But here, before we consider any opportunities that may be afforded them, let it be remembered that even their most polished situation may be called barbarous, and that this circumstance, should they appear less docile than others, may be considered as a sufficient answer to any objection that may be made to their capacities.  Notwithstanding this, when they are put to the mechanical arts, they do not discover a want of ingenuity.  They attain them in as short a time as the Europeans, and arrive at a degree of excellence equal to that of their teachers.  This is a fact, almost universally known, and affords us this proof, that having learned with facility such of the mechanical arts, as they have been taught, they are capable of attaining any other, at least, of the same class, if they should receive but the same instruction.

With respect to the liberal arts, their proficiency is certainly less; but not less in proportion to their time and opportunity of study; not less, because they are less capable of attaining them, but because they have seldom or ever an opportunity of learning them at all.  It is yet extraordinary that their talents appear, even in some of these sciences, in which they are totally uninstructed.  Their abilities in musick are such, as to have been generally noticed.  They play frequently upon a variety of instruments, without any other assistance than their own ingenuity.  They have also tunes of their own composition.  Some of these have been imported among us; are now in use; and are admired for their sprightliness and ease, though the ungenerous and prejudiced importer has concealed their original.

Neither are their talents in poetry less conspicuous.  Every occurrence, if their spirits are not too greatly depressed, is turned into a song.  These songs are said to be incoherent and nonsensical.  But this proceeds principally from two causes, an improper conjunction of words, arising from an ignorance of the language in which they compose; and a wildness of thought, arising from the different manner, in which the organs of rude and civilized people will be struck by the same object.  And as to their want of harmony and rhyme, which is the last objection, the difference of pronunciation is the cause.  Upon the whole, as they are perfectly consistent with their own ideas, and are strictly musical as pronounced by themselves, they afford us as high a proof of their poetical powers, as the works of the most acknowledged poets.

But where these impediments have been removed, where they have received an education, and have known and pronounced the language with propriety, these defects have vanished, and their productions have been less objectionable.  For a proof of this, we appeal to the writings of an African girl[069], who made no contemptible appearance in this species of composition.  She was kidnapped when only eight years old, and, in the year 1761, was transported to America, where she