166 TRAVELS THROUGH NORTH AMERICA 'Z 
stands Williamsburgh, formerly the seat of go¬ 
vernment in Virginia. Richmond was fixed 
upon during the war as a more secure place, 
being fartlier removed from the sea coast, and 
not so much exposed to depredations if an ene¬ 
my were to land unexpectedly. Richmond 
also had the advantage of being situated at the 
head of a navigable river, and was therefore 
likely to increase to a size which the other never 
could attain. It is wonderful, indeed, what 
could ha\e induced people to fix upon the 
spot where Williamsburgh stands for a town; 
in the middle of a plain., and one mile and a 
half removed from an} T navigable stream., when 
there were so many noble rivers in the neigh¬ 
bourhood. 
The town consists of one principal street, 
and two others wjiich rue parallel to it, -At 
one end of the main street stands the college, 
and the other end the old capitol or state- 
house, a capacious building of brick, now 
crumbling to pieces from negligence. The 
houses around it are mostly uninhabited, and 
present a melancholy picture. In the hall of 
the capitol stands a maimed statue of Lord 
Bottetourt, one of the regal governors of Vir¬ 
ginia, erected at the public expence, in me¬ 
mory of his lordship’s equitable and popular 
administration. During the war, when party 
rage was at its highest pitch, and every thing 
