Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-11
WHAT WE DID THEN.
MH. bRucE's LECTURE ON TnE
sEvENTEE,~s CENTURY.
lie Ably DISGUISE rer.c.,ic Ero.o-
my Of That Period --iser.. lntcrcst.
. Ing Matter Fura,.,ca-n. ~
Both Our Women and Our Men.

rhe very successful series OF lec,urea
given under the auspices OF the Assos,a.
ton for the Preservation OF Virginia An.
tiquities reached brilliant eoncius,o,
last night with Air. Philip A. Bruce.
address, on THE Domestic Economy O,
Virginia In the Seventeenth Century
The speaker was introduced By Mr.. J.
Randolph Tucker. Jr.. who spoke in com.
planetary terms OF the series OF Iectur,s
THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
The lecture was strictly confined 10 IN.
seventeenth century-that is. to The period
between the foundation OF Jamos,own
and 100 This period, I'm IT'S economic
aspects. is very little known. az COM
pared with the period just before the
Revolution. In the seventeenth century
the homes of the planters were situated
on the nayigable streams. as furnishing
the most convenient passage for com.
munication. The residence was entirely
the product OF Colonial labor. The i'm
preston that large number Of bricks
were imported from England Is without
foundation. There are many evidences
that all the bricks used In these dwellings
were made In Virginia. During the adj.
ministratiop OF the London Company
many brickmakers and bricklayers were
brought In. and in later times many
persons who followed these trades We're
men OF considerable property. Previous
10 the middle OF the century there were
number OF brick mansions In Viz
oil
residence at jamestown and Governor
Berkeley's at Green Spring The use
OF brick In the chimneys was practically
universal in the Colony. Bricks IN large
quantities are enumerated In the inyeu-
tories.
The main part OF the residence Of Co.
ernor Berkeley had six rooms. while that
of William Fitzhugh had thirteen TIE
residence OF Nathaniel Bacon. President
OF the Council, contained seven. indc-
pendent Of the kitchen. dairy. and store.
room. Rosegill contained about sigh,
living rooms. Robert Beverley. ST., perhaps
the richest man OF his day, with the
exception OF William Byrd. lived In
house OF only moderate prctensions In
the Immediate vicinity OF the planters
residence there were grouped. a rule.
the dairy, dovecOte, stable, kitchen, and
servants cabins.
ECONOMY IN ROOM.
No special effort was made 10 preserve
distinct character for each apartment.
With the exception OF the kitchen. there
was hardly a room which did not con-
tain a bed, a fact which was due either
to the size OF the families at that period
or TO the hospitsblc spirit OF the planters.
The hall was the apartment In which
the meals were taken. Here were tIc.
quently placed a flock bel, linen chests,
smoothing-irons. guns, pistols, powder
horns, and cutlasses swords. drums.
saddles, and brides. In the parlor. which
was the term applied 10 The room usel
as a sitting-room by the family, AS wei
as a reception-room for the guests, were
large feather-beds and trundle-beds, chests
filled with the most valuable clothing
and the finest table linen and bed-linen
In this chamber every variety OF article
i'm use I'm the household was stored. while
the dairy. in addition 10 the ordinary
utensils of the mllkhouse. contained
masses of old and new pewter ana others
odds and ends
HOW WE DRESSED THEN.
The speaker here described tie char
acter OF the linens and furniture used
I'm that period. and incidentally remarked
that the great wood fires OF winter hal
done much to promote that love Of home
which was characteristic OF NirginiAns
He referred TO the economy employed in
dress I'm those days, yet said mat silk
stockings. beaver hats, red slippers.
green scarfs. and gold lace appeared -
be as natural articles of apparel to the
Virginians in the early part 81 the soysn-
teenth century, when the Colony vas
made up o. few settlements. as they ia
to Englishmen I'm the largest towns oi
England I'm the same age.
Ii WAS the habit OF all the planters IN
even moderate circumstances 10 keep on
hand many ellis OF different cloths
10 supply household needs as they
arose. The most costly articles OF cloth
ing, however, were imported, this being
specially the case with the dresses %
the ladies. Many OF these dress1s must
have been as handsome those OBJ
served I'm England. There are numerous
references in the inventories To iiowered
and silk gowns. to bodies Of blue
linen. or green satin. 10 waistcoais a'c
bonnets trimmed with lace. 20 sarslnci
and calico hoods. 10 nantes ~ crimson
taffeta, and to laced and gsllooned shoes
LIVED IN ABUNDANCE.
All the descriptions OF Virginia Of thi
seventeenth century. continued the Zee
tuItis bO ~ suVN liltA IN I''lfF " "t
classes lived in the greatest abundance
Those conditions which had furnished he
aboriginal tribes with an unlimited supply
Of food OF extraordinary variety VIII
the need OF but little effort on their part
to secure H. prevailed throughout me
century. The soil. air. and water con
tributed to the plenty so freely enjoySe
by the great body OF the English pop1
lation. There were innuInerablr cat'f
which afforded butter. cheese. MIX, YEA,
and beef. The bacon OF Virginia ever
then was thought 20 be equal 10 IA.
Of Westphalia. Poultry were - nunef
Gus In the Colony even during The time o.
the company that IL was a1iih'i Va
only those planters who were p"s
husbandmen failed to breed hhnhf''
year. and that poultry formed a par
Of the daily meals OF all DnO we're u
good circumstances.
Al the conclusion OF his address MI
Bruce received the applause Que 10 M
very carefully prepared and Interesting
paper.
THANKS Reformed.
Mr.. John +. Mcclure returned "a
thanks of the audience for the piotsnr
and instruction they had received. hs
spoke OF the great value Of the series .,
addresses given under the auspices 81
the association. He was commissioners
10 announce that there would be div.nr
series OF lectures on virginia h's'vi.
next winter, and called attention 70 'h'
fact that the 18th OF May would be eeie
brated annually by the Association 10
the Preservation OF Virginia Antiquities
Meeting Of the sons.
A very interesting meeting 0t tae SON
OF Veterans was held last nisht ~ ISe
Camp Hall. Rev l.. *. Mason b''s :
splendId talk ON The d.rect eaas. tn-