BOOK III. CHAP. III. 405 



to which they are inured from their infancy, hecomes habitual nnd na- 

 tural. to them, as it does to foldiers, fiiilors, and fchool -boys ; nntl, like 

 the latter, their principal addrcfs is fhewn In finding out their malk-r's 

 temper, and playing upon it fo artfully as to bend it with moft con- 

 venience to their own purpofes. They are not lefs ftudious in fifting 

 their itlafter's reprefentative, theoverfeer; if he is not too cunning for 

 them, which they foon difcover after one or two experiments, they 

 will eafily find means to over-reach him on every occafion, and make 

 his indolence, his weaknefs, or fottifhnefs, a fure prognoftic of feme 

 comfortable term of idlenefs to theiu: but, if they find him too intel- 

 ligent, wary, and adive, they leave no expedient untried, by thwart- 

 ing his plans, mifunderftanding his orders, and reiterating complaints 

 againfl: him, to ferret him out of his poft : if this will not fucceed,. 

 they perplex and worry him, efpecially if he is of an impatient, fretful' 

 turn, till he grows heartily fick of his charge, and voluntarily rcfigns 

 it. An overfeer therefore, like a premier minifter, muft always exneft 

 to meet with a fadVion, ready to oppofe his admmifi ration, righ.!: ::r 

 wrong; unlefs he will give the reins out of his hands, and fiiffer the 

 inobility to have things their own way; which if he complies with, 

 they will extol him to his face, contemn him in their hearts, and very 

 foon bring his government into difgrace. But fuch a man, if he is 

 gifted with good-nature and humanity, will eafily get the better in 

 every flruggle; for thefe are qualities which the Negroes prize in their 

 fiiperiors above all others. Some overfeers, unlefs fliarply looked 

 after, have been known to play the tyrant; and where this is the cafe, 

 we cannot blame their black fubjcfts for wifliing a change, nor for 

 their zealous endeavours to effed it. The old woman was much in 

 the right, who prayed for the life of the tyrant Dionyfius, fearing, that 

 if he died, {he might fall under the dominion of a fuccedbr, ftill more 

 odious and diabolical. It Would be an aft of humanity, refltding the 

 higheft honour on the legiflature of Jamaica, if the gentlemen who 

 compofe it (hould, in Imitation of the French, proniulge a code of 

 laws and ordinances rcfpefting tlie Negroes, more particularly in the 

 treatment of them upon their plantations; reftraining and puniiliing, in 

 an exemplary manner, all fecrct practices of barbarity ;- that thofe men, 

 wi>ofe callous hearts are impenetrable to the feelings of human nature, - 

 luaj be affeftcd in fome degree Iw a dread of legal pains and penalties, • 



