第 28 节
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疯狂热线 更新:2021-12-07 09:33 字数:9321
for nearly a hundred years the capital of Virginia。 It was named for King
William; and there was in the minds of some loyal colonists the notion;
eventually abandoned; of running the streets in the lines of a huge W and
M。 The long main street was called Duke of Gloucester Street; for the
short…lived son of that Anne who was soon to become Queen。 At one end of
this thoroughfare stood a fair brick capitol。 At the other end nearly a
mile away rose the brick William and Mary College。 Its story is worth the
telling。
The formal acquisition of knowledge had long been a problem in Virginia。
Adult colonists came with their education; much or little; gained already
in the mother country。 In most cases; doubtless; it was little; but in many
cases it was much。 Books were brought in with other household furnishing。
When there began to be native…born Virginians; these children received from
parents and kindred some manner of training。 Ministers were supposed to
catechise and teach。 Well…to…do and educated parents brought over tutors。
Promising sons were sent to England to school and university。 But the lack
of means to knowledge for the mass of the colony began to be painfully
apparent。
In the time of Charles the First one Benjamin Symms had left his means for
the founding of a free school in Elizabeth County; and his action had been
solemnly approved by the Assembly。 By degrees there appeared other similar
free schools; though they were never many nor adequate。 But the first
Assembly after the Restoration had made provision for a college。 Land was
to have been purchased and the building completed as speedily as might be。
The intent had been good; but nothing more had been done。
There was in Virginia; sent as Commissioner of the Established Church; a
Scotch ecclesiastic; Dr。 James Blair。 In virtue of his office he had a seat
in; the Council; and his integrity and force soon made him a leader in the
colony。 A college in Virginia became Blair's dream。 He was supported by
Virginia planters with sons to educatedaughters' education being purely a
domestic affair。 Before long Blair had raised in promised subscriptions
what was for the time a large sum。 With this for a nucleus he sailed to
England and there collected more。 Tillotson; Archbishop of Canterbury; and
Stillingfleet; Bishop of Worcester; helped him much。 The King and Queen
inclined a favorable ear; and; though he met with opposition in certain
quarters; Blair at last obtained his charter。 There was to be built in
Virginia and to be sustained by taxation a great school; 〃a seminary of
ministers of the gospel where youths may be piously educated in good
letters and manners; a certain place of universal study; or perpetual
college of divinity; philosophy; languages and other good arts and
sciences。〃 Blair sailed back to Virginia with the charter of the college;
some money; a plan for the main building drawn by Christopher Wren; and for
himself the office of President。
The Assembly; for the benefit of the college; taxed raw and tanned hides;
dressed buckskin; skins of doe and elk; muskrat and raccoon。 The
construction of the new seat of learning was begun at Williamsburg。 When it
was completed and opened to students; it was named William and Mary。 Its
name and record shine fair in old Virginia。 Colonial worthies in goodly
number were educated at William and Mary; as were later revolutionary
soldiers and statesmen; and men of name and fame in the United States。
Three American PresidentsJefferson; Monroe; and Tylerwere trained
there; as well as Marshall; the Chief Justice; four signers of the
Declaration of Independence; and many another man of mark。
The seventeenth century is about to pass。 France and England are at war。
The colonial air vibrates with the struggle。 There is to be a brief lull
after 1697; but the conflict will soon be resumed。 The more northerly
colonies; the nearer to New France; feel the stronger pulsation; but
Virginia; too; is shaken。 England and France alike play for the support of
the red man。 All the western side of America lies open to incursion from
that pressed…back Indian sea of unknown extent and volume。 Up and down; the
people; who have had no part in making that European war; are sensitive to
the menace of its dangers。 In Virginia they build blockhouses and they keep
rangers on guard far up the great rivers。
All the world is changing; and the changes are fraught with significance
for America。 Feudalism has passed; scholasticism has gone; politics;
commerce; philosophy; religion; science; invention; music; art; and
literature are rapidly altering。 In England William and Mary pass away。
Queen Anne begins her reign of twelve years。 Then; in 1714; enters the
House of Hanover with George the First。 It is the day of Newton and Locke
and Berkeley; of Hume; of Swift; Addison; Steele; Pope; Prior; and Defoe。
The great romantic sixteenth century; Elizabeth's spacious time; is gone。
The deep and narrow; the intense; religious; individualistic seventeenth
century is gone。 The eighteenth century; immediate parent of the
nineteenth; grandparent of the twentieth; occupies the stage。
In the year 1704; just over a decade since Dr。 Blair had obtained the
charter for his College; the erratic and able Governor of Virginia; Francis
Nicholson; was recalled。 For all that he was a wild talker; he had on the
whole done well for Virginia。 He was; as far as is known; the first person
actually to propose a federation or union of all those English…speaking
political divisions; royal provinces; dominions; palatinates; or what not;
that had been hewed away from the vast original Virginia。 He did what he
could to forward the movement for education and the fortunes of the William
and Mary College。 But he is quoted as having en one occasion informed the
body of the people that 〃the gentlemen imposed upon them。〃 Again; he is
said to have remarked of the servant population that they had all been
kidnapped and had a lawful action against their masters。 〃Sir;〃 he stated
to President Blair; who would have given him advice from the Bishop of
London; 〃Sir; I know how to govern Virginia and Maryland better than all
the bishops。 in England! If I had not hampered them in Maryland and kept
them under; I should never have been able to govern them!〃 To which Blair
had to say; 〃Sir; if I know anything of Virginia; they are a good…natured;
tractable people as any in the world; and you may do anything with them by
way of civility; but you will never be able to manage them in that way you
speak of; by hampering and keeping them under!〃*
* William and Mary College Quarterly; vol。 I; p。 66。
About this time arrived Claude de Richebourg with a number of Huguenots who
settled above the Falls。 First and last; Virginia received many of this
good French strain。 The Old Dominion had now a population of over eighty
thousand personswhites; Indians in no great number; and negroes。 The red
men are mere scattered dwellers in the land east of the mountains。 There
are Indian villages; but they are far apart。 Save upon the frontier fringe;
the Indian attacks no more。 But the African is here to stay。
〃The Negroes live in small Cottages called Quarters 。 。 。 under the
direction of an Overseer or Bailiff; who takes care that they tend such
Land as the Owner allots and orders; upon which they raise Hogs and Cattle
and plant Indian Corn; and Tobacco for the Use of their Master 。。。。 The
Negroes are very numerous; Dome Gentlemen having Hundreds of them of all
Sorts; to whom they bring great Profitt; for the Sake of which they are
obliged to keep them well; and not over…work; starve or famish them;
besides other Inducements to favour them; which is done in a great Degree;
to such especially that are laborious; careful and honest; tho' indeed some
Masters; careless of their own Interest or deputation; are too cruel and
negligent。 The Negroes are not only encreased by fresh supplies from Africa
and the West India Islands; but also are very prolific among themselves;
and they that are born here talk good English and affect our Language;
Habits and Customs 。 。 。 。 Their work or Chimerical hard Slavery) is not
very laborious; their greatest Hardship consisting in that they and their
Posterity are not at their own Liberty or Disposal; but are the Property of
their Owners; and when they are free they know not how to provide so well
for themselves generally; neither did they live so plentifully nor (many of
them) so easily in their own Country where they are made Slaves to one
another; or taken Captive by their Ennemies。〃*
* It is an English clergyman; the Reverend Hugh Jones; who is writing (〃The
Present State of Virginia〃) in the year 1724。 He writes and never sees
that; though every amelioration be true; yet there is here old Inequity。
The white Virginians lived both after the fashion of England and after
fashions made by their New World environment。 They are said to have been in
general a handsome folk; tall; well…formed; and with a ready and courteous
manner。 They were great lovers of riding; and of all country life; and few
folk in the world might overpass them in hospitality。 They were genial;