Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-10-28

various kinds, indeed, but all GOOD E.
NoucH all fuficient to preferve peace
and order" He might have added, in
the fame devQnt frain-and tbati aNtb0t
any reAg0a is good Jar.
The public are efficiently well acquaint-
ed with Mr.. Jeferlon's attempts to prove,
by his phiIofophy, the imPolibility of
general deluge and the faliehood OF the
fcriptural account of that occurrence
thereby either denying the divinity of the
lcriptures, or letting his own vain philofo-
ply aLo,e the knowledge and power Of the
Deity himiclf.
In another part of the notes on Virgi-
MIA, he fays: !" Thofe who labour in the
earth are the chofen people Of God if ever
be haa a cbeleu 5eople." What charm
ing Nroke OF humour is this !-Almoa
worthy of Tom Paine himfelf: certainly
worthy of his afe6tionate friend Pleaie
to read it again. Mayhap you do nor
perceive all the delicate and refined farcafm
contained init Oblerve that the verbs
are in the preient tenie. I" Thofc who
l05oar at the prefent time in the earth
are nowl the chofen people of God, if
evrr he had chofen people" This is
found you will remark, in the Notes on
Virginia, written for Virginians, and &C
commodated to their notions and habits OF
thinking. We all know who they arr,
who, in Virginia, laboa, in the earth.
The sentiment would have been mole OBJ
vious TO peopeof the middle and eahern
States, though we contefs not quite as
witty, had, Mr.. Jeferfon faid If God
ever had a chofen people, they are, no
doubt, our Virginian negroes" This
| ientiment appears little odd in the mouth
of a chriaian people: But IT is coop
ENOUGH = as good as could be expected
from the admirer and correspondent Of
| Tom Paine.
Another of our preGdent's witty fayinss
has been 70 famed as a ban mof, that We
need not repeat it; we mean the one a
bout twenty gods and no God picking my
pocket, and breaking my leg. He has,
in this remark, 70 happiiP biz OF rhe very
! fpirit and manner Ct his tr,end Pre- sna'
,vpIu NC dlmon induced to affirm that
It mutt have been produced joit alter Pc
ruial OF his aHe6tionate friends Age ni
| Reafon.
But the fnea aroke of all is yet untold.
It was thus. Mr.. Jeferion was riding
with friend, ltranger in this country,
who was well known 10 be profeaed in
hdel /; Of courte there was no need of diff
| cutting ansi-cbri0ian ientimen;s in his
! Preience. AS they were psGing by an old
deeayed building, in the interior of Viz
g.nia, the ftraager inquired what it was,
MIR. Jeferfon told him it was church.
| Do you iuffer your churches, in this coun-
try, iald the itranger, TO 60 to decay and
ruin In this manner Why, fir, il looks
Ike an old barn. O, replied Mr.. JEFF
| ferlon, IT is GOOD ENOUGH for God
7v6o revas barn in a munger. We could
hSFSA " OSiiSFCO liidl 1Pits
philofophic imagination ever elevated him
TO fuch fublilne and afoni(hing froke OF
wit, had not the anecdote, to our know
ledge, been attefed by gentleman of
mott questionable veracity, who heard
it related at table BY the franger to whom
Mr.. Jefeffon made the remark.
We challenge the admirers of Paine to
| produce, from all his Age of Reafon, a
fpecimen of fmarier rapartee at the ex-
pence Of good euougb chriliani;y. They
| will probably cite the following. Speak
ing of Iiaiah's prophecy OF the myferious
Incarnation Of our Saviour, "Bebold! a
| virgiu Nell coneeive ard bear a /oa," &c.
this afettionate friend Of our virfuous pre-
fdent remarks:
!" Il certainly was not difficult thing
+" in any time of the world TO find girl
" with child or to make her 70; and per-
!" haps Ifaiah knew of one beforehand: