The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-07-25


MIA when the Rev. JAMES BLAIR, who went to
that colony as miilionary about the year l6s5,
obierving the great want of temnareS for the
religious and moral, rs well as literary initriSti-
on of the youth and perceiving among other
evils the obitacleS which this prefented 70 the
fuccefs of his miiionary labours, formed the de
Ggn of erecting and endowing a college at VIII
Hamburger. For this purpois he not only foil
cited beuefattons from the colonits, but afo
made voyage to England in SOS, ~ obtain
the patronage of the government, and charter
for Che propoied intitution. King William and
Queen Mary being then on the throne, the ap-
plicaton of Mr.. Blair was favourably received
4 patent was Immediately made out for erect
ing and endowing feminary, under the name
OF &c William and Mary College," agreeably to
his requelt, and the plan ioon went into opera
ton. He was named in the charter as the frlt
PRECEDENT, and acted in that capacity till the year
l742.t
This college, though literally endowed, has
not nouriihed 70 much rs its friends could with.
For more than ieventy years after its efablih-
nnent, it had rarely more than twenty fiudents
at any one time. The habit of Tending young
men to Europe for their education had continu-
ed 70 long, that many of the more wealthy per-
| fitted in it after they had a college erected IL
mong themielyes. Within few years palt the
number of ftudents has comfortably increaied,
| ana the prOlpGCtS or the lnllltutlOn are bSCOm-
! ing much more favorable.
| Neither in New-York, New-Ierfey, Pernryl-
vania, Delaware, norMaryland, had any thing ia
ken place, in favour of literature, worthy of no.
tce, prior to the eighteenth century. The in
habltants OF theie colonies, ftruggling with the
J difficulties of new fettlements, not always in a
Rate of perfect harmony among themfclves, and,
| of courfe, too frequently encountered with o.
Their engagements, did little to advance the inter
eftS of knowledge. A few fchoolS were eftab-
liihed, but they were on fInall fcale, were but
Inditierently conducted, and attracted but few
pupils. The more wealthy cllfS in theie middle
colonies, like their fouthern brethren, were, at
this time, in the habit of Tending their fons to
Europe for their education; practice which,
| though it cauied imall portion OF the youth in
! the middle and touthern Rates to be more tho
roughly educated than was common in New
| England, yet rendered education much more
rare attainment among the former than the lat
! ter, and, on the whole, exceedingly retarded the
progrets of literature in the colonies.
1t is to be obferved, alto, that the advance
ment of literature in the American colonies, du-
ring the feventeenth century, was not only re-
, tarded by the general poverty of the coonfs,
and by the numerous difficulties with which
they had to fruggle while furrounded with
tribes of favages, and an uncultivated defert !;
but alto by the erroneous opinions at that time
prevailing concerning the liberty of tie pyeG.
The buinefs of printing was laid under very in
convenient and Encouraging reitrittions, during
part of this period, in Manachufetts.6 In
| the province of New-York, for comfortable
time, the introduction of prefs was entirely
prohibited. And it is believed iimilar rcltraints
took place in fome of the other colonies. The
influence of fuch restrictions on the general pro-
grets of liberal information could not be other.
wife than highly unfavourable.
9He /!jf printing prstJ ej3a6iiBsd in North
Hnneyica BY Nj. Samuel Green, az Ca7;-
bridge, III Hfa0acbyGttJ, in The year 1858. TIE
tGryf zvor& printed svaJ the Freeman'S Oath The
nest Almanack, made for Ne7U-Engianl, BY
Mr.. Pierce, a mariner and then TIE Palms Of
DaVil, nz.zvLy turned into Metre, sc. There 1va5
printing qU0rk done liz Sontb-1fncyiea earlier than
this. Pr9tl90r Carton, Of P5iIadsiblfa, evboje
zeal and Talents IN exploring Aneriean antiqni-
ties do him tie bigbeP b0Ro0r, lately .Aozved tie
antbor 7oea6niary atone Of tie principal I,,Ii-
an languages Of SoUtb-Angsr;ca, printed in Mex
leo, not long after tie middle gf!bs Exteent6 CEN
tnry.
+ TIE author does not mean TO intimate t5at
tie .Grf lfttA75 in Virginia qceye 4sRitme Of Re-
NgiOn; bur merely, (qvkat be tnkeJ far granted
eq,e,y one VVW readily admit,) t6at Religion
/semJ to bG4s hcsn q Iel5 prominent oIje6, and to
Die eHIeieH !eJJ !H!O EGs1T hTofiTeS ana plans ~
.tf5rHiing the .(sifiement, tran in Ne7v-England.
+ Tire Req. Games Blair qva5 born and ea'ucl.-
ted in Scotland, qUbere be obfained a beneEce in
!be E6ilco6ai church. o.; account oftbe mJrttied
Rate Of religion qvkieb tben esiRed in thai king
aon, be quilted b:, PyctsrnentJ and eUent into
England, near the end Of THE reign Of Charles II.
TIE bil5Qb Of London, eo4fderiEg him as zVeN
qualified for tie 0ce bofb rs to talents and biety,
Pre7'ailsd on him to % to Virginia amiEiona,y,
evbere be qOas highly popular and e;,ineaily xji-
JM; nHdin 1859 o6faised the appointment ofcc-
eisfqRicaI CommDaryt'or tire P,oViace. Tkongb
the charter zua5 giUsa for L" tYiii0m q 1nGIy
College," about the year 1903, and ibogcb be zras
named fbereir as tbefrR P,ehdeat, get he doe5
not APPEAR 10 ba7'e entered on the diaieJ Of this
o3fre tW toe gear 1929, fiom 7Vbicb bsriod until
l742, he dJtdargsd them z0itb fai:bf4laeE. Mr..
Blair zvG5 n Turned dAa exemplary nan, ref
Peifsd and yitadin lis zarioMj o5Tciai EaiionS, y
died IN a go0d alb age, in l743. Hc ba6lyBed 4
oFazo v0iaae; 2tdjtoaryeJ, under TIE foiio7ciYg
title: Our SaUiom'J DiUise Seynl91 m fbe
lIfoant explained; and tie PraT;re gift yceoaz-
mended ia di7,erJ Sermons ard DijSowJcs." Lon
don, l742. This qvork is /6olen Of syifb high
appreciation BY Dir. DodAr:dge, in bis Family
EEpqEtor.
III 1888, t7vcntrJo0- .cear5 aj7sy a Printing
PyejJ bad been eaabHGed at CanlIridSe, the Ge1s-
raj Com-' IF hIa0ar6gtett5 ab9ointed f7Oo bey1oaJ