476 JAMAICA. 



three fons, and, being a boy of unufual lively parts, was pitched 

 upon to be the fubject of an experiment, which, it is faid, the Duke 

 of Montagu was curious to make, in order to difcover, whether, by 

 proper cultivation, and a regular courfe of tuition at fchool and the 

 univerfity, a Negroe might not be found as capable of literature as a 

 white perfcn. In fhort, he was fent to England, where he under- 

 went a regular difcipline of claffic inftruflion at a grammar fchool, 

 after which he was fixed at the univerfity of Cambridge, where 

 he (ludied under the ableft preceptors, and made fome progrefs in the 

 mathematics. During his abode in England, after finifhing his edu- 

 cation, it is faid (I know not with what truth) that he compofed 

 the well-known ballad of " Welcome, welcome, brother debtor,£5'c." 

 But I have likewife heard the fame attributed to a different author. 

 Upon his return to Jamaica, the duke would fain have tried his 

 genius likewife in politics, and intended obtaining for him a privy 

 feal, or appointment to be one of the governor's council j but this 

 fcheme was dropped, upon the objeftions offered by Mr. Trelawny, 

 the governor at that time. Williams therefore let up a fchool in 

 Spanifli Town, which he continued forfeveral years, where he taught 

 reading, writing, Latin, and the elements of the mathematics; 

 whilft: he afted in this profeffion, he feledled a Negroe pupil, whom 

 he trained up with particular care, intending to make him his fuc- 

 ceflbr in the fchool ; but of this youth it may be faid, to ufe the ex- 

 preflion of Feflus to Paul, that " much learning made him mad." 

 The abftrufe problems of mathematical inftitution turned his brain ; 

 and he flill remains, I believe, an unfortunate example, to fhew 

 that every African head is not adapted by nature to luch profound 

 contemplations. The chief pride of this difciple confifts in imitating 

 the garb and and deportment of his tutor. A tye perriwig, a fword, 

 and ruffled fhirt, feem in his opinion to comprehend the very marrow 

 and quinteffence of all erudition, and philofophic dignity. Probably 

 he imagines it a more eafy way of acquiring, among the Negroes, the 

 reputation of a great fcholar, by thefe fuperficial marks, which 

 catch their eye, than by talking of Euclid, whom they know 

 nothing about. 



Confidering the difference which climate may occafion, and which 



Montefquieu has learnedly examined, the noble duke would have 



2 made 



