Encyclopædia americana. A popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, a new ed.; including a copious collection of original articles in American biography; on the basis of the 7th ed. of the German Conversations-lexicon. Ed. by Francis Lieber, assisted by E. Wigglesworth ...

54 BENEZET-BENGAL.
when he was about to treat the question nent of Asia: and should the English be
submitted to the senior bachelors of arts ever driven firom all the other parts of Inin the university of Cambridge, anne dia, as long as they shall retain their maniliceat invitos in servitutem dare? —B. re- time pre-eminence, they xwill find in
garded all mankind as his brethren. B. a secure asylum against their eneAbout the year 1763, the wrongs inflicted mies. Thus guarded from a foreign foe,
on the aboriginal race of North America they are equally safe fiom ally insurexcited his susceptible mind, and prompt- rection of the natives, whose mildness
ed him to publish a tract, entitled, Some of disposition and aversion to war are
Observations on the Situation, Disposition such, that nothing short of the most atroand Character of the Indian Natives of cious cruelty, or religious persecution,
this Continent. Hle addressed the British could induce them to draw their swords
governors and military commanders, on against their present rulers.-The fertile
the effect of hostilities against the natives, soil of B. produces every thing requiwith characteristic boldness and pathos. site for the sustenance of life, and in such
His various philanthropical efforts, and abundance, that the crops of one year
his excellent qualities, obtained for him are sufficient for the consumption of its
_peculiar consideration in the society of inhabitants for two. It abounds in fiuits
Friends.-In 1780, he wrote and pub- and animals of many varieties, and yields
lished a Short Account of the religious every article essential to the comfort, or
Society of Friends, commonly called even luxury, of man. Its ingnenious inQuakers; and, in 1782, a Dissertation on habitants are well versed in all the arts
the Plainness and innocent Simnplicity of useful industry; and, whilst their deliof the Christian Religion. About the cate and valuable manufactures are exsamne time, he issued several tracts against ported to every part of the world, they rethe use of ardent spirits.-The person of quire no assistance from other countries.
B. was small, and his face far from hand- In short, it has been truly said of this
some, though benignity might be traced province, that it is the most valuable jewel
in his animated aspect, even by those in the British crown. The revenues
who knew not how his whole being and of B. consist chiefly of rents paid to
small estate had been devoted. His un- the government for land. In the year
derstanding was originally strong, and 1811-12, they amounted, including those
much improved by reading and observa- of Behar and Orissa, to ~2,590,000 stertion. His private habits, morals and pur- ling, to which may be added nearly
suits were adapted to endear and dignify ~200,000 for the monopolies of salt and
his public career. He died at Philadel- opium. The exports of B. are prinphia, May 5, 1784, aged 71 years. When cipally rice, cotton and silk, both raw and
it was announced that he was seriously manuflactured; indigo, sugar, saltpetre,
ill a multitude of his fellow-citizens pre- ivory, tobacco, and drugs of various
sented themselves at his dwelling with kinds: hemp and flax are also to be proanxious inquiries; and he conversed lu- cured in great abundance. Its imports
eidly with hundreds after his case was by sea are gold and silver, copper and
pronounced to be hopeless. There is:ex- bar-iron, woollen cloths of every descriptant a full and interesting memoir of his tion, tea, salt, glass and china ware, wines,
life, by Roberts Vaux. and other commodities, for the use of its
BENGAL; an extensive and valuable European inhab'tants, and a few Arabian
province of Hindostan, situated between and English horses. The native breed
the 21st and 27th degrees of N. lat., and of these animals being diminutive, B. is
between the 86th and 92d degrees of E. chiefly supplied with them from the
Ion., being in length about 400 miles, and north-west provinces, although the govin breadth, 300. On the north and east, ernment have a stud of their own in
it is defended by the mountains of Ne- Behar, and hold out great encouragement
paul, Assam and Ava; on the south, by to the zemindars, or landholders, to breed
a line of inhospitable and dangerous sea- them. The south-east districts produce
coast, containing but one harbor capable fine elephants, which are not only in conof admitting ships of any considerable siderable demand, among the opulent
size, and even that one guarded by innu- natives, for state or riding, but also used
merable shoals: on the west, it joins Behr for carrying the camp equipage of the
and Oude; and, although rather exposed army. They vary in price fiom ~50 to
tc invasion on this fiontier, itis, neverthe- ~1000: a good one should be fronm 8
less, better defended by nature than any to 10 feet high, and not less than 30
province of similar extent on the conti- years of age. —B. is intersected by the