LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.-NO. 7, ECT. 
177 
promote a discharge externally, in order to relieve 
the internal affection, or make the revulsion com¬ 
plete from the seat of the disease. Ity this opera¬ 
tion, the inflammation excited must be considerable, 
and the extent of the incision should therefore cor¬ 
respond to the nature of the case. In all instances, 
where this operation is employed, the incision 
should be continued open for a length of time, both 
that the existing symptoms may be relieved, and 
also, that the danger of any relapse may be pre¬ 
vented. 
FARMERS IN THE ASCENDANT. 
The occupations of the members and officers of the 
House of Assembly, for New York, at the late ses¬ 
sion, were as follows :—Fifty-four farmers, eighteen 
mechanics, three physicians, nineteen lawyers, eigh¬ 
teen merchants, five gentlemen, three manufacturers, 
three clerks, one mariner, one engineer, one fer¬ 
ryman, one hotel keeper, one lithographer, and 
two editors; the farmers being about 42 per cent, 
of the whole number. It is this strong sprinkling 
of intelligent farmers among our rulers, which makes 
them so liberal in the encouragement of agriculture, 
and which we think has tended more than anything 
else to push New York ahead of all other states in 
the support of internal improvements, and the de¬ 
velopment of her natural resources. An intelligent 
farmer sees at once, that, in order to make his pro¬ 
fession efficient, those composing it must be well 
educated; hence his liberality in diffusing elemen¬ 
tary works on agriculture among the district 
schools, and the generous grants to the state and 
county agricultural societies. 
LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.—No. 7. 
Since my last letter, I have been spending a few 
days in that portion of Loudon county, chiefly in 
the occupation of individuals belonging to the so¬ 
ciety of Friends; and 1 know not when I have en¬ 
joyed myself more pleasantly or agreeably, or have 
been more deeply interested than during this brief 
visit. 
At Waterford, some five or six miles north-east¬ 
erly from Leesburg, there is a small settlement of 
these people, consisting of some twenty or twenty- 
five families, the greater portion of whom are en¬ 
gaged in the cultivation of the soil; and in the 
vicinity of Goose Creek, at about the same distance, 
in a northerly, or north-westerly direction from 
Leesburg, there are some sixty or seventy families, 
of the peculiar tenets of whose religious faith it is 
uncessary for me to speak; but if the habitual 
practice of the purest morality, in all the relations 
of domestic and social intercourse, if incorruptible 
integrity, uniform kindness, and good will to all, 
who come within the sphere of their influence, 
quiet, systematic, and well-directed industry, and an 
enlightened appreciation of the claims of an advan¬ 
cing civilization constitute an essential portion of 
true Christianity, I am sure these primitive and 
single-hearted disciples of William Penn and 
George Fox cannot be “ far from the kingdom of 
heaven.” I am very confident that no one, how¬ 
ever inveterate, or strong may be his prejudices 
against this sect, can pass a week among them, 
mingling freely with them, inspecting the internal 
and external arrangements of their households and 
farms, attending their “ solemn assemblies,” and 
acquainting himself with the principles and econo¬ 
my of their institutions, without being forcibly im¬ 
pressed with the practical superiority of their com¬ 
munities in all those elements which go to make 
up the staple of human happiness and prosperity 
There is an atmosphere of “ brotherly love,” kind¬ 
ness, benevolence, industry, contentment, quietness, 
and peace, which speaks volumes in their favor, 
and speedily disarms that worldly-minded intoler¬ 
ance and supercilious bigotry, which would rank 
these people with the fanatics and enthusiasts, 
whose vagaries have so often proved fatal alike to 
their possessors and to society at large. 
At Spring Dale, pleasantly located on the banks 
of Goose Creek, and surrounded by the most ro¬ 
mantic and enticing forest scenery, and in the midst 
of a rural hamlet of farm houses, is an institution 
for the education of young girls, under the immedi¬ 
ate charge of Samuel M. Janney, a prominent mem¬ 
ber of the society of Friends, and a very intelligent, 
refined, and cultivated man. Between thirty and 
forty pupils were in attendance at the period of my 
visit, all of whom were inmates of the family of 
Mr. J. and under the immediate charge of his wife 
and sisters. The course of instruction includes all 
the branches of a good English education, accom¬ 
panied by the purest and most elevated moral and 
religious culture. And the pupils enjoy the addi¬ 
tional advantage of an excellent and well-selected 
library, and a valuable chemical and philosophical 
apparatus; and all this including board, washing, 
and lodging, for ten months in the year, at the low- 
price of $100.. Mr. J. cultivates only about ten or 
fifteen acres of land ; but he seems disposed to 
make the best of this, and has introduced a variety 
of machinery, propelled by water, to aid him in its 
efficient management, and to provide for the wants 
of his large family. The meetinghouse, at which 
Mr. J. generally officiates on the Sabbath, is situa¬ 
ted about a quarter of a mile’s distance from the 
school; and in its immediate vicinity is a brick 
school house, for boys, under the charge of his son. 
Many of the farms in this neighborhood are such 
as would do no discredit to the most fertile portions 
and the most enlightened agriculturists of the em¬ 
pire state. Although located in a hilly, and even 
mountainous region, accessible only by roads, which, 
during the fall and winter seasons, are scarcely 
passable, even on horseback, and quite remote from 
the great market towns; these enterprising occu¬ 
pants have succeeded in rendering them eminently 
productive and highly valuable. The average price 
of land, in this neighborhood, is considerably higher 
than in that of Leesburg, notwithstanding the nu¬ 
merous advantages of the latter. From $50 to $60 
per acre can generally be commanded ; and few are 
willing to sell even at these prices. Much is un¬ 
doubtedly due to the strong desire of these people 
to form and keep up a neighborhood of their own, 
where they may enjoy their common religious 
faith; but even a cursory examination of their 
farms will serve to convince any one at all conver¬ 
sant with scientific agriculture, that, where nature 
has been propitious, her bounties and gifts have 
been appreciated and improved, and where she has 
bestowed her favors with a niggard hand, industry, 
