THE FOUNDING OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL 229 



seen a great number of handsome, well-dressed, compleat gen- 

 tlemen." Knee-breeches, silken hose, and shoe-buckles of shin- 

 ing silver were prevalent, and velvet was the favorite wear for 

 gentlemen's gala dress. Lace ruffles and snow-white cravats set 

 off a costume, which, if not more sensible than that now in 

 vogue, was at least more picturesque. 



With their large leisure, it maybe thought that Virginia gen- 

 tlemen of a century ago were prone to idleness. Nothing could 

 be farther from the truth, as regards the leading men among 

 them. They were busy with much felling of trees, fencing of 

 grounds, plantation cares, with land surve3^s and building im- 

 provements, with law-suits, with roads and bridges, with local 

 elections and. church business, with school arrangements, with 

 family provisions, and with correspondence at home and abroad. 

 The worm-fence, made of rough rails, laid zig-zag fashion, be- 

 came known the country over as the Virginia fence. 



The prevalent idea that intelligence was at a low ebb in early 

 Virginia must yield to authentic facts. In spite of the oft-quoted 

 dictum of the narrow-minded Governor Berkeley — " I thank 

 God there are no free schools nor printing," it is a fact that the 

 first free school founded in America was in Virginia (1622) ; 

 in 1693 William and Mary College was established, and ele- 

 mentary schools were common; in 1736 a newspaper was suc- 

 cessfully established at Williamsburg; and in 1748 education 

 was made compulsory by legislative act in case of parental 

 neglect. Ninety-four percent of the inhabitants in Norfolk 

 county could write, as shown by the marriage bonds on record. 

 Private libraries, too, were common in many Virginia homes. 

 In fact, the progenitors of such men as Washington, Jefferson, 

 Mason, Madison and others, were far from wanting in intel- 

 lectual attainments. 



The historian Jones records of the Virginia colony in 1724, 

 that there were very few poor people and no beggars therein. 

 The planters, and even the negroes, " spoke good English, with- 

 out idiom or tone." He adds that the citizens generally wore 

 good clothes, had "comely, handsome persons," and good 

 manners and address. "The climate," said he, " makes them 

 bright, and of excellent sense." 



