virtues, which elevated that
people above all the other nations of the world. And tell me, my little
friend, since chance, not merit, too frequently allots the situation in
which men are to act, had you rather, in a high station, appear to all
mankind unworthy of the advantages you enjoy, or, in a low one, seem
equal to the most exalted employments by your virtues and abilities?"

Such were the conversations which Mr Barlow frequently held with Tommy,
and which never failed to inspire him with new resolution to persevere.
Nor could he help being frequently affected by the comparison of Harry's
behaviour with his own. No cloud seemed ever to shade the features of
his friend, or alter the uniform sweetness of his temper; even the
repeated provocations he had received were either totally obliterated or
had made no disagreeable impressions. After discharging the necessary
duties of the day, he gave up the rest of his time to the amusement of
Tommy with so much zeal and affection that he could not help loving him
a thousand times better than before.

During the evening, too, Tommy frequently conversed with the honest
negro concerning the most remarkable circumstances of the country where
he was born. One night that he seemed peculiarly inquisitive, the Black
gave him the following account of himself:--

"I was born," said he, "in the neighbourhood of the river Gambia in
Africa. In _this_ country people are astonished at my colour, and start
at the sight of a black man, as if he did not belong to their species;
but _there_ everybody resembles me, and when the first white men landed
upon our coast, we were as much surprised with their appearance as you
can be with ours. In some parts of the world I have seen men of a yellow
hue, in others of a copper colour; and all have the foolish vanity to
despise their fellow-creatures as infinitely inferior to themselves.
There, indeed, they entertain these conceits from ignorance, but in this
country, where the natives pretend to superior reason, I have often
wondered they could be influenced by such a prejudice. Is a black horse
thought to be inferior to a white one in speed, in strength, or courage?
Is a white cow thought to give more milk, or a white dog to have a more
acute scent in pursuing the game? On the contrary, I have generally
found, in almost every country, that a pale colour in animals is
considered as a mark of weakness and inferiority. Why then should a
certain race of