

SLAVERY. 



their offspring is also free. A slave cannot be* 

 married until the requisite prayers have been 

 learnt, the nature of confession be understood, 

 and the sacrament can be received. Upon the 

 estates the master or manager is soon made ac- 

 quainted with the predilections of the slaves for 

 each other, and these being discovered, marriage 

 is forthwith determined upon, and the irregulai 

 proceedings are made lawful. In towns there is 

 more licentiousness among the negroes, as there 

 is among all other classes of men.* The passion 

 of love is supposed only to exist in a certain 

 state of civilisation, and this may be granted 

 without at the same time declaring that negroes 

 are incapable of lasting attachment, without 

 supposing that the regard of each sex is mere- 

 animal desire, unconnected with predilection. 

 That species of affection which is heightened 

 until personal possession is almost forgotten, 

 doubtless is not felt by human beings who are 

 in a state of barbarism ; but still a negro may 

 be attached, he may fix upon one object in pre- 

 ference to all others. That this is the rase 3 I 



* The base, the most abominable practice of some mas- 

 ters and mistresses, and of the latter oftener than the former. 

 increases the bias which these miserable, these uneducated 

 beings must be expected to have towards licentiousness. 

 Females have been punished because they have not in- 

 creased the number of their owners' slaves. This is a fact ; 

 but it is almost too much to believe. On which side does the 

 extreme of depravity lie ? 



