of their own Cloyster. And Abundance of
_English_ entertain the _Chinese_ Notion, that they are all Fools and
Beggars that live in any Country but theirs. This home Fondness has been
very prejudicial to the common Sort of _English_, and has in a great
Measure retarded the Plantations from being stock'd with such
Inhabitants as are skilful, industrious, and laborious.

For these Reasons, such Persons of Sense and Resolution as have entered
into Projects for Improvements in the Plantations (who have evinced us,
that all Schemes are not Bubbles) have been obliged for the generality
to make Use of the worst and vilest of Mankind, for the Execution of the
noblest and most useful Undertakings; tho' indeed continually several
People of Sense, Vertue, and Fortune, entertaining tolerable good
Notions of these Affairs, have embarked themselves and Families in such
laudable and useful Designs: But for the generality, the Servants and
inferior Sort of People, who have either been sent over to _Virginia_,
or have transported themselves thither, have been, and are, the poorest,
idlest, and worst of Mankind, the _Refuse of Great Britain_ and
_Ireland_, and the _Outcast of the People_.

These Servants are but an insignificant Number, when compared with the
vast Shoals of _Negroes_ who are imployed as Slaves there to do the
hardest and most Part of the Work; the most laborious of which is the
felling of Trees and the like, to which kind of Slavery (if it must be
so called) our Wood-Cutters in _England_ are exposed; only with this
Difference, that the _Negroes_ eat wholsomer Bread and better Pork with
more Plenty and Ease; and when they are Sick, their Owners Interest and
Purse are deeply engaged in their Recovery, who likewise are obliged to
take all the Care imaginable of the Children of their Slaves for their
own great Profit; so that the _Negroes_, though they work moderately,
yet live plentifully, have no Families to provide for, no Danger of
Beggary, no Care for _the Morrow_.

But to me it seems to be more Prudence and Charity for our own Poor and
Vagabonds to be there imployed and provided for, than for us to maintain
and use such great Numbers of _Africans_. If we can do better without
them certainly we should forbear importing so many (though this may
interfere with the Interest of some), since it would advance the Good of
the Publick; and that we may be without them is plain, since we have
Rogues and Idlers enough of our own