British politician, evangelist, and philanthropist (1759-1833) who played an important role in the movement to abolish slavery. AMS signed "W. Wilberforce," one page, 7.75 x 5, July 15, 1823. Handwritten poem and biblical verse by Wilberforce, penned at Hampstead in the same year that he published the influential abolitionist treatise, 'Appeal to the Religion, Justice and Humanity of the Inhabitants of the British Empire in Behalf of the Negro Slaves in the West Indies.' Wilberforce quotes from Scottish poet James Beattie and the Bible, writing, in full:
"And, from the prayer of Want, and plaint of Woe,
O never, never turn away thine ear!
Forlorn in this bleak wilderness below,
Ah! what were man, should heaven refuse to hear!
The Christian's Motto - Beattie
For none of Us liveth to himself, (i.e. Us Christians)
And no man dieth to himself; Whether We (i.e. We Xtians)
live, We live unto the Lord, or whether We die, We
die unto the Lord. Whether We love, Wherefore, or die;
We are the Lord's - Rom[ans] 14."
In fine condition, with scattered light foxing.
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