Olaudah Equiano > Quotes

“...and I had a great curiosity to talk to the books, as I thought they did; and so to learn how all things had a beginning: for that purpose I have often taken up a book, and have talked to it, and then put my ears to it, when alone, in hopes it would answer me; and I have been very much concerned when I found it remained silent.”
― Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

“My life had lost its relish when liberty was gone.”
― Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African, written by Himself Volume I

“When we have had some of these slaves on board my master's vessels to carry them to other islands, or to America, I have known our mates to commit these acts most shamefully, to the disgrace, not of Christians only, but of men. I have even known them gratify their brutal passion with females not ten years old; and these abominations some of them practised to such scandalous excess, that one of our captains discharged the mate and others on that account.”
― Olaudah Equiano

“I had often seen my master and Dick employed in reading; and I had a great curiosity to talk to the books, as I thought they did; and so to learn how all things had a beginning: for that purpose I have often taken up a book, and have talked to it, and then put my ears to it, when alone, in hopes it would answer me; and I have been very much concerned when I found it remained silent.”
― Olaudah Equianom, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano - Olaudah Equianom [Penguin Popular Classics]

“I still look back with pleasure on the first scenes of my life, though that pleasure has been for the most part mingled with sorrow.”
― Olaudah Equiano

“I considered that trials and disappointments are sometimes for our good, and I thought God might perhaps have permitted this in order to teach me wisdom and resignation; for he had hitherto shadowed me with the wings of his mercy, and by his invisible but powerful hand brought me the way I knew not. These reflections gave me a little comfort, and I rose at last from the deck with dejection and sorrow in my countenance, yet mixed with some faint hope that the Lord would appear for my deliverance.”
― Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa: The African

“Such a tendency has the slave trade to debauch men's minds, and harden them to every feeling of humanity! For I will not suppose that the dealers in slaves are born worse than other men - No, it is the fatality of this mistaken avarice, that it corrupts the milk of human kindness and turns it into gall. And, had the pursuits of those men been different, they might have been as generous, as tender-hearted and just, as they are unfeeling, rapacious and cruel.”
― Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

“transmigration”
― Olaudah Equiano, The Life of Olaudah Equiano: Or Gustavus Vassa, the African

“After all, what makes any event important, unless by its observation we become better and wiser, and learn 'to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God'? To those who are possessed of this spirit there is scarcely any book of incident so trifling that does not afford some profit, while to others the experience of ages seems of no use; and even to pour out to them the treasures of wisdom is throwing the jewels of instruction away.”
― Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative and other writings

“I early accustomed myself to look for the hand of God in the minutest occurrence, and to learn from it a lesson of morality and religion; and in this light every circumstance I have related was to me of importance. After all, what makes any event important, unless by its observation we become better and wiser, and learn 'to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God?' To those who are possessed of this spirit, there is scarcely any book or incident so trifling that does not afford some profit, while to others the experience of ages seems of no use; and even to pour out to them the treasures of wisdom is throwing the jewels of instruction away.”
― Olaudah Equiano, The Incredible Life of Olaudah Equiano, A British Ex-Slave: Enriched edition. The Intriguing Memoir Which Influenced Ban on British Slave Trade