ACTIVE VIRTUE.

I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary, but slinks out of the race where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat.-Milton.

ON SEEING THE MOONBEAMS TREMBLING IN

THE WATER.

See here the fabling poet's dream,

Diana bathing in the stream;

She starts at every rustling breeze,

And thinks some new Actæon sees.-MS.

ON A PORTRAICTURE OF CAPTAINE JOHN SMITH.

(In the style of his day.)

This Smith whose name shall never passe,

Was not a wight to delve in brasse;
But all his workes, both brighte and bolde,
Were ever wroughte of solid golde.--MS.

AN EPIGRAM FROM MARTIAL.

It is nothing, thou sayst, that thou askest of me:
Then I give it, dear Thomas, most freely to thee.

TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received several valuable communications from C. C. of Petersburg; H. B. of Harrisonburg; and some others; which shall appear in due time.

[We continue here our Selections from the Pole Papers which we commenced in our last number, and shall conclude in the present. The documents now submitted relate to the administration of Lieutenant Governor Drysdale, which passed off so calmly and quietly that it has been but slightly noticed by our historians. Burk does not even mention it, and Grahame slurs it over in a single sentence, making it a mere parenthesis between the government of Spotswood going before, and that of Gooch following after it. Chalmers is more particular; but his account is manifestly harsh, and unjust both to the Governor and the General Assembly; whom he seems to have regarded with a jaundiced eye. We may quote the two last sentences of it, however; which, omitting the single word "interested," are no doubt quite correct, and which our documents may serve to illustrate and confirm. "Owing to the interested amity between the chief ruler, the counsellors, and the burgesses, the affairs of Virginia glided on, during the remainder of the pre

sent reign, in a stream of prosperous quiet. Drysdale congratulated the Duke of Newcastle, 'that the benign influence of his auspicious sovereign were conspicuous here, in a general harmony and contentment amongst all ranks of persons.'”

Chalmers' Introduction, Vol. II., p. 79.]

Gentlemen of the Council and House of Burgesses.

Having the Honour conferred upon me by our Soveraign Lord the King, to be sent hither to Command as his Lieut. Gov'r, I judged it requisite for the benefit of the Colony, to call you in Assembly, that thereby you might have an opportunity given you of meeting together and consulting among yourselves, what may most advance your prosperity, happiness and security. I come impowered by my Instructions, and prepared by my inclinations to give you my helping hand to all such Bills thus tendered to me, and as my Intentions are during the Course of my Administration to preserve you in the full possession of those Rights and propertys you enjoy, under the mild Influence of our present happy Establishment, which I can't better Express, than in the Words lately delivered from the Throne, That I will make the Laws the Rule and Measure of all my actions. So I must on the other hand acquaint you, That I am firmly resolved to maintain his Ma'ties Authority and prerogative, and answer that confidence he has been pleased to Lodge in me, with Resolution, firmness and Loyalty.

Gent. of the House of Burgesses.

I do not determine how far you may think it necessary for your Service, to lay Dutys as formerly practiced on some of your imported Commoditys, to recruit that Fund now neare Exhausted, which you Employed so well for the lessening the Levy per poll, and for some other useful Ser

vices of the Country: I wholly leave the matter to be discussed among yourselves, aud shall proceed to recommend to the Council and your thoughts, some affairs that deserve your more imediate attention.

Your Laws seem very deficient in the due punishing any intended Insurrection of your Slaves, you have had a late Experience of ye Lameness of them; I am persuaded you are all too well acquainted with the Cruel dispositions of those Creatures, when they have it in their power to destroy or distress, to let Slipp this faire opportunity of making more propper Laws against them, or at least to enquire whether any thing is wanting to Enforce those Laws now in being.

The surest method to prevent any fatall Consequences, that may arise from their wicked designs, is to put your Militia in a better posture of defence than at present they seem to be. I observe in the Journals of your last House of Burgesses, that they postpon'd the Consideration on that head to the next Session of Assembly; I flatter myself now, that None among you, will be so much wanting to your own Safetys, as to suffer such a Body of Men as this Colony affords to appeare, as hitherto, useless; for by a right Regulating of them, you are able to show yourselves, terrible to your Slaves, formidable to the Indians, and in a readiness to oppose all Enemys that dare presume to molest you.

I could not Excuse myself, if I omitted on this occasion, representing to you the Languishing Condition of your Tobacco Trade, almost destroyed by the gross ffrauds and abuses that are lately crept into it; 'tis too Nice a point for me to propose remedys; your own Sufferings will awaken you to the Consideration of what is most propper to apply for the recovery of it: If you can fall on any expe

dients agreeable to the Interest of the Crown, and those concerned in the Trade, I shall readily assist you in promoting them to the best of my power.

Gent. of the Council and House of Burgesses.

I am pleased that I can congratulate with you on the Seasonable Discovery and prevention of some pernicious Attempts carried on at home to dethrone our gracious King and unhinge his Government. I need not Expatiate on the miserys that would have reached us had that unnaturall Rebellion succeeded, the Temper of our Enemys would soon make us sensible of the Treatment we were to expect at their hands. Nor need I labour to acquaint you, what is your Duty on this occasion, your ffidelity and affection to his Majesty will more propperly Instruct you.

I have nothing more to add to your present Consultations, than to assure you, that what can in reason be demanded, and is in my power to grant, you shall never want my concurrence, or assistance, for; I have your Welfare sincerely at heart, and since I have no other Views but what you all aim at, which is the King's Service, and the good of this Colony, I hope we shall unite and agree in the same Measures to Compass them.

May the 10th, 1723.

HUGH DRYSDALE.

ADDRESS OF THE HOUSE OF BURGESSES.

To the Hon'ble Hugh Drysdale his Ma'ties Lieut. Gov'r and Commander in Chief of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia,

THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF THE HOUSE OF BURGESSES.

May it Please your Honour.

We his Ma'ties most Dutyfull and Loyal Subjects the