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creatures, to whom no palpable and immediate 

 benefit is offered. It appears, indeed, to me, that 

 the only means of giving the negroes morality and 

 religion must be through the medium of education, 

 and their being induced to read such books in the 

 minister's absence as may recall to their thoughts 

 what they have heard from him ; otherwise, he may 

 talk for an hour, and they will have understood 

 but little — and remember nothing. There is not a 

 single negro among my whole three hundred who 

 can read a line ; and what I suppose to be wanted 

 on West- Indian estates is not an importation of 

 missionaries, but of schoolmasters on Dr. Bell's 

 plan, if it could by any means be introduced here 

 with effect. However, in the mean while I told 

 the minister, that I was perfectly well inclined to 

 have every measure tried that might enlighten the 

 minds of the negroes, provided it did not interfere 

 with their own hours of leisure, and were not 

 compulsory. I mentioned to him a plan for 

 commencing his instructions under the most fa- 

 vourable auspices, of which he seemed to approve ; 

 and he has promised to make occasional visits on 

 my estate during my absence, which may do good 

 and can do no harm ; and, even should it fail to 

 make the negroes religious, will, at least, add an- 

 other humane inspector to my list. Soon after the 

 minister's departure, John Fuller came to repair 

 one of the windows. Now John is in great dis- 

 grace with me in one respect. Instead of having a 



