SOLON ROBINSON, 1851 493 



there, when he said the earth should bring forth every 

 fruit in its season. That it may long continue to give you 

 and your readers an abundant harvest from the soil of 

 the South, is the most sincere wish of one, who is proud 

 to rank himself your friend notwithstanding he is a resi- 

 dent upon the soil of the North. Truly, yours, 



Solon Robinson. 

 Neiv York City, May 22, 1851. 



A Virginia Plantation. 



[New York Avierican Agriculturist, 10:209-10; July, 1851 J 



[May ?, 1851] 



Thou shalt not covet, is a commandment which we 

 should not break; yet, if any one can visit Sabine Hall, 

 and not disobey that injunction, he is a more perfect 

 Christian than I can pretend to be. It is one of those 

 noble old mansions which are to be found scattered all 

 over the tidewater region of Virginia, marking an age of 

 wealth and refinement, that in some measure has faded 

 away. For the ancient families have forsaken the old 

 halls, and in many cases, house and household are known 

 no longer in the land that was once graced by their pres- 

 ence. 



Sabine Hall still retains its pristine grandeur, and is 

 owned and occupied by as true a nobleman as ever wel- 

 comed a guest beneath the hospitable roof of a Virginia 

 gentleman of the good old time. Let the traveller who 

 happens to enjoy the pleasure of Captain Mayer's com- 

 pany upon the steamer Mary Washington, from Balti- 

 more to Fredericksburg, (a very pleasant route it is too, 

 and good boat and very accommodating officers,) ask him 

 to point out this prominent landmark, a couple of miles 

 below Tappahannock, on the opposite side of the river. It 

 stands upon an elevated site, some two miles from the 

 shore, overlooking a broad tract of rich bottom land, upon 

 which great fields of wheat and corn are spread out in 

 bounteous profusion. Covering the slope of the hill, im- 



