saw many of the slaves in question, "What is a _knight_, or a
_libertine_, or a _slave_? Are they not names, assumed either
from _injury_ or _ambition_?" Or, shall we say with him on
another occasion, "Let us consider that he, whom we call our slave, is
born in the same manner as ourselves; that he enjoys the same sky, with
all its heavenly luminaries; that he breathes, that he lives, in the
same manner as ourselves, and, in the same manner, that he expires."
These considerations, we confess, would furnish us with a plentiful
source of arguments in the case before us; but we decline their
assistance. How then shall we begin? Shall we enumerate the many
instances of fidelity, patience, or valour, that are recorded of the
_servile_ race? Shall we enumerate the many important services,
that they rendered both to the individuals and the community, under whom
they lived? Here would be a second source, from whence we could collect
sufficient materials to shew, that there was no inferiority in their
nature. But we decline to use them. We shall content ourselves with some
few instances, that relate to the _genius_ only: we shall mention
the names of those of a _servile_ condition, whose writings, having
escaped the wreck of time, and having been handed down even to the
present age, are now to be seen, as so many living monuments, that
neither the Grecian, nor Roman genius, was superiour to their own.

The first, whom we shall mention here, is the famous Æsop. He was a
Phrygian by birth, and lived in the time of Croesus, king of Lydia, to
whom he dedicated his fables. The writings of this great man, in
whatever light we consider them, will be equally entitled to our
admiration. But we are well aware, that the very mention of him as a
writer of fables, may depreciate him in the eyes of some. To such we
shall propose a question, "Whether this species of writing has not been
more beneficial to mankind; or whether it has not produced more