FORMERLY A SLAVE, IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE, NORTH AMERICA; WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, AND PUBLISHED FOR HIS BENEFIT; TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED, A FEW REMARKS BY ROBERT HURNARD. “Persecuted but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”—II. Cor. iv. 9. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HARVEY AND DARTON, GRACECHURCH STREET; W. BAYNES & SON, PATERNOSTER-ROW; AND P. YOUNGMAN, WITHAM AND MALDON. 1825. WITHAM AND MALDON: PRINTED BY P. YOUNGMAN....

In presenting the following fragments to the attention of the public, it appears necessary to state the manner in which they came into my possession, and to give the reader a brief account of the Author, Solomon Bayley. During the early part of my residence in America in the year 1820, I met with the piece containing the account of his escape from slavery, with the mental and bodily trials he underwent, resulting from that step: being much interested in the perusal of this simple and unadorned n

Solomon Bayley, unto all people, and nations, and languages, grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Having lived some months in continual expectation of death, I have felt uneasy in mind about leaving the world, without leaving behind me some account of the kindness and mercy of God towards me. But when I go to tell of his favours, I am struck with wonder at the exceeding riches Of his grace. O! that all people would come to admire him for his goodness,

[What follows, was written and communicated to me at my request, but without any idea on the part of the writer, of the purpose to which I designed it; the originals of which, if desired, may be seen by application to me, in order to satisfy any who might feel a doubt with regard to the faithfulness of the transcript. I can however, assure the reader, that the alterations I have ventured to make, have been almost altogether confined to the spelling.—R. H.] 7th Mo. 24, 1799, I got to Camden. I wi

OF MY ELDEST DAUGHTER, MARGARET BAYLEY, Who died in the twenty-fourth year of her age . She was a pleasant child in her manners and behaviour, yet fond of gay dress and new fashions; yet her mind was much inclined to her book, and to read good lessons. And it pleased the Father of mercy to open her understanding, to see excellent things out of his law, and to convince her that it was his will she should be holy here and happy hereafter; but custom, habit, and shame, seemed to chain her down, so

Dated 3rd month 26th, 1824.   “I thank thee, dear Robert, for spending a thought on so poor and unworthy a thing as I am; but I especially thank your God and my God, for putting it into thy heart to enquire anything about the work of grace on my mind. I trust it is with gratitude I now write onto thee of my call to the ministry: and first I may say, “Secondly, he knows how to get himself honour and praise by the most feeble; for to undertake to make such a creature as I am, work in his vineyard,