Frederick Douglass-Learning to Read & Write

As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing.

Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities.

The idea as to how I might learn to write was suggested to me by being in Durgin and Bailey’s ship-yard, and frequently seeing the ship carpenters, after hewing, and getting a piece of timber ready for use, write on the timber the name of that part of the ship for which it was intended.

I loathed them as being the meanest as well as the most wicked of men.

The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers.

The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers.

She at first lacked the depravity indispensable to shutting me up in mental darkness.

She now commenced to practise her husband’s precepts.

When I was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return.

These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest sympathy, and console me with the hope that some- thing would occur by which I might be free.

Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me.

I am strongly tempted to give the names of two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the grati- tude and affection I bear them; but prudence forbids: — not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country.

The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness.

I pretended not to be interested in what they said, and treated them as if I did not understand them; for I feared they might be treacherous.

Thus, after a long, tedious effort for years, I finally succeeded in learning how to write.

In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagems.

My mistress was, as I have said, a kind and tender-hearted woman; and in the simplicity of her soul she commenced, when I first went to live with her, to treat me as she supposed one human being ought to treat another.

I am strongly tempted to give the names of two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the grati- tude and affection I bear them; but prudence forbids: — not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country.

As I read and contemplated the subject, behold! that very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unut- terable anguish.

The good Irishman seemed to be deeply affected by the statement.

Under its influence, the tender heart became



stone, and the lamb-like disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierce- ness.

The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved.