genteeler, genteelest. 'For me,' added the worthy doctor, 'I cannot well
enter into the spirit of these nice distinctions; it suits neither my
taste nor my interest, and my house is, perhaps, the only one in Darien,
where you would find all these opposite and contending elements
combined.' The doctor is connected with the aristocracy of the place, and,
like a wise man, remembers, notwithstanding, that those who are not, are
quite as liable to be ill, and call in medical assistance, as those who
are. He is a shrewd, intelligent man, with an excellent knowledge of his
profession, much kindness of heart, and apparent cheerful good temper. I
have already severely tried the latter, by the unequivocal expression of
my opinions on the subject of slavery, and, though I perceived that it
required all his self-command to listen with anything like patience to my
highly incendiary and inflammatory doctrines, he yet did so, and though he
was, I have no doubt, perfectly horror-stricken at the discovery, lost
nothing of his courtesy or good-humour. By the by, I must tell you, that
at an early period of the conversation, upon my saying, 'I put all other
considerations out of the question, and first propose to you the injustice
of the system alone,' 'Oh!' replied my friend, the Doctor, 'if you put it
upon that ground, you _stump_ the question at once; I have nothing to say
to that whatever, but,' and then followed the usual train of
pleadings--happiness, tenderness, care, indulgence, &c., &c., &c.--all the
substitutes that may or may not be put in the place of _justice_, and
which these slaveholders attempt to persuade others, and perhaps
themselves, effectually supply its want. After church hours the people
came back from Darien. They are only permitted to go to Darien to church
once a month. On the intermediate Sundays they assemble in the house of
London, Mr. ----'s head cooper, an excellent and pious man, who, Heaven
alone knows how, has obtained some little knowledge of reading, and who
reads prayers and the Bible to his fellow slaves, and addresses them with
extemporaneous exhortations. I have the greatest desire to attend one of