The Present State of Virginia Part 10

{ Divinity, who should be Chaplain and Catechist.

{ Mathematicks.

{ Philosophy.

one for { Languages.

{ History.

{ Humanity, who should be _Grammar_ Master.

The under Masters would be the Usher, the _Indian_ Master, and the Writing-Master.

The Town Masters must be such as occasion requires, for Fencing, Dancing, and Musick.

There would be three _English_ Fellows.

There would be fifteen Scholars, and a sufficient Number of School-Boys for a constant Supply.

Besides a Number of Batch.e.l.lors and Masters of Arts, who would wait till they came in Fellows or Professors, or got to be made Surveyors or County Clerks.

For all this there might easily be contrived Room in the College, especially if a Hall was built in the Place intended for the Chapel.

As also would there be Room enough for the House-Keeper, Officers, and Servants; especially if a Quarter was built for the Negroes, _&c._

The Tables might then be distinguish'd into four higher or four lower, _viz._

The upper Table for the President and Masters.

The second for the Masters of Arts, _&c._ The third for the Batch.e.l.lors of Arts.

The fourth for the Scholars and Commoners.

The four lower Tables should be The first for the House-Keeper, and the upper School-Boys.

The second for the Usher, Writing-Master, and the lower School-Boys.

The third for the Servitors and College Officers.

And the last for the _Indian_ Master and his Scholars.

This Regularity might easily be effected, and would prove not only decent and creditable, but also useful and advantageous to the Country and the College.

The Library is better furnished of late than formerly, by the kind Gifts of several Gentlemen; but yet the Number of Books is but very small, and the Sets upon each Branch of Learning are very imperfect, and not the best of the Sort.

To remedy this Defect proper Application should be made to the Societies and to the superior Clergy in _England_, who would give at least what Duplicates they have upon such an useful Occasion; and what necessary Collection of Books cannot be obtain'd by begging, they may buy as soon as they shall be able to stock their Library; as a great Help to which I believe considerable Contributions would be made by the Clergy, Burgesses, and Gentry of the Country, if upon easy Terms they were allowed the Use of the Library at certain Hours, at such Times as they shall be at _Williamsburgh_, either for Pleasure or upon Business.

The Office of Librarian is given to Mr. _John Harris_ the Usher, in order to make his Place more agreeable to his Merit; and if the Gardener was made to execute the Office of Porter for his present Salary, it would be no great Hardship upon him, and would be an Ease to the College; and for the Benefit and Encouragement of the House-Keeper several small necessary Pensions and Privileges might be contrived more than what are at present allowed; so that it might be made well worth the while of a Person of Integrity, Knowledge, and Prudence, to undertake and carry on so troublesom an Office.

The greater the Number of Collegians, the greater would be the Gain of the House-Keeper; so that when the College should be full and compleat as here directed and wished, the Collegians may be boarded upon easier Terms; boarded I say; because if any but the President dieted themselves, it would create Confusion; and if any belonging to the College but such Masters as have Families were permitted to eat elsewhere, it would not be worth any body's while to lay in Provision, when they could not tell what Number they must provide for.

As for the _English_ College Customs of _Commons_, &c. it is thought as yet more adviseable to board in the College than to keep to those Methods, till the Country affords better Conveniencies and Opportunities for so doing.

The _Indians_ who are upon Mr. _Boyle_'s Foundation have now a handsom Apartment for themselves and their Master, built near the College, which useful Contrivance ought to be carried on to the utmost Advantage in the real Education and Conversion of the Infidels; for hitherto but little Good has been done therein, though abundance of Money has been laid out, and a great many Endeavours have been used, and much Pains taken for that Purpose.

The young _Indians_, procured from the tributary or foreign Nations with much Difficulty, were formerly boarded and lodged in the Town; where abundance of them used to die, either thro' Sickness, change of Provision, and way of Life; or as some will have it, often for want of proper Necessaries and due Care taken with them. Those of them that have escaped well, and been taught to read and write, have for the most Part returned to their Home, some with and some without Baptism, where they follow their own savage Customs and heathenish Rites.

A few of them have lived as Servants among the _English_, or loitered and idled away their Time in Laziness and Mischief.

But 'tis great Pity that more Care is not taken about them, after they are dismissed from School.

They have admirable Capacities when their Humours and Tempers are perfectly understood; and if well taught, they might advance themselves and do great Good in the Service of Religion; whereas now they are rather taught to become worse than better by falling into the worst Practices of vile nominal Christians, which they add to their own _Indian_ Manners and Notions.

To prevent this therefore, let there be chosen continually four _Indian_ Servitors out of the _Indian_ School, as the other four out of the _Grammar_ School.

Let these be maintained in the _Indian_ House, and wait upon the four lower Tables: Let them be instructed as the other Servitors, or as their Genius most aptly may require, but particularly in Religion; and when they are found qualified let them be sent to _England_, or placed out to Captains of Ships or Trades, as the Mathematical Boys in _Christ-Hospital_, for a few Years; then let them return and be allowed a small Exhibition, and encouraged in their separate Callings and Occupations; and let them settle some among the _English_, and others return to their own Nations.

Undoubtedly many of them would become excellent Artists and Proficients in Trade; and thus when Reason and Experience has convinced them of the Preference of our Religion and Manners, certainly they may not only save their own Souls; but also be extreamly instrumental in the Conversion of their barbarous Friends and Relations.

In proceeding thus, any that seem capable or inclinable to study Divinity, should by all Means be encouraged and forwarded in it, and sent over for a small Time to one of our Universities with an Allowance of _a Fellow_; after which, if such were admitted into Orders, and then sent out Missionaries among their own Country-Folks, what great Good might we not expect from such, when throughly converted and instructed in Christianity, and made truly sensible of the Advantages of Religion, the deadly State of Infidelity, and the miserable Lives and Customs of the _Indians_?

In a Work of this Kind undoubtedly several good Christians would contribute their charitable a.s.sistance; 'till which the present Fund should be applied in this Method, though the Managers should be obliged to reduce the Number of _Indian_ Scholars upon this Account; since this was the main Intent of the Benefaction, and no other Method can well answer this Design; which may be evidenced by Experience both from the Colleges of _Virginia_ and _New England_ too, as I have been credibly informed from good Authors, as well as my own Experience.

By such Methods in Process of Time might the _Indian_ Obstinacy be mollified, their seeming Dulness might be cleared from Rust; and the Gates of Heaven be opened for their Admission upon their perfect Conversion to the Faith of Christ. In such glorious Designs as these neither should Humour, Interest, nor Prejudice divert any from their charitable a.s.sistance therein, especially such as are concerned in Affairs of this Kind, and engaged by Duty to lend their best Aid in _leading_ the Infidels into the Pale of Christ's Church, and making them by mild and most gentle Measures to accompany his Flock; since all the Force in the World would rather _drive_ them from, than guide them, to the Congregation of the Faithful and Communion of Saints.

By some such prudent and mild Methods alone may they be made to live and die as true Christians, and not like the most savage Brutes, as they generally do.

_Thus far_ as to the Education of the young Men in _Virginia_, and the Instruction most proper for the _Indians_; and as for the Negroes each Owner ought to take Care that the Children born his Property, and all his intelligent adult Negroes be taught their Catechism and some short Prayers, be made to frequent the Church and be baptized, and hindered as much as may be from Swearing, Lying, Intemperance, Prophaneness, and Stealing and Cheating.

Finally, as to the Education of Girls, it is great Pity but that good Boarding Schools were erected for them at _Williamsburgh_ and other Towns.

SCHEME II.

_Of_ Religion _in_ Virginia.

It is an Opinion as erroneous as common, that any sort of Clergymen will serve in _Virginia_; for Persons of immoral Lives, or weak Parts and mean Learning, not only expose themselves, but do great Prejudice to the Propagation of the Gospel there; and by bad Arguments or worse Example, instead of promoting Religion, become Encouragers of Vice, Profaneness, and Immorality. Whereas were such confined to the narrow Limits of a Parish or two in _England_, where their Knowledge and their Name would scarce extend farther than the Circ.u.mference of their own Country; then neither could their bad Learning nor Example propagate so much Mischief, as when sent Abroad into the World among bright and observing People.

Neither do they want quarrelsom and litigious Ministers, who would differ with their Parishioners about insignificant Trifles, who had better stay at Home and wrangle with their own Parishes, which is not so great a Novelty here as there. Neither would they have meer Scholars and Stoicks, or Zealots too rigid in outward Appearance, as they would be without loose and licentious Profligates; these do Damage to themselves, to others, and to Religion.

And as in Words and Actions they should be neither too reserved nor too extravagant; so in Principles should they be neither too high nor too low: The _Virginians_ being neither Favourers of Popery nor the Pretender on the one Side, nor of Presbytery nor Anarchy on the other; but are firm Adherents to the present Const.i.tution in State, the _Hanover_ Succession and the Episcopal Church of _England_ as by Law established; consequently then if these are the Inclinations of the People, their Ministers ought to be of the same Sentiments, equally averse to papistical and schismatical Doctrines, and equally free from _Jacobitish_ and _Oliverian_ Tenets. These I confess are my Principles, and such as the _Virginians_ best relish, and what every good Clergyman and true _Englishman_ (I hope) will favour; for such will never refuse to say with me

_G.o.d bless the Church, and_ GEORGE _its Defender, Convert the Fanaticks, and baulk the Pretender_.

For our Sovereign is undoubtedly the Defender and Head of our national Church of _England_, in which Respect we may pray for the _King and Church_; but Christ is the Head of the Universal or Catholick Church, in which Respect we wish Prosperity to the _Church and King_.

Clergymen for _Virginia_ should be of such Parts, Tempers, and Notions as these. They likewise should be Persons that have read and seen something more of the World, than what is requisite for an _English_ Parish; they must be such as can converse and know more than bare Philosophy and speculative Ethicks, and have studied Men and Business in some measure as well as Books; they may act like Gentlemen, and be facetious and good-humour'd, without too much Freedom and Licentiousness; they may be good Scholars without becoming Cynicks, as they may be good Christians without appearing Stoicks. They should be such as will give up a small Matter rather than create Disturbance and Mischief; for in all Parishes the Minister as well as the People should pa.s.s by some little Things, or else by being at Variance the best Preaching may have the worst Effect; yet they must not condescend too far, nor part with a material Right, but must be truly zealous and firm in every good Cause both publick and private. There are many such worthy, prudent, and pious Clergymen as these in _Virginia_, who meet with the Love, Reputation, Respect, and Encouragement that such good Men may deserve and expect: However, there have been some whose Learning, Actions, and Manners have not been so good as might be wished; and others by their outward Behaviour have been suspected to have been, some _Jacobites_, and others _Presbyterians_ inwardly in their Hearts.

In _Virginia_ there is no Ecclesiastical Court, so that Vice, Prophaneness, and Immorality are not suppressed so much as might be: The People hate the very Name of the Bishop's Court. There are no Visitations, so that the Churches are often not in the best Repair, nor as decently adorned as might be; neither in some Places can the Lord's Supper be administer'd with such holy Reverence as it should be, for want of proper Materials and Utensils. The Churches being not consecrated are not enter'd with such reverent Demeanour, as ought to be used in G.o.d's holy Tabernacle.

For want of Confirmation Persons are admitted to the holy Sacrament with mean and blind Knowledge, and poor Notions of the divine Mysteries of the Supper of the Lord; which is an Abuse of a thing so very sacred.

In _North Carolina_ and several Parts of _Virginia_ Children are often neglected to be baptized till they are grown up, and then perhaps may never know or never mind that they want to be christen'd; and many esteem it unnecessary.

The Clerks upon several Occasions performing too great a Share of divine Services, expose the Church to Shame and Danger, and often bring Contempt and Disdain upon the Persons and Function of the Ministers.

Ministers are often obliged to bury in Orchards, and preach Funeral Sermons in Houses, where they also generally marry and christen; and as for Weddings there is no Regard to the Time of the Day nor the Season of the Year; and in _North Carolina_ the Justices marry.