light on the facts connected with the 'plant-cutting,' are nevertheless curious in regard to the history of legal proceedings in this country. I send you a few letters from this book by way of sample, and may send you more hereafter. The Letters to Mathews are given not merely because he was sometime Governor of the Colony, but because he is believed to have been the first of our manufacturers, and as such should be remembered with due honor. Fredericksburg, June 8, 1848. J. M. To Capt. Fras. Partis, at &c. JULY 1ST, 1680. SIR,-The above is a copy of my former June 11th, 1680. I have no new matter to add, only I would have you be very carefull of my flax, hemp and hay seed, two bushels of each of which I have sent for, because we now have resolved a cessation from making Tobo. next year. We are also going to make Towns.* If you can meet with any tradesmen that will come in and live at the Towns, they may have large privileges and communitys. I would have you bring me in a good Housewife. I do not intend or mean [her] to be brought in as the ordinary servants are ; but to pay for her passage, and agree to give her fifty Shillings, or three pound a year during the space of five years; upon which terms I suppose good servants may be had, because they have their passage clear and as much wages as they can have there. I would have a good one or none. I looke upon the generality of wenches you usually bring in not worth the keeping. I expect to hear from you by all conveniencys, for I assure you I let slip none to tell you I am, &c. I would have you bring me two large paper bookes; one to * Vide Act of June 1680-Hen. Stat. at Lar.: Vol. II., p. 471. contain about fourteen or fifteen Quire of Paper; another about ten Quire; and one other small one. July 1st, 1680. Per Capt. Fowler. To Capt. Thos. Mathews, at Cherry Point. JULY 3RD, 1681. Garland to acquaint SIR, I have this Conveniency by Nat. you that I cannot receive answers to a third of the letters I send you. I believe there may be some miscarriages, but not so many but that one in three comes to hand. Friends at a distance want the happiness of seeing one another; yet a friendly communication by letters is not barred, which I should much rejoice in. I assure you I let slip no opportunity; and should be glad you would use but a friendliness therein. I hope Distance has not occasioned forgetfulness. Nat. Garland tells me you have made a great and profitable progress in your linnen manufacture, which I heartily congratulate; wishing that as you give good example to others, you may reap benefit thereby to yourself. Sir, I have here enclosed sent a letter to Mr. Alexander Broady, with his papers inclosed in it. I have left it open for your perusal, &c.—after which I desire you will seal it and get it a safe conveyance to his hand. My wife and self salute you and your good lady. With our respects and service, I am Your To Capt. Thomas Mathews, at Cherry Point. w.ff. AUGUST 24TH, 1681. SIR, Yours by Christopher Warner bearing date 29th July, I have received. Am glad to hear of your and Lady's health therein, which I have also been satisfy'd in by Mrs. Rogers, who has been in our parts, and whom I have intreated to be the Conveyor of this. I do not approve of your term project for the advancement of a most usefull and advantageous manufacture, which I believe in time, when necessity and use shall have reduced more to follow, will be found more profitable and advantageous to a generall Commerce than the greatest probability can imagine from this superfluous staple that at present custom hath rendered suitable to the generality; by reason one is of absolute necessity, the other a thing indifferent and more obliged to the fancy than any real worth in itself. Absolute necessity of business calls me abroad so often that I am glad when I can have some leisure at home. I am taking of some, and assure yourself that you shall be one of the first whom, when I get time, I intend to visit. Necessity as 'tis the mother of Invention, so 'tis the Nurse of Industry; which has so far been cherished here that there's little of any wool left in our parts not wrought up either in stockings, &c. therefore no hopes of the purchase of any here. Mine and wive's best respects salute you and your good Lady. Continuance of that health and happiness you at present enjoy is wished by To Mr. John Buckner, December 3, 1681. (Extract.) Esq'r Wormley likewise at the same time assured me that he would take care to pay you £20 more upon my account, which I doubt not but before this he has done. What remains I will hereafter take care honestly to pay, but hope you will make me some abatement of your dumb negro that you sold me. Had she been a new negro* I must have blamed my fate, not you. Slaves imported were called new negroes-those born here were distinguished as Virginian negroes and more valued. But one that you had two years I must conclude you knew her qualitys, which is bad at work-worse at talking; and took the opportunity of the softness of my messenger to quit your hands of her. I will freely give you the £3. 5. 0. overplus of £20 that he gave for her, to take her again; and will get her conveyed to your hands: or hope, if my offer be not acceptable, you will make me some abatement of so bad a bargain. SCRAPS FROM A NOTE-BOOK. THE CAPITOL. Mr. Jefferson writing from Paris in 1785, to Mr. Madison, says, "We took for our model, what is called the Maison Quarree, of Nismes, one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, and precious morsel of architecture left us by antiquity. It was built by Caius and Lucius Cæsar, and repaired by Louis XIV., and has the suffrage of all the judges of architecture who have seen it, as yielding to no one of the beautiful monuments of Greece, Rome, Palmyra, and Balbec, which late travellers have communicated to us." Arthur Young in his Travels notices the Maison Quarree in the following terms:-" It is beyond all expression, the most light, elegant and pleasing building I ever beheld; without any extraordinary magnificence to surprise, it rivets attention. There is a magic harmony in the proportions that charms the eye. One can fix on no particular part of pre-eminent beauty; it is one perfect whole of symmetry and grace." LADY DUNMORE AND HER DAUGHTERS. "Lady Dunmore is here-a very elegant woman. She looks, speaks and moves and is a lady. Her daughters are fine sprightly sweet girls. Goodness of heart flushes from them in every look. How is it possible said that honest soul, our Governor, to me, how is it possible my Lord Dunmore could so long deprive himself of those pleasures he must enjoy in such a family? When you see them you will feel the full force of this observation." Life of Governeur Morris. YORK TOWN. The following notice of Yorktown is found in an obsolete Virginia poem, entitled "The Contest." "Far to the East where lofty cliffs ascend, Petersburg. C. C. |