1773 GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE May PHILLIS WHEATLEY ACCOUNT OF A LEARNED NEGRO GIRL

  

Original historic issue, quite the rarity due to the early mention, and defense, and publicity, of a young Phillis Wheatley by her owner John Wheatley who is introducing her to the British public with this letter/entreaty a few months before her first book of poetry is published in London. Proposals having just been published for printing by subscription, some poems written by Phillis, a negro servant of Mr. Wheatley, of Boston, in New England, the following account has been received from her master. Phillis was bought from Africa to America in the year 1761, between seven and eight years of age, without any assistance from school education; and by only what she was taught in the family, she, in sixteen months time from her arrival, attained the English language... As to her writing, her own curiosity led her to it.

And this she learned in so short a time. Written by Phillis, a young negro girl, who was but a few years since brought an uncultivated barbarian from Africa and has been, and now is, under the disadvantage of serving as a slave in a family in Boston...

It is hoped (though it is not so expressed) that the profits of this publication will, in the first place, be applied toward purchasing the freedom of the author: and, if so, it is not doubted that every friend to the rights of humanity will liberally contribute to such an emancipation, both of mind and of body, from a condition always dreadful, but felt with double poignancy by genius and sensibility. Age-worn, some foxing and staining, text block separated into two parts, one engraving only, the fold-out map/plan of canals. Other contents include Lord North and the East India Company. This item is in the category "Books & Magazines\Antiquarian & Collectible". The seller is "philenor" and is located in this country: US.

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1. Place of Publication: London
2. Language: English
3. Special Attributes: 1st Edition
4. Topic: Americana, Slavery, Poetry
5. Subject: Phillis Wheatley
6. Year Printed: 1773
7. Original/Facsimile: Original