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VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. 
CHAP. IX. 
Next to the benefits of religious instruction, the friends of 
the coloured people appear to be especially required, in the 
present state of society, to aid and guide them in seeking 
for themselves progressive improvement; to make them dis¬ 
satisfied with a low position in the social scale, and to awaken 
yearnings after something better and stimulate to efforts for 
its attainment; to impress upon them the absolute necessity 
of education at any cost, with more of self-reliance, and the 
conviction that their future depends not upon others but 
upon themselves. 
But while causes of anxiety like these were not wanting, 
there were other subjects of consideration peculiarly cheering. 
Many of the coloured people, formerly slaves, have won their 
way to competency, if not to wealth, to social comfort, and to 
positions of influence in society, being held in just and 
general esteem by all classes of the community. Beligion 
had taught them frugality and temperance. When they 
became their own masters, industry and skill brought their 
appropriate reward, while their strength of character and 
consistency of conduct secured them respect and entitled 
them to be numbered, not only amongst the best friends of 
their race, but the most valuable members of the community, 
— examples of what, it is to be hoped, will one day form a 
numerous portion of the people, viz., a hardy, active, in¬ 
telligent, and upright middle class. This, with Grod’s blessing, 
may be their future, if they are wisely counselled, and are 
true to themselves. 
Nor must I omit to mention that I found there existed 
amongst the colonists more consideration and kindness towards 
the coloured people altogether, with a more natural and 
healthy state of feeling, than had at all times existed. The 
present laws, the recent Constitution which had given so 
many of the coloured people the elective franchise, the 
just and liberal views expressed by some of the leading men 
