VIRGINIA. 



cles have advanced 200 per cent. Besides the animals transported 

 from Europe, those natural to the country are deer, of which the 

 number is decreasing annually, a sort of panther or tiger, bears, 

 wolves, foxes, squirrels, rabbits, opossums, racoons, &c. In Virgi- 

 nia there are all sorts of tame and wild fowl. 



Population and militia. ...The inhabitants of Virginia amounted, 

 according to the census of 1790, to 747,610, of whom 292,627 were 

 negroes ; in 1801, by the census then taken, their number was 

 886,149, including 346,968 slaves. By the census of 1810, the num- 

 ber of inhabitants was 974,622, including 392,518 slaves. The mili- 

 tia is about 76,000 men. 



Character, manners, and customs. ...In delineating the charac- 

 ter of a nation correctly, we must take it from the inhabitants oi the 

 country, who, almost every where, but especially in the United 

 States, constitute the great mass of the population. In the large 

 trading towns of the Union, there is a great similarity of character, 

 produced by frequent intercourse, and the common genius of com- 

 merce : their speculations, and, in some degree, their manners are 

 moulded in the same moral forms. But among the peasantry, who 

 live more isolated, and whose moral features are more distinctly 

 marked, there are obvious shades of difference ; and these shades 

 begin to show themselves more sensibly to the eye of an inquisitive 

 traveller, as he passes through the southern states. He no longer 

 beholds so great a proportion of hardy, industrious, and healthful 

 yeomanry, living on terms of equality and independence ; their do- 

 mestic economy neat and comfortable; their farms well stocked; in 

 good order ; and their cattle sleek and thriving. On the contrary, 

 he discovers the farm houses more thinly scattered, some of them 

 mere hovels, the retreats of small proprietors who are too indolent 

 to improve their estates. A few miles distant perhaps he finds a 

 large mansion-house, the property of the lord of two or three thou- 

 sand acres of land, surrounded by 50 or 100 negro huts. But these 

 remarks apply chiefly to the inhabitants of this state that live on the 

 east side of the Blue Ridge; the western part has fewer blacks, and 

 more industrious whites, in proportion ; being settled in a great mea- 

 sure by emigrants from Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, who differ 

 from their eastern neighbours. Horse racing is a very fashionable 

 amusement, and there is a great number of fine horses kept for this 

 purpose. The ruinous custom of gambling is also very prevalent. 

 Many of the gentry of this state have received a very liberal educa- 

 tion, are polished in their manners, and extremely hospitable to 

 strangers. Their houses are at all times open to the traveller who 

 makes a decent appearance. 



Virginia has produced some of the most distinguished actors in 

 effecting the American revolution. Her political and military cha- 

 racter ranks among the first in the history of the United States. 

 But it is to be observed that this distinction has been obtained for the 

 Virginians by a few eminent men, who have taken the lead in all their 

 public transactions, and who, in short, govern Virginia ; for the 

 great body of the people do not concern themselves with the govern- 

 ment, as none bu: freeholders enjoy the right of suffrage. So that 

 their government, though nominally democratic, is in fact aristpcra- 

 tical. 



Vol. II. 3 J, 



