1803 ] 
ple in Kentucky with my own circle of 
ielected acquaintances in England; but 
with Americans in general, and I am con- 
fident, that they will not fuffer by the 
comparifon. The moft refpectable per- 
fons are continually emigrating to that 
State. Iwo thoufand perfons, it is fup- 
poled, have gone through Winchefter, in 
their way thither, this {pring; and many 
of them have travelled in their own plea- 
fure-carriages. But it cannot be won- 
dered at that thefereports have been fpread 
againft Kentucky, when it is confidered, 
that in Philadelphia it. is imagined, that 
one quarter of the Virginians have loft 
their eyes by gouging; and that, with 
many perfons in Pennfylvania, it is fufh- 
cient to overturn the credit of any meafure 
propoled in Congrefs, to fay, that it ori- 
ginated in Virginia. 
Oiler objef@ions have been made to 
Kentucky; but I have them not before 
me; and they are, I believe, either un- 
founded or of little moment. It has been 
faid, indeed, that the emigrations to that 
country have decreafed. This, I con- 
clude, to be a miftake; founded on the 
circumftance of the emigrations from New 
England to Mufkingham having nearly 
cealed; a country which, though 300 
miles from Lexington, is often in Phila- 
® 
delphia confounded with Kentucky. The- 
people here (Shenandoah valley ) are 
of a very different opinion! They fay 
from what they fee, that the emigrations 
are more numerous. ae | 
I have purchafed no lands, however, | 
for fear of not giving general fatisfa&tion. 
Tam ready to do it at any time, and will 
take care thatthe title is good. ~The bett 
way of remitting money is, by empower- 
ing me or any cne elfe to draw bills of 
exchange on thofe who wifh to purchafe. 
‘There is a capital tra&, fix miles from 
Lexington, of 30c0 acres, with {mall 
improvements, which might, I believe, 
be had for £2000 fterling, ready money, 
or Jefs. O.her improvements might be 
made, by letting any number of acres you 
wilh to have cleared, 
free. Pe 
Winchefier, Virginia, 19 May, 1794. 
P.S. To-day we fet out for the Ohio and 
Kefhttucky. One waggon takes my goods, at 
twenty fhillings (fifteen ‘hillings fterling) 
for roolb. tothe river, 140 miles, and ano- 
ther takes ourfelves and fome iron, the profits 
on whigh, I.expeét, will defray the expence 
of one waggon, carrying 23001b. The Ins 
dian war is as it was; for nothing vigorous 
is done. Our fituation, however, is as fafe 
as your's. 
5 
On the Deftruétion of Antient Ruins, 
three years rent . 
553 
Lo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
I KNOW not where I can better apply 
than to your liberal publication, for 
the purpofe of making my proteft again 
what I concetvea very unjuft cenfure pafled - 
upon my character. Allow me, there- 
fore, without further preface, to ftate my 
cafe to your readers. 
Three years ago, on the death of a 
diftant relation, I came unexpectedly into 
poffctiion of an eftate fituated in one of the 
mo pleafing rural fituations in this king- 
dom. Having always had a fendnefs for 
the country, which, till that time, pro- 
felfional engagements would not fuffer me 
to indulge ; I determined, without hefita- 
tion, to fix my future refidence in the ipot 
which fortune had beftowed upon me, I 
therefore haftened down, with the purpofe 
of making (uch alterations and improve 
ments as fancy or convenience might fug- 
geft, in a place which had been more in- 
debted to nature than to the attention of 
its late pofleffors. In going the round of my 
domains, I obferved in a {weet retived vale, 
within the flexure of a clear brook, a mafs 
of unfightly ruins, overgrown with weeds, 
offering to the eye nothing better tham 
fore half-demolifhed walls, furrounding 
heapsof thapelefs rubbifh. The foil about ic 
was rich; and the {pot was well defended 
<< from cold feptentrion blafts”’ by a rifing 
hillock to the north, and a tall plantation 
to the eaft. Among my little taftes, one 
of the ftrongeft is a delight in the culti- 
vation of rare and beautiiul plants; and 
as at the infant a plan of fortifications 
was fuggefted.to uncle Toby,’ his bowl- 
ing- green prefented itielf to his imagina- 
tion, fo, on the view of this fequeftered | 
place, I cried to myfelf, in a kind of rap- 
ture, ‘* What a charming fituation for a 
botanical garden!” ‘* And then (I pro- 
ceeded) we fhall. find ftones enow among 
this rubbifh for an inclofure; and on that 
largeft heap, which overlooks the fiream, I 
will build a jittle fummer-houfe, and con- 
vert all the bafe of it into a piece of rock- 
work,’’ ‘To make my ftory fhort, fo 
much did this icheme run in my head, 
that I did not reft till it was put into exe- 
cution ; and if, Mr. Editor, you are a 
lover of plants, I may venture to fay you 
would be-delighted to fee the number of 
beautiful vegetables which I have already 
eltablifhed here, and would enjoy the ver- 
dant fcenery round the windows of my 
little cabinet. 
_ But now comes the unpleafant part of 
the hiftory. Soon after the ruins were de- 
molifhed, and the edifices erected upon 
ther, 
