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CHARLES BERNS WADSTROM . 645
Doctrines, and had been one of the members of the Exegetical
Society established in Stockholm for the same purpose. In the
year 1790, he had a meeting of the friends of the New Church
weekly at his lodgings near Tottenham Court Road, and was chief
editor of the “New Jerusalem Magazine.” About this period he
was busily employed in a plan to form an establishment of the
New Church on the Coast of Africa, either on the Island of Balam
or at Sierra Leone, for which some papers inserted in that Magazine
were intended as preparatory; but this scheme failed, as indeed did
most of his schemes, which, it must be confessed, were conducted
with more zeal than prudence. He was, nevertheless,’ warm and
sincere in his attachments and pursuits; and if not profound in judg
ment, of various knowledge and attainments. His manners were
polished and uncommonly pleasing ; and his conversation, by his inter
course with all ranks in life and his knowledge of the world, was
entertaining and instructive. His delight was in active life, and the
love of uses ; but he did not always sufficiently weigh the means
of action, and hence to his mortification was frequently disap
pointed of his object, and involved in troublesome consequences. He
quitted England in distress, and became still more involved in
difficulties in Paris, where he finished his unfortunate career, having
died of an asthmatic complaint. His excellent wife, Ulrica Wadström,
followed him shortly after from the same complaint, leaving an only
daughter, who was conveyed by her friends to Sweden."
In addition to these remarks we are enabled to give some further
particulars concerning C. B. Wadström from the notice contained in the
"Swedish Biographical Dictionary," and we may also mention that
the Swedish Academy a few years ago struck a medallion in honour
of him , and had a careful biographical sketch of his life prepared by
one of their number. This distinction was accorded him on account
of the interest he took in the abolition of slavery. In the former
of these works we read concerning him, “It was by the warmth he dis
played in favour of the abolition of slavery, and his disinterested efforts
in this noble cause, that Wadström became entitled to have his name
immortalized. After returning from Africa to London (in 1780] he
published his valuable ‘Observations on the Slave Trade.’ This
subject had already begun to be agitated in the English parliament,
and the publication of the Swedish gentleman excited much inter
est. William Pitt, who was prime minister at that time, discussed
this subject with Wadström. He was invited to appear before the
British Privy Council, and he appeared before a committee of the
whole House of Commons, to furnish the information which was
desired. Wilberforce now redoubled his efforts, in which he was
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