A POEM ON THE SLAVE TRADE
BY JAMES BOSWELL

A hitherto unrecognized work by James Boswell was sold a few days ago by Mr. Salkeld, of Clapham Road. It is in quarto, and the title is, ‘No Abolition of Slavery: or, the Universal Empire of Love: a Poem, 1791.’ The authorship appears to have been attributed to Boswell on the strength of an inscription, “By James Boswell, Esq.,” in a contemporary handwriting on the title-page, and there is little doubt that the inscription is correct.

In the volume of Boswelliana edited by the Rev. Charles Rogers for the Grampian Club there is a letter, written in April, 1791, to Mr. Dempster by Boswell, who mentions a recently published poem on the slave trade, written by himself. The editor, in his comments on the letter, remarks that the work referred to by Boswell is unknown to bibliographers. Mr. Salkeld’s discovery, though interesting, will not confer additional lustre on Boswell’s reputation as a bard; but the poem is characteristic and amusing. It is “Addressed to Miss ——,” perhaps intended for Miss Bagnal, who was occupying his attention at that time, and is described in one of his letters as “about seven-and-twenty ... a Ranelagh girl—but of excellent principles, in so much that she reads prayers to the servants in her father’s family every Sunday evening.” The merits of the work are pretty nearly on a level with ‘The Cub at Newmarket’ and other poetical effusions of the writer. Nothing could be more Boswellian than the manner in which the subject is treated, and the piece is full of personal allusions. Now that the authorship of the work is known, it is probable that other copies will turn up.