Page:Copley 1844 A History of Slavery and its Abolition 2nd Ed.djvu/185

Rh aching sight. The fire of his eyes alone gave indication of the passion, until, after some minutes standing there, he fell senseless on the sand, as if suddenly struck down by the hand of the Almighty. Nature could do no more. The blood gushed from his nostrils and mouth, as if rushing from the terrors of the conflict within; and, amid the confusion occasioned by this circumstance, the vessel bore off his family for ever from the island!   is by no means desired, or desirable, to leave on the mind of the reader an impression that the lot of the slaves was equally wretched in all situations, and under all masters. There have been some honourable instances of persons coming involuntarily into the possession of slave plantations, who, perhaps, had not duly considered the real and unimproveable nature of the system, or who found it impracticable to fulfil their humane wishes, in altogether abolishing it even on their own estates, but who rendered it as tolerable as possible by their humane attention to the comfort of their slaves; not leaving them to the tender mercies of unprincipled and interested hirelings, but personally superintending their affairs, dwelling among their people, assigning moderate bounds to the labour required of them, affording them sufficient means of comfortable subsistence, encouraging by suitable rewards their diligence and fidelity, countenancing their endeavours to establish a little property, duly respecting the sacred ties of relationship, and taking pleasure in feeling themselves surrounded by contented happy families. This kind of conduct has