Page:Life And Letters Of Thomas Jefferson -- Hirst (IA in.ernet.dli.2015.89541).pdf/33

 THOMaS VeHEISOR Mons. This popular body had been estabhshed In 1619, when the Virgimians, meeting in the church at James town, elected twenty two ot their humber, and thus tormed the first Tegislative resembly of the English race in the New World. One of these Bargesses (from Hower de Handred) bore the name OF Iekerson. THe, Bury 55E though cometimes anruly, were asually controlled by the rich planters, who tormed a Virginian aristottacy They resembled in their tastes and habits, their polities and their love of the chast, the country Squiret of England from whom some of them there descended. They were pay hospitable, tond of display, drove coaches and six, rated, danced, drank, Eddled, and gambled, administered the Iaw as county justices and attended church with as Much rear and regularity as their brethren in England At its best stavery is an abomthable Institution But it is not always and every where whoity evil. In Vireinia, as in Greece, it gave Ieisare to the planter elass; and some of them ased this Ieioure weIl. Ther took to polities and law; they administered patethal Justice Bonestiy and cheaply Some sent their sone to Oxford, many to WmIam and Mary College at Willamebarg. Alen, like the Byrde of Westorer, collected libraries. Hiddtes were as ptentitul 43 pianos of Framophones among their descendants to day Lite In Old Virenia went very merrily. Comfort vas widely dittured Rospitatity was the univereat rule, Beg pats were Almost anknown. Foldsmith would have played and danced his way Iururiousty through the Oid Domin ion. Ne door would have been closed to him there. The tone of Virgimian Soelety, and the Iife of the people, dittered as widely from the puritaniemt of Neg Enoland, as B7I land under Charles the second dittered from Eneland under the Long Parlament 6