Representation of the State of Government Slaves and Apprentices in the Mauritius; with Observations.

£3,250 · Offered by Maggs Bros Ltd

An excellent copy of a work that hardly ever appears for sale . This copy is signed and presented by Vicars to “The Mauritius Reading Room” and bears a couple of corrections in his hand. This copy also has the ms. annotations and signature of Mauritian-born artist Prosper d’Epinay (1836-1914), son of Adrien d’Epinay (1794-1839), a Mauritian lawyer and politician who carried out several missions to London (1830-1832 and 1833-1835) to negotiate the terms of abolition of slavery on the island, under conditions acceptable to the planters. In the dedication to Lord Mount-Sandford, Vicars’ describes this work as an “attempt to promote the best interests of the negro slaves in the Mauritius.” At the time of writing, Vicars states that there were “about 1294 Government Slaves and 2010 Apprentices” in Mauritius who “are fed and clothed by Government, ans, in sickness, they receive humane attention in the hospital.” He notes that children of enslaved workers are apprenticed between the ages and seven and fourteen after which “their services cease to be gratuitous.” And adds that the quality of work suffers the moment workers were no longer compelled by force to complete their duties. and while Vicars grudgingly accepts the importance of the abolition of the slave trade, he considered emancipation little more than a licence to idleness. Vicars’ solution to this is through religious education (with the introduction of a French-speaking missionary) as well improved conditions for the ensl

• Binding: Hardcover

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