xxvi 
ACCOUNT OF THE 
jsiibject since this work has appeared, the principal illus- 
trations of the arguments in favour of the Abolition, have 
always been derived from the statements contained in 
Park's Travels. This circumstance deserves particular 
attention, considering the evident bias under which the 
work was composed ; and affords a strong presumption of 
the truth and fidelity of the narrative.* 
The fair result of the foregoing enquiry, relative to Park's 
opinions with regard to the Abolition, appears to be shortly 
this ; that he was at no time the friend or deliberate advo- 
cate of the Slave Trade ; but that, his respect and defe- 
rence for Mr. Edwards led him, in a certain degree, to 
sacrifice his own opinions and feelings upon that subject ; 
and that he became, perhaps almost unconsciously, the 
supporter of a cause of which he disapproved. That he 
should have been under any temptation to suppress or 
soften any important opinion, or to deviate in any respect 
from that ingenuousness and good faith which naturally 
belonged to his character, is a circumstance which cannot 
be sufficiently lamented. But if there are any who feel 
disposed to pass a very severe censure upon Park's con- 
duct, let his situation at the time when he was preparing 
his Travels for the press, be fairly considered. He was 
then a young man, inexperienced in literary composition, 
• For an enumeration of the various facts contained in Park's Travels, which 
are relied on as favourable to the cause of the Abolition, accompanied by the 
proper references, see A concise statement of the question regarding the Abo- 
lition of the Slave Trade. 3d Ed. 1801, p. 99-106. A work, containing the 
most complete summary of the arguments upon this great subject, which has 
.yet appeared. 
