Preface

2 min

The idea of writing Mary Prince's history was first suggested by herself. She wished it to be done, she said, that good people in England might hear from a slave what a slave had felt and suffered; and a letter of her late master's, which will be found in the Supplement, induced me to accede to her wish without farther delay. The more immediate object of the publication will afterwards appear.

Mary Prince herself first suggested writing her history. She said she wanted good people in England to hear from a slave what a slave had felt and suffered. A letter from her former master persuaded me to grant her wish without further delay. The letter can be found in the Supplement. The more immediate purpose of publishing her history will become clear later.

The narrative was taken down from Mary's own lips by a lady who happened to be at the time residing in my family as a visitor. It was written out fully, with all the narrator's repetitions and prolixities, and afterwards pruned into its present shape; retaining, as far as was practicable, Mary's exact expressions and peculiar phraseology. No fact of importance has been omitted, and not a single circumstance or sentiment has been added. It is essentially her own, without any material alteration farther than was requisite to exclude redundancies and gross grammatical errors, so as to render it clearly intelligible.

A woman who was visiting my family at the time wrote down the narrative as Mary told it. She wrote it out in full, including all of Mary's repetitions and lengthy passages. The narrative was then edited into its present form, keeping Mary's exact words and distinctive phrasing as far as possible. No important fact has been omitted, and not a single detail or sentiment has been added. The narrative is essentially Mary's own. It has not been substantially altered, except as needed to remove repetitions and serious grammatical errors and make it clearly understandable.

After it had been thus written out, I went over the whole, carefully examining her on every fact and circumstance detailed; and in all that relates to her residence in Antigua I had the advantage of being assisted in this scrutiny by Mr. Joseph Phillips, who was a resident in that colony during the same period, and had known her there.

After it had been written out, I went over the whole account, carefully questioning her about every fact and detail. For everything concerning her time in Antigua, Mr. Joseph Phillips helped me check the account. He had lived in that colony during the same period and had known her there.

The names of all the persons mentioned by the narrator have been printed in full, except those of Capt. I—— and his wife, and that of Mr. D——, to whom conduct of peculiar atrocity is ascribed. These three individuals are now gone to answer at a far more awful tribunal than that of public opinion, for the deeds of which their former bondwoman accuses them; and to hold them up more openly to human reprobation could no longer affect themselves, while it might deeply lacerate the feelings of their surviving and perhaps innocent relatives, without any commensurate public advantage.

The full names of all the people mentioned by the narrator have been printed, except for Capt. I--, his wife, and Mr. D--. They are accused of especially atrocious conduct. These three people have now gone to answer before a far more terrible court than public opinion. There they must answer for the deeds of which their former bondwoman accuses them. Exposing them more openly to human condemnation could no longer affect them. But it might deeply hurt their surviving relatives, who may be innocent, without providing a comparable benefit to the public.

Without detaining the reader with remarks on other points which will be adverted to more conveniently in the Supplement, I shall here merely notice farther, that the Anti-Slavery Society have no concern whatever with this publication, nor are they in any degree responsible for the statements it contains. I have published the tract, not as their Secretary, but in my private capacity; and any profits that may arise from the sale will be exclusively appropriated to the benefit of Mary Prince herself.

I will not delay the reader with comments on other points, which will be addressed more conveniently in the Supplement. I will only add here that the Anti-Slavery Society has nothing whatsoever to do with this publication. The Society is not in any way responsible for the statements it contains. I have published the tract as a private individual, not as the Society's Secretary. Any profits from its sale will be used exclusively for Mary Prince's benefit.

THO. PRINGLE.

7, Solly Terrace, Claremont Square,

January 25, 1831.

P. S. Since writing the above, I have been furnished by my friend Mr. George Stephen, with the interesting narrative of Asa-Asa, a captured African, now under his protection; and have printed it as a suitable appendix to this little history.

P. S. Since writing the above, my friend Mr. George Stephen has given me the interesting account of Asa-Asa. Asa-Asa is a captured African now under Mr. George Stephen’s protection. I have printed his account as a suitable appendix to this little history.

T. P.