r the existing law of the States those days may not be expected ever
to return; and such places as are here alluded to cannot be kept up in
families whose possessions, however ample originally, must be parcelled
out at the demise of each inheritor, until, like poor Sir Lucius, the
"mansion-house and the dirty acres" having slipped through the not
over-tenacious fingers of the Virginian proprietor, the family honour
and the family pictures will alone be left.

In reverting again to the subject of this law, which I confess I have
only viewed under its most melancholy aspect, I must add that it is by
no means unpopular here, being, in fact, perfectly accordant with both
reason and justice, and probably, as far as the commonwealth is
concerned, for the best; yet cannot I look without regret on this
oblivion of the once gentle of the land, and the scattering of the
children of those brave men whose blood and labour redeemed the
wilderness, or won it from the savage and his prey.

Quitted the Pocahontas at City-point; wherefore so called I know not,
since here is neither city nor point that I could discover, but only a
few buildings, and a fine natural wharf at which two noble ships were
lying taking in tobacco and cotton.

Whilst waiting at the landing-place amidst the bustle incident to
shifting baggage, landing passengers, and packing carriages, I witnessed
a wedding assemblage that amused me highly, and was no bad sample of
slavery in the Old Dominion.

From a large hut close to where we were set ashore poured forth a bevy
of beauty of all colours, from the deepest jet up to the quadroon just
tinged with amber. They were for the most part dressed in white, many
having expensive scarfs of gay colours, and all wearing wreaths and
bouquets of the most beautiful flowers, tastefully arranged and put on.
I had only time to learn that it was a wedding-party, and to "guess" at
the bride. I hit upon a plump, roguish-looking little devil, having a
skin like new copper, teeth of pearl, and eyes black as "Kilkenny's own
coal." She was, I observed, the centre of the many-tinted circle, and
wore, moreover, a wreath composed of the pearl-like wax-berry in her
jetty hair.

These, as I was informed, were all slaves; certainly a merrier-looking
party I never saw of white folk, and, for this occasion, their chain was
literally hidden under wreaths of roses; for a day, at least, they were
very happy, and who amongst the freest can count