The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-12
EMORY And HENRY COLLEGE.
Df. Thomas Nelson Page Addresses the Lite
rary Societies.
THE SOCIAL LIFE OF OLD VIRGINIA.
An Ffoouent and Instructive Erort-socint
History of the State from Its sefuemen'
20 the Present Time.

DEtbIO1t HNhc l'fN''
morning at 10 o'clock at Emory ana henry
College the famous contest for the "ynuhain-
Robertson prize medal for oratory came Oh.
Young men from Virginia. Tennessee ana
Missouri were the contestants. Inc heuai
lies between three young men representing
these States. Al II o'clock the Rev. D A.
Steele. d. d.. of Nashville. delivered the adj
dress before the Alumni Association. WHICH
WAS Gem OF oratorical thought
Al N o'clock to-day DR.. Thomas Nelson
Page delivered the literary address before tho
Hernesian and Calliopean Societies of Emory
and Henry College on The Social Lie o.
Old Virginia" II was exceedingly interesting
and instructive. and was listened TO with
marked attention. The following were the
main points:
Few things relating to the much misunder,
stood South have been more Inlsundersio0u
than its social life Even the southern peoPie
themselves have not generally had very COT
rect idea of its proportions. ,.a.-. ~, ,,,,,.
Owing to the astounding indifference OF oul
people TO the preservation OF reeoLo1' 10 , ono
extraordinary environment III Whlch ihey WeIe
rlaced: 10 the wonderful rapidlty win winch
The country advanced in ITS deVelopmcht' ever
pushing its confines further am IurlheI Delore
4, could fill in the interior, there are scarceiy
any records of our life remaining eAiaht. re"
letters journals or accounts nave been pup
lghei preserved, anu 1nt ioOc4 20 "
which writers have gone for their materials are
almost exclusively the impressions OF temPoIa-
~ soiOurners who at one fime OF anO'heI mi
passed hastily through our DoIIeIs' Benol"itS
without either the opportunity or the capacity
10 form other than hasty or preJudiced opln-
ion. ,. 80 5;s,,nc,;,e se was
that OF Greece. Carthage, Rome or Venice; III
bss been universally mlsapprehendtd ana III
some quarters perslsIently snf,ered either
from prejudice or from the CONSTITUTIONAL III
ability OF the historians 10 understand ana
enter into its spirit. IL has had no cnfomcleI 10
feIi its whole story in that spirit OF sympathy
from which alone can spring the lghtS an4
shadings on which depend perspective ana reai
truth. ..-os,,,oa
results the consequences of which may never
cease Among them is this nation ,.
The social life of people embraces thSI IN
tercourse among themselves in their homes
with all that relates TO their social customs ana
intercourse. 1t IS at once the renectl3h HIiu oHe
occasion of the character Of the people. what,
ever may throw light on these IS relevant ana
within the scope OF the subject. ~
IL is therefore pertinent 10 lnveslissre Inc
causes which contributed to any distinctive
form which that life may have taken 10 snow
that peculiar form itself and TO touch upon the
results II produced.
ITS ORIGIN,
And first let me sketch its origin:
Long before any English colony was perma-
nently established on these shores England III
envy of Spain was looking about 10 assert a
claim 10 q part OF tnc New NOIlu tuo nco4th VA
which was so fabulous.
The first charter TO John Cabot III 1896 con
fined his discoveries 10 the region "a degrees
north latitude, recognizing SPANS right as
hTed by the Pope 10 ali that might lie south Of
that degree. Edward vi. being Protestant his
charter to the Merchant Adventures" did not
regard these bounds Mary, however, shackled
by religions bigotry and the influence Of Philip,
restrained the growing enterprise OF her SUD
jects. and submitting TO the fope's DEGREES once
more yielded 10 Spain all she claimed. Ellza-
hath fupq down the gauntlet Her nlSt IaTi1d-
ment vested in her the supremacy claimed by
the Pope, with all il implied. From this time
America became the prize between homaD
Catholicism and Professionalism
REPORTS OF GREAT WEALTH.
Reports of the fabulous wealth Of this South
ern land had spread in England. The merchant
Adventurers had long been watching the
stream Of wealth pouring through the state
galleons into Spain. They had got an act passed
extending their privileges and setting IOrtn
their object for the discovery of new trades"
The prize was coveted by others than the mer-
chants, and the new land was claimed as
fatally reserved for Eqgland.' Sir Phlllp
Sidney in the summer of 1884 began to take an
interest in American enterprises. He was inter
ested in RaleiRhs voyage but projected an eXle-
dition under the command at Sir tranclS DRAKE
and himself scheme which Fulke Grevllle
says was the exactest model Europe ever saw
conquest not TO be enterprlsed but by Sir Phlllps
reaching spirit that grasped all circumstances
and interests" Elizabeth had taken into her
favor young man, who, even IN that adventure
Gus age, had displayed extraordinary quantles;
q young Deyonshlre gentleman. described by
an old chronicler as "of good presence IN a
well-compacted body; strong, natural wit and
better Judgment: bold and plausible tongue
the fancy of a poet and the .chlvairy OF a
soldier" He was cousin to Sir Richard Gran
Vile who brought undying fame To our race
when with the Little Revenge he fought the
Spaniard at Flores, and he was half-brother to
those bold, adventurous nRvigators. Sir Hum
phrey Sir John aud Sir Adrian Gilbert, who with
him did more than any other family TO wrest
this continent from S pain and make II an Eng
Ish nation" Dashing soldier as he was, queller
of Irish rebellion. patron OF poets. stout hater
and fighter of Spain, admiral and shepherd OF
the ocean. III was his highest title that he was
lord and chief governor Of Virginia" 1t is
likewise one of Virginia's chief glories that she
owes her name and her being. at least III its pc
culiar form, TO the stout. noble, lofty. chyalric
and most picturesque character in modern his
tory second in his work only 10 Christopher
Columbus-Sir Walter Raleigh.
Although the colonies which Raleigh planted
persisted his mighty enterprise laid the foun-
dalton for the final establishment of Virginia,
and his spirit fixed It's imperlshable impress
upon the work and gave 1t its distinctive char
acter. q.
A PRICELESS BENEFACTION.
Raleigh's high spirit gave the colony price
less benefaction. He obtained in his charter (of