230 LETTER IX. 



fpefts, htC2iu{e the Chrijiian Religion, would teach 

 them far better Principles, than they now have 

 to work upon, under a State of Paganifm. But 

 alas ! thefe People are by no means competent 

 Judges of fo weighty an affair : For a Friend of 

 mine, baptized a Negro Boy, and taught him to 

 read; the Confequence whereof, was. That he 

 might look after his Horfe himfelf, and go on his 

 own Errands for the future, or elfe, that he might 

 find another Negro to do it : In fhort, it is ridi- 

 culous to argue againft repeated Experience ; and 

 the true ftate of the Cafe, ftands thus : When a 

 Slave is once Chriftened, he conceits that he ought 

 to be upon a level with his Mafter, in all other 

 refpedts; in confequence whereof, he prefumes. 

 That if his Mafler correfts him, for ever fo great 

 a Fault, he is at full liberty to fend him out of 

 the World, by a Dofe of Poifon. For inftance^ 

 a Parifhioner of mine, baptized a Black Woman, 

 and had her well inftruded in our Religion here 

 in Engla?jdy but fhe had not been long arrived at 

 Nevis, before fhe poifoned four White Perfons, 

 and was executed for fo doing ; But if even the 

 whole Country was fo mad, as to fet about fuch 

 an odd Converfion, the effect would then be a 

 general Rebellion, and Maflacre, of us Whites s 

 This is Truth. 



7. The Negroes,when at work, in howing Canes, 

 -or digging round Holes to plant them in, (perhaps 



forty 



