*

closely confined, that many of them were positively killed by their most cruel confinement; and if they do not now die so fast, as formerly, by being crowded together, yet this cannot prevent them from dying of broken hearts; while the survivors, after they are landed, have nothing before them but perpetual slavery, there to receive perhaps no better treatment than what you, Mr. Littleworth, would give to an ox or a horse, because you are afraid of losing your profits by losing your beast.

Far. Well, now I can assure your honour, that though for many years I have been such a neglectful sinner about the state of my soul, yet I never could bear to see any dumb creature in misery; many and many a time in my youthful days have I set up half the night when a cow was likely to calve. Aye, and the poor oxen, because I love to take notice of them and feed them, and give them a pat when they return from plow, it is to admiration how well they know me, and how fond they seem to be of me; and I have felt more of this since I have known the Lord than ever I did before.

Mrs. Littlew. To be sure our master is very tender about dumb creatures, he would not let our old house dog, Watch, be killed for ever so long a time, though he got so dirty and nasty; and then he would send to the doctor's for some strong sleeping stuff, that he might not know when he died.

Loveg. Well, Mrs. Littleworth, this is a full proof of the excellency of real Christianity; nothing like the love of Christ to soften our hard hearts and fill us with universal love, not only towards each other, but also to every creature of God that is innocent and useful in its kind.

*I am told that the law on this point is now most shamefully evaded. VOL. I.

N

Miss Polly Is your honour's tea sweet enough? (To Mrs. Worthy and daughter) Madam and Miss, I hope I make it to your liking.

Wor. O yes, Miss Polly, and if, like some good people, I could have conceived that the remedy was in anywise likely to be proportionate to the disease, knowing so well the selfishness of mankind, I had never touched another lump of sugar while I live. (To Henry) But, Mr. Henry, what further do' you know about the situation of these poor slayes during what is called the Middle Passage.

Hen. Why, sir, while we were lying off Jamaica, I saw one of those horrid African traders land its miserable cargo, and afterwards, being in his majesty's service, was permitted to go on board.

Wor. Why then you know a deal about it.

Hen. Sir, I have known enough to make my blood run cold.

Wor. Did you see these poor creatures landed, and afterwards sold?

Hen. O yes, Sir, I saw it! And as far as I could understand it, nothing can equal the art, excepting the cruelty exercised against these ignominious sufferers on that occasion, for the purposes of our luxury and pride. When a ship, full slaved, as they call it, appears off shore, all are alert. Sometimes they are sold on board, and then, like a set of criminals condemned to be hanged in our own land, who have their irons knocked off before the halter is fixed upon their necks, they are washed, shaved, and dressed, and their skins oiled in order to give them a youthful and healthy look. The tricks of horse jockies in this country are never to be compared to the tricks of the slave jockies in the West Indies. Every art is used to shave and dress them in such a manner, as to hide every grey hair, and all appearances of age. And, till of late, a most horrid

scramble for these poor creatures used to take place. The general bargain being struck, these prizes of blood are exhibited, and then all are left to avail themselves, at a signal given, to seize the best slaves they can procure.

Wor. What must these poor creatures have thought of such a scramble? if they thought of our general character they must have supposed that Christians are devils, and that Christianity was forged in Hell. But how are they disposed of now ?

Hen. They are brought on shore, while the most knavish tricks are still practised by these dealers in human flesh. O, Sir, this was a sight that cut me to the heart beyond whatever I saw before!

[Here Henry drops a tear, the Farmer catches the sympathetic flame, and says to Mr. Lovegood.]

Far. Dear Sir, what a heart the Lord has given my dear child! Who could have thought it, when we all know what a wicked sinner he was but a little. time ago?

[Mrs. Littleworth is also very much affected, and addresses Mr. Lovegood.]

Mrs. Littlew. Well, Sir, I must confess, that Henry is a charming boy since he has taken to religion. I wish, with all my heart, I was like him. (To her husband.) And, master, if I have been cross with you about religion, I hope you'll forgive me, for I know I have done wrong.

Littlew. (Quite overcome.) O, my dear wife, what joy it will be for me to travel with you towards the celestial city, as Master Bunyan calls it, now as we are coming towards the latter end of our lives!

[Mr. and Mrs. Worthy, and Mr. Lovegood were so affected at this turn of the conversation, that for a while it was discontinued; the writer also having been somewhat affected, as the reporter of these vents, begs thus to close the first part of the pre

Dialogue, which, directly as time permits, he poses, by the blessing of God, to re-assume.]

DIALOGUE X.

THE EVILS OF THE SLAVE TRADE FARTHER

DELINEATED.

DURING the interval of silence created by the affectionate and sympathetic feelings of the company, the tea-table was cleared, fresh coals were put upon the fire, the hearth was swept up, the curtains were let down, the mould candles, bought on purpose for this occasion, were lighted, Miss Polly having put a very nice piece of fringed paper round the bottoms of them, on account of their fine company; and thus the conversation recommenced.

Wor. I am so much interested in this most af fecting narration, that I should be glad, when your. spirits are sufficiently recruited, if you could but tell me, how these poor slaves behaved themselves when they were thus exposed to sale, and what you saw on that horrid occasion.

Hen. Notwithstanding every art to set them off to the best of their power, and to make them look as cheerful as they can, by their flattering promises, yet many of them appeared to me as if their hearts were ready to break with grief and despair, while their purchasers, with the utmost indifference, examined them one after another, as people would a pa cel of horses at a fair. Yes, and they talked of a damaged slave, as we do of a damaged horse, while some of Lim wanted working slaves, and others of them breeding slaves; for all the children born in slavery are not, according to the law of nature, the