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their own example. But, alas for Antigua ! when were these regulations put in force ? No European can imagine to what extent such vices were carried in former days, vices which will still be painfully felt by society for many, many years to come—at any rate, until this generation shall have passed away; and, even then, the plague-spot will, perhaps, shew its taint. When the light of day began to dawn upon this benighted part of the globe by the introduction of Christianity among the negroes, they were encouraged by the Moravians and Methodists to choose a partner from among the other sex, and, in the face of the congregation, vow to each other fidelity and love. Although, of course, such marriages were not held binding by law, it was hoped that it would in some measure check the increase of immorality ; and, in some instances, it might have done so, but the greater part violated those vows without compunction, or held them only until a fresh object gained their attention. It has been frequently known for a man thus married to maintain his wife and his mistress in the same house, which arrangement occasioned frequent domestic broils ; and in such cases, the man, being applied to as umpire, has settled the dispute by remarking to his mistress, “ That she must not quarrel with her companion, who was his wife, and that if she did, he would turn her away ;" and then, addressing the aggrieved wife, tell her, for her consolation, " That she must not mind, because she was his wife already /'' After the negroes were freed from the thrall of slavery in 1834, and the same privileges open to them as to the rest of the British subjects, it was their pride to be married at the established church. In many instances, they had been already joined by the Moravian or Methodist preachers, but wishing to get rid of their partners, who had borne with them the brunt of slavery, they privately paid their addresses to some of the young ladies already mentioned, carried them to the altar, and there married in direct opposition to their former vows, which were as binding and VOL. II.
F