“All men are free and equal in the grave, if it comes to that, Mr. Wilson,” said George.
This statement from George shows how badly he wants to obtain freedom, and how he is willing to die if he has to, as he would rather die then spend more of his life enslaved.
No tear dropped over that pillow; in such straits as these, the heart has no tears to give,—it drops only blood, bleeding itself away in silence.
This line is a strong description and visual for the silent suffering that slaves are forced to go through. The heart is only on the inside, and can't be seen by others, only felt by the person. It shows how horrible life was for people in slavery and how the worst part is the emotional trauma that is caused by it and not seen.
If it were your Harry, mother, or your Willie, that were going to be torn from you by a brutal trader, tomorrow morning,—if you had seen the man, and heard that the papers were signed and delivered, and you had only from twelve o’clock till morning to make good your escape,—how fast could you walk?
This part directly calls out to the reader, pushing them into Eliza's shoes and showing how intense and harrowing of a situation it is. It helps to connect the reader to her and get them to relate to her, as most everyone understands motherly love. This is especially important at the time of release as it can get a reader to relate to her in a way they wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
Before the slaves were exhibited for sale, they were dressed and driven out into the yard. Some were set to dancing, some to jumping, some to singing, and some to playing cards. This was done to make them appear cheerful and happy.
It's scary to see how there is a forced illusion that everything is okay even though everyone knows the reality, complicit to it or not. It also shows a strange sense of justification for the slavers, presenting to each other that their slaves are happy and that they don't put them under cruel conditions to likely make themselves feel as if they are doing their slaves a service.
In the course of eight or nine weeks Mr. Walker had his cargo of human flesh made up. There was in this lot a number of old men and women, some of them with gray locks.
The use of description here is really effective; referring to the slaves as a cargo of human flesh really leans into the pathos of his experience and the horrible conditions that they were put through.
As soon as he was left sole dictator, he thought the time had come to put his threats into execution. He soon began to find fault with Randall, and threatened to whip him, if he did not do better. One day he gave him a very hard task,—more than he could possibly do; and at night, the task not being performed, he told Randall that he should remember him the next morning.
It's horrifying to see how the slavers would try to find a way to lash any of the slaves, and how they would even target out specific people if they felt that they did not get punished as much as the others, specifically forcing them into scenarios that were too difficult and would result in an inevitable punishment.
Reader, are you an Abolitionist? What have you done for the slave? What are you doing in his behalf? What do you purpose to do? There is a great work before us! Who will be an idler now?
I like how in the preface the author makes a call to multiple types of people, trying to show how important their cause is to them. In this case, it's calling out to the people who believe in abolishing slavery but is specifically calling for them to take action. It tries to bring out a feeling of guilt, to compel people to do more because they aren't doing enough already.
Queen of Navarre
The Queen of Navarre was the first woman of French nobility that had gather her written works and published them. She also was the first woman to be active in the Evangelical Circle of Meaux and promoted the study of Scriptures translated from Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/marguerite-de-navarre#:~:text=Marguerite%20de%20Navarre%20was%20not,songs%2C%20biblical%20and%20secular%20(without
Parthians
The Parthians were a nomadic tribe of Eastern Iranians who conquered Parthia in northeastern Persia. They ruled as an empire between 247 BCE to 224 CE that stretched from the Mediterranean to India and China. https://www.worldhistory.org/Parthia_(Empire)/
Democritus who set the world on chance
Democritus was an ancient Greek philosopher who is mainly known for formation of the atomic theory. He was nicknamed as a laughing philosopher as he put an emphasis on the value of cheerfulness. His theory helped to argue atomism is the most influential value of the natural world. Many people, including Aristotle, agreed and commended him. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/democritus/
Duke of Clarence
The Duke of Clarence was a title that was very rare. The title had been tainted due to the two of the people that had received it. The third person given the title was executed during the War of The Roses and when Prince Albert Victor was involved in a scandal with a gay brothel. The title hasn't been used since. https://thehistorypress.co.uk/article/duke-of-clarence-a-title-through-time/
Cleomenes
Cleomenes was Agiad King of Sparta from c. 524 to c. 490 BC. He was one of the most important Spartan Kings, as he helped in organizing the Greek resistance against the Persian Empire and shaped the geopolitical balance of Classical Greece. He went mad and mutilated himself in a prison cell, with interpretations that it was either divine punishment for sacrilege or his excessive behavior.
Bharata
Bharata was a famous emperor that was featured in Hindu literature. He was a member of the Chandravamsha dynasty and became the Chakravarti. He's seen as an ancestor of the Pandavas, the Kauravas, Brihadrata, and Jarasandha. It can mean the one indulging in light, the shining one or someone that pursues light. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/india-that-is-bharat-the-origin-and-meaning-of-the-ancient-name/articleshow/103401596.cms?from=mdr