THE
INTERESTING NARRATIVE
OF
THE LIFE
OF
OLAUDAH EQUIANO,
OR
GUSTAVUS VASSA,
THE AFRICAN.
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be
afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my
song; he also is become my salvation.
And in that shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his
name, declare his doings among the people. Isaiah xii. 2, 4.
LONDON:
Printed for and sold by the Author, No. 10, Union-Street,
Middlesex Hospital
Sold also by Mr. Johnson, St. Paul's Church-Yard; Mr. Murray, Fleet-Street; Messrs. Robson and Clark, Bond-Street; Mr. Davis, opposite Gray's Inn, Holborn; Messrs. Shepperson and Reynolds, and Mr. Jackson, Oxford Street; Mr. Lackington, Chiswell-Street; Mr. Mathews, Strand; Mr. Murray, Prince's-Street, Soho; Mess. Taylor and Co. South Arch, Royal Exchange; Mr. Button, Newington-Causeway; Mr. Parsons, Paternoster-Row; and may be had of all the Booksellers in Town and Country.
[Entered at Stationer's Hall.]
To the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and
the Commons of the Parliament
of Great Britain.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
Permit me, with the greatest deference and respect, to lay at yourfeet the following genuine Narrative; the chief design of which is toexcite in your august assemblies a sense of compassion for themiseries which the Slave-Trade has entailed on my unfortunatecountrymen. By the horrors of that trade was I first torn away fromall the tender connexions that were naturally dear to my heart; butthese, through the mysterious ways of Providence, I ought to regard asinfinitely more than compensated by the introduction I have thenceobtained to the knowledge of the Christian religion, and of a nationwhich, by its liberal sentiments, its humanity, the glorious freedomof its government, and its proficiency in arts and sciences, hasexalted the dignity of human nature.
I am sensible I ought to entreat your pardon for addressing to you awork so wholly devoid of literary merit; but, as the production of anunlettered African, who is actuated by the hope of becoming aninstrument towards the relief of his suffering countrymen, I trustthat such a man, pleading in such a cause, will be acquitted ofboldness and presumption.
May the God of heaven inspire your hearts with peculiar benevolence onthat important day when the question of Abolition is to be discussed,when thousands, in consequence of your Determination, are to look forHappiness or Misery!
I am,
My Lords and Gentlemen,
Your most obedient,
And devoted humble servant,
Olaudah Equiano,
or
Gustavus Vassa.
Union-Street, Mary-le-bone,
March 24, 1789.
LIST of SUBSCRIBERS.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.
His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
A...