licentiousness, could reconcile it to his conscience to keep in the bosom
of his family so _depraved_, as well as so _troublesome_ a character for
at least thirteen years, and confide to her for long periods too the
charge of his house and the care of his children--for such I shall shew to
have been the facts? How can he account for not having rid himself with
all speed, of so disreputable an inmate--he who values her loss so little
"in a pecuniary point of view?" How can he account for having sold _five
other slaves_ in that period, and yet have retained this shocking
woman--nay, even have refused to sell her, on more than one occasion, when
offered her full value? It could not be from ignorance of her character,
for the circumstance which he adduces as a proof of her shameless
depravity, and which I have omitted on account of its indecency, occurred,
it would appear, not less than _ten years ago_. Yet, notwithstanding her
alleged ill qualities and habits of gross immorality, he has not only
constantly refused to part with her; but after thirteen long years, brings
her to England as an attendant on his wife and children, with the avowed
intention of carrying her back along with his maiden daughter, a young
lady returning from school! Such are the extraordinary facts; and until
Mr. Wood shall reconcile these singular inconsistencies between his
actions and his allegations, he must not be surprised if we in England
prefer giving credit to the former rather than the latter; although at
present it appears somewhat difficult to say which side of the alternative
is the more creditable to his own character.

7. Her husband, he says, has taken another wife; "so that on that score,"
he adds, "he does her no injury."

Supposing this fact be true, (which I doubt, as I doubt every mere
assertion from so questionable a quarter,) I shall take leave to put a
question or two to Mr. Wood's conscience. Did he not write from England to