vour, too successfully endeavour, to emancipate mankind from the shackles of religion and mo rality This they call freedom. Fatal freedom! In this manner, unhappy for themselves, and numbers of their fellow creatures, they attempt to explode revealed religion, as the quintessence of absurdity; the immateriality and immortality of the soul; and a future state of rewards and punishments. Setting aside religion, they debase themselves to a level with the brutes; and, like them, abandon themselves to every, species of sensuality.i verstobona lam modles, chiud

Do such principles and such practices contribute to the advancement of their happiness? No,

Of all men they are the most miserable. Their minds are necessarily filled and tortured with dis-, cordant, contradictory notions of the eternity of matter, the concourse of atoms, a self-created mind, the government of chance, and a future state of retribution. Thus are they in a state of almost uninterrupted solicitude, anxiety, and misery; from which they know not how to extricate themselves. Such sceptical ideas seem, in former times, to have been confined to a few. Now they are become common, popular, and fashionable. While infidelity prevails, no wonder that both re

ligious and moral duties are neglected. I asked already, and I cannot forbear to ask again, In what did moral evil originate? The answer still is, infidelity, infidelity. The first human pair hesitated concerning the prohibitory precept, and, therefore, presumed to transgress it. While our modern infidels and sceptics discredit or even doubt the authority of that law, which enjoins the worship of God, and justice and benevolence to our neighbour, they may be expected to disregard both the former and the latter.

To contribute my mite towards the suppressing of the growing and alarming evils of these times; especially that injustice and oppression, which one part of the human race suffer from another, of which I have had the painful experience, I have ventured to take the pen in my hand. Whatever reception my performances may have from readers of another class, I am confident of countenance and encouragement from the benevolent and humane, the considerate and candid part of mankind. Did my readers know the interruptions and disadvantages under which I have laboured; especially in preparing, for the press, my greater work, the Poem on Slavery; and were they fully acquainted with my disinterested mo

tives and views, I am morally certain I should escape censure, and experience sympathy from them.

Sensible am I, that the iniquity and impolicy. of slavery have been sufficiently exhibited by a number of judicious and learned writers. But I must say, few, if any, who have written on this subject, have had the means of information concerning it, which providence has put in my power; having been, I say it with deep remorse, a considerable time unhappily engaged in the infamous business. I write not what I have read or heard, but what I saw; and, to my shame I must add, what I did; for in the tragical scene I was an actor. Besides, almost all the publications on this interesting subject are written in prose. And it is an undoubted fact, that many will read a performance in poetry; who could not be induced to peruse the same materials, however well arranged and digested, in prose. Various, indeed, is the taste of mankind; but that many, especially of the younger sort, are fond of poetical compositions, cannot be doubted. Many can more easily retain in their memories a metrical, than a prosaic composition. I have, therefore, with no small labour, arranged my work in the form of a tragi

cal poem. May it accomplish the salutary purposes for which I'composed and intend now to publish it. Did Lucretius write and publish a poem for the propagation of the Epicurean philosophy? And shall not I use my utmost efforts in the noble cause of religion, morality, and freedom? Actuated by motives of humanity, have individuals wrote against slavery, merely from ver-bal information; and shall I be silent? God forbid. Under the influence of that diffidence and pride, which are incident to my nature, I have procrastinated my work for years. But, solicitous not to stifle conviction any longer; not to continue guilty of the basest ingratitude to my best friend and benefactor, I am now resolved, for the conviction of oppressors and the relief of the oppressed, to publish my poem as soon as circumstances will permit. Sincerely can I say, so far as I know my own heart, my motives are disinterested, generous, and pure.!

Were I not to use my most vigorous exertions to alleviate, if possible, the miseries of some of my fellow creatures, who are in a state of servitude and wretchedness, that is no less disgraceful than painful to human nature; I should only live to be lashed by a guilty conscience; and, in the

end, die under the consuming frowns of heaven, and the heavy curses of my fellow mortals, whose miseries I have enhanced; and to whom I am under every obligation, if I could, to relieve and comfort. What I write is the result of long research, and seventeen years observation and experience. Besides travelling among the Russians, the Prussians, the Danes, the Spaniards, and the English, I have been in Cayenne, Surinam, Demarara, and several other parts of South America. I have also visited almost all the WestIndia islands; the bay of Honduras, Bermuda, and the Bahama islands; not to mention the different parts of the United States which I have visited: eight years have I spent in Africa and the West-Indies. Ispeak, therefore, what I do assuredly know, and testify what with my eyes I have seen. If I can do nothing for the relief of my suffering brethren, I am determined, at any rate, to exonerate my own conscience.