Page:Remarks upon the Situation of Negroes in Jamaica.pdf/47

 indiſpoſition to lay up a few hours, or take perhaps a whole day; I think that, in conſideration of his regularity in general, it ſhould be overlooked. It is an eaſy matter to diſcriminate between thoſe who are deſerving, and thoſe who with to make an excuſe for idleneſs; and perhaps it might be better to paſs over a fault in the firſt, than admit of the leaſt excuſe (except in ſickneſs) in the laſt. Many negroes are obliged to reſume the hoe, when with proper indulgences they ſhould ſeek their beds; and if their feelings were to be more generally credited, and more forbearance ſhewn upon particular occaſions, there would not be ſo many really ſick, and by no means ſo many ſkulkers; for when theſe poor creatures are made to turn out, when complaining, before it is morning; and, after the fatigues of the day, are employed amidſt the dews of night, or obliged at any time to work in the rain; the conſequence will be a full hoſpital the enſuing morning. It is ſurely better to obtain a proportionate quantity of labour from many hands, than to expect the ſame work to be done by few; in the firſt place, the