The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1805-10-29 00:00:00, page 4

SpiaccUnnp*
CRITICISM.
[From tuc -Edinburgh Renew.]
StOTT’S LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL.
Tilt Lay tf it* Lajl Minjfrtl: a Pten. Bjr Walter
Scott, El'quire, 4to pp SI 4. Edinburgh, Con
stable X Co. l.ondon, Longman & Co. 1SOJ.
We confider this poem as an attempt to transfer
the refinements of modern poetry to the matter and
die manner of the ancient metrical romance. The
author, enamoured of the lofty vifiont of chivalry,
and partial to the drains in which they were former
ly embodied, fe-i’.ns to have employed all the refuurct*
oF his genius in endeavoring to recal them 10 die fa
vour find admiration of the public, and in adapting
to the tafte of modem readers a fpecies of poetry
which was once the delight of the courtly, but hut
long ccafed to gladden any other eyes than thofe of
the fcholar and the antiquary. This is a romance,
therefore, comyndVil by a miuilrel of the prefvni day ;
or Inch a romance as we may fuppofe w< uld h«ve
been written in modern times, if that ftyle of compo
fit ion had conrintied to be cultivated, and p.u taken
confeqututly of the improvements which evn y branch
ol literature hat received fince the time oi its defer
tiou.
Upon this fuppofition, it was evidently Mr. Scott’s
buGneis to retain all that was good, an cl t*. njrCl all
that was bud in the models upon which he was to
form himieif ; adding at the Lino time, all the ime
reti and the beauty which could | ofiibly be alfitni
lated to the manner ami fpirit of his original. It svat
his duty, therefore, to reform the rumbling, oblcure,
and interminable narratives cf tile ancient romancers,
t * moderate their digrefTions,—to abridge <»r retrench
their unmerciful or ntedltfs dcl'cripiioiik,—and to
expunge altogether thofe leeble and profaic pufiuges,
the rude llupidity of ivhich, is To apt to excite the
darlBoa of a modern reader : at the fame time he was
Co rival, if he could, the force and vivacity of their
minute and varied reprefeotations—the charalterif
tic fmiplicity of their pi&ures of manners—tjie ener
gy and conciiencfs with which they frequently def
cribe great events—and the lively colouring and ac
curate drawing by which they give the effect of re
ality to every feene they undertake to delineate.
In executing this arduous talk, he was permitted to
avail liimfeU of all of that variety of Gyle and man
ner which had been functioned by the ancient prac
tice, and bound to cmbcllifh Ins performance with all
the graces of diction and versification which could
be reconciled to ths fiu-.plicity arid familiarity of the
sninftrel’s fong.
With what lucccfa Mr. Scott’s effort* have been
attended in the execution of th:» adventurous uuder
takiag, our readers perhaps will be better able to i
judge in the f/quel : but, in the meantime, we may
Ufeiy venture to alfert, that he has produced a verr
beautiful and entertaining poem, in a ltyle which may
loirly be confitiered as original, and which will be
allowed to afford fatisfadlory evidence of the genius
of the author, even though he fhould not iucceed in
converting the public to his own opinion as to the
iutereil or dignity of the fubjeft. We are ourfelve.
inclined indeed to fulpedt that his partiality for the
Grains ot antiquity, has impofed a little upon the fe
v«rity of his judgment and impaired the beauty of the
prefent imitation, by dire&ing his attention rather
to what was characterise, than to what was unex
ceptionable in his originals. Though he has lpared
too many of their faults, however, he has certainly
improved upon their beauties : and while we can
fcarcely help regretting, that the feuda cf Border '
chieftains lhould have monopolized as much poetrv
as might have ierved to immortalize the whole ba
ronage of the empire, we are the more inclined to
admire the inttrelt and magnificence which he has ‘
contrived to communicate to a fubject fo unpromif- I
illfT.
Whatever may be thought of the condudl of the 1
main ftory, the manner of introducing it mud he !
allowed to he extremely poetical. An aged niiullrel 1
Who had * harped to King Charles the Good,1 an J j
learned 11 love his art at a time when it was honour- i
ed by all that was diftinguilhed in rank or in genius
having fallen into neglect an l tnifery in the evil days
of the ufurpation, and the more frivolous gaieties or
bitter Contentions ol the iucceeding reigns, is renre
fented as wandering about the Bolder in poverty and
lolitude a few year® after the revolution. In this Utu- |
aeon, he is driven, by want and weariuefs, to leek '
fhelter in the caftlc <if th» Dutchcfs of Buccleuch
and Monmouth ; and being cheered by the hofpitali- j 1
ty .«,u. __ _.C, ‘ an *ncient ft rain,’ '
relating t« the old warriors of Tier family ; and after ’ j
fonte fruitlefs attempts to recal the long-forgotten
melody, pours forth • the Lay of the Lall Minftrel,’ i 1
in fix cantos, very Dciifully divided by foine recur- ! |
rente to his own firuution, and fonie complimentary \
interruptions from his noble auditors.
The conilrudtion of a sable teems by no means the ! '
forte of our modern poetical writers: and no great '
artifice, in that refpedt, was to he expected perhaps
from an imitator of the ancient romancers. Mr.
Scott indeed, has hinilelf infinuated, that lie conii- '
dered the ftory as an objedt of very fubordinate im
portance, anil that he was lef* foltcitous to deliver a
regular narrative, than to comiedl fuch a feries fit
incidents as might enable him to introduce the man
ners he had undertaken to delineate, and the imagery
with which they were ailbciated. Though the con
cep-ion of the fable is, probably from thefe caufes,
exceedingly defective, it hems necellary to lay , |
fin,i t fkctcu ol it before our readers, both for the gra
tification of their curiofity, and to facilitate the ap
plication of tiie remarks we may be afterwards tempt
ed to offer.
Kir Walter Scorf of Bticth uch, the Lord of Brank
fo.ne, waslKin in a fkiimiih with the Car® about the
middle of the fixteenth century. lie left a daugh
ter of inuch|ef» beauty, an infant Ion, am! a high
minded dure* ol a widow, who, though a very vir
tuous and d- vout perfon, was privately addiiled to
the flinty of magic, in which (lie had been initiated
by her father Lord Cranftoun their neighbor was
r.t feud with the whole dan of Scotr, but Ind fallen
defpcratcly in love with the daughter, who returned
his p.iilion v-irh equal fin©; city and ardour, though
withheld. by her duty to her mother, from unitino
her deftiny with his. T he poem opens with a drf
enptioii of the wr.ri.lte eitablhhmem of Brankfome
,. hall ; and the firft iucidrnt which occurs, is a dia
logue between thefpirits of the adjoining mountain
•nJ river w!io, alter cotifuliir.g the ftar®, declare
Ulkt no good fortune can ever lilels the ntanfion ‘ till
pride be quelled, and love be free.’ The lady whofe
forbidden Audit* had ta-i'ht her to underhand the
lauguage of titofe fpeakers, overhears this convcrlari
, on, and vows, if pofiible, to retain her purpofe in
fnito of it. She calls a gallant knight of her train,
therefore, and d'tsds him to ride immediately to the
abbey of Mt-lrufe, and there to .die, from the mon*
of St. Mary’s aifle, the mighty hook that was hid in
the tomb of th* wizard Michcal S ott. The remaiti
derof the firll canto is occupied with the night jour
ney of the warrior. When h? delivers his meflage,
the monk appears filled with confternation and ter
ror, but leads him at iaft through many galleries and
chapels to the fpot where the wizard was intered,
and, after foine account of his life and character, the*
warrior heaves up the tonib-ftone, anJ is dazzled by
the ftrcamuig fplei dour of an ever-burning lamp,
which illuminates the fepulthre of the inchanter.
With trembling hand he fakes the book from the fide
of the deceafed, and hurries home with it in his bo
fuin.
In the meantime, f.ord Cranftoun and the lovely
Margaret have met at dawn in the woods adjacent
to the caftl*-, and are repeating their vows of true
love, when they are ftartled by the approach of a
horfeman. The lady retreats, and the lover advan
cing, finds it to he the nu-ffenger from Brankfome,
with whom as an hereditary enemy, he thinks it ne
•elfary to enter immedi itely into combat, The poor
height, fatigued with his nodlurna! adventures, is
demounted at the firft fhoclt, and fal's defperately
wounded to the ground, while Lord Cranftoun, re
Ipsstwig tv wards the kinCtsiaQ of hi® isslwseJ, diredlt
hi* p«g« to attend h!n» to the caftle, and gallop* home
before any alarm can be given. Lord Cranftouu’s
page I* fometlnng unearthly. It Isa little mifhapen
dwarf, whom he found one day when he whs hunting,
in a folirary glen, aud took home with him. It ne
ver fpeaks, except now aud then to cry Loft ! loft !
loft ! and is on die whole a hateful, malicious little
urchin, with no one good quality but hi* unaccount
able attachment and fidelity to hi* ni after. Thisper
fouage, on approaching the wounded Borderer, dif
covers the mighty book in his hofoia, which he finds
I loine difficulty in opening, and ha* lcarcely had time
I to read a fuigle fpell in it, when he is ftruek down
I by au invifible hand, and the clai'ps of the magic vo
| lume Ihut fuddeniy more cUifely than ever. This
I oue fpell, however, enables him to praflife every
kind of illation. He lays the wounded knight on his
Itorfc, aud leads him iuto the caftle, while the *ar
deit lee nothing but a wain of hay. Ha throws
him down, unperceived, at the door of the lady’s
chamber, and turns to make good his retreat. In
palling through the court, however, he lees the young
heir of Cuccleuch at play, and, afluming the form of
one of Ins companions, tempts him to go out with
him to the woods, where, us foon as they pal's a ri
vulet, he refumes his own fhape, and bounds away.
1 l.e bewildered child is met by two Euglilh archers,
who make prize of kim, and carry him off, while
the gobling page returns to the caftle, and per
lonates the young baron, to the great annoyance
ot the whole inhabitants.
TI*?* la.fy find* the wounded knight, and eagerly
j employ* charm* for hi* recovery, that (he may learn
1 the llury ol his diiailer. The lovely Margaret, in the
j mean time, is fitting on her turret, gazing on the
t weftem ftar, and muling oil the feenes of the morn
•ng, when /he difeovers the biazing beacons that an
nounce the approach of au Engliih enemy. The a
larm is immediately given, and bull ling preparation
made throughout the maufion for defence. The En
glish force under the command of the Lord* Howard
and Dacre.fpeedily appears before the caftle, leading
with them the young Buccleuch, and propofe that the
lady fhould either give up Sir William of Deloraine
(who had been her meflenger to Melrcfe), as having
incurred the guilt of march treafon.or receive an En
glifli garrifon within her walls. She anfwers, with
much fpirit, that her kinfman will clear himfelf of the
imputation of treafon by finglc combat, and that no
foe ftvill ever get admittance into her fortrefs. The
Eughlh Lords, being fecretly apprifed of the ap
proach of powerful l'uccours to the befieged, a<Tee
to the propofal of the conihat and ftipulate that the
boy (hall l>3 reftnred to liberty or detained in bond
age, according to the ifi'ue of the battle. The lift* are
appointed for the enfuing day ; and a truce being pro
claimed in the meantime, thu oppolite band* mingle
in hofpitality and frieadfhip.
Deloraine being wounded, wai *xpe<5led to appear
ny hi* champion ; and fome contention arifes for the
honour of that fubftitutiou. This, however, is fpe
dily terminated by a perfon in the armour of that
warrior, who encounter* the Engliih champion, flay*
Jrnii, and lead* his captive chieftain to the embraces of
Jut mother. At this moment Deloraine himfelf ap
pear* half-clothed and unarmed, to claim the combat
which has been terminated in hit al.fence, and all
Hock around the ftranger who had perfonated him
f°, fuccef,fully. He uuclafps his helmet ; and be
fmlu ! Lord Cranfloun ol Teviotfide ! The ladv,
overcome with gratitude, and the remembrance ol
the fpirit* prophecy, confems to forego the feud,
and to give the fair hand of Margaret to that of the
enamoured Baron. The rite* of betrothment are
then cel. brated with great magnificence, and a fplen
did entertainment given to aU the Engliih and Scot
. Lhieftain* whom the alarm had aftembled at Brank
lome. Lord Cranfloun’s page play* fcvcral unlucky
trick* during the feftival, and breed* fome diffenfion
among the warrior*. To footh their ireful mood,
the nunftrel* are introduced, who recite three ballad
piece, of coufiderabl# merit, juft a. their long, are
ended a fupernatural darknefs fpreads ttfelf through
the hall, a tremendous flafh of lightning and peal'of
thunder enfur, which break juft on the fpot where
the page had been feated, who is heard to cry « Found •
found! found!* and i, no more to be feen, when the
darknefs clear, away. The whole party i* chilled
with terror at tins extraordinary incident ; and Delo
rame p rote ft* that he diftindly faw the figure of the
ancient wizard Michael Scott in the middle of the
lightning. The lady renounces for ever the unhal
lowed ftudy of magic ; and all th« chieftains, ftruck
with awe and confirmation, vow to make a pilgrim
age to Melrole to implore reft and forgivenefs for
the fpint of the departed forcerer. With the def
cnption of this ceremony the minftrel clofe.* his «l.ay.*
From thi* Jittle fketch of the ftory, our readers will
eai.17 perceive, however well calculated it may
be for the introduStuJ1 of pi&urefque imagery, or
the difplayof extraordinary „;‘ident, it has but little
pretention to the praife of a reguta,' CT enheretit nar
rative. The magic of a lady, the midnight viiit to
Meirofk-, and the mighty book of the enchanter, which
occupy nearly one third of the whole poem, and e»
grof* die attention of the reader for a long time after
the commencement of the narrative, are of no ufe
whatfoever in the fiibl’equent developement of the
fable and do not contribute, in any degree, either
to the produdlion or explanation of the incidents that
follow. 1 he whole character and proceedings of the
goblin page, in like manner, may be confidered as
merely cptfodLal; for chough lie is employed in fome
ol the luhordin.ite incident*, it is remarkable that no
material part of the I tide requires the intervention
of lupcrnatural agency. The young Buccleuch might
have wandered into the wood, although he had not
bten decoyed by a goblin ; and the dame might have
given her daughter to the deliverer of her foil, al
though file had never liftenttd to ,he prattlement of
the river and mountain l'pitit. There is, befides all
tin*, a great deal of gratuitous and digreflivo def
er.ption, and the whole fixth canto may be faid to
be redundant. The ftory naturally concludes with
the union of the lovers ; and the account of the feaft,
and thtf mmllrelfy that folumnifed their betrothment,
is a lort of epilogue, fuper.ddcd after the cataftrophe
is complete.
But though we fee! it to be our dety to point out
thefe obvious driest* in the ftrudlure of the fable,
we have no heliration in conceding to the author,
that the fable i» but a fecondary confiduration in per
formance* of thi* nature. A poem it intended to
plrale by the image, is fuggeft. and the feelings it
uifp res ; and if it contain delightful images and
atledmg fcntimcnt*, our pleafure will not be materi
ally unpaired by fome flight went of probability or
coherence in the narrative by which they are con
nected. 1 he callidj janfl.tru of it* member* is a
grace, no doubt, which oug'i alwavt to be aimed at •
but the quality of the member* themfelves i* a con
Gderation of far higher importance, and that by which
alone the charatter of the work muft he ultimately
decided. The adjuftmem of a fable may indicate
the m.luftry or the judgment of the writer, but the
geniu* of the poet can only be /hewn is, hi, manage
ment of .to fucceffc /e incidents. In thefe more ,/Trn
tial particular*, Mr. Scott’s merit*, we think, are
unequivocal : he writes throughout with the fpirit
and the for.* of a poet ; and though he occafionally
difcover, a little too much, perhaps, of the * brave
negledl,’ and i* frequently inattentive to the delicate
propriety end fcrtipulous correclnef* of hi* diiftion
he compenfate. for thofe defutft, by the fire and ani
mation of hi* whole cotnpofitum, and the brilliant color
ing and prominent features of the figure* with which
he ha* enlivened it. V/e fiiall now proce-d to lay
before our readers fome of the pr.fT.ige, which have
made the great*ft iutprdfioti on our o wn mind*, fuh
joining at the (am* time, fuch obfervation* as they
have moll forcibly fnggefted. 1
In the very fir (I rank of poetical excellence, we
are inclined to place the immluflory and conclud
ing line* of every c.-.nto, in which the ancient fir .in
i* fufpended, and the feeling, and fixation* of the
minftrel himleli deUrihe.) m the word, of the author.
The elegance and the beauty of thi* fetting, if we
may I* rail it, though entirely of modern workman
fiiip, app. avs to <i« to lie fully more worthy of admi
I rut Ion than the bolder relief of tfie antique* which it
! an<1 «" regret that the author fhould
have wafted, m imitation and antiquarian refearche*
i fo much of thof*powea which feeia ful'j equal to'
the talk of railing him am independent reputation.
In confirmation of thcle remark*, ere give a cor.fider
able part of the introdu&iun to the whole poem.
J The way was long, the wind was cold,
The Minftrel was infirm and old ;
Hi* withered cheek, aud treffes gray.
Seemed to have known a better day ;
The harp, his foie remaining joy,
Was carried by an orphan boy.
The lull of all the Bard* was he,
Who fung of Border chivalry ;
For, svcl!-a-day! their date was fled,
His tuneful brethren all were dead;
And he, negle&ed and oppreffed,
Wiflied to be with them, and at reft.
No more, on prancing palfrey borne,
He curollvd, light as lark at mom ;
No longer, courted and carcQ'ed,
High placed in lull, a welcome gueft,
He poured, to lord and lady gay,
Tlie unpremeditated lay;
Old times were changed, old manners g»ne,
A (Granger filled the Stuarts’ throne ;
The bigots of the iron time
Had called his hannlcfs art a crime.
A wandering harper, fcorned and poor,
He begged his bread from door to do or ;
And tuned, to p’.eafe a peafant’s ear,
The harp, a King had loved to hear.’ p. .4, 4.
After deferibing hisintroduAion to the prefence of
the Duchefs, and his oiler to entertain her with his
iniific, the defeription proceeds.
‘ The humble boon was foon obtained ;
The aged Minftrel audience gained.
But, when he reached the room of ftatc,
Where (he, with all her ladies, fate,
Perchance he \\ idled his boon denied;
For, when to tune his harp he tried,
His trembling hand had loft the eufo,
Which mirks fecurity to pleale ;
And iceue*. long pall, of joy and pain,
Came wilderiog o’er his aged brain—
Amid the Urines his fingers (frayed,
And an uncertain warbling made—
And oft he (hook his hoary head.
But wheu he caught the meafure wild.
The old man railed his fate and filmed ;
And lightened up his faded eve.
With all a poet’s extasy !
In varying cadenca, foft or flrong,
I Ie fwept the founding chords along
The prelent ftene, the future lot,
His toils, his wants, were all forgot;
Cold diffidence, and age’s froll,
In the full tide of song were loll.
Each blank, in faithful memory void,
The poet’s glow ing thought fupplied ;
And while his harp refponfive rung,
Twas thus the lai E*r Minstrel fung.’ p. C>, $•
We add, chiefly on account of their brevity, the
following lines, which immediately iucceed the def
eription of the funeral rites of the Englilh champion.
* The harp’s wild notes, though hufhed the font',
The mimic march of death prolong
Now feems ft far, ami now a near,
Now meets, and now eludes the ear ;
Now feems fone mountain’s fide to fweep,
Now faintly dies in vallry deep ;
Seems now as if the Minftrel** wad,
Now the fad requiem loads the gale ;
Laft o’er the warrior’s doling grave,
Rung the full choir in encrai Have.’ p. 1S5, 15d.
The clofe of the whole poem is as follows :
‘ Huffed is toe harp—the Minftrul gone.
And did he wander forth alone ?
Alone, in indigence and age,
J o linger out his pilgrimage ?
No—clofe beneath proud Newark’s tower,
Arofethe Minftrel’s lowly bower ;
A Ample hut; bat there was feen
The little garden hedged with green,
The cheerful hearth, and lattice clean.
The re di eltered wanderers, by the blaze,
Oft heard the tale of other days ;
Tor much he 'loved to ope his door,
And give the aid he begged before.
So pafiied the winter’s day—but dill,
When dimmer fmiled on fweet Bowhill,
And July’s eve, with balmy breath,
Waved the blue-bells on Newark heath ;
And flouriffed, broad, BLckandro’s oak,
The aged Harper’s foul awoke !
l’hen would he ling achievements high.,
And circunidante of Chivalry,
Till the rapt traveller would day,
Forgetful of the clofing day ;
And Yarrow, as he rolled along,
Bore burden to the Miidtrel’s fong.’ p. 19S--4.
Betides there, which are altogether detach-d from
the Jyric effufions of the Mindrel,fome of the mod in
terefting paduges of tin; poem are thofe in which he
drops the bnfmefe of his dory to morahfe, and apply
to his own fituation the images and reflections it has
fuggefttd. After concluding one canto with an ac
count of the warlike array which was prepared for
the reception of the Engliff invaders, he opens the
fucceeding one with the following beautiful verfes:
‘ Sweet Teviot 1 on thy Giver tide,
The glaring bale-fires blaze no more ;
No longer flee!-c!a»J warriors ride
Along thy wild and willowed ffore;
Where’er thou wind’d by dale or hill,
All, all is peaceful, all is flill,
As if thy waves, (dice time was born.
Since firfl they rolled their way to Tweed,
Had only heard the ff epherd’s reed,
Nor darted at the bugle-horn.
Unlike the tide of human time,
Which, though it change in ceafelefs flow,
Retains each grief, retains each crime,
Its earlied courfe was doomed to know ;
And, darker as it downward bears,
1* Gained with pad and prefent tears.
Low as that tide has ebbed with me,
It flill refleft* to memory’s eye
The hour my brave, my only boy,
Fell by the fide of great Don. Ice.
Why, when the volleying rnufxct played
Againfl the bloody Highland blade,
Wliy was I not betide him laid !
Enough—he died the death of fame ;
Enough—he died with conquering Graeme.’
p. 93, 91.
There are feveral ether detached paffages of eqnal
beju'v, which might be quoted in proof of the effledt
which is produced by this dramatic interference of
1 tl e narrator ; but we hadcti to lay before our rea
der! fonie of the more ciura«2eridic parts of the per
formance.
The ancient romance owes much of its interefl to
the lively picture whiih it affords of the times of chi
valry, and of thofe ufages, manners and inftitutions
which we have been accuflomed to alTociare in our
minds, with a certain combination of magnificence
with fnnplicity, and ferocity with romantic honour.
The reprefeutations contained in thofe performances,
however, are for the'moll part too rude and naked to
give complete fatisfadiion. The eiccution is always
extremely unequal; and though the writer fometimes
touches upon the appropriate feeling with great cfFedl
and felicity, dill this a)q>ears to lie done more by ac
cident than defign; and he wanders away immedi
ately into all forts of ludicrous or uninterefting details,
without any apparent confcioofnefs of incongruity.
Thefe defedts Mr. Scott has eorre&ed with admira
ble addrefs and judgment in the greater part of the
work now before u*: and while he has exhibited a
very (hiking and iinprefiive pi&ure of the old feudal
ufages and inftitutions, he has (hewn (till greater ta
lent in engrafting upon thofe deferiptions ail the ten
der or magnanimous emotions to which the circum
ftancesof the (lory naturally give rife. Without im
pairing the antique air of the whole piece, or violating
the Aniplicity of the hallad flyle, he has contrived, in
this way, to impart a mach greater dignity, and mori
powerful interefl to his produdhon, than could ever be
attained by the urifkilful and unfleady delineations of
the old romancers. Nothing, we think, tan afford a
finer ill u ft rat son of this remark, than the opening ftan
zss of the whole j oern; thary tranfport us at msee it
tathedaysoMcttfgwTydarin^JTfeudiilhaftflkty^r
the fame time that they fuggeft, in a very intcrefljng
way, all thofe fofter fentiments which arift out of
fonie parts of the deferiptiou.
The feall was over in Blankfome tower,
A*'d the lady had gone to her fecret bower ;
Her bower, that was guarded byword &, by Ipell,
Deadly to hear, and deadly to tell—
Jefu Maria, lliield Us well !
No living wight, lave the I.ady alone,
Had dared to crofs the threfliold (lone.
The tables were drawn, it was idienefs all ;
Knight, and page, and houfchold hjuire,
Loitered through the lofty hall,
Or crowded round the ample fire.
The flag hounds, weary with ihe chafe,
Lay (Iretchcd upon the m(hy floor,
And urged, in dreams, the forell race,
From Teviot-fione to Efkdale-uioor.’ p. 9,10.
('Tt. be ionlinual.)
\,\7’I'UT*^EAS I executed a deed of trull to Lance
s' V lot Minor, Richard Tompkins, and John M.
Herndon, bearing date the 7th day of March, lSo:i,
I for certain purpofes therein mentioned, which bcin »
i.ow tfieCied : I therefore take this method of giving
Notice, that 1 hereby revoke and make void faid deed.
| „ WILLIAM MINOR.
Hanover, Ocl. 8. T4w«J
J to for a term of years my HOUSE
il on the hill between Col: Gamble’s and B* lvi
dere. As it was defigned for iny o-.vn rdidence no
expence has been lpared to afford every convenience
““ thtf «Iegant accommodation of a fmaU family. A
fquareof four half acre lots under an excellent enclo
|!are, is annexed tothehoufe, and the benefit of lux
uriant and cxtenfive pafturage for a few horles and
| cows will be granted by Col: Hr.rvie. It is intend
ed to ered a bridge over th*- canal near Mr. Ruther
| fords mills, by which the diftance to the lower part
of the town will be rendered more convenient than
From the greater part of the houfes on Shockcc-hill.
1 ° * fe,-tec* family, who will take proper care uf
the buildings and er.clofures, I will let it upon very
moderate terms.
JOHN BROCKENBROUGH.
3<-pteinbtr 10. (itf)
NOTICE.
A will be prefen ted to the next General
' A ,„„.mb,Jr» Pr-*y''*g that the County Court of
^■ng William may hereafter be held on the fir ft Mon
day, and the Court of Hanover on the fourth Monday
of every month. Od.8. TmL
Jt:W:POiNT "JMl For Salr.
prit luiifcrtber is authorifed to fell the faid well
L known T rad of Land, either altogether, or in
Lot* of three hundred acre* or upwards, to fuit pur
c'nafers, on the following terms, to wit : one fourth of
the purchale a.oney to he paid down, the other three
fourths in equal annual inflalments, to carry intereU
fiom the time of fale, and tubcfecured by ooudai.d
mortgage on the land.
It is deemed unnecofiary to defcrihe particularly a
trad of land fo remarkable for its fertility anti the na
tural advantages of its fituation. Any communicaticn
direded to the fuhfcriber at Shirley, in the countv of
Charles City, by port, to Granville Mills, will be du
ly attended to.
PATRICK HF.NDRFN, Agent for Wm.
Fitzhugh of Alexandria, & Charles Carter o! Khirley.
Sept. 24. oawlnt
RUNAWAY NEGRO.
UOLLARS REWARD, if taken within
A fifty nules of Richmond, and one hundred Dol
lars if taken beyond it, will be given to apprehend a
negro nun named LEWIS, about thirty years of a«re,
* h° night runaway from the fubferibers. He is*
very (lout made, and about 5 feet lO, or 5 feet 1!
inches high; has a malculine countenance— had on
when he went away, a RulTia Drill Drab Coat and
Pantaloons; but has a variety of other cloAtl.ing._
He was formerly the property of Mr. Edward Hal
iam of Hanover Town, where perhaps lie may bo
gone All mailers of veiTclsare forewarned from har
boring or carrying him away, under the penalty of
the law- GILL I AT W KIRBY.
September 6. (tf.
FOR SALE,
A TRAC r OF LAND in Surry count?,containing
-L A about lCOO acres, within :i mile, of Jama river,
and a mile and a half of a navigable fart of Gray', creek,
there ,, land cleared on different part, of the trail, to
work fx or eight hand, in three dijlini, fift, : and tb.
improvement, are fuffeient for the accommodation of „
genteel Jam,ly, w,tb every neccffa.y houfe for farming—
Tbu trail will bear dividing into three parts, and may
have a Juffiaent proportion of very rich low ground, to
each-, hot would be more valuable to a Jingle purchafee,
a, it abound, with timber, both of white and red oak,
(ft for JlavesJ pine, poplar and afi ; and there i, a ve
ry advantageous file for agri/l ar.dfaw mill, nearly in
he centre of th, trail—it i, unneceffary to fay more,
than that it i, a healthy, airy f,tuition, and abound, in
goodfpring, i ha, an apple orchard now in perfetfivn, 0 / I
grafted fruit of the moft choice kind,. The qua
lity of the lands, will be bejl judged of by thofe who are de
frous of pure haf.ng, and will take the 'trouble of viewing
the primifei—part of the purebaf money being paid down,
the balance may be paid in two, three or four annual pay
meni,—giving approvedfeunty. For terms apply to
RICHARD COCKE.
IJle of Wight, near S mil!frid, j
September 13. S
TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD?”
TY UN AWAY from the fuhfcribrr, on Saturday
*V night lull, a negro man named PRINCE, he
is al>out 5 feet 8 or!) inches high, flout made, and
when fpoken to, has rather a down look ; his apparel
when he went off was a drab broad cloth coat with s
yellow cape, waiflcoat of the fame, and pantaloons of
Manchelter fluff, health took with him a fhort jack
et and pantaloons of Virginia Noth dyed hrown, and a
yellow Merfails waiflcoat; it is prefumable he may
attempt to get to Pelerfburg or Richmond, and go
from thence to Willianifburg or Norfolk, as he was
formerly the property of Samuel Griffin, Efq. of Wil
liam fburg.
Whoever will deliver the faid fellow to me, five
miles below Nottoway Court-houle, or f«cure him in
jail, fo that 1 get him again, fnall he entitled to the
above reward.—Matters of vcflel* and others, are
cautioned aguintt carrying him off
RICHARD KPF3.
Nottoway, OtSober 13. (ep.3w J>.
NOTICE.
A Petition will be prefentcd to the General Af
fembly of Virginia, at the next felfion, praying
that an adt may paf* to Incorporate a company for
the purpofe of cutting a Canal on the fouth fide of
the Fall* of Jamc* River, or otherwise irnpioving the
navigation of the river for ihepalTageof Ilatteaiix ;
and alfo for the cftabliftiment of a Bank in the town
of Mancheftar, Auguft 13. (epmL)
GEORGE WII,V,
BROKER W COMMISSION MERCHANT,
Near the Bafin,
f)UYS and fells all kinds of Produce—Alfo,/ ,auds
lJ Lots, and houfes, Bank. Stock, kc,
\,‘r Ut hat for Sale, LOTS No. Ill, 2, 3, and 4,
which make one entire fquare in Du-Val'* additi
on.—'There is a good Spring attached to them. Thefe
lots ate well worth the attention of any gen.le
man wilbingto hoild a fommar retreat for hi* family.
July 23.—«f.
BURP. Mil,!, STONt'H, or m mu; «<• (
Pl.AISTER OP PARIS,of an exczllem <]uaiity
f0H4t.ll, At VIVA l, or
WILLIAM DAVIDSON,
near the Market.
Dec, 4, Jeptf.J
' land —rok SALE,
IN th* County of Lunenburg, lying within one mile
of the Court-houle, on Couche's creek ; this tra<l
contains feven hundred and fifty acre*, one hundred
and fifty of width is cleared; comfortably imrrov,d
ior the accommodation of a bmily. This land is well
fuit-id to the cultivation of Tobacco, Coni and Whe-|
A great bargain may fc* hud in this k,„d. The
terms may be made known, by application to Main*
Onef Co en, of Nottoway, wl.oisduly aothnrifwl r*
cLfpofe of it, or the lubfcriber living on the premifet,
i i . JOSEl'H SMITH.
Lunenburg, Augiill 8_(cplf.
NEAL NELSON, ' *
BOOT iff SHOE MANUFACTURER,
UAtM-ITkttr.llCUUONO,
MAKES Boots A Sho-«
to any pattern er falh
ion, equal in point of MA
tkkials and Wormiak.
ami to any in gvuer.ilufe.
IT Imported Boor jar j
Smozs, of the firft y ulity
ai.d m \.e(J fcihion, fcr Lie.
• *, ( t-utlemen at a dif.
tan. e, v. ho are dJfpofed r«
forward me their meaLre
h> pa) inf attention to the
^ annexed tut, can be fitted
'vith Boots or Shoes as well** if they were on the
Lot— A—the letigrh *of the Boot C—round tire
CalL^R—pitch of ditto—1>—rot:nd the heel ami
iniTep—E—round the inftep—G—act oft the ball <.4
the foot. Fix the heel again ft a perpendicular, and
iticlra knife at the end of the great toe—fet dow n *n
figures the number of inches and quarters, in the dif
ferent i nca fu re a. January I. cptf
roil SALE^
rpiGHTY-EIGHT acres of LEVEL LAND, a
a. a bout miles below Ro.hers, on the Wilti
amiburg road, well Ctuated for a tavern.—AUii fix
li^jf acre LO J S in UTaj. Duval’* new •;!• t.
The above will be fold very low—for particular* '
enquire of THOMAS NORVELL.
I Odtuber 15. tf
FOR SALE,
A TWO STORY BRICK HOUSE, in the town
.... ot Tyncliburg.at prefent occupied by ool. John
. latt, to which there is one half acre ol'land attached
the Houfe is entirely new and well finiflied with a
cellar under the whole Houfe, which is devidrd ia
two rooms, one room and a paiTage below ttaiis and
two above, the Houfe is thirtv feet in length ar.i
twenty Let wide. Ot, the faid lot is a good garden en
tirely new, a clover lot is ail'o inc!oftd,a fmoke houfe,
dahle, and corn houfe wiih every convenience for the
reception o! a family, l or tern,* apply to Mr. Win.
Brown, Lynchburg, or the fub it il-er
, TriOS. CREWS.
Anihcrft, Oclobir -1. epbt f
Arnkerjl Anj.iJI Ci.tr:, 1005.
IN CHANCERY.
John Profitt, Randolph ProEtf, JwTe Profitt, Row.
land Profitr, Elirabeth Promt and Nancy Profitt,
children of David Predict dec’d. ai d Duncan Ca
meron and Molly his wife, late Molly Profile, a
daughter of David Prcfiit, deed. and David P:o
fut a:id Auflin Frofiu infant children of Anlti,«
Profitt, dec'd. who was a Ion ,.f the faid David
Profitt, dec d. by John Profitt their guardian and
next friend. Comp’iu.
Aguinfl *
William Jofiin and Sally his wife, Jofeph Wilchrr
and Suianna his wife, and Dav.d Profitt, which
faid Sally, Sufanna, and David are children of the
faid David Profitt, dec'd. Dcfis
ON the motion of the complainants by their attir
nev, and it appearing to the fatLfadion of tU
court, that the defendants Win. Joflii, and Sally his
wife, Jofeph Wilcher and Sulanua his wife, and Da
1 vid Profitt are not inhabit mts of this (late and will,it C
the jiirifdidtiun of this court : It is ordered that the
■defendants do appear here on the third Moth!*/
in November next, and anfwtr the complainant's bill,
•and thata copy of this order lie forthwithiuferted ;a
fome'public newspaper puhliflied within this cum.
inoiiwealth for eight weeks fucceflively, and that a
nother copy be polled ar the front door of the court
houfe of this county on foine coart day.
Copy. Telle, W. S. CRAWFORD, c. c. cur.
Sep*- 2-1. epftw.
FOR SALE,
TMF. Tenement belonging to the James Riv(r
Company, where the manager formerly redded,
lying about half a mile above the city, and contigu
ous to James river, and commands a profpeiSt equal
to any file within the vicinity cf Richmond.
The tenement contains one acre of land, wherron
is the manager’s .houfe and an excelled fpring of vi
The file will be made on the premifes, on Tuef
daythe fifth of next month, at publir au&ion, on %
credit of twelve months, the purchttfer to give bond
with approved fecurity, and the title not to be ton*
vcyed until the payment of the money.
P'J order ■J'lie Prejld.it* Uhj Hirtcl.tr/,
ROfrr. POLLARD.
OAober 15. (tds.)
TO PROPRIETORS OF LAND IN TEN
NESSEE. AND KENTUCKY. *
’ | ’HE luhfcriber will, ahot:t the firft of January
I next, i'er out for Nafhvdle in the ftate of Ten*
neftee, where he means to refide and to engage in
the praiftice of the law. Pardons holding lands or
having budnefs of any kind to tranfad either in Ten*
mffee or Kentucky, are informed that he will under
take to vilit land? in either of thefe flatus to afeeraia
their value and quality, to have the taxes on them re
gularly paid and to execute any lore of agency whiclx
will not require auahfciue of more than M or 1 week*
from the place of his rolideiice. Thofe who thfl.Jr
proper to employ him may rely upon his paying a
diligent attention to the bnlit.efs econsmitted to his
cate. Letters adJrefLd to him in Fredcritklburg
will he duly attended to, or he may be feen at Gene
ral Minor’:, office ufltil the 15th of December next.
HLrlilY MINOR,
Frederickfb'irg, OAober Jft, (oawdw.)
DOCTOR J. WORK ALL,
HAVINfJ taken the firft brick houfe on the rigbf
hand fkle after p.lTiusr the corner of the Croft,
ftreet, leading from the iJrick-Row to the luad ij
the l!afon, offers hi* fervice* to the citizens of Rich*
moml and it* vicinity i:i the different brandies i f tiff
Medical PtoretsiON. Families redding in the
country, requiring his iiBifLiice. may depend on ij,.v
mofl prompt and affiyuou* t-tffrdion.
October 2‘J. (nan 2m.)
FIFE DOU ARS KF.H'AKP.
IRAYP.tf or Bolen from mv pa fin re two or three
U week* part;a valuable PLOUGH HORSE. H*
if. of a bay color, Burdy and well fee, ha* a large ho*
fly, and one of his eyes ( believe hi*right) hashcri*
injured hy a blow which divided hi» upper eye hd,
and hss atmoil if not entirely deprived him of (igh|
in that eye. He ha* a i witch mane and tail ; gal,
lop-., trots, and p'-.re , .*t:d would anfwer as wrll foy
th* cart a* for the 11.. >eh. I have foine reafon r/
believe lie w.ij hr >. ^l.t to Richmond about the tint#
ofth* Fairfield Usees, and either exchanged or fold
I will give the above reward, and pay all'reafona,
Ms charges, to any perfiai who veil deliver him t#
. tn», and I will give twenty dollar* for the dftledlio*
of the thief, if nc ha* been Bolen.
W. IWOCKF.NJEROUCH,
Hanover, OdkobcrS2. tf,
fHJt HIGHES r FRtCF. (in CASH) VI LL BE 61*
Vr.V AV THIS OFFICE FOR
cm AH /./.V’f .V & COTTON FAQ If