"The scenes of this story, as its title indicates, lie among a race hitherto ignored by associations of polite and refined society, an exotic race, whose ancestors, born beneath a tropic sun, brought with them, and perpetuated to their descendants, a character so essentially unlike the hard and dominant Anglo-Saxon race as for many years to have won from it only misunderstanding and contempt.
"But another and better day is dawning. Every influence of literature, of poetry and art in our time is becoming more and more in unison with the great master chord of Christianity, 'good-will to man.'...
"In this general movement unhappy Africa at last is remembered; Africa who began the race of civilization and human progress in the dim gray dawn of early time, but who, for centuries, has lain bound and bleeding at the foot of civilized and Christianized humanity, imploring compassion in vain.
"But the heart of the dominant race who have been her conquerors, her hard masters, has at length been turned toward her in mercy; and it has seen how far nobler it is in nations to protect the feeble than to oppress them. Thanks be to God, the world has at last outlined the slave trade....
"When an enlightened and Christianized community shall have, on the shores of Africa, laws, language and literature, drawn from among us, may then the scenes of the house of bondage be to them like the remembrance of Egypt to the Israelites--a motive for thankfulness to Him who hath redeemed them!
"For while politicians contend, and men are swerved this way and that by conflicting tides of interest and passion, the great cause of human liberty is in the hands of the One of whom it is said:
"'He shall not fail nor be discouraged
Till He have set judgment in the earth .
He shall deliver the needy when he crieth,
The poor, and him that hath no helper .
He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence
And precious shall be their blood in His sight.'"
P. XXXV-XXXVI, "Author 's Preface," UNCLE TOM'S CABIN (1852, 1987) by Harriet Beecher Stowe [Wordsworth Edition]
Sunday, September 24, 2017
UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, EXCERPT
"The scenes of this story, as its title indicates, lie among a race hitherto ignored by associations of polite and refined society, an exotic race, whose ancestors, born beneath a tropic sun, brought with them, and perpetuated to their descendants, a character so essentially unlike the hard and dominant Anglo-Saxon race as for many years to have won from it only misunderstanding and contempt.
"But another and better day is dawning. Every influence of literature, of poetry and art in our time is becoming more and more in unison with the great master chord of Christianity, 'good-will to man.'...
"In this general movement unhappy Africa at last is remembered; Africa who began the race of civilization and human progress in the dim gray dawn of early time, but who, for centuries, has lain bound and bleeding at the foot of civilized and Christianized humanity, imploring compassion in vain.
"But the heart of the dominant race who have been her conquerors, her hard masters, has at length been turned toward her in mercy; and it has seen how far nobler it is in nations to protect the feeble than to oppress them. Thanks be to God, the world has at last outlined the slave trade....
"When an enlightened and Christianized community shall have, on the shores of Africa, laws, language and literature, drawn from among us, may then the scenes of the house of bondage be to them like the remembrance of Egypt to the Israelites--a motive for thankfulness to Him who hath redeemed them!
"For while politicians contend, and men are swerved this way and that by conflicting tides of interest and passion, the great cause of human liberty is in the hands of the One of whom it is said:
"'He shall not fail nor be discouraged
Till He have set judgment in the earth .
He shall deliver the needy when he crieth,
The poor, and him that hath no helper .
He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence
And precious shall be their blood in His sight.'"
P. XXXV-XXXVI, "Author 's Preface," UNCLE TOM'S CABIN (1852, 1987) by Harriet Beecher Stowe [Wordsworth Edition]