and when the skill and courage required in piratical incursions into neighbouring nations were regarded with admiration. "The Grecians," says Thucydides, "in their primitive state, as well as the contemporaneous barbarians who in

Mr. Morris, who visited this empire in 1772, actually testifies to the truth of this letter. He found the palace of the emperor an immense assemblage of cane and mud huts, enclosed by a high wall. The skulls and jaw-bones of enemies slain in battle, formed the favourite ornaments of the palaces and temples. The king's apartments were paved, and the walls and roof stuck over with these horrid trophies; and if a further supply appeared at any time desirable, he announced to his general that his "house wanted thatch," when a war for that purpose was immediately undertaken. Who can for a moment be so absurd as to imagine, that such a prince as this could doubt of his right to make slaves in war, when he gloried in being able to thatch his house with the heads of his enemies?"

habited the sea coasts and islands, addicted themselves wholly to piracy: it was, in short, their only profession and support." The most complete confirmation of this account may be found in Homer and other writers. Indeed, the pursuit was considered heroic and honourable. The dangers attending such enterprizes-the skill, strength, agility and valour required for them-excited the bold and ambitious, while the valuable nature of the spoil recommended it to the selfish and rapacious. At length, however, piracy sunk in reputation as the nations advanced in civilization. It fell into the hands of low and lawless robbers. Their only object was gain; and the practice was continued, accompanied by the perpetration of every species of outrage and rapine. Slaves becoming more and more valuable, the practice was furtively pursued to an immense extent. Many were seized and sold into slavery by their own countrymen; and every coast had its commerce in slaves. The merchants of Thessaly, it is said, were particularly infamous for this species of depredation. The Athenians practised the kidnapping of their own people to so alarming an extent, that it was found necessary to enact a law punishing the offence with death.

In all ages the perpetration of crime has been punished with slavery. This appears to be the most natural and just of the many causes of bondage. The necessities of society require that men guilty of atrocious offences, should be deprived of a freedom which has become dangerous to their fellow beings. If society can require the forfeit of life, it may demand the loss of liberty. Accordingly, we find that among the Greeks and Romans, crime was often the cause of slavery; and in our own times, not only most savage, but civilized countries, among which our own land may be mentioned, have made many

offences punishable with bondage. Even insolvency was punished in Greece and Rome with slavery. The same custom now obtains in Africa.

The traffic of slaves consisted, not only in the sale of the children of freemen by their parents, and the sale of freemen from a want of the means of sustenance, but of the sale of captives and of those born in bondage.

The first instance of slavery by bargain and sale is given in the Scripture History of Joseph. The account of the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver and his conveyance to Egypt, prove that the practice was common at that time, and that Egypt was a mart for the traffic in slaves. There is, in the Bible, frequent mention of the purchase and sale of slaves. The purest patriarchs participated in the commerce; and the inspired code of the Jews justified and regulated the traffic. The Hebrews were allowed to sell their own countrymen for six years; to sell their sons and daughters; and unlimited power to purchase slaves from the neighbouring nations was expressly given.

If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go free for nothing.'

"If a man sell his daughter to be a maid-servant, she shall not go out as the men servants.'

"Both thy bondmen and bondmaids which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you: of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. Moreover of the children of strangers who sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy; and of the families that are with you, which they begat in your land; and they shall be your possession. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever."

Egypt appears to have been one of the principal markets for the sale of the human species. Homer refers to Cyprus and Egypt as the common marts for slaves in the Trojan war. The traffic was also practised, at that time, in many of the islands of the Egean sea. Tyre and Sidon are described by the Scriptures, as prosecuting this commerce. In truth, it prevailed in the whole of the known world. In Greece and Rome, and their colonies, the trade was universal; and among the nations which overran the South of Europe, it prevailed until the establishment of the Feudal System. That system was little else than a modification of the slavery of the ancients, to suit the circumstances and necessities of the rude and warlike nations in which it was adopted. It was admirably adapted to the purposes of defence; but did little, if any thing, to lighten the bonds of the slave, or ameliorate the condition of the race.

Slavery continued to exist, even in Europe, up to a late period. In the middle ages the Venetians carried on a very extended commerce in slaves; which was prohibited by the pope, only so far as it included trade in Christians. In England the AngloSaxon nobility sold their servants as slaves to foreigners; and even after the conquest, and until the reign of Henry II. slaves were exported, in numbers, from England to Ireland.

CHAPTER II.

Slavery among the Ancients continued-Voluntary Slavery-Roman Mercenarii-Grecian Prodigals-German Enthusiasts-Condition of Slaves-Power and inhumanity of Masters.

PERHAPS slavery, when resulting from insolvency, might with propriety be regarded as voluntary. The freeman who pursued a course which resulted in bondage, and thus incurred a fate which might have been avoided, may be considered as having assumed it. If this be admitted, the number of voluntary bondmen in Greece and Rome, where the refinement of society rendered the vicissitudes of fortune frequent, must be accounted very great.

In Rome there existed a large body of slaves, or servants, known as mercenarii. This title was given them because they received hire. They were free-born citizens, set down in the books as liberi, and distinguished from the foreigners, or alieni, who served the rich.

In the time of the Emperor Claudian, the Roman Senate passed a decree permitting those who were born free to sell their freedom and become slaves. This law remained in force until abrogated by Leo.

The Grecian Thetes were servants of a character somewhat similar to the mercenarii. They received are compense for their labours; and, though treated as slaves and obliged to perform the most servile offices, were not completely subject to the