Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-12-30

superior order Of beings. The planter was,
they knew, an F. F. ", by virtue of a
pedigree which went back through long
succession Of titled progenitors to the roll of
Battle Abbey The earth was his and the
fullness thereof; while here he belonged of
right to the consumere .truges natl, and
when death removed him from this transient
scene, it was really believed of him by these
less fortunate of his fellow-mortals, that of
such was the kingdom of Heaven.
The social history of the colonial period
is one of domestic interiors, of ruddy fire
sides, of family tableaux-to be varied now
and then with great dining days, and fes-
tive celebrations of particular seasons
Could we find diary Of the ordinary rou-
routine of Virginia household of that day,
(let us say Of the period between 171O and
1850, kept by refined and cultivated wo-
man, in which all those trihing incidents
which 60 to make up the record Of an indi-
vidual life, should have been carefully en-
tered, it would afford US more entertain
men than all the journals ever kept by the
maids of honor to a court, not excepting
that of Fanny Burney herself. In a posi-
ton so segregated from the shock and stir
of events in the busy world, the minutest
circumstance assumed an Importance such
as belongs in general only to the vissitudes
of States; and change in the home circle
would be dwelt upon with as much gravity
as the coming in of a new cabinet. Nor
were there wanting to the experience of
such a family, occurrences Of more exciting 6
interest-such as feuds with the neighbor-
ing Indians, who peopled the vast woods
that bounded the mansion, and appeared
from time to time, either in hostile or a
friendly attitude, to the inmates themselves.
The sons of the planters were even accus-
toned to meet the little copper-skins in the
prosecution Of their daily sports sometimes
they played at chuck farthing together, and
chased the red deer through the tangled un-
dergrowth in companionship.
The education of the Virginia boy, who
was born to wealth and luxury, was of a
pa make him a man of mark, if he
had one spark of energy Or scintillation of
genius. 1t united the development of his
mental faculties with the expansion of his
physical frame. Accustomed to the saddle
from an early age, he was constantly in the
open air. Fortunately aloof from the tempt
tations which are held out to young men in
the vices of long settled communities, he
formed no debasing habits of dissipation
Regarding the negroes upon the estate as
his born -thralls, he acquired an air of COM
mand which gave repose to his manners,
and an aptitude for government which quail
flied him for the administration Of more mo-
mentous affairs. From the instructions Of
his mother in the rudiments Of knowledge,
he frequently passed to the hands of pri-
vate tutor, who taught him the declension Of
pcnna and the conjugation of tupto. When
fitted for academic study he was sent to the
College at Williamsburg, a seat of learning
that could from the beginning boast among
its faculty men of ripe scholarship and Sc
we're training. Such an institution among
so new people demonstrates the superior
character of the settlers of the soil. But
the career of study Of the young gentleman
did not always terminate with the course at
William an Mary. It was common thing
for him to spend some time in England
Here he had an opportunity Of seeing the
great world, and wrote long letters to his
father about the pageant on Lord Mayors
day, or speech of Sir Robert Walpole, OF
Drawing Room at St. James, which let
ters after three months voyage, were read
in the family circle, where they produced q
prodigious sensation. A short run to the
Continent and glimpse of French etiquette
and manners completed his transatlantic ex-
perience, and he came back whistling airs
from the Beggar's Opera, and astonished
the natives with his portentous erudition.
The career of the planters fair young
daughter was somewhat different. Her ed
ucation was not of so high an order, in q
literary point of view, as that of her broth.
er, but was we'll calculated to fit her for the
position she was to occupy. Even while
woman was regarded in the mother country
simply as the plaything Of the other sex,
she was here admitted and esteemed as
mans ''guide, philosopher and friend. >
It was the direct tendency of her isolated
rural life to elevate her to her proper sphere.
Her value and Importance became manifest
the moment she was removed from the arti-
fatalities Of the bean monde. To the plan
ter, therefore, his daughter was inexpressi-
bly, dear, she was the light and solace Of
his existence, she glittered in his eye as the
Dauphiness glittered in the eye of Mr..
Burke, like the morning star, full of life
and splendor and joy. Serenely did the
current of existence flow around the plan
ter's daughter until sunlight of the tender
passion frightened and gladdcned the sur
face of the stream. Sutors came, and one,
more successful than the rest, told the old
and moving story by which the beauteous
Genevieve was wooed and won, and then
there was gathering of the countryside