My first evidence is Mr. Joseph Phillips, of Antigua.  Having submitted to his inspection Mr. Wood’s letter and Mary Prince’s narrative, and requested his candid and deliberate sentiments in regard to the actual facts of the case, I have been favoured with the following letter from him on the subject:—­

     “London, January 18, 1831.

     “Dear Sir,

“In giving you my opinion of Mary Prince’s narrative, and of Mr. Wood’s letter respecting her, addressed to Mr. Taylor, I shall first mention my opportunities of forming a proper estimate of the conduct and character of both parties.

“I have known Mr. Wood since his first arrival in Antigua in 1803.  He was then a poor young man, who had been brought up as a ship carpenter in Bermuda.  He was afterwards raised to be a clerk in the Commissariat department, and realised sufficient capital to commence business as a merchant.  This last profession he has followed successfully for a good many years, and is understood to have accumulated very considerable wealth.  After he entered into trade, I had constant intercourse with him in the way of business; and in 1824 and 1825, I was regularly employed on his premises as his clerk; consequently, I had opportunities of seeing a good deal of his character both as a merchant, and as a master of slaves.  The former topic I pass over as irrelevant to the present subject:  in reference to the latter, I shall merely observe that he was not, in regard to ordinary matters, more severe than the ordinary run of slave owners; but, if seriously offended, he was not of a disposition to be easily appeased, and would spare no cost or sacrifice to gratify his vindictive feelings.  As regards the exaction of work from domestic slaves, his wife was probably more severe than himself—­it was almost impossible for the slaves ever to give her entire satisfaction.

“Of their slave Molly (or Mary) I know less than of Mr. and Mrs. Wood; but I saw and heard enough of her, both while I was constantly employed on Mr. Wood’s premises, and while I was there occasionally on business, to be quite certain that she was viewed by her owners as their most respectable and trustworthy female slave.  It is within my personal knowledge that she had usually the charge of the house in their absence, was entrusted with the keys, &c.; and was always considered by the neighbours and visitors as their confidential household servant, and as a person in whose integrity they placed unlimited confidence,—­although when Mrs. Wood was at home, she was no doubt kept pretty closely at washing and other hard work.  A decided proof of the estimation in which she was held by her owners exists in the fact that Mr. Wood uniformly refused to part with her, whereas he sold five other slaves while she was with them.  Indeed, she always appeared to me to be a slave of superior intelligence and respectability; and I always understood such