259 



than furprlzed that fuch-Hke indecencies 

 fliould occur among the flaves ; but you will 

 join in my regret that they fliould happen be- 

 fore the eyes of European wives, and fpin- 

 fters ; and you will lament the fad efFe£l 

 which the frequent recurrence of fuch of- 

 fenfive fcenes muft, neceffarily, have in de- 

 ftroying that modeft delicacy of fentiment, 

 which renders fo truly lovely, while it fo 

 much exalts the female mind. 



Of this baneful effed, I am forry to have 

 It In my power to mention to you a ftriking 

 example, which lately occurred to my no- 

 tice. Being in company with a large party 

 of Europeans, and white Creoles, male and 

 female, hufbands, wives, widows, maidens, 

 and ftrangers, at the time when the party- 

 was alTembled, during the fhort moment 

 before dinner, a fweet little babe, only a few 

 months old, was brought into the room, by 

 its black nurfe, to be exhibited to the com- 

 pany : when the woman, who, with the ex- 

 ception of one fliort petticoat, was in per- 

 fect nudity, was defired, before all prefent, 

 to fuckle the child ; and its mother and grand- 



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