has been his chief aim. He would far rather sacrifice to utility, than the Graces.

*

Having been taught by experience, during a visit to Jamaica, the want of a concise history of that valuable colony, he has now endeavoured shortly to relate the past affairs of the Island, and to present to the Public, and especially to those, who may be led by inclination or necessity to visit that country, a succint account of its present state and condition. This task he has attempted, not with any vain expectation of throwing new light on the subject, or of making any important discoveries, or profound observations; but from a desire to place in a connected view the events and situation of this flourishing colony, and to relate them in such a concise and perspicuous manner, as to gratify, if possible, the curiosity of every reader. And this becomes the more necessary, when we consider, that the voluminous, ill-digested, and unconnected, though otherwise valuable, histories of Brown, Long, and Edwards, are written in such a manner, as to gratify few readers, and bear such a price, as to exclude many purchasers. These considerations have led to a publication of the following pages; and whatever the defects contained in them may be, if they tend to excite the liberal inb

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mathy, or enthusiasm, which the history of endant state never fails to call forth. The Listory indeed seems more properly applied to rration of those events, which change the gonent of a country, or the mutual relations of pendant states, than to the less important, and quently, less interesting, events, which may hapin a colony: And, in truth, the title which has prefixed to the following pages, has been pted, rather from a compliance with custom, in from any conviction of its applicability, or sense its propriety.

Perhaps an observation will be deemed requisite, respecting the non-quotation of authorities, for the various historical facts, related in the present volume. For this conduct, the conciseness requisite in a short history, will probably account in a satisfactory manner. But, it But, it may be further remarked, that as historians are not bound, either by the laws of propriety or custom, to produce their authorities for every fact related by them, they are always at liberty to quote authors in the manner they deem most eligible, and for the facts which they esteem the most important or unaccountable. It must be evident, therefore, to every man, that an author may

quiries of those individuals, who visit the Island of Jamaica; if they lead to a pursuit of those objects, which elevate the mind, and humanize the temper; if they convey that information, which strengthens the understandings, and increases the usefulness of individuals; and if, from that conciseness which has been anxiously studied, the knowledge contained in them shall be more easily attained, and more extensively circulated, the Author's labour and expectations shall not have been in vain.

"An account of Jamaica," would have perhaps been a title more accurately expressive of the contents and pretensions of the present volume, than that which has been adopted. The affairs of a colony being always subject to the influence of a distant and superior power, seldom furnish, comparatively speaking, those interesting events, which arise from the avarice, ambition, patriotism, or folly, of individuals, and which, being productive of changes affecting posterity, it is the delight and the business of the historian, to investigate and explain. But a dependant island is only a satellite, doomed to follow the fortune of its superior planet. A relation of the transactions of a colony, therefore, is seldom interesting, and can rarely excite those feelings of anxi

ety, sympathy, or enthusiasm, which the history of an independant state never fails to call forth. The word History indeed seems more properly applied to the narration of those events, which change the government of a country, or the mutual relations of independant states, than to the less important, and consequently, less interesting, events, which may happen in a colony: And, in truth, the title which has been prefixed to the following pages, has been adopted, rather from a compliance with custom, than from any conviction of its applicability, or sense of its propriety.

Perhaps an observation will be deemed requisite, respecting the non-quotation of authorities, for the various historical facts, related in the present volume. For this conduct, the conciseness requisite in a short history, will probably account in a satisfactory manner. But, it may be further remarked, that as historians are not bound, either by the laws of propriety or custom, to produce their authorities for every fact related by them, they are always at liberty to quote authors in the manner they deem most eligible, and for the facts which they esteem the most important or unaccountable. It must be evident, therefore, to every man, that an author may