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urges, he sleeps like a beast (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). According to Jefferson, Negroes are equal to whites in memory ability, however, they are "much inferior" in reason and rationality, and their imagination is "dull, tasteless and anomalous" (Jefferson, 1787, p.98).

Jefferson conceded that allowances should be made for the lifestyle and restrictions placed upon the vast majority of black slaves in America (Jefferson, 1787, p.99). However, he argues that some have enjoyed many advantages from being taken from their homelands to Western civilisation (Jefferson, 1787, p.99). For example, many have benefited from the conversations of their masters, some have been taught the "handicraft arts", some have been liberally educated and others have been exposed to Western art and science (Jefferson, 1787, p.99). However, Jefferson argues that despite this, all Negroes are devoid of creativity or artistic ability (Jefferson, 1787, p.99). While Negroes are more musically gifted in relation to "tune and time", he doubts that they would be able to compose an extended or complicated piece of music (Jefferson, 1787, p.99). Their lack of feeling means that they lack the necessary emotions or stimulations for the creation of poetry (Jefferson, 1787, p.99).

Jefferson argues that Negro inferiority is not merely a result of their lifestyle and conditions (Jefferson, 1787, p.100). He states that inter-racial breeding between the two races has been shown to improve the physical and mental capacity of the black race (Jefferson, 1787, p.100). Furthermore, he suggests that in Ancient Rome slaves were treated much worse than in contemporary America, yet these slaves were white and some managed to excel in arts despite their conditions (Jefferson, 1787, p.101). For Jefferson, this proves that Negro inferiority is caused by nature rather than their environment and that there is a natural distinction between the races (Jefferson, 1787, p.101).

Bibliography:

Jefferson, T. 1787 Notes on the State of Virginia In Eze, E. C. (Ed) 1997 Race and the Enlightenment: A Reader Oxford: Blackwell. pp. 95-103

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