...human sensibility a human application. He tries to imagine the millions of fellow-creatures born to slavery; 'but finding, however affecting the picture was, that I could not bring it near me ... I took a single captive'.72 It was this single imaginary man, evoked in Sterne's word picture,...

...full scope to my imagination. I was going to begin with the millions of my fellowcreatures born to no inheritance but slavery; but finding, however affecting...could not bring it near me, and that the multitude of said groups in it did but distract me — I took a single captive, and having first shut him up in...