Video melicra proboque,
Deteriora fequor.
I own I am fhocked at the purchase of flaves,
And fear thofe, who buy them and fell them, are knaves;
What I hear of their hardships, their tortures, and groans,
Is almost enough to draw pity from stones.
I pity them greatly, but I must be mum,
For how could we do without fugar and rum?
Efpecially fugar, fo needful we fee?
What give up our deferts, our coffee, and tea!
Befides, if we do, the French, Dutch, and Danes,
Will heartily thank us, no doubt, for our pains;
If we do not buy the poor creatures, they will,
And tortures and groans will be multiplied ftill.
If foreigners likewife would give up the trade,
Much more in behalf of your wish might be faid;
But, while they get riches by purchafing blacks,
Pray tell me why we may not alfo go fnacks?
Your fcruples and arguments bring to my mind
A ftory fo pat, you may think it is coined,
On purpose to answer you out of my mint;
But I can affure you I saw it in print.
A youngfter at school more fedate than the reft,
Had once his integrity put to the teft;
His comrades had plotted an orchard to rob,
And asked him to go and affift in the job.
He was shocked, fir, like you, and answered—“Oh no!
What! rob our good neighbour! I pray you don't go;
Befides the man's poor, his orchard's his bread,
Then think of his children, for they must be fed.”
"You speak very fine, and you look very grave,
But apples we want, and apples we'll have;
If you will go with us, you shall have a fhare,
If not, you shall have neither apple nor pear.”
They spoke, and Tom pondered- "I fee they will go s
Poor man! what a pity to injure him fo!
Poor man! I would fave him his fruit if I cou'd,
But ftaying behind will do him no good.
"If the matter depended alone upon me,
His apples might hang till they dropt from the tree; But, fince they will take them, I think I'll go too, He will lofe none by me, though I get a few."
His fcruples thus filenced, Tom felt more at eafe,
And went with his comrades the apples to feize;
He blamed and protefted, but joined in the plan:
Fle fhared in the plunder, but pitied the man.
"TWAS in the glad season of spring,
Afleep at the dawn of the day,
I dreamed what I cannot but fing,
So pleasant it seemed as I lay.
I dreamed that on ocean afloat,
Far hence to the weftward I failed,
While the billows high-lifted the boat,
And the fresh-blowing breeze never failed.
In the fteerage a woman I faw,
Such at leaft was the form that she wore, Whose beauty impreffed me with awe, Ne'er taught me by woman before.
She fat, and a fhield at her fide
Shed light, like a fun on the waves,
And smiling divinely, he cried
"I go to make Freemen of Slaves."
Then raifing her voice to a ftrain
The sweetest, that ear ever heard, She fung of the flave's broken chain, Wherever her glory appeared.
Some clouds, which had over us hung, Fled, chafed by her melody clear, And methought while fhe liberty fung, 'Twas liberty only to hear.
Thus fwiftly dividing the flood,
To a flave-cultured island we came,
Where a demon, her enemy, flood-
Oppreffion his terrible name.
In his hand, as the fign of his fway,
A fcourge hung with lashes he bore,
And stood looking out for his prey
From Africa's forrowful fhore.
But foon as approaching the land,
That goddefs-like woman he viewed,
The fcourge he let fall from his hand,
With blood of his fubjects imbrued.
I faw him both ficken and die,
And the moment the monfter expired, Heard fhouts, that afcended the sky, From thousands with rapture inspired.
Awaking, how could I but mufe
At what fuch a dream fhould betide?
But foon my ear caught the glad news,
Which ferved my weak thought for a guideThat Britannia, renowned o'er the waves For the hatred, the ever has shown, To the black-fceptered rulers of flaves, Refolves to have none of her own.
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