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This compelling book chronicles a young boy’s journey from the horrors of Jamaican slavery to the heart of London’s literary world, and reveals the unlikely friendship that changed his life. Francis Barber, born in Jamaica, was brought to London by his owner in 1750 and became a servant in the household of the renowned Dr. Samuel Johnson. Although Barber left London for a time and served in the British navy during the Seven Years’ War, he later returned to Johnson’s employ. A fascinating reversal took place in the relationship between the two men as Johnson’s health declined and the older man came to rely more and more upon his now educated and devoted companion. When Johnson died he left the bulk of his estate to Barber, a generous (and at the time scandalous) legacy, and a testament to the depth of their friendship. There were thousands of black Britons in the eighteenth century, but few accounts of their lives exist. In uncovering Francis Barber’s story, this book not only provides insights into his life and Samuel Johnson’s but also opens a window onto London when slaves had yet to win their freedom.
And she looks at the inhabitants of the estate, members of the professional middle class whose social, religious, and educational views did not always necessarily fit into the traditional life of the Oxford colleges. Continuing her study up until 1970, Hinchcliffe also provides some interesting observations on the fate of Victorian suburbs and the efforts that have been made to maintain their character over time.
There is no more legendary case in American legal history than Dred Scott v. Sanford. An extraordinary example of a slave suing his master for freedom, it led to a devastating pro-slavery ruling by Chief Justice Roger Taney in the Supreme Court and helped precipitate the Civil War. With deep appreciation for the courage required for a slave to challenge a master in court, VanVelde reshapes our understanding of border-state slavery and the impact of the seemingly powerless on American law.
Have you ever felt upset because God permitted some evil(s) to occur in your life? Did it seem that He did not care for you or help you even when you cried out for His help? Or do you have sins that you just cannot believe God could forgive? You keep living with the guilt of what you did wrong or are continually trying to forget or cover over your sins, convinced that you could never be free from the guilt of what you did. Then there are the offenses of others that you would rather just ignore or try to forget. Perhaps you have even said to yourself that it is too difficult to forgive what the other person had done, especially if you did not deserve what he/she did to you. You cannot seem to...
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Francis Willughby's Book of Games, published here for the first time, is a remarkable work and an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in early modern social history. Dating from the 1660s, it was left unfinished when the writer died in 1672 at the age of 36. Nevertheless, Willughby's manuscript, even in its unpolished form is a goldmine of detail providing a snapshot of mid seventeenth century life, language and culture. The manuscript itself lists a wide variety of sports, games and pastimes, including football, hurling, card games, tennis and children's games. As well as providing rules and a description of the various games (often with accompanying sketches to explain particul...