ABSTRACT
Myths surrounding the *dark continent* remained pervasive throughout England in the later eighteenth century, their persistence despite geographical explorations, such as those undertaken by Mungo Park, formed the foundation of popular opinion. However, some of these myths have endured, unchallenged, into the twentieth century. Shyllon notes their longevity thus, *for too long British historians (who should know better) have used too much imagination and too little sympathy when writing about Africa, Africans and people of African ancestry'.^
Such preconceptions about alien races were discernible in white society, but in differing degrees, depending upon the shade of colour of a stranger's skin. The darkest of strangers, therefore, tended to encounter greater aversion and distrust as * sudden or limited contact between different nations or ethnic groups leads to all kinds of popular beliefs springing from ignorance, fear and the need to explain physical and cultural differences'.^
The intention will be to examine how these various images of black people arising from the emotions of fear, ignorance and an overriding awareness of physical differences were to be reinforced by the legality of slavery in England. Colonial influences were to dominate the whole issue of slavery in the metropolis, and this rudimentary image of blacks was founded upon their legal and economic status in this period.
