Militia.] The following is a ftate of the militia, taken from returns of 1780 and 1781, except in thofe counties marked with an afterisk, the returns from which are fomewhat older. Jefferson 300 #700 *600 Louifa 603 Goochland Amelia 1125 Lunenburg 677 Mecklenburg 1100 Brunswick 559 Whole ON THE TIDE WATERS AND Between and Patowmak. and Rappaha- James and York rivers. Rappaha- | Between York 4137. noc. 3269. King William 436 shore noc Eaft Between 1638 Militia of the State | 49,971 302 *1208 *430 • Every Every able-bodied freeman, between the ages of 16 and 50, is enrol led in the militia. Thofe of every county are formed into companies, and these again into one or more battalions, according to the numbers in the county. They are commanded by colonels, and other fubordinate officers, as in the regular fervice. In every county is a county-lieutenant, who commands the whole militia in his county, but ranks only as a colonel in the field. We have no general officers always exifting. These are appointed occafionally, when an invafion or infurrection happens, and their commiffion determines with the occafion. The governor is head of the military as well as civil power. The law requires every militia-man to provide himself with the arms ufual in the regular fervice. But this injunction was always indifferently complied with, and the arms they had have been fo frequently called for to arm the regulars, that in the lower parts of the country they are entirely difarmed. In the middle country a fourth or fifth part of them may have fuch firelocks, as they had provided to destroy the noxious animals which infeft their farms; and on the weftern fide of the Blue Ridge they are generally armed with rifles.' Civil Divifions.] The counties have already been enumerated. They are 74 in number, of very unequal fize and population. Of thefe 35 are on the tide waters, or in that parallel; 23 are in the midlands, between the tide waters and Blue Ridge of mountains; 8 between the Blue Ridge and Allegany; and 8 weftward of the Allegany. The ftate, by another divifion, is formed into parishes, many of which are commenfurate with the counties: but fometimes a county comprehends more than one parish, and fometimes a parish more than one county. This divifion had relation to the religion of the ftate, a parfon of the Anglican church, with a fixed falary, having been heretofore eftablished in each parifh, The care of the poor was another object of the parochial divifion. We have no townfhips. Our country being much interfected with navigable waters, and trade brought generally to our doors, instead of our being obliged to go in queft of it, has probably been one of the caufes why we have no towns of any confequence. Williamsburgh, which, till the year 1780, was the feat of our government, never contained above 1800 inhabitants; and Norfolk, the most populous town we ever had, contained but 60co. Our towns, but more properly our villages, or hamlets, are as follows: On James River and its waters, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Suffolk, Smithfield, Williamsburg, Petersburg, Richmond, the feat of our government, Manchefter, Charlottefville, New-London." • On York River and its waters, York, Newcastle, Hanover. • On Rappahannock, Urbanna, Port Royal, Fredericksburg, Falmouth. • On Patomak and its waters, Dumfries, Colchester, Alexandria, Winchefter, Staunton. There are other places at which, like fome of the foregoing, the laws have faid, there shall be towns; but nature has faid, there hail not, and they remain unworthy of enumeration. Norfolk will probably be the emporium for all the trade of the Chefapeek bay and its waters; and a canal of 8 or 10 miles will bring to it all that of Albemarle found and its waters. Secondary to this place, are the towns at the head of the tide waters, waters, to wit, Peterburg on Appamattox, Richmond on James River, Newcastle on York River, Alexandria on Patomak, and Baltimore on the Patapfco. From thefe the diftribution will be to fubordinate fituations of the country. Accidental circumftances, however, may controul the indications of nature, and in no inftances do they do it more frequently than in the rife and fall of towns.' To the foregoing general account, we add the following more particu lar defcriptions. ALEXANDRIA ftands on the fouth bank of Patomak river. Its fitua tion is elevated and pleafant. The foil is clay, and the water fo bad, that the inhabitants are obliged to fend nearly a mile for that which is drinkable. The original fettlers, anticipating its future growth and importance, laid out the streets upon the plan of Philadelphia. It contains upwards of 300 houfes, many of which are handfomely built. This town, upon the opening of the navigation of Patomak river, will probably be one of the most thriving commercial places on the continent. MOUNT VERNON, the celebrated feat of GENERAL WASHINGTON, is pleasantly fituated on the Virginia bank of the river Patomak, where it is nearly two miles wide, and is about 280 miles from the fea. It is 9. miles below Alexandria, and 4 above the beautiful feat of the late Col. Fairfax, called Bellevoir. The area of the mount is 200 feet above the furface of the river, and, after furnishing a lawn of five acres in front, and about the fame in rear of the buildings, falls off rather abruptly on thofe two quarters. On the north end it fubfides gradually into extenfive pafture-grounds; while on the fouth it flopes more fteeply, in a fhorter diftance, and terminates with the coach-house, ftables, vineyard, and nurferies. On either wing is a thick grove of different, flowering forest trees. Parallel with them, on the land fide, are two fpacious gardens, into which one is led by two ferpentine gravel-walks, planted with weeping willows and fhady fhrubs. The Manfion-Houfe itself (though much embellished by, yet not perfectly fatisfactory to the chafte tafte of the prefent poffeffor) appears venerable and convenient. The fuperb banquetting room has been finished fince he returned home from the army. A lofty portico, 96 feet in length, fupported by eight pillars, has a pleafing effect when viewed from the water; and the tout enfemble, the whole affemblage, of the green-houfe, fchool-houfe, offices, and fervants halls, when feen from the land fide, bears a resemblance to a rural village-efpecially as the lands on that fide are laid out fomewhat in the form of English gardens, in meadows and grafs grounds, ornamented with little copfes, circular clumps, and fingle trees. A fmall park on the margin of the river, where the English fallow-deer, and the American wild deer are feen through the thickets, alternately with the veffels as they are failing along, add a romantic and picturefque appearance to the whole fcenery. On the oppofite fide of a fmall creek to the northward, an extenfive plain, exhibiting corn-fields and cattle grazing, affords in fummer a luxurious landfcape to the eye; while the blended verdure of woodlands and cultivated declivities on the Maryland fhore variegates the profpect in a charming manner. Such are the philofophic fhades to which the late Commander in Chief of the American Armies has retired from the tumultuous scenes of a busy world, FREDE FREDERICKSBURGH is fituated on the fouth fide of Rappahannok river, 116 miles from its mouth, and contains about 200 houfes, principally on one street, which runs nearly parallel with the river. RICHMOND, the prefent feat of government, ftands on the north fide of James river, juft at the foot of the falls, and contains about 300 houses; part of which are built upon the margin of the river, convenient for bufinefs; the reft are upon a hill which overlooks the lower part of the town, and commands an extenfive profpect of the river and adjacent country. The new houfes are well built. A large and elegant ftatehoufe or capitol has lately been erected on the hill. The lower part of the town is divided by a creek, over which is a bridge, that, for Virginia, is elegant. A handfome and expenfive bridge, between 3 and 400 yards in length, conftructed on boats, has lately been thrown acrofs James river at the foot of the falls, by Col. John Mayo, a wealthy and refpectable planter, whofe feat is about a mile from Richmond. This bridge connects Richmond with Manchefter; and as the paffengers pay toll, it produces a handfome revenue to Col. Mayo, who is the fole proprietor. The falls, above the bridge, are 7 miles in length. A canal is cutting on the north fide of the river, which is to terminate in a bason of about two acres, in the town of Richmond. From this bafon to the wharfs in the river, will be a land carriage of about 400 yards. This canal is to be cut by a company, who have calculated the expence at 30,000 pounds, Virginia money. This they have divided into 500 fhares of 60 pounds each. The opening of this canal promises the addition of much wealth to Richmond. * PETERSBURG, 25 miles fouthward of Richmond, ftands on the fouth fide of Appamatox river, and contains nearly 300 houfes, in two divifions; one is upon a clay, cold foil, and is very dirty-the other upon a plain of fand or loam. There is no regularity, and very little elegance in Peterburg. It is merely a place of bufinefs. The Free Mafons have a hall tolerably elegant; and the feat of the Bowling family is pleafant and well built. It is very unhealthy. About 2200 hogfheads of tobacco are infpected here annually. Like Richmond, Williamfburg, Alexandria, and Norfolk, it is a corporation; and what is fingular, Petersburg city comprehends a part of three counties. The celebrated Indian queen, Pocahonta, from whom defcended the Randolph and Bowling families, formerly refided at this place. WILLIAMSBURG is 60 miles eastward of Richmond, fituated between two creeks; one falling into James, the other into York river. The diftance of each landing place is about a mile from the town, which, with the difadvantage of not being able to bring up large veffels, and want of enterprize in the inhabitants, are the reafons why it never flourished. It confifts of about 200 houfes, going faft to decay, and not more than 900 or 1000 fouls. It is regularly laid out in parallel ftreets, with a fquare in the center, through which runs the principal street, E. and W. about a mile in length, and more than 100 feet wide. At the ends of this ftreet are two public buildings, the college and capitol. Befides thefe there is an Epifcopal church, a prifon, a hofpital for lunatics, and the palace; all of them extremely indifferent. In the capitol is a large marble ftatue, in the likeness of Narbone Berkley, lord Botetourt, a man diftinguished diftinguished for his love of piety, literature and good government, and formerly governor of Virginia. It was erected at the expence of the ftate, fince the year 1771. The capitol is little better than in ruins, and this elegant ftatue is expofed to the rudeness of negroes and boys, and is fhamefully defaced. Every thing in Williamsburg appears dull, forfaken, and melancholyno trade-no amufements, but the infamous one cf gaming-no induftry, and very little appearance of religion.. The unprofperous ftate of the college, but principally the removal of the feat of government, have contributed much to the decline of this city. YORK-TOWN, 13 miles eastward from Williamfburg, is a place of about 100 houses, fituated on the fouth fide of York river. It was rendered famous by the capture of Lord Cornwallis and his army, on the 19th of October, 1781, by the united forces of France and America. Colleges, Academies, &c.] The college of William and Mary is the only public feminary of learning in this ftate. It was founded in the time of king William and queen Mary, who granted to it 20,000 acres of land, and a penny a pound duty on certain tobaccoes exported from Virginia and Maryland, which had been levied by the ftatute of 25 Car. z. The affembly alfo gave it, by temporary laws, a duty on liquors imported, and skins and furs exported. From thefe refources it received upwards of £.3000 communibus annis. The buildings are of brick, fufficient for an indifferent accommodation of perhaps 100 ftudents. By its charter it was to be under the government of 20 vifitors, who were to be its legiflators, and to have a prefident and fix profeffors, who were incorporated. It was allowed a reprefentative in the general affembly. Under this. charter, a profefforship of the Greek and Latin languages, a profefforfhip of mathematics, one of moral philofophy, and two of divinity, were efta. blifhed. To thefe were annexed, for a fixth profefforfhip, a confiderable donation by a Mr. Boyle, of England, for the inftruction of the Indians, and their converfion to chriftianity. This was called the profefforship of Brafferton, from an eftate of that name in England, purchased with the monies given. The admiffion of the learners of Latin and Greek filled the college with children. This rendering it difagreeable and degrading to young gentlemen already prepared for entering on the fciences, they were difcouraged from reforting to it, and thus the fchools for mathematics and moral philofophy, which might have been of fome fervice, became of very little. The revenues too were exhaufted in accommodating those who came only to acquire the rudiments of fcience. After the prefent revolution, the vifitors, having no power to change thofe circumftances in the conftitution of the college which were fixed by the charter, and being therefore confined in the number of profefforihips, undertook to change the objects of the profefforfhips. They excluded the two fchools for divinity, and that for the Greek and Latin languages, and fubftituted others; fo that at prefent they ftand thus :-A profefforfhip for Law and Police Anatomy aud Medicine-Natural Philofophy and Mathematics -Moral Philofophy, the Law of Nature and Nations, the Fine ArtsModern Languages-For the Brafferton. And it is propofed, fo foon as the legislature hall have leifure to take up this fubject, to defire authority from them to increase the number of profefforfhips, |