Slavery
Primary Sources | Secondary Sources
Primary Sources
Alexander, J.E. Transatlantic Sketches, Comprising Visits to the Most Interesting Scenes in North and South America, and the West Indies, with Notes on Negro Slavery and Canadian Emigration. 2 vols. London: Richard Bentley, 1833. This text describes a year-long journey which began in London, England in 1831. Prior to his departure, Alexander "communicated [his] intention to the secretary of the Royal Geographical Society, and to other literary and scientific individuals, and volunteered to execute commissions for them in America or the West Indies. [He] thus obtained a series of interrogatories to answer" (I.vii). Alexander also writes about being present in Upper Canada "at a distribution of presents to Indians" (I.x).
Anonymous. Joanna, or the Female Slave. A West Indian Tale. London: S. and R. Bentley, 1824. Helen Thomas calls this work a "hoax" narrative (179), which is based upon--and written to capitalized on the successes of--Stedman's famous Narrative of an Expedition Against the Revolted Negroes of Surname (1796).
Aristotle. The Politics of Aristotle. Trans. Ernest Barker. Ed. Ernest Barker. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1962. Aristotle's work contains important discussions of slavery and the status of humans versus that of animals.
Clarkson, Thomas. The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament. Vol. 1. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, 1808. Clarkson, whom Coleridge admired, recounts the history of "[t]he committee instituted in June 1787, for effecting the Abolition of the slave-trade" (288). The opening chapter offers a philosophical overview of the abolitionist belief.
Cugoano, Ottobah. Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil and Wicked Traffic of the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species, Humbly Submitted to the Inhabitants of Great Britain by Ottobah Cugoano, a Native of Africa. London: np, 1878. A Fantee born in the "city of Aquimaque, on the coast of Fantyn" (6), Cugoano recounts his personal history and his early enslavement as he is "brought from a state of innocence and freedom, and . . . conveyed to a state of horro" (10). He endures enslavement in Grenada for eight or nine months before gaining his freedom. Throughout his text, Cugoano indicts slavery as a practice of "savage barbarity," invoking Christian scripture counter-discourse to advocate abolition.
Gronniosaw, Ukawsaw [a.k.a. James Albert]. A Narrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars in the Life of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, an African Prince, as Related by Himself. Ed. W. Shirley. Bath: S. Hazard, 1770. Reprinted numerous times, this book is reputed to be the first slave narrative written in the English language. Gronniosaw travels as a slave to New England and later, as a free man, to England, where he meets Whitefield, the abolitionist.
Herbert, Thomas. Some Years Travels into Divers Parts of Africa, and Asia the Great. 1638. 4th ed. London: R. Everingham, 1677. Early in this text Herbert questions the humanity of African peoples by speculating that they are the products of "beastly copulation or conjecture" (18).
Marrant, John. A Narrative of the Lord's Wonderful Dealings with John Marrant, a Black. 4th ed. London: Gilbert and Plummer, 1785. This narrative was transcribed by one Reverend Albridge from the author's own relation, and arranged, corrected, and published by Albridge. The text contains a story of Marrant's perilous wanderings in the American wilderness, where he was purportedly held captive by Cherokee Indians.
Millar, John. The Origin of the Distinction of Ransk; or, an Inquiry into the Circumstances Which Give Rise to Influence and Authority, in the Different Members of Society. 3rd ed. London: John Murray, 1779. A famous law professor at the University of Glasgow, Millar offers a philosophical history of the origins of social hierarchy. The book contains, among other things, chapters on early "savage" societies and master-slave relations (chapters 3 and 6, respectively). Millar marshals economic arguments for the abolition of slavery in contemporary society (305 - 8).
Newton, John. An Authentic Narrative of Some Remarkable and Interesting Particulars in the Life of John Newton. 7th ed. London: Joseph Johnson, 1790. This text is a confessional autobiography in which the author recounts his experiences as a sailor and traveler to Africa and the West Indies and his participation in the slave trade. Among other things, Newton narrates a story of his own virtual enslavement by an African woman and her white husband, a trader, in the plantations.
Sharp, Granville. A Representation of the Injustice and Dangerous Tendency of Tolerating Slavery; or of Admitting the Least Claim of Private Property in the Persons of Men, in England. London: Benjamin White and Robert Horsfield, 1769. This book contains an indictment of slave-holding based on the legal argument that African people, as human beings, cannot, like domestic animals, be considered private property.
---. A Tract on the Law of Nature, and Principles of Action in Man. London: B. White, 1777. This is an anti-slavery tract arguing that the institution of slavery runs contrary to "the law of nature." Early in this text, Sharp argues that animals are more noble and blessed than imperialist tyrants and slave owners.
Thompson, Thomas. The African Trade for Negro Slaves, Shewn to Be Consistent with Principles of Humanity, and with the Laws of Revealed Religion. Canterbury: Simmons and Kirkby, 1772. Thompson's text is an apology for the slave trade, acknowledging its apparent cruelty but defending it on spiritual and practical grounds.
Secondary Sources
Canuel, Mark. "Coleridge's Polemic Divinity Part IV." English Literary History 68.4 (2001): 929 - 63. Canuel discusses the connection between religion and politics, focusing on Coleridge's "Slave Trade" essay and its condemnation of unethical practices such as eating sugar.
Lalla, Barbara. "Dungeons of the Soul: Frustrated Romanticism in the 18th and 19th Century Literature of Jamaica." MELUS 21.3 (1996): 3 - 24. Lalla explores the theme of freedom in Jamaican narratives before 1830, examining in particular the role played by Romantic and Eurocentric discourses.
Mann, Peter. "Coleridge, Joseph Gerrald and the Slave Trade." Wordsworth Circle 8.1 (1977): 38 - 46. This article considers Coleridge's response to Joseph Gerrald, a well-known radical whom Coleridge accused of expressing pro-slavery sentiments.