The Interesting Narrative Of The Life Of Olaudah Equiano Quotes
"I believe it is difficult for those who publish their own memoirs to escape the imputation of vanity."
"People generally think those memoirs only worthy to be read or remembered which abound in great or striking events."
"I am not so foolishly vain as to expect from it either immortality or literary reputation."
"The manners and government of a people who have little commerce with other countries are generally very simple."
"Our women of distinction wear golden ornaments; which they dispose with some profusion on their arms and legs."
"Our cleanliness on all occasions is extreme; but on this it is an indispensable ceremony."
"The proceedings were generally short; and in most cases the law of retaliation prevailed."
"I was therefore again sold. I was now carried to the left of the sun’s rising, through many different countries."
"We practised circumcision like the Jews, and made offerings and feasts on that occasion in the same manner as they did."
"I therefore wished much to be from amongst them, for I expected they would sacrifice me."
"I was so far from being afraid of any thing new which I saw, that I even began to long for a battle."
"The noise and clamour with which this is attended, and the eagerness visible in the countenances of the buyers, serve not a little to increase the apprehensions of the terrified Africans."
"Indeed such were the horrors of my views and fears at the moment, that, if ten thousand worlds had been my own, I would have freely parted with them all to have exchanged my condition with that of the meanest slave in my own country."
"I had a great deal of this kind of sport afterwards, in which the captain and the ship’s company used very much to encourage me."
"The clouds appeared to me to be land, which disappeared as they passed along."
"Nothing could create greater surprise and confusion among us than this: the wind was high, the sea rough, and we had our lower and middle deck guns housed in, so that not a single gun on board was ready to be fired at any of the French ships."
"I have often reflected with surprise that I never felt half the alarm at any of the numerous dangers I have been in, that I was filled with at the first sight of the Europeans."
"I could now speak English tolerably well, and I perfectly understood everything that was said. I no longer looked upon them as spirits, but as men superior to us; and therefore I had the stronger desire to resemble them."
"However, when I went to London with my master, I had soon an opportunity of improving myself, which I gladly embraced."
"I was so struck with the unexpectedness of this proceeding, that for some time I did not make a reply, only I made an offer to go for my books and chest of clothes, but he swore I should not move out of his sight."
"I therefore expected, as my master was absent, that he would be as good as his word: and he was just proceeding to strike me, when fortunately a British seaman on board, whose heart had not been debauched by a West India climate, interposed and prevented him."
"I have known our mates to commit these acts most shamefully, to the disgrace, not of Christians only, but of men."
"Is it surprising that usage like this should drive the poor creatures to despair, and make them seek a refuge in death from those evils which render their lives intolerable."
"This they frequently do. A negro-man on board a vessel of my master, while I belonged to her, having been put in irons for some trifling misdemeanor, and kept in that state for some days, being weary of life, took an opportunity of jumping overboard into the sea."
"Indeed I was more than once obliged to look up to God on high, as I had advised the poor fisherman some time before."
"The reader cannot but judge of the irksomeness of this situation to a mind like mine."
"My mind was therefore hourly replete with inventions and thoughts of being freed."
"Honesty is the best policy; and likewise that other golden precept—to do unto all men as I would they should do unto me."
"However, as I was from early years a predestinarian, I thought whatever fate had determined must ever come to pass."
"Life had lost its relish when liberty was gone."
"I always remembered the old adage; and I trust it has ever been my ruling principle, that honesty is the best policy."
"I always had that very thought of you, indeed I had, and that made me so diligent in serving you."
"I glorified God in my heart, in whom I trusted."
"No free negro’s evidence will be admitted in their courts of justice."
"No lot or trial is too hard when kind Heaven is the rewarder."
"I never had earned seven guineas so quick in my life before."
"I immediately received my wages, and I never had earned seven guineas so quick in my life before."
"In this situation my first thoughts were to look out for some of my former friends."
"As soon as I had regaled myself I went in quest of those kind ladies."
"He then visited there frequently; and I met him four or five days after in Greenwich park."
"When he saw me he appeared a good deal surprised, and asked me how I came back?"
"I answered, 'In a ship.' To which he replied dryly, 'I suppose you did not walk back to London on the water.'"
"I told him that he had used me very ill, after I had been such a faithful servant to him for so many years."
"A few days after this I met Capt. Pascal at Miss Guerin’s house, and asked him for my prize-money."
"He said there was none due to me; for, if my prize money had been 10,000 £. he had a right to it all."
"Though I was much attached to the doctor, I was happy when he consented."
"All my poor countrymen, the slaves, were very sorry, as I had always treated them with care and affection."
"Having taken leave of my old friends and companions, I left that spot of the world."
"I thanked him; but I said I wanted to go to Jamaica."
"He then immediately changed his tone, and swore, and abused me very much."
"This account was of no use; he still swore exceedingly at me."
"Then he desired me to go in the schooner, or else I should not go out of the vessel as a freeman."
"I said this was very hard, and begged to be put on shore again."
"My tyrant, in a great rage, brought a musquet out of the cabin."
"I had now no alternative; I therefore remained silent."
"I hung in that manner from between ten and eleven o’clock at night till about one in the morning."
"When I was let down, I spoke to one Mr. Cox, a carpenter, on the impropriety of this conduct."
"This sound gladdened my heart, and I got hastily into the canoe."
"I went and told the other owner, who lived near that shore, of the usage I had met with."
"They acted towards me more like Christians than those whites I was amongst the last night."
"We were obliged to go ashore and drag across different necks of land."
"I was compelled to assist in cutting a great deal of mahogany wood."
"Patience was the only remedy I had left, and even that was forced."
"As the inhuman traffic of slavery is to be taken into the consideration of the British legislature."
"A commercial intercourse with Africa opens an inexhaustible source of wealth."
"I early accustomed myself to look for the hand of God in the minutest occurrence."
"To those who are possessed of this spirit, there is scarcely any book or incident so trifling that does not afford some profit."