George Whitefield | A rare Franklin imprint featuring Whitefield's critique of the treatment of slaves

George Whitefield

Three Letters From the Reverend Mr. G. Whitefield: viz. … Letter III: To the Inhabitants of Maryland, Virginia, North and South-Carolina Concerning their Negroes. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin,at the New Printing-Office near the Market, M,DCC,XL (1740)

8vo (193 x 109 mm). Woodcut title-page ornament (Miller, Appendix B, no. 19), typographic ornaments in text; light soiling, mostly to title, some minor instances of pale spotting, a few short marginal tears, and an early paper repair at head of title next to the gutter. Twentieth-century dark green morocco, gilt title to upper board, gilt ruled boards and gilt decorated spine; spine lightly faded, a few very small spots of rubbing at spine ends and corners, two scuffs to upper board, front hinge starting. Half red morocco slipcase, chemise.

Rare first edition, printed by Benjamin Franklin, of three letters by the Anglican reformist preacher Reverend George Whitefield.

The first two letters are critiques of the writings of the seventeenth-century Archbishop of Canterbury John Tillotson, who Whitefield asserts "knew no more of true Christianity than Mahomet." The third letter, addressed to the inhabitants of Maryland, Virginia, and North and South Carolina, deals with slavery.

"Commentators on Whitefield's life have long recognized the ambiguity in his attitude toward blacks. Some have tried to balance his desire to establish schools for the training of blacks with his campaign for the legalization of slavery in the colony of Georgia" (Stein, p. 243). In this letter, the clearest statement Whitefield ever made about his humanitarian feelings towards the enslaved, he criticizes slaveowners—"God has a quarrel with you for your abuse and cruelty to the poor negroes." He goes on to argue that, even worse than the physical abuse, slaveowners were neglecting slaves' religious needs. Nonetheless, Whitefield stops short of passing a moral judgement on the institution of slavery, and he does not advocate for its abolition.

Rare, especially in trade, with only one incomplete copy offered at auction in the last century, per Rare Book Hub.

REFERENCES

Miller, 224; ESTC W29543; Sabin, 103599; Stephen J. Stein, "George Whitefield on Slavery: Some New Evidence" in Church History, Vol. 42, No. 2 (Jun., 1973), pp. 243–256 

PROVENANCE

Douglas Frost Jr. (Bbookplate)