A Visit to England

In the spring, sad news came to me. Mrs. Bruce was dead. Never again, in this world, should I see her gentle face, or hear her sympathizing voice. I had lost an excellent friend, and little Mary had lost a tender mother. Mr. Bruce wished the child to visit some of her mother’s relatives in England, and he was desirous that I should take charge of her. The little motherless one was accustomed to me, and attached to me, and I thought she would be happier in my care than in that of a stranger. I could also earn more in this way than I could by my needle. So I put Benny to a trade, and left Ellen to remain in the house with my friend and go to school.

In the spring, I received sad news. Mrs. Bruce had died. I would never again see her gentle face or hear her sympathetic voice in this world. I had lost an excellent friend, and little Mary had lost a loving mother. Mr. Bruce wanted Mary to visit some of her mother’s relatives in England. He wanted me to take care of her. The little motherless girl was used to me and attached to me. I thought she would be happier in my care than with a stranger. I could also earn more by caring for her than by sewing. So I arranged for Benny to learn a trade. I left Ellen to live in the house with my friend and go to school.

We sailed from New York, and arrived in Liverpool after a pleasant voyage of twelve days. We proceeded directly to London, and took lodgings at the Adelaide Hotel. The supper seemed to me less luxurious than those I had seen in American hotels; but my situation was indescribably more pleasant. For the first time in my life I was in a place where I was treated according to my deportment, without reference to my complexion. I felt as if a great millstone had been lifted from my breast. Ensconced in a pleasant room, with my dear little charge, I laid my head on my pillow, for the first time, with the delightful consciousness of pure, unadulterated freedom.

We sailed from New York and arrived in Liverpool after a pleasant twelve-day voyage. We went straight to London and stayed at the Adelaide Hotel. The supper seemed less luxurious than those I had seen in American hotels, but my situation was far more pleasant than words can describe. For the first time in my life, I was treated according to my behavior, regardless of my skin color. I felt as if a great weight had been lifted from my chest. Settled in a pleasant room with the dear little child in my care, I laid my head on my pillow. For the first time, I felt the joy of knowing I was completely and truly free.

As I had constant care of the child, I had little opportunity to see the wonders of that great city; but I watched the tide of life that flowed through the streets, and found it a strange contrast to the stagnation in our Southern towns. Mr. Bruce took his little daughter to spend some days with friends in Oxford Crescent, and of course it was necessary for me to accompany her. I had heard much of the systematic method of English education, and I was very desirous that my dear Mary should steer straight in the midst of so much propriety. I closely observed her little playmates and their nurses, being ready to take any lessons in the science of good management. The children were more rosy than American children, but I did not see that they differed materially in other respects. They were like all children—sometimes docile and sometimes wayward.

Because I was constantly caring for the child, I had little chance to see the wonders of that great city. But I watched the flow of life through the streets. It was a strange contrast to the stillness of our Southern towns. Mr. Bruce took his little daughter to stay with friends in Oxford Crescent for a few days. Of course, I had to go with her. I had heard much about the orderly methods of English education. I was eager for my dear Mary to behave properly among so many well-mannered people. I watched her little playmates and their nurses closely, ready to learn any lessons about caring for children well. The children had rosier cheeks than American children, but I saw no significant differences in other respects. They were like all children, sometimes obedient and sometimes hard to manage.

We next went to Steventon, in Berkshire. It was a small town, said to be the poorest in the county. I saw men working in the fields for six shillings, and seven shillings, a week, and women for sixpence, and sevenpence, a day, out of which they boarded themselves. Of course they lived in the most primitive manner; it could not be otherwise, where a woman’s wages for an entire day were not sufficient to buy a pound of meat. They paid very low rents, and their clothes were made of the cheapest fabrics, though much better than could have been procured in the United States for the same money. I had heard much about the oppression of the poor in Europe. The people I saw around me were, many of them, among the poorest poor. But when I visited them in their little thatched cottages, I felt that the condition of even the meanest and most ignorant among them was vastly superior to the condition of the most favored slaves in America. They labored hard; but they were not ordered out to toil while the stars were in the sky, and driven and slashed by an overseer, through heat and cold, till the stars shone out again. Their homes were very humble; but they were protected by law. No insolent patrols could come, in the dead of night, and flog them at their pleasure. The father, when he closed his cottage door, felt safe with his family around him. No master or overseer could come and take from him his wife, or his daughter. They must separate to earn their living; but the parents knew where their children were going, and could communicate with them by letters. The relations of husband and wife, parent and child, were too sacred for the richest noble in the land to violate with impunity. Much was being done to enlighten these poor people. Schools were established among them, and benevolent societies were active in efforts to ameliorate their condition. There was no law forbidding them to learn to read and write; and if they helped each other in spelling out the Bible, they were in no danger of thirty-nine lashes, as was the case with myself and poor, pious, old uncle Fred. I repeat that the most ignorant and the most destitute of these peasants was a thousand fold better off than the most pampered American slave.

We next went to Steventon, in Berkshire. It was a small town, said to be the poorest in the county. I saw men working in the fields for six or seven shillings a week. Women earned sixpence or sevenpence a day. They all had to pay for their own food out of those wages. Of course, they lived very simply. How could it be otherwise, when a woman’s wages for a whole day could not buy a pound of meat? They paid very low rents, and their clothes were made of the cheapest fabrics. Even so, the clothes were much better than they could have bought for the same money in the United States. I had heard much about the oppression of the poor in Europe. Many of the people I saw around me were among the poorest of the poor. But I visited them in their small thatched cottages. I felt that even the humblest and least educated among them were far better off than the most favored slaves in America. They worked hard. But they were not ordered out to work while the stars were still in the sky. Nor were they driven and whipped by an overseer, through heat and cold, until the stars appeared again. Their homes were very humble, but the law protected them. No insolent patrols could come in the middle of the night and whip them whenever they pleased. When a father closed his cottage door, he felt safe with his family around him. No master or overseer could come and take his wife or daughter from him. Families had to separate to earn a living. But parents knew where their children were going and could write letters to them. The bonds between husband and wife, and between parent and child, were sacred. Even the richest noble in the land could not violate them without punishment. Much was being done to educate these poor people. Schools were established among them, and charitable societies worked actively to improve their condition. No law forbade them to learn to read and write. If they helped each other sound out the words of the Bible, they risked no punishment. They were in no danger of thirty-nine lashes, as poor, devout old uncle Fred and I were. I repeat that the least educated and poorest of these peasants was a thousand times better off than the most pampered American slave.

I do not deny that the poor are oppressed in Europe. I am not disposed to paint their condition so rose-colored as the Hon. Miss Murray paints the condition of the slaves in the United States. A small portion of my experience would enable her to read her own pages with anointed eyes. If she were to lay aside her title, and, instead of visiting among the fashionable, become domesticated, as a poor governess, on some plantation in Louisiana or Alabama, she would see and hear things that would make her tell quite a different story.

I do not deny that poor people are oppressed in Europe. I will not paint their condition as rosy as the Hon. Miss Murray paints the condition of enslaved people in the United States. A small part of my experience would open her eyes as she reads her own words. Suppose she set aside her title and, instead of visiting fashionable people, lived as a poor governess on a plantation in Louisiana or Alabama. She would see and hear things that would make her tell a very different story.

My visit to England is a memorable event in my life, from the fact of my having there received strong religious impressions. The contemptuous manner in which the communion had been administered to colored people, in my native place; the church membership of Dr. Flint, and others like him; and the buying and selling of slaves, by professed ministers of the gospel, had given me a prejudice against the Episcopal church. The whole service seemed to me a mockery and a sham. But my home in Steventon was in the family of a clergyman, who was a true disciple of Jesus. The beauty of his daily life inspired me with faith in the genuineness of Christian professions. Grace entered my heart, and I knelt at the communion table, I trust, in true humility of soul.

My visit to England was memorable because I had a profound religious experience there. In my hometown, communion had been administered to Black people with contempt. Dr. Flint and others like him were church members. Even professed ministers of the gospel bought and sold enslaved people. All of this had turned me against the Episcopal church. The whole service seemed to me a mockery and a sham. But in Steventon, I lived with the family of a clergyman who was a true disciple of Jesus. The beauty of his daily life inspired me to believe that people could sincerely profess Christian faith. Grace entered my heart, and I knelt at the communion table, I trust, with true humility of soul.

I remained abroad ten months, which was much longer than I had anticipated. During all that time, I never saw the slightest symptom of prejudice against color. Indeed, I entirely forgot it, till the time came for us to return to America.

I stayed abroad for ten months, much longer than I had expected. During all that time, I never saw the slightest sign of racial prejudice. In fact, I completely forgot about it until it was time for us to return to America.