BOOK II. CHAP. XIL. ^37 



The antlent fiithers of the Chriflian church, difliking tlie Co- 

 pernican fyftem, pronounced it damnable and lieretical for any one 

 to maintain the dodlrine of the antipodes, and the annual motion 

 of the earth round the fun. According to the ecclefiaftical fyftem 

 of thofe days, the fun was made to revolve above three hundred 

 and twenty thoufand miles in the fpace of a minute; but it is found 

 more rational to conclude, and more eafy to believe, that the earth 

 makes one revolution on its own axis once in twenty-four hours ; 

 and we have living teftimonies of its having been circumnavigated, 

 and the doiftrine of antipodes confirmed beyond a doubt. The 

 freedom of philofophic enquiry may ftill proceed to extirpate old 

 prejudices, and difplay more and more (to the utter confufion of 

 ignorance and bigotry) the beautiful gradation, order, and har- 

 mony, which pervade the whole feries of created beings on tiiis 

 globe. 



Of the number of the free Blacks and Mulattos in the ifland I 

 have before given an eftimate. They increafe very faft. By an 

 ait, patted in 1761, they were all required to take out certificates 

 of their freedom, to be figned by tiie governor. This was a very 

 proper method to come at the knowledge of their number. la 

 176^, or 1763, they were found as follows: 



Total in tlie 

 3 Counties. 



'sO'_ 1397 ^10 3408 



They are flnce increafcd to upwards of three thoufand feveii 

 hundred, principally in the towns ; and, I think, we may 

 reckon about one thoufand five hundred of them for fencible men, 

 fit for able fervice in the Militia. 



I fliall conclude this account of them with a hearty recommen- 

 dation of fome plan, both for inftru£ling them in morality, and 

 regimenting their fencible men, to be employed by rotation on 

 conftant duty. I need not recapitulate my former arguments. 

 Vol. II. X X tending 



