New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SOCIETY IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES.

VIII, 900. Harper ~ Brothers.
The title of Mr.. Lodges book is as great mistake
the plan of it. His purpose, as he explains IL III
the preface was to show A." who and what the people
were who fought the war for Independence anu
founded the United States-what was their me-
what their habits thoughts and manners Inns
was n praiseworthy object NO historian h'u
seriously attempted such study, and though the
necessary materials existed in print they were
widely scattered and little known Mr. Lodge has
1,rougbt together a remarkable array of facts and
Illustrations from the most varied sources, ana
has grouped them with picturesque effect. but
unfortunately he has deemed it necessary to explain
his pictures of colonial society by accompanying
abstracts of colonial history and this he has done
by devoting chapter to each branch of his work
by turns Taking the date of the Stamp Act Con-
gress Q765) as the epoch for his exhibition of the
state of colonial society the eve of the Revou-
ton, he gives in his first chapter an outline OF the
political history of Virginia up to 1865; in his
second a survey of the condition of Virginia in
1865; in his third the political history of Maryland
ND to 1865; in his fourth the social condition of
Maryland; and on to the end of the roll. 1t is
only the alternate chapters therefore which contain
the essence of his work, and these are interrupted
by successive introductons amounting in the aggre-
gate to about half of the bulk of the book but con-
stituting very small part of its claim to notice,
since they make no pretence of original research
and are not distinguished by novelty of thought or
Lodge has taken the title of his publication from
these interpolated chapters, which only
after-thought, forming no part of his original de-
sign, not necessary to 1T, even obscuring It, His
contribution to literature is not History of the
English Colonies in America" but it is highly
interesting account of the character, manners and
resources of the colonsts at the time when they
were abe ut to sever their connection with the
mother country and found nation. To APP
preciate the value of the boOk-n some respects
unique-we must disregard the title and skip every
other chapter.
The population of Virginia in the middle of the
eighteenth century over 100000 persons more
than half of whom were negro slaves. There were
practically no towns and no centres of population.
The people being widely dispersed over the whole
face of the country. This evil which the
colonial legislative bodies attempted to correct by
law, aud acts passed ordering towns to be
built at certain specified points for the benefit of
trade and manufactures, giving special privileges
to tradesmen who should settle at these places, and
commanding fairs and markets. The "paper
towns" they were called, of course failed. Nor
folk was the only considerable settlement. James
town was efaced. Williamsburg. the capital was
struggling village of 200 people. Richmond and
fredericksburg existed only paper. The county
towns established by law in the midst of the forest
usually consisted of the courthouse. the prison,
with stocks, pillory. whipping-post AMI duckng
STOOL and one miserable inn where the judges
lodged when they came to hold court. The people,
in fact, whose pursuits wholly agricultural,
generally opposed to towns Tobacco the
great staple. The whole population may be said to
have been engrossed in its production. 1t used
rs currency. The clergyman and the taX-gatherer
were paid in it. 1t was the circulating medium in
which the planter reckoned his income. II the
of repeated quarrels with England. The
fluctuations in its value produced dist eSs
and the method of its cultivation, which requires
intense labor for short period and permits idleness
for the rest of the year. not only fastened slavery
upon the province but fostered many bad abits
among the planters. Mercantile enterprise was
almost unknown; domestic trade consisted of petty
barter in kind; ships from England, ascending the
rivers called at the plantations and collected each
mans crop of tobacco at his very door, leaving
English products In exchanges there were no
manufactures; there were hardly any mechanics
except the slaves who practised the simpler handi-
crafts on the plantations; even the cOmmoncst
articles of domestic were brought from Eng
land The learned professions not held in high
repute. Lawyers were principally broken adven-
turers and freed conyicts whose conduct and
charges it thought necessary to regulate by
stringent statutes; but by the time Of the Revou-
ton better class of men began to appear at the
bar The courts not distinguished for learn
ing, though they were generally trusted. The
state Of the medical profession in Virginia was
especially low. Elaborate laws passed to re-
strain surgeons, apothecaries and unskiful APP
prentces, who eXacted unreasonable fees and
loaded their patients with medicine" Fees were
fixed by statute at shilling MILE and all medi-
cines to be set forth in the bill The Church
of England established by law, but it had lost
ground with the people on account of the GOODNESS
and laxity of its clergy, aud dissenting sccts grew
apace, the attempt to repress them by persecution
naturally proving abortive The established
Church, however, though it embraced only one
third of the inhabitants continued to be great
social power, while through the parish vestries,
representing all the local and municipal govern
ment there in Virginia, it possessed also con-
Sderable political Importance
With some exceptions The Virgnian clergy aped
the manners and habits of the laity. Most of them
were men who cultivated their globes like other
the other services OF the Church for the sake OF
addition to their income. Their morals were loose,
and the general tone Of the profession was low.
Here and there might be fonnd man of exemplary
life and high character; but the average parSon
was coarse and rough, and his Pensioners might
be thankful if he not also dIunkard and q
gambler. They hunted the iox and raced horses,
they played cards, turned marriages. chrstenings
ana funerals alike into revels. and sat out the
stOutest planter after dinner to finally accompany
him under the table. One reverend gentleman
bawled to his church-warden during communion,
Here, George, this bread is not fit for dog"
Another commemoratcd his church and Office by
fighting duel in the graveyard. Another received
a regular stipend for preaching four sermons an
nually against atheism. gambling, racing and
swearing, although he was notorious gambler,
swearer and hOrse-ra Still another of great
physical strength, thrashed his Nestry soundly and
shen added insult to iniary by preaching to them
next day from the text " Aud | contended with
them. and cursed them and smOte certain of them,
and plucked of their hair One married wealthy
widow, although he had n wife living in England.
Another brought before the magistrate, n
1eow-cl clergyman. for drinking aud carOusing on
Christmas Eve; and yet another is remembered
w IN nj with fha 4