Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/236

 

1700—1750.

this point in the progress of our narrative, it will be profitable as well as interesting to pause a while, and take a brief survey of the position and general condition of the American colonies. We have already, here and there, called the attention of the reader to the gradual development of wealth and energy in the colonies; it will conduce, however, to additional clearness of ideas, as well as better understanding of the actual—though not yet understood or appreciated—strength of the colonies, if we devote a few pages more particularly to this subject, and endeavor to ascertain what was the real condition of things during the first half of the eighteenth century. In doing this, we shall rely mainly upon Mr. Grahame, whose resumé of this topic, as far as it goes, we look upon as worthy of entire confidence.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the population of Virginia amounted to sixty thousand, of whom about one half were slaves. The militia were then in number less than ten thousand: in 1722, they numbered eighteen thousand, from which it is fair to infer a proportionably great increase in the general population. In 1750, Virginia numbered at least one hundred and sixty thousand inhabitants more than half of whom were slaves. At Williamsburg, the seat of government, there were three public buildings, in 1727, which were considered the finest specimens of architecture in the country—the College, the State House, and the Capitol. Hospitality, to a profuse extent, and cand-playing among the upper classes, were quite common, and hunting and cock-fighting were amusements in which all were interested. There was also in this town a theatre, the first that arose in the British- colonies. Many persons of proud families at home, came to Virginia to escape the being looked down upon by their more wealthy aristocratic friends; and it was customary for young women, who had met with misfortune or loss of 