progressive to advance from the rudest state of ignorance to the highest improvement of his intellectual powers, and to all the enjoyments of cultivated and civilized

life.

It may be assumed as an unquestionable truth, that no one will perform the duties of life, whether religious or moral, or social, whether public or private, the worse for knowing them. No one will become a careless or disobedient servant from being able to read in the writings inspired by God himself the following exhortation-Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their masters, and to please them well in all things, not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Servants, be subject to your masters

with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

To promote the objects which I have strongly, but I would hope not obtrusively recommended, mere oral instruction is obviously insufficient. It may

open the road, but it cannot bring the hearer to the desired end of the journey. It ought in every instance to be followed by the establishment of a school for the young on the plantation; and this school might be usefully conducted (under the superintendence of the proprietor and the minister of the parish) by some respectable tenant on the estate. I cannot regard the immediate agency of the book-keeper, or of others with a delegated authority, as desirable in the work of instruction. The teacher should appear in the character of the friend, and not of the task-master or punisher of the slaves. Above all, his moral character

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Col. iii. 22. Titus ii. 9. 1 Peter ii. 18.

"It is obvious that the person who ministers in

should be free from reproach or exception. Subordinate instructors might easily be found among the slaves themselves, and they would require but little training to attain the necessary qualifications for assisting in, or even conducting, a school on the plantation.

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I consider the Sunday parochial school as an useful auxiliary to this plan of daily instruction for the young. The children whose age qualifies them for active employment in the field, and who therefore

the capacity of instructor to your negroes, should never appear in the light of a minister of oppression. It should be no part of his duty to urge them to their labour, or to superintend them in any of the processes of the plantation. He ought to show himself to them only under the character of a mediator and benefactor and moral guide.”—Practical Rules for the Management, &c., of Negro Slavery, by Dr. Collins, of St. Vincent.

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Schools of the description here recommended have recently been opened on some of the plantations in Barbados. I hope soon to see the number greatly

increase.

remain no longer under the charge of the domestic teacher, may here keep up the knowledge they have gained in their earlier years, and may be taught, under the personal superintendence of their minister, "all things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health.”

I have not sufficient personal knowledge of the success which has attended the establishment of infant schools in the mother country, to recommend positively and confidently their adoption in these colonies. But the arguments which have been brought forward in support of these new institutions, and which have led to their zealous patronage by the benevolent in our mother country, are at least as applicable to the condition of the poor in the West Indies; for where is the infant, in all that regards the moral discipline and controul of the mind, more untaught, than among our slave, and free coloured inhabitants; and where is the influence of early example more danger

ous, than in the dwellings of the poor white, the poor free-coloured; and the neglected slave of our land? It is not in the precocious development of intellect, but in the early habits of industry, and obedience, and self-controul, that we are to look for the practical good of infant schools."

I am satisfied that the religious improvement of the slaves would be greatly promoted, if the minister deemed it an essential part of his duty to visit the negro population of his parish in their huts-to enter into their little distresses with the earnest and kindly interest of a friendand to show a readiness to assist them with his counsel, comfort them with the hopes and promises of the gospel, and promote by every legitimate and allowable means their temporal, no less than their spiritual welfare. It was in anticipation of benefits of this kind which the clergyman might be able to confer on the