James Boswell

“ It must be admitted, that in the course of the present imprudent and dangerous attempt to bring about a total abolition, one essential advantage has been obtained, namely, a better mode of carrying the slaves from Africa to the West-Indies ”

“ Instead of rags and heritable blows.”
5 The question now agitated in the British Parliament concerning slavery, is illustrated with great information, able argument, and perspicuous expression, in a work entitled, “Doubts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, by an Old Member of Parliament;” printed for Stockdale, in Picadilly, 1790. It is ascribed to John Ranby, Esq.
That the evils of the Slave Trade should, like the evils incident to other departments of civil subordination, be humanely remedied as much as may be, every good man is convinced ”

“ Cumberland’s grandfather.
14 Mr. Cumberland is a descendant of Bishop Cumberland, who wrote De legibus Naturæ.
15 Messieurs Carpmeal, Macmanus, Jealous, and Townshend, gentlemen of the Publick Office, in Bow-Street.
16 Sir William Young has a series of pictures, in which the negroes in our plantations are justly and pleasingly exhibited in various scenes.
17 The Angola blacks are the most ferocious. The author does not boast, like Abyssinian Yakoob, “of no ungracious figure”: nor does he, like another beau garçon, Mr. Gibbon, prefix his pleasing countenance to captivate the ladies. ”

“ All original spellings and punctuation have been retained, except as noted.
Title page: “By James Boswell, Esq.” is handwritten below “P O E M.”
Erratum: the change of “mighty” to “magick” has been made.
Line 9: “Thurlow” is handwritten above “T——”.
Line 12, footnote 2: “Sedet eternumqre sedebit” corrected to “Sedet eternumque sedebit”.
Line 27: There is no footnote marker in the original text for footnote 5. ”