THE KEY
to
UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.

E
449
S8961
1853
12084

london:
salisbury, beeton, and co., printers, bouverie street;
and primrose hill, fleet street.

   The work which the writer here presents to the public is
one which has been written with no pleasure, and with much
pain.

   In fictitious writing, it is possible to find refuge from the
hard and the terrible, by inventing scenes and characters of a
more pleasing nature. No such resource is open in a work
of fact; and the subject of this work is one on which the
truth, if told at all, must needs be very dreadful. There is
no bright side to slavery, as such. Those scenes which are
made bright by the generosity and kindness of masters and
mistresses, would be brighter still if the element of slavery
were withdrawn. There is nothing picturesque or beautiful in
the family attachment of old servants, which is not to be found
in countries where these servants are legally free. The tenants
on an English estate are often more fond and faithful than if
they were slaves. Slavery, therefore, is not the element which
forms the picturesque and beautiful of Southern life. What is
peculiar to slavery, and distinguishes it from free servitude, is
evil, and only evil, and that continually.

   In preparing this work, it has grown much beyond the
author's original design. It has so far overrun its limits that
she has been obliged to omit one whole department -- that of the
characteristics and developments of the coloured race in various
countries and circumstances. This is more properly the subject

   The author desires to express her thanks particularly to those
legal gentlemen who have given her their assistance and support
in the legal part of the discussion. She also desires to thank
those at the North, and at the South, who have kindly furnished
materials for her use. Many more have been supplied than
could possibly be used. The book is actually selected out of a
mountain of materials.

   The great object of the author in writing has been to bring
this subject of slavery, as a moral and religious question, before
the minds of all those who profess to be followers of Christ in
America. A minute history has been given of the action of
the various denominations on this subject.

   The writer has aimed, as far as possible, to say what is true,
and only that, without regard to the effect which it may have
upon any person or party. She hopes that what she has
said will be examined without bitterness -- in that serious and
earnest spirit which is appropriate for the examination of so
very serious a subject. It would be vain for her to indulge the
hope of being wholly free from error. In the wide field which
she has been called to go over, there is a possibility of many
mistakes. She can only say that she has used the most honest
and earnest endeavours to learn the truth.

   The book is commended to the candid attention and earnest
prayers of all true Christians throughout the world. May they
unite their prayers that Christendom may be delivered from so
great an evil as slavery!

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