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The Present State of Virginia, Rev. Hugh Jones, 1724, Excerpts National Humanities Center Resource Toolbox Becoming American: The British Atlantic Colonies, 1690-1763 Library of Congress “capable of great Improvements still” * Rev. Hugh Jones The Present State of VIRGINIA 1724__EXCERPTS Hugh Jones was an English clergyman called to serve in Virginia for two years as a “Mathe- matickal Professor” in the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. On his return to England he discovered that “few people . have correct notions of the true state of the Herman Moll, A New Map of the North Parts of America , 1720, detail plantations [colonies].” Thus in 1724 he Herman Moll, A New Map of the North Parts of America, 1720, detail published The Present State of Virginia to “few people in England . have correct Notions inform his English audience of the colony’s “few people in England . have correct Notions government, peoples, economic and religious of the true State of the Plantations” of the true State of the Plantations” state, etc., and to promote his plan to transport the English “poor and vagabonds” to Virginia as a non-African labor supply. INTRODUCTION_____ When I considered the great Benefit that arises to the Public from the large colony of Virginia, I observed that though it be thus advantageous, yet it is capable of great Improvements still, and requires several Alterations, both with Regard to its own Welfare, and the Interest of Great Britain. Observing moreover, that few people in England (even many concerned in public affairs of this kind) have correct Notions of the true State of the Plantations, and having been eagerly applied to frequently by Persons of the greatest Figure, Experience and Judgment in political and national Concerns, for Information concern- ing all the Circumstances of Virginia, I was requested to digest methodically and publish what I knew and thought of these Matters; and being in a great Measure enjoined to it by a noble Patron, I have here complied with his Commands, with the best of my Knowledge and Judgment. PART II. Ch. 3. Of the Situation and Nature of the Country of Virginia, and its Coasts, &c. NDER the Meridian is extended the Expanse Bay of Chesapeake, esteemed one of the noblest and safest Bays in the World. U There are belonging to Virginia four principal Rivers (neither of them inferior upon many Accounts to the Thames or Severn) that empty themselves into the Bay after they have glided some Hundreds fromwards the Mountains, the Western Bounds of Virginia. Into these Rivers run abundance of great Creeks or short Rivers, navigable for Sloops, Shallops, Long- Boats, Flats, Canoes, and Piraguas. * National Humanities Center, 2009: nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/. Rev. Hugh Jones, The Present State of Virginia, 1724 (New York: Reprinted for Joseph Sabin, 1865), excerpts. Some spelling and punctuation modernized by NHC for clarity. Complete image credits at nationalhumanitiescenter. org/pds/becomingamer/imagecredits.htm. Library of Congress Because of this Conven- ience,1 and for the Goodness of the Land, and for the sake of Fish, Fowl, &c., Gentlemen and Planters love to build near the Water, though it be not altogether so healthy as the Uplands and Barrens, which serve for Ranges for [live] Stock. Thus neither the Interest nor Inclinations of the Virginians induce them to cohabit in Towns, so that they are not forward in contributing their Assistance towards the making of particular Places, every Plantation affording the Owner the Provision of a little Market, wherefore they most common- Joshua Fry, A Map of the Most Inhabited Part of Virginia, 1755, detail including ly build upon some convenient Chesapeake Bay and (from north to south) the four principal rivers: Potomac, Spot or Neck of Land in their Rappahannock, York, and James own Plantation, . Ch. 4. Of the Negroes, with the Planting and Management of Indian Corn, Tobacco, &c. and of their Timber, Stock, Fruits, Provision, and Habitations, &c. The Negroes are very numerous, some Gentlemen having Hundreds of them of all Sorts, to whom they bring great Profit; for the Sake of which they are obliged to keep them well and not overwork, 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; though indeed some Masters, careless of their own Interest or Reputation, are too cruel and negligent. The Negroes are not only increased by fresh supplies from Africa and the West India Islands, but also are very prolific among themselves; and they that are born there talk good English and affect our Language, Habits, and Customs; and though they be naturally of a barbarous and cruel Temper, yet are they kept under by severe Discipline upon Occasion, and by good Laws are prevented from running away, injuring the English, or neglecting their Business. “some Masters, careless of their own Interest Their Work (or Chimerical hard or Reputation, are too cruel and negligent” 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 Enemies. The Children belong to the Master of the Woman that bears them; and such as are born of a Negroe and an European are called Molattoes; but such as are born of an Indian and Negroe are called Mustees. 1 The river and creek system, and the coastal wetlands, which allow shipments to be delivered by water to plantations built near the coast. National Humanities Center Rev. Hugh Jones, The Present State of Virginia, 1724, excerpts 2 Their Work is to take Care of the Stock, and The Present State of Virginia plan Corn, Tobacco, Fruits, etc. which is not TABLE OF CONTENTS harder than Thrashing, Hedging, or Ditching. [chapters in green included in these excerpts] Besides, though they are out in the violent PART I. Heat, wherein they delight, yet in wet or cold Ch. 1: Of the Original of the Indians, Europeans, and Negroes. Weather there is little Occasion for their Ch. 2. Of the Government, Religion, Habit, Wars, Lives, Customs, &c. of the Indians of North America, and of working in the Fields, in which few will let Christanna. them be abroad, lest by this means they might PART II. get sick or die, which would prove a great Loss Ch, 1. Of the English Settlements in Virginia. [History] to their Owners, a good Negroe being some- Ch. 2. Of the Metropolis Williamsburgh, and the College, times worth three (nay four) Score Pounds Capitol, and Governor’s House, and the Church, &c. Sterling, if he be a Tradesman; so that upon Ch. 3. Of the Situation and Nature of the Country of Virginia, and its Coasts, &c. this (if upon no other Account) they are Ch. 4. Of the Negroes, with the Planting and Management of obliged not to overwork them, but to clothe and Indian Corn, Tobacco, &c. and of their Timber, Stock, feed them sufficiently, and take Care of their Fruits, Provision, and Habitations, &c. Health. Ch. 5. Of the Habits, Customs, Parts, Employments, Trade, &c. of the Virginians; and of the Weather, Coin, Sickness, Liquors, Servants, poor, Pitch, Tar, Oar, &c. Ch. 5. Of the Habits, Customs, Parts, Ch. 6. Of Germanna, the Palatines, Wine, Hemp, Flax, Silk, Sumac, Trees, Fruits, Coals, the Tracts of Land, Health, Employments, Trade &c. of the Militia, the Manaccan Town, Titles, Levies, Burgesses, Virginians; and of the Weather, Coin, Laws, and general Assembly. PART III. Of the State of the Church and Clergy of Virginia. Sickness, Liquors, Servants, Poor, APPENDIX. Pitch, Tar, Oar, &c. Scheme I. Of Education in Virginia. Scheme II. Of Religion in Virginia. HE Habits, Life, Customs, Computations, &c. [etc.] of the Virginians are much the Scheme III Of Arts, Projects, Inventions, and Manufactures in T Virginia. same as about London, which they esteem Scheme IV. Of Education in Virginia. their Home; and for the most Part have contemptible Notions of England, and wrong Sentiments of Bristol and other Outports, which they entertain from seeing and hearing the common Dealers, Sailors, and Servants that come from those Towns and the Country Places in England and Scotland, whose Language and Manners are strange to them, for the Planters, and even the Native Negroes, generally talk good English without Idiom or Tone, and can discourse handsomely upon most common Subjects; . 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 Leaning and had such Instructions and acquired such Accomplishments as might be instilled into such good natural Capacities. Nevertheless, through their quick Apprehension, they have a Sufficiency of Knowledge and Fluency of Tongue, though their Learning for the most Part be but “They are more inclinable to read men by Business superficial. and Conversation than to dive into Books” 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 (except a few, such as Sawing Mills); neither are they great Encouragers of Manufactures, because of the Trouble and certain Expense in Attempts of this kind, with uncertain Prospect of Gain; whereas by their staple Commodity, Tobacco, they are certain to get a plentiful Provision; nay, often very great Estates.
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