Ignatius Sancho: Good

“…an awkward loon- whom I do sometimes care about- who has more wit than money- more good sense than wit- more urbanity than sense- and more pride than some princes”

Ignatius Sancho

(from vol 2, letter 42: 9 Oct 1779, to Mr M___ ) [describing a friend]

Money , Sense

“… as you are not to be a boy all your life- and I trust would not be reckoned a fool- use your every endeavour to be a good man”

Ignatius Sancho

(from vol 2, letter 13: 29 Nov 1778, to Mr S___ in Madras).

Life , Fools , Boy

“… how comes it that- without the advantages of a twentieth generationship of noble blood flowing uncontaminated in your veins- without the customary three years dissipation at college- and the (nothing-to-be-done without) four years perambulation on the Continent- without all these needful appendages- with little more than plain sense, sheer good-nature, and a right honest heart- thou canst,
"Like low-born Allen, with an aukward shame,
"Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame."”

Ignatius Sancho

(from vol 1, letter 38: 1 Sep 1776, to Mr M___ ) [the quotation is from Alexander Pope's poem "1738" (now usually known as "Epilogue to the Satires, dialogue 1"), referring to postal reformer and philanthropist Ralph Allen]

Nature , Sense , Heart

“Commerce was meant by the goodness of the Deity to diffuse the various goods of the earth into every part, to unite mankind in the blessed chains of brotherly love, society, and mutual dependence: the enlightened Christian should diffuse the riches of the Gospel of peace, with the commodities of his respective land. Commerce attended with strict honesty, and with Religion for its companion, would be a blessing to every shore it touched at. In Africa, the poor wretched natives, blessed with the most fertile and luxuriant soil, are rendered so much the more miserable for what Providence meant as a blessing: the Christians' abominable traffic for slaves, and the horrid cruelty and treachery of the petty Kings- encouraged by their Christian customers- who carry them strong liquors, to enflame their national madness, and powder, and bad fire-arms, to furnish them with the hellish means of killing and kidnapping. But enough- it is a subject that sours my blood”

Ignatius Sancho

(from vol 2, letter 1: some time in 1778, to Mr J___ W___e [actually Jack Wingrave, a young man recently gone to work in India, who was distressed by the corruption he found there]).

Love , Peace , Religion , Strong

“… confess now- could you lie with the wife of your friend? could you debauch his sister? could you defraud a poor creditor? could you by gambling rejoice in the outwitting a novice of all his possessions?- No! why then thou art a silly fellow, incumbered with three abominable inmates; to wit- Conscience, Honesty, and Good-nature”

Ignatius Sancho

(from vol 2, letter 43: 17 Oct 1779, to Mr M___ ).

Lie , Art , Nature , Sister

“Poverty and Genius were coupled by the wisdom of Providence for wise and good ends, no doubt”

Ignatius Sancho

(from vol 2, letter 9: 4 Oct 1778, to Mr S___ ).

Wisdom