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 your feet the following genuine Narrative; the chief design of which
is to excite in your august assemblies a sense of compassion for the miseries which the Slave-Trade has entailed on my unfortunate countrymen. By the horrors of that trade was I first torn away from all the tender connexions that were naturally dear to my heart; but these, through the mysterious ways of Providence, I ought to regard as infinitely more than compensated by the introduction I have thence obtained to the knowledge of the Christian religion, and of a nation which, by its liberal sentiments, its humanity, the glorious freedom of its government, and its proficiency in arts and sciences, has exalted the dignity of human nature.
1
I am sensible I ought to entreat your pardon for addressing to you a work so wholly devoid of literary merit; but, as the production of an unlettered African, who is actuated by the hope of becoming an instrument towards the relief of his suffering countrymen, I trust that such a man, pleading in such a cause, will be acquitted of boldness and presumption.
May the God of heaven inspire your hearts with peculiar benevolence on that important day when the question of Abolition is to be discussed, when thousands, in consequence of your Determination, are to look for Happiness 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
The Right Hon. the Earl of Ailesbury
Admiral Affleck
Mr. William Abington, 2 copies
Mr. John Abraham James Adair, Esq. Reverend Mr. Aldridge Mr. John Almon
Mrs. Arnot
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B
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The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Bangor
The Right Hon. Lord Belgrave
The Rev. Doctor Baker
Mrs. Baker
Matthew Baillie, M.D. Mrs. Baillie
Miss Baillie
Miss J. Baillie
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2
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Miss Bond
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---- Brand, Esq. Mr. Martin Brander
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Mr. R.L.B.
Mr. Thomas Burton, 6 copies
Mr. W. Button
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D
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Sir William Dolben, Bart.
The Reverend C.E. De Coetlogon
3
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Mr. Davis
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E
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The Right Hon. the Countess of Essex
Sir Gilbert Elliot, Bart. 2 copies
Lady Ann Erskine
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Mr. Durs Egg
Mr. Ebenezer Evans
The Reverend Mr. John Eyre
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F
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The Reverend Mr. Foster
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G
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The Right Hon. Viscount Gallway
The Right Hon. Viscountess Gallway
---- Gardner, Esq. Mrs. Garrick
Mr. John Gates
Mr. Samuel Gear
Sir Philip Gibbes,