Read Ebook: The Present State of Virginia by Jones Hugh

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Their Work is not very laborious; their greatest Hardship consisting in that they and their Posterity are not at their own Liberty or Disposal, but are the Property of their Owners; and when they are free, they know not how to provide so well for themselves generally; neither did they live so plentifully nor so easily in their own Country, where they are made Slaves to one another, or taken Captive by their Enemies.

Thus they have good natural Notions, and will soon learn Arts and Sciences; but are generally diverted by Business or Inclination from profound Study, and prying into the Depth of Things; being ripe for Management of their Affairs, before they have laid so good a Foundation of Learning, and had such Instructions, and acquired such Accomplishments, as might be instilled into such good natural Capacities. Nevertheless thro' their quick Apprehension, they have a Sufficiency of Knowledge, and Fluency of Tongue, tho' their Learning for the most Part be but superficial.

They are more inclinable to read Men by Business and Conversation, than to dive into Books, and are for the most Part only desirous of learning what is absolutely necessary, in the shortest and best Method.

They are not very easily persuaded to the Improvement of useful Inventions neither are they great Encouragers of Manufactures, because of the Trouble and certain Expence in Attempts of this kind, with uncertain Prospect of Gain; whereas by their staple Commodity, Tobacco, they are in hopes to get a plentiful Provision; nay, often very great Estates.

The common Planters leading easy Lives don't much admire Labour, or any manly Exercise, except Horse-Racing, nor Diversion, except Cock-Fighting, in which some greatly delight. This easy Way of Living, and the Heat of the Summer makes some very lazy, who are then said to be Climate-struck.

The Saddle-Horses, though not very large, are hardy, strong, and fleet; and will pace naturally and pleasantly at a prodigious Rate.

They are such Lovers of Riding, that almost every ordinary Person keeps a Horse; and I have known some spend the Morning in ranging several Miles in the Woods to find and catch their Horses only to ride two or three Miles to Church, to the Court-House, or to a Horse-Race, where they generally appoint to meet upon Business; and are more certain of finding those that they want to speak or deal with, than at their Home.

No People can entertain their Friends with better Cheer and Welcome; and Strangers and Travellers are here treated in the most free, plentiful, and hospitable Manner; so that a few Inns or Ordinaries on the Road are sufficient.

Besides this, some are troubled with the dry Gripes, proceeding from Colds which take away for a long Time the Use of the Limbs of some, especially hard Drinkers of Rum; some that have lain out in mighty cold Weather have been Frost-bitten, and lost their Fingers or Toes.

There is no Danger of wild Beasts in traveling; for the Wolves and Bears, which are up the Country, never attack any, unless they be first assaulted and hurt; and the Wolves of late are much destroyed by Virtue of a Law, which allows good Rewards for their Heads with the Ears on, to prevent Imposition and cheating the Publick; for the Ears are crop'd when a Head is produced.

As for their Drink, good Springs of excellent Water abound every where almost, which is very cooling and pleasant in Summer, and the general Drink of abundance: not so much out of Necessity, as Choice.

And as they brew, so do they bake daily, Bread or Cakes, eating too much hot and new Bread, which cannot be wholsom, tho' it be pleasanter than what has been baked a Day or two.

The Intent of this Law was to improve the Commodity, prevent Frauds in publick Payments; and for Ease of the common Planters, and Expedition and Conveniency of Shipping.

But though the first Design was for publick Tobacco only, yet the private Crops of Gentlemen being included in the Law, was esteemed a great Grievance; and occasioned Complaints, which destroyed a Law, that with small Amendments might have proved most advantageous.

The Abrogation of this Law reduced the Sailors to their old Slavery of rolling the Tobacco in some Places; where they draw it for some Miles, as Gardeners draw a Roller, which makes them frequently curse the Country, and thro' Prejudice give it a very vile Character.

But most Gentlemen, and such as are beforehand in the World, lodge Money in their Merchant's Hands here, to whom they send their Crop of Tobacco, or the greatest Part of it.

The worst Thing in their Gardens, that I know, is the Artichoak; but this I attribute to Want of Skill and good Management.

Mulberry Trees and Silkworms thrive there to Admiration, and Experience has proved that the Silk Manufacture might be carried on to great Advantage.

There is Coal enough in the Country, but good Fire-Wood being so plentiful that it encumbers the Land, they have no Necessity for the Trouble and Expence of digging up the Bowels of the Earth, and conveying them afterwards to their several Habitations.

Without such Proceeding the best Country in the World would not please them; since wherever they go from Home they must certainly find many Things different from what they have been accustomed to.

As for Health, I think this Climate as good as any with Care, though some Constitutions can be well in no Air, let them do what they will, and the stoutest cannot be always Proof against Sickness, be they in never so healthy a Country; and in all Places with Care People may enjoy a good Share of Health, if they have any tolerable good Constitution; if they avoid Heats and Colds, Intemperance, and all Manner of Excesses.

The Establishment is indeed Tobacco, but some Parts of the Country make but mean and poor, so that Clergymen don't care to live in such Parishes; but there the Payment might be made in Money, or in the Produce of those Places, which might be equivalent to the Tobacco Payments; better for the Minister, and as pleasing to the People.

Some Clergymen are indeed unskilful in, and others are not studious of, reconciling their own Interest and Duty with the Humour and Advantage of the People, especially at their first coming, when many Things seem very odd to them; being different to what they have been heretofore accustomed to.

The Council are these Twelve.

To guard the Coasts from the Ravages of Pyrates, Men of War are frequently stationed there; but they are not at all under the Direction of the Governor upon Emergencies, tho' he be titular Admiral of those Seas; but had he some Command over Men of War, 'tis thought it might be of great Service to the Country, and Security and Advantage to the Merchants and others.

As for Churches there are but very few; and I knew of but one Minister in the whole Government, and he had no great Faculty of influencing the People, and is lately removed thence; so that much Religion cannot be expected among a Collection of such People as fly thither from other Places for Safety and Livelihood, left to their own Liberty without Restraint or Instruction.

Many there have I seen ten or fifteen Years old, who have never had the Opportunity of Baptism, which they joyfully receive.

I acted according to his Request, but never heard of the Event of this Application.

May all these vast Countries grow in Grace, and encrease in spiritual Blessings, and temporal Prosperity.

If any thing here offered be dislik'd, I willingly shall submit to censure when disproved and confuted; mean while hope that nothing here mentioned or proposed will be taken amiss, since this Work was purposely undertaken with a sincere Intention of publick Good; therefore I have Expectation that it will find a kind Reception with all publick-spirited, and unprejudiced Persons.

For it is now a College without a Chapel, without a Scholarship, and without a Statute.

There is a Library without Books, comparatively speaking, and a President without a fix'd Salary till of late: A Burgess without certainty of Electors; and in fine, there have been Disputes and Differences about these and the like Affairs of the College hitherto without End.

These Things greatly impede the Progress of Sciences and learned Arts, and discourage those that may be inclined to contribute their Assistance or Bounty towards the Good of the College.

Let none be permitted to teach School in any Parish, but such as shall be nominated by the Minister and Vestry, and licensed by the President of the College.

Let them be boarded and lodged in the Dormitory, as they are at present; or upon such Terms as may from Time to Time seem most proper to the President and Masters, or to the Governors, till a Transfer be obtained.

And during these four Years, at certain appointed Times they should be taught to write as they now are in the Writing-School, or in such Methods as the President and Masters may judge better: There also should the Writing Master teach them the Grounds and Practice of Arithmetick, in order to qualify such for Business, as intend to make no farther Progress in Learning.

Such Scholars, Commoners, and Servitors, as have behaved themselves well, and minded their Studies for three Years, and can pass proper Examination, and have performed certain Exercises, should have the Degree of a Batchellor of Arts conferred upon them; should eat at a Table together, and be distinguished by a peculiar Habit; maintain themselves, be subject to certain Rules, and pursue proper Studies; being allowed the Use of the Library as well as the Masters, paying proper Fees upon their Admission for the Good of the Library.

Out of the Graduates above Batchellors should the Masters or Professors be chosen by the Election of the said Masters or Professors, with the President; who also every seven Years should chose a new Chancellor, to whose Determination all Disputes and Differences should be referred.

And when the President's Place is vacant, it should be filled by such of the Masters as has belonged first to the College.

If the present Fund be insufficient to defray the Expence, proper Improvement should be made of the Revenue, and Application made for additional Benefactions.

As for the Accomplishments of Musick, Dancing, and Fencing, they may be taught by such as the President and Masters shall appoint at such certain Times, as they shall fix for those Purposes.

There is as yet no great Occasion for the Hall, so that it might be made a Chapel and Divinity-School, for which Purpose it would serve nobly with little or no Alterations.

Another thing prejudicial to the College, is the Liberty allowed the Scholars, and the negligent Observance of College Hours, and the Opportunity they have of rambling Abroad.

To remedy this, there is wanting some Contrivance to secure the Youth within the College at certain Hours; which has hitherto been in vain attempted, because of the many Servants lodged in the College, and the several Doors and Ways to get out of it.

Little additional Charge would put the Government of the College upon a much better Footing; whereas at present it scarcely merits the name of a College.

As for Election of a Burgess in Pursuance to a Clause in the Charter, he ought to be chosen by the President and as many Masters as there shall actually be at any Time.

The Charter mentions six Masters or Professors, but does not specify the Professions; it directs to the making of Statutes and founding Scholarships, but the particulars are left to the Discretion of the Managers; and some such Establishment as this here mentioned may not be improper, especially if for greater Encouragement the Surveyors of each County were to be appointed by the President and Masters, out of such as have taken a Batchellor of Arts Degree there; and if also the Governor and Council were to elect a certain Number of Batchellors for Clerks into the Secretaries Office; out of which Clerks attending and writing there at certain Times, the County Clerks should be appointed by the Secretary.

The Office of the President would be to govern the College, be Treasurer, and Censor, and have a casting Vote in all Debates.

The six Professors or Masters would be

Transcriber's notes:

ERRATA applied to the text.

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