inia. As that was seated upon a great bay
and sea, wherein were all the conveniencies for shipping and trade, so
is Virginia. Had that fertility of soil? So has Virginia, equal to any
land in the known world. In fine, if any one impartially considers all
the advantages of this country, as nature made it, he must allow it to
be as fine a place as any in the universe, but I confess I am ashamed to
say any thing of its improvements, because I must at the same time
reproach my countrymen with unpardonable sloth. If there be any excuse
for them in this matter, 'tis the exceeding plenty of good things with
which nature has blest them; for where God Almighty is so merciful as
to give plenty and ease, people easily forget their duty.

All the countries in the world, seated in or near the latitude of
Virginia, are esteemed the fruitfullest and pleasantest of all climates.
As for example, Canaan, Syria, Persia, great part of India, China and
Japan, the Morea, Spain, Portugal, and the coast of Barbary, none of
which differ many degrees of latitude from Virginia. These are reckoned
the gardens of the world, while Virginia is unjustly neglected by its
own inhabitants, and abused by other people.

Sec. 79. That which makes this country most unfortunate, is, that it must
submit to receive its character from the mouths not only of unfit, but
very unequal judges; for all its reproaches happen after this manner.

Many of the merchants and others, that go thither from England, make no
distinction between a cold and hot country; but wisely go sweltering
about in their thick clothes all the summer, because forsooth they used
to do so in their northern climate; and then unfairly complain of the
heat of the country. They greedily surfeit with their delicious fruits,
and are guilty of great intemperance therein, through the exceeding
plenty thereof, and liberty given by the inhabitants; by which means
they fall sick, and then unjustly complain of the unhealthiness of the
country. In the next place, the sailors for want of towns there, were
put to the hardship of rolling most of the tobacco, a mile or more, to
the water side; this splinters their hands sometimes, and provokes them
to curse the country. Such exercise and a bright sun made them hot, and
then they imprudently fell to drinking cold water, or perhaps new cider,
which, in its season they found in every planter's house; or else they
greedily devour the green fruit, and unripe trash t