Washington sentinel., 1855-11-17


any, since friends aud strangers are embraced in
the same category.
Subscribers not renewing by the first of October,
their names will be stricken from the list
A FAIR WHICH Is NOT VANITY FAIR.
We recently attended the annual agricultu.
raj fair of the State of Virginia, and as true
servants of the public we felt it our duty to see
for others as well as ourselves. The editorial
corps are at last but the spectacles through
which the public are often made TO look at the
external world. Some cynics, ill-natured crea.
lures that they are, may contend that these
same editorial lenses present magnifed and
distorted view to the eye, that most of them
are at best but green goggles imparting to
every object their own peculiar hue; that they
are telescopes deceiving the vision by bringing
distant events and objects Immediately before
the eye, when in reality they are out of sight; !;
that they resemble those solar microscopes
whose property it is to people with myriad
Of monsters those beauties of nature most
pleasing to the human vision; and that they,
too, often illustrate the truth of the old coup
let, that
Optics keen they are ! ween
To what is not 10 be seen
Now, for our own part we care not a farthing
for the opinions of such ill-natured sneerers.
Our design is merely to act the friendly part of
those double barreled lorgnettes at the operas,
and kindly to enlarge and bring within the
scope of the public eye the various scenes
which are enacted
:" On this wide and universal theatre
Wherein we play"
To say that we were simply pleased with the
exhibition which we Witnessed, would not con.
vey an accurate idea of our real feelings
When amid the busy, noisy crowd, we looked
upon the fine display of genius and art-wben
we heard the voices Of the cattle from thou,
sand hills that lowed, and neighed, and beat-
ed, and grunted in praise of the wealth of Vir-
ginia-when we saw the wonderful array of
agricultural and mechanical skill which was
still further developing her rich resources
when we marked the zeal and triumph written
the dimpled smile and laughing eyes which
testified to the JOY of her bonnie-lasses, We
felt our old pride OF State, which we have
never forgotten and can never forget, gushing
freshly again into our hearts; we felt that the
proud Old Dominion, which bad slept so long
in the lap of Incidence, had awakened in her
strength, and like the strong man of Israel,
hearing the cry" the Philistines be upon
thee" she had broken the withs Of inertness
wberewith she was bound, and braced herself
for the contest.
The spirit Of enterprise and energy is abroad
in Virginia. Agriculture, the profession which
God selected for his eldest son, (and bless Us
what farm old Adam had y and which has
been too long despised by the vain and cor
rupt aspirants for power, again commands and
receives the attention Of the intelligent and
well-informed people Of our native State.
Fair science has become her handmaiden in
her advancing progress. Agricultural chem.
istry takes its rank among the sister sciences,
as worthy Of investigation and development,
as the science Of medicine or the science Of
mechanics. The deluge which once destroyed
the world, in retiring from its face, left
It's rich deposits Of shells to renew the worn
out soil in all its pristine fertility and
beauty. The inexhaustible beds OF mari,
which have lain for four milleniums dis
regarded except by the curious geological
antiquary or the jealous theologian who would
read in their records the key to revelation, have
at length been released from their long impris-
onment to contribute to the wealth and happi.
ness Of man. This wonderful improvement in
agriculture is due, to great extent, to the ge-
MUS and efforts Of one man, whom every far.
mer in Virginia should delight to honor. Ifhe
be the true benefactor Of his race, who "makes
two blades of grass to grow where one grew
before" then will the future farmers Of Virginia
be wanting in gratitude and justice, if they fail
to recognise the merits and appreciate the ser
vices Of Edmund Rufin.
Auxiliary to this impulse given to the science
Of agriculture in Virginia, is the awakened
sense Of the people to internal improvement.
The approaching session Of the Legislature is
looked forward TO with intense interest as fur
nsbing the means for pushing on vigorously the
main lines Of Improvement How far the dc.
precated value Of State bonds may tend TO de-
lay this very desirable object, it is impossible to
say. This we know, that the effect can only
be temporary. The unbroken faith Of Virginia
will be redeemed; and the temporary embar-
rassment under which she lsbors can only delay
tit cannot entirely defeat) ber darling object Of
developing the resources Of the State by judi