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To THE PUBLIC.

As it had been repeatedly suggested to the publisher, by some persons, who have seen the manuscript, that numbers would be ready to suspect they were not really the writings of PHILLIS, he had procured the following attestation, from the most respectable characters in Boston, that non might have the least ground for disputing their Original.

We whose Names are under-written, do assure the World, that the POEMS specified in the following page,* were (as we verily believe) written by PHILLIS, a young Negro girl, who was but a few Years since, brought an uncultivated Barbarian from Africa, and has ever since been, and now is, under the disadvantage of serving as a Slave in a family in this town. She has been examined by some of the best judges, and is thought qualified to write them.

His Excellency THOMAS HUTCHINSON, Governor.

The Hon. ANDREW OLIVER, Lieutenant-Governor.

Hon. Thomas Hubbard, 
Hon. John Erving, 
Hon. James Pitts, 
Hon. Harrison Gray,  
Hon. James Bowdoin, 
John Hancock Esq. 
Joseph Green, Esq. 
Richard Cary, Esq. 
Rev. Charles Chauncy. 
Rev. Mather Byles,
Rev. Ed. Pemberton,
Rev. Andrew Elliot,
Rev. Samuel Cooper,
Rev. Samuel Mather,
Rev. John Moorhead,
Mr. John Wheatly, her Master.

* The Words "following page," allude to the Contents of the Manuscript copy, which are written at the back of the above attettation.

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-29 09:27:45