This misapplication of a moral feeling, was supposed to have brought on such a debility in his stomach and bowels, as produced a disease in those parts of which he finally died.

Few men, since days of the apostles, ever lived a more disinterested life. And yet, upon his death bed, he said, he wished to live a little longer, that "he might bring down "SELF."

widow

The last time he ever walked across his room, was to take from his desk six dollars, which he gave to a poor whom he had long assisted to maintain.

He bequeathed after the death of his widow, a house and lot in which consisted his whole estate, to the support of a school for the education of negro children, which he had founded and taught for several years before his death.

He died in May 1784, in the 71st. year of his age.

His funeral was attended by persons of all religious denominations, and by many hundred black people.

Colonel J―n, who had served in the American army, during the late war, in returning from the funeral, pronounced an eulogium upon him. It consisted only of the following words: "I would rather,", said he, "be Anthony "Benezet in that coffin, than George Washington with all " his fame."

July 15, 1788.

PARADISE OF NEGRO-SLAVES,-A DREAM.

OON after reading Mr. Clarkson's ingenious and pathetic essay on the slavery and commerce of the human species, the subject made so deep an impression upon my mind, that it followed me in my sleep, and produced a dream of so extraordinary a nature, that I have yielded to the importunities of some of my friends, by communicating it to the public, I thought I was conducted to a country, which in point of cultivation and scenery, far surpassed any thing I had ever heard, or read of in my life. This country, I found, was inhabited only by negroes. They appeared L cheerful and happy. Upon my approaching a beautiful grove, where a number of them were assembled for religious purposes, I perceived at once a pause in their exercises, and an appearance of general perturbation. They fixed their eyes upon me-while one of them, a venerable looking man, came forward, and in the name of the whole assembly, addressed me in the following language:

"Excuse the panic which you have spread through this "peaceful and happy company: we perceive that you are a "white man. That colour which is the emblem of innocence "in every other creature of God, is to us a sign of guilt in The persons whom you see here, were once drag"ged by the men of your colour from their native country, "and consigned by them to labour-punishment-and death.

"man.

Rr

"We are here collected together, and enjoy an ample "compensation in our present employments for all the mise"ries we endured on earth. We know that we are secured "by the Being whom we worship, from injury and oppres❝sion. Our appearance of terror, therefore, was entirely "the sudden effect of habits which have not yet been eradi"cated from our minds."

"Your apprehensions of danger from the sight of a white "man," said I, "are natural. But in me-you behold a "friend. I have been your advocate-and."- -Here, he interrupted me, and said, " Is not your name— -?" I answered in the affirmative. Upon this he ran up and embraced me in his arms, and afterwards conducted me into the midst of the assembly, where, after being introduced to the principal characters, I was seated upon a bank of moss; and the following account was delivered to me by the venerable person who first accosted me.

"The place we now occupy, is called the paradise of negro "slaves. It is destined to be our place of residence 'till the "general judgement; after which time, we expect to be "admitted into higher and more perfect degrees of happiness. "Here we derive great pleasure from contemplating the infi"nite goodness of God, in allotting to us our full proportion "of misery on earth; by which means we have escaped the "punishments, to which the free and happy part of mankind "too often expose themselves after death. Here we have "learned to thank God, for all the afflictions our task-mas"ters heaped on us; inasmuch, as they were the means of

our present happiness. Pain and distress are the unavoid"able portions of all mankind. They are the only possible avenues that can conduct them to peace and felicity. Happy are

"they, who partake of their proportion of both upon the "earth." Here he ended.

After a silence of a few minutes, a young man, who bore on his head the mark of a wound, came up to me and asked "If I knew any thing of Mr.- of the Island of" I told him "I did not."-"Mr.- ," said he," was my

master.

"

One day, I mistook his orders, and saddled his 66 mare instead of his horse, which provoked him so much, "that he took up an axe which laid in his yard, and with a "stroke on my head dismissed me from life.

"I long to hear, whether he has repented of this unkind "action. Do, sir, write to him, and tell him, his sin is not "too great to be forgiven, tell him, his once miserable slave, "Scipio, is not angry at him-he longs to bear his prayers "to the offended majesty of heaven-and-when he dies"Scipio will apply to be one of the convoy, that shall conduct "his spirit to the regions of bliss appointed for those who "repent of their iniquities."

With

Before I could reply to this speech, an old man came and sat down by my side. His wool was white as snow. a low, but gentle voice, he thus addressed me.

in the Island of

"Sir, I was the slave of Mr."I served him faithfully upwards of sixty years. No rising 66 sun ever caught me in my cabin-no setting sun ever saw "me out of the sugar field, except on Sundays and holydays. "My whole subsistence never cost my master more than "forty shillings a year. Herrings and roots were my only "food. One day, in the eightieth year of my age, the over

seer saw me stop to rest myself against the side of a tree, "where I was at work. He came up to me, and beat me,

" 'till he could endure the fatigue and heat occasioned by the "blows he gave me, no longer. Nor was this all-he com"plained of me to my master, who instantly set me up at “public vendue, and sold me for two guineas to a tavern"keeper, in a distant parish. The distress I felt, in leaving "my children, and grand-children(28 of whom I left on my "old master's plantation) soon put an end to my existence, "and landed me upon these happy shores. I have now no "wish to gratify but one--and that is to be permitted to visit "my old master's family. I long to tell my master, that "his wealth cannot make him happy.-That the sufferings "of a single hour in the world of misery, for which he is "preparing himself, will overbalance all the pleasures he (6 ever enjoyed in his life-and that for every act of unnecessary severity he inflicts upon his slaves, he shall suffer ten"fold in the world to come."

66

He had hardly finished his tale, when a decent looking woman came forward, and addressed me in the following language. Sir,

"I was once the slave of Mr. in the state of

"From the healthiness of my constitution, I was called upon "to suckle my Master's eldest son. To enable me to per"form this office more effectually, my own child was taken "from my breast, and soon afterwards died. My affections "in the first emotions of my grief, fastened themselves upon 66 my infant master. He thrived under my care and grew up a handsome young man. Upon the death of his father, "I became his property.-Soon after this event, he lost.100 "at cards. To raise this money I was sold to a planter in a "neighbouring state. I can never forget the anguish, with "which my aged father and mother followed me to the end