st and last, Virginia received many of
this good French strain. The Old Dominion had now a population of
over eighty thousand persons--whites, Indians in no great number, and
negroes. The red men are mere scattered dwellers in the land east of the
mountains. There are Indian villages, but they are far apart. Save upon
the frontier fringe, the Indian attacks no more. But the African is here
to stay.

"The Negroes live in small Cottages called Quarters... under the
direction of an Overseer or Bailiff; who takes care that they tend such
Land as the Owner allots and orders, upon which they raise Hogs
and Cattle and plant Indian Corn, and Tobacco for the Use of their
Master.... The Negroes are very numerous, some Gentlemen having Hundreds
of them of all Sorts, to whom they bring great Profitt; for the Sake of
which they are obliged to keep them well, and not over-work, starve or
famish them, besides other Inducements to favour them; which is done
in a great Degree, to such especially that are laborious, careful and
honest; tho' indeed some Masters, careless of their own Interest or
deputation, are too cruel and negligent. The Negroes are not only
encreased by fresh supplies from Africa and the West India Islands, but
also are very prolific among themselves; and they that are born here
talk good English and affect our Language, Habits and Customs.... Their
work or Chimerical (hard Slavery) 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 (many of them) so
easily in their own Country where they are made Slaves to one another,
or taken Captive by their Ennemies."*

* It is an English clergyman, the Reverend Hugh Jones, who
is writing ("The Present State of Virginia") in the year
1724. He writes and never sees that, though every
amelioration be true, yet there is here old Inequity.

The white Virginians lived both after the fashion of England and after
fashions made by their New World environment. They are said to have
been in general a handsome folk, tall, well-formed, and with a ready and
courteous manner. They were great lovers of riding, and of all country
life, and few folk in the world might overpass them in hospitality. They
were genial, they liked a good