This collection of poetry contains two poems written by Irish abolitionist Richard Madden and eight by the former Cuban slave Juan Francisco Manzano (translated by Madden into English, and attributed to the anonymous "Juan ___"). It also includes a short autobiography written by Manzano of his life as a slave, which Madden describes as: "the most perfect picture of Cuban slavery that ever has been given to the world" (iv). Published by Madden in order to prove the intellectual capacities of slaves in the Americas, the collection was also intended to contradict the prevailing idea of Cuban slavery as a 'mild' form of slavery. Madden stresses that the laws which had been put in place to protect the slave were never enforced, and argues that despite appearances: "slavery in Cuba is more destructive to human life, more pernicious to society, degrading to the slave, and debasing to the master, more fatal to health and happiness, than in any other slave-holding country on the face of the habitable globe" (164).