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14  ATTOBAH CUGOANO.

fatal to its author."  This idea is comformable to the great plan of religion, and ought to be indelibly impressed on every human heart.
7. Cugoano makes a striking comparison between ancient and modern slavery; and proves that the last, which prevails among professing Christians, is worse than that among pagans; and also worse than that among the Hebrews, who did not steal men to enslave them, or sell them without their consent ; and who put no fine on the head of a fugitive.
8. In Deuteronomy, xxiii, 15, it is formally said, "Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee."  He passes from the Old to the New Testament, and states the inconsistency of slavery with Christ's command to do to others as we would they should do to us.
9. In him we see talents without much literary cultivation ; and to which a good education would have given great advantage.  His writings are not very methodical, but they speak the language of a feeling heart, and are read with interest by those who are averse to slavery.

PHILLIS WHEATLEY  15

PHILLIS WHEATLEY.
Although the state of Massachusetts never was so deeply involved in the African slave trade as most of the other states, yet, before the war which separated the United States of America from Great Britain, and gave us the title of a free and independent nation, there were many of the poor Africans Brough into their ports and sold for slaves.
2. In the year 1761, a little girl about seven or eight years old was stolen from her parents in Africa; and being put on board a ship, she was brought to Boston, where she was sold for a slave to John Wheatley, a respectable inhabitant of that town.  Her master gave her the name of Phillis, and she, assuming that of her master, was of course called Phillis Wheatley.
3. Being of an active disposition, and very attentive and industrious, in about sixteen months, she learned the English language so perfectly, that she could read any of the most difficult parts of the Scriptures, to the great astonishment of this who heard her.  And this she learned without any school instruction, except what was given her in the family.
4. The art of writing she obtained by her own industry and curiosity, and in so short a time that,

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