BOOK III. CHAP. III. 409 



few objects ; namely, the common occurrences of life, food, love, and 

 drefs : thefe are frequent themes for their dance, converfation, and 

 mufical compofitions. 



The African, or imported Negroes, are almoft all of them, both 

 men and women, addi6:ed to the mofl: beftial vices, from which it is the 

 more difficult to reclaim them, as they are grown inveterately con- 

 firmed by habit from their very infancy. In Guiney they are taught 

 to regard a dram, as one of the chief comforts of life ; they grow up 

 in this opinion : and I have feen fome of them forcing the precious 

 liquor down the throats of their children, or ■pickaninnies^ with the 

 fame eagernefs that indulgent mothers in England fhew, when they 

 cram their little favourite with fugar-plumbs. In thieving they are 

 thorough adepts, and perfedly accomplillied. To fet eyes on any 

 thing, and endeavour to poflefs it, is with them intirely the fame> 

 From this caufe it happens, that, upon their being brought into the 

 plantations, they are foon engaged in quarrels, which fometimes are 

 attended with fatal confequences ; for, when they are prompted to re- 

 venge, they purfue it ngainft one another with fo much malevolence 

 and cruelty, that the punifhment exa61ed is generally beyond all pro- 

 portion greater than the offence can poffibly merit. It is therefore 

 mofl: prudent for a planter to wink at petty offences againft himfelf, 

 but to chaftife all thofe who are found guilty of doing injury to the 

 perfon, or property, of their fellow Blacks; by which means he will 

 be the conflant referee and umpire of their difputes ; and, by accom- 

 modating them agreeably to juflice and right, prevent his Negroes 

 fi'om having recourfe to open violence, or fecret vengeance, againft 

 each other ; which are too often perpetrated with a blind and unrelent- 

 ing hatred ; in purfuit whereof many have been killed outright, others 

 maimed, ajid not a few deftroyed by the flower operation of fome 

 polfon. I 



The Creoles, in general, are more exempt from ebriety, that parent 

 of many crimes 1 1 have known feveral, who rejeded every furt of 

 fpirituous liquor with loathing, and would drink nothing but water. 

 If the Negroes could be refl^rained intirely from the ufe of fpirits in 

 their youth, they would probably never become very fond of dram- 

 drinking afterwards. I have often thought, that the lower order of 

 white fervants on the plantations exhibit fuch deteftable piiliires of 



Vol. IL G g g drunk- 



