In the days of slavery, the negroes were not allowed by law to marry; the union between them in most cases lasting only so long as agreeable to themselves. From this cause, it was frequent to find a family of eight or nine children, who all owned, perhaps, different fathers. This the woman considered no disgrace, and consequently had no incentive to disguise the fact by destroying the child. The case, however, is now different with many. Since schools have been established in this country for the benefit of the negroes, it has been the constant aim of the parents, in most cases, to avail themselves of the privilege, by sending their children to receive instruction. So far all is well; I am a great advocate for the spread of education among the lower classes, and think not, with some, that the withholding knowledge from them is the only security for obedience. “If ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise,” says one, whose name stands high in the rolls of literary fame; and those who would wish to debar the poor from receiving the instruction tendered at the different free-schools &c. are apt to take this sentence as their motto, without answering the question it undoubtedly implies, “where _is_ ignorance bliss?” It is good when the labourer feels his want of learning, and strives to obtain for his children the boon which has been denied his own youth. But the great evil which is likely to ensue in this island, from this liberal gift of education, until the negroes become more wise, is in this—when they send their children, particularly their daughters, to a school where they are taught to read and write, &c., they fancy that any kind of servitude will be a degradation to them; and consequently every means in their power are tried to bring them up as _ladies_, that is, to sit in the house all day, although, for a remuneration, they will condescend to do a certain portion of needlework for any one who may require it; or else to get them appointed teacher in some of the infant schools upon the several estates. These “young ladies” of course lay aside the ancient fashion of tying their heads with many-coloured handkerchiefs, and wear bonnets instead; and that everything may appear in a proper light, whatever follies or errors they may commit, they endeavour to screen as far as lies in their power. It is principally among this class of persons, then, that the crime of infanticide is to be found: to preserve their own character in the eyes of the world, they add to their former error the heavier guilt of murder; and without one pang of remorse, expose to the hungry dogs the little innocent they ought to have guarded with double care, as they had already deeply injured it by denying it a father’s protection. Several instances of this kind have lately occurred within a short period; but the subject is so revolting to the sensitive mind, that we will banish any further mention of it from these pages.