f an hundred and odd
Years old, and had no Son, tho' he had many beautiful Black Wives: for
most certainly there are Beauties that can charm of that Colour. In his
younger Years he had had many gallant Men to his Sons, thirteen of whom
died in Battle, conquering when they fell; and he had only left him for
his Successor, one Grand-child, Son to one of these dead Victors, who,
as soon as he could bear a Bow in his Hand, and a Quiver at his Back,
was sent into the Field, to be train'd up by one of the oldest Generals
to War; where, from his natural Inclination to Arms, and the Occasions
given him, with the good Conduct of the old General, he became, at the
Age of seventeen, one of the most expert Captains, and bravest Soldiers
that ever saw the Field of _Mars_: so that he was ador'd as the Wonder
of all that World, and the Darling of the Soldiers. Besides, he was
adorn'd with a native Beauty, so transcending all those of his gloomy
Race, that he struck an Awe and Reverence, even into those that knew not
his Quality; as he did into me, who beheld him with Surprize and Wonder,
when afterwards he arrived in our World.

He had scarce arrived at his seventeenth Year, when, fighting by his
Side, the General was kill'd with an Arrow in his Eye, which the Prince
_Oroonoko_ (for so was this gallant _Moor_ call'd) very narrowly
avoided; nor had he, if the General who saw the Arrow shot, and
perceiving it aimed at the Prince, had not bow'd his Head between, on
Purpose to receive it in his own Body, rather than it should touch that
of the Prince, and so saved him.

'Twas then, afflicted as _Oroonoko_ was, that he was proclaimed General
in the old Man's Place: and then it was, at the finishing of that War,
which had continu'd for two Years, that the Prince came to Court, where
he had hardly been a Month together, from the Time of his fifth Year to
that of seventeen: and 'twas amazing to imagine where it was he learn'd
so much Humanity; or to give his Accomplishments a juster Name, where
'twas he got that real Greatness of Soul, those refined Notions of true
Honour, that absolute Generosity, and that Softness, that was capable of
the highest Passions of Love and Gallantry, whose Objects were almost
continually fighting Men, or those mangled or dead, who heard no Sounds
but those of War and Groans. Some Part of it we may attribute to the
Care of a _Frenchman_ of Wit and Learning, who finding it turn to a very
good Account to be a sort