The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African Written By Himself

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.]




[Illustration: Olaudah Equiano or GUSTAVUS VASSA, _the African_]




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.

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
     Mr. Joseph Armitage
     Mr. Joseph Ashpinshaw
     Mr. Samuel Atkins
     Mr. John Atwood
     Mr. Thomas Atwood
     Mr. Ashwell
     J.C. Ashworth, Esq.


     B

     His Grace the Duke of Bedford
     Her Grace the Duchess of Buccleugh
     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
     David Barclay, Esq.
     Mr. Robert Barrett
     Mr. William Barrett
     Mr. John Barnes
     Mr. John Basnett
     Mr. Bateman
     Mrs. Baynes, 2 copies
     Mr. Thomas Bellamy
     Mr. J. Benjafield
     Mr. William Bennett
     Mr. Bensley
     Mr. Samuel Benson
     Mrs. Benton
     Reverend Mr. Bentley
     Mr. Thomas Bently
     Sir John Berney, Bart.
     Alexander Blair, Esq.
     James Bocock, Esq.
     Mrs. Bond
     Miss Bond
     Mrs. Borckhardt
     Mrs. E. Bouverie
     ---- Brand, Esq.
     Mr. Martin Brander
     F.J. Brown, Esq. M.P. 2 copies
     W. Buttall, Esq.
     Mr. Buxton
     Mr. R.L.B.
     Mr. Thomas Burton, 6 copies
     Mr. W. Button


     C

     The Right Hon. Lord Cathcart
     The Right Hon. H.S. Conway
     Lady Almiria Carpenter
     James Carr, Esq.
     Charles Carter, Esq.
     Mr. James Chalmers
     Captain John Clarkson, of the Royal Navy
     The Rev. Mr. Thomas Clarkson, 2 copies
     Mr. R. Clay
     Mr. William Clout
     Mr.