Classic Poem

That most men have a great respect and love
To their own place of birth I need not prove—
Experience shows 'tis true; and the black brood
Of sunburnt Affrick makes the assertion good.
I oft with pleasure have observ'd how they
Their sultry country's worth strive to display
In broken language, how they praise their case
And happiness when in their native place.
Such tales and such descriptions, when I'd leisure,
I often have attended to with pleasure,
And many times with questions would assail
The sable lad to lengthen out his tale.
If, then, those wretched people so admire
Their native place and have so great desire
To reenjoy and visit it again—
Which, if by any means they might attain,
How would they dangers court and pains endure
If to their country they could get secure!
But, barr'd of that, some into madness fly,
Destroy themselves, and wretchedly they die.
Nor is this love to Affrick's race confin'd
But spreads itself (I think) through human kind.
A northern Tartar forc'd from thence would show
The warmest wishes for his ice and snow
Which in that climate doth so much abound
That they for months in caves live underground;
The snow so deep, the cold is so intense
Above ground, houses would be no defense.
For food their case must needs be very bad:
Horse-flesh and milk of mares by them are had
In much esteem. (A loathsome bill of fare—
Methinks t'would poison me did I live there!)
And yet those people love and like it well,
And praise (no doubt) the country where they dwell.

If, then, the torrid and the frozen zone
Are so esteem'd and loved by their own
Home-born inhabitants and natives, we,
Whom Providence hath plac'd in a degree
Of latitude so temperate and a clime
Where neither heat nor cold at any time
Rages to that excess, to that degree,
Where there it does, sure it is fit that we
Should thanks and praise to Providence return,
Who plac'd us where we neither freeze nor burn.
But yet I doubt (it may with truth be said)
Thanks of that kind are very seldom paid.

Here in Virginia everyone will grant
That we enjoy what other people want.
Climate alone is not the only favor:
Lands to produce, streams to transport, our labor.
Land carriage costs them dear that have no means
To move their goods by water. We have streams,
Plenty of bays, of rivers and of creeks
That any who for water carriage seeks
Will not be disappointed; for our streams
Doth much relieve the labor of our teams.
I formerly was very much delighted
To pore on maps and globes, 'til age benighted
And dimm'd my sight; yet never have I found
A continent where streams do so abound.
Let geographers show me where there lies
Four such fine rivers, whose beginnings rise
So near each other, yet unmix'd their streams:
Potomac, Rappahannock, York and James—
These are the four I mean. They are, 'tis true,
The largest of our rivers. Next in view
Appear five more, inclosed in the fork
That Rappahannock makes with pretty York.
Some friendly sea-nymph now assist my lay
That I those pretty rivers may display!

Four of the five in Gloucester County take
Their rise and straight for Mobjack Bay they make:
North River near Point Comfort ends its race;
Eastermost River next to him takes place;
Then Severn follows—boasts its British name;
This moves the pretty Ware to do the same;
Piankatank in sullen silence flows
And, mute, his Indian name will not expose.

Thus is Virginia water'd to one's wish—
Her streams affording various sorts of fish
Which to our people might great profit bring,
Increase our trade—an advantageous thing
Which the industrious Dutch would much improve,
And so should we if we our country love.
The greatest kindness to a country paid
Is to endeavor to increase its trade.

If this be true (which no one will deny),
I can't find out or tell the reason why
Such warm disputes and arguments should rise;
I say, my shallow thoughts cannot devise
Why our wise senators should disagree
Where plac'd our country's capitol should be.
To me it seems as if we did despise
Our ancestors' discretion; otherwise,
More deference to their prudence we should pay.
But be that as it will, yet, sure, we may
Believe they were not altogether blind
To leave those gaps their sons so quickly find.
There was a Carter then, as well as now,
Whose greatness, prudence, wisdom, did allow
His vast accomplishments as great as any,
Though even then Virginia had many
That were sagacious, thoughtful, prudent, wise—
As are their sons. A question here may rise
Why those great men none of those faults could see

Which now so visible appear to be.
They did, no doubt, use great deliberation:
It was no sudden, rash determination
That caused our senate to remove the station
Of the old State House. Where it first was plac'd,
And with the common gifts of nature grac'd,
Our ancient State House on James River stood—
A fair, convenient, navigable flood.
Jamestown then flourish'd; yet this hinders not
If a much better station may be got.
Middle Plantation is so plac'd that there
The profits of two rivers they do share.
For from each river there a creek doth flow
That almost cuts the tongue off and in two
That doth divide their streams—a thing so rare,
Scarce any place with this we can compare.

If any situation with it mates
'Tis the old city, Corinth, up the straits.
Indeed, two handsome bays that city grasp
And in their liquid arms do seem to clasp
That ancient town, but yet those bays extend
Not far into the land before they end.
(Not so our rivers; they their arms do stretch
Far in the land, commodities to fetch
From remote places and from distant parts
With much more ease than wagons, tumbrils, carts.)
And yet we find in ancient times this town
Had scarce her equal; her fame and renown
Was spread beyond the midland seas' extent.
It over a great part of Asia went;
For merchandise and traffic she sat queen;
Though now she's poor enough and low and mean,
We often read of rich Corinthian brass
(But few know now what that rich metal was).

'Tis certain any city's situation
Contributes much to trade or preservation.
There scarce a city in the world is known
That, being land-lock'd round, hath famous grown.
Constantinople, once Byzantium,
From Rome on Tiber did this city come.
Great Constantine that seat did so admire,
From Rome he mov'd the seat of the Empire.
He wisely saw the difference between
The Hellespont and Tiber's trifling stream.
The effect is plain: still old Byzantium stands
And half the world obeys her proud commands,
While ancient Rome is now reduced so,
Except her keys, small power she doth know.

Our ancestors in this their wisdom prov'd
When government from Jamestown they remov'd.
If navigation's wanting, traffic fails;
To strive with Nature little it avails.
Her favors to improve and nicely scan
Is all that is within the reach of Man.
Nature is to be follow'd, and not forc'd,
For, otherwise, our labor will be lost.

Of this our prudent ancestors took care,
And plac'd Virginia's capitol just where
Two friendly rivers did their aid afford,
Jointly to make the commerce safe and good.
To Williamsburg, an apt and well-chose seat,
Most capable of being soon made great,
James River's southern side doth thither send
Provisions plenty. Pretty York doth lend
Her helping hand and furnish many a dish
With many sorts of most delicious fish;
Delicate oysters, too, that's fresh and good
She plenty yields. Wholesome and pleasant food
Those from the Eastern Shore by water brings—
Wheat, oats and corn with many other things.
For commerce to our neighboring colonies
No place affords so great conveniences:
To Maryland, the Bay of Chesapeake
A passage gives to any who it seek;
If to North Carolina any's bound,
James River runneth pretty near their Sound.
To mention all conveniences attending
That well-chose place will scarce have any ending.

I know that some objections there are made
Which seem to clash with merchandise and trade.
They say that ships and vessels that are large
Cannot come near the town: they must discharge
Their burdens, and their freight they must take in
Some distance from the town—which charge had been
Much less or, rather, would be none at all,
Could ships come up close to the city wall.

All this is true, is very true; but yet
A great advantage may be made of it.
I have already said, trade makes a place
Greatly to flourish; those that do embrace
That way to gather wealth cannot succeed
If they no care take to nurse up a breed
Of seamen which may always ready be
To man their ships and send them out to sea.
England, reputed mistress of the seas,
Does always keep a nursery for these.
The trade to Newcastle for coals is still
A nursery for sea and always will
In peace or war. The colliers' fleet provides
For London coals, good store; that fleet, besides,
At the same time, are training up for sea
Hundreds of youths that, in due time, may be
Expert and gallant sailors to defend
England, whose safety doth so much depend
On walls of wood. If these should chance to fail,
England's undone—her bonnet she must veil.
Why should not we their wise example take,
And of our creeks some such advantage make?
And though by shorter trips our boys innure
The oar, to manage hardships to endure;
Small craft of all sorts on these creeks may go.
Ships to unload or load from thence would grow—
A good employment for our youth—and we,
By that means, train up many lads for sea.
Methinks 'tis easy to foresee the good
That would arise from such a useful brood.

Thus this objection hath its answer; yet
A second follows. It is, therefore, fit
To hear and to consider well the case
That so a prudent judgment we may pass.
'Tis much complained of by those that live
In frontier counties that they cannot give
Attendance on their lawsuits or complete
Other affairs, the distance is so great.
They say the seat of government should stand
Upon or near the center of the land,
That so the people may have equal shares
Of distance to negotiate affairs.
This is not practicable, for as soon
A garment may be made to fit the moon.
For I have known the County of New Kent
The utmost bounds our situations went.
Let those who thus complain but cast their eyes
On England's map and see how distant lies
London from Cumberland or from the Tweed.
'Tis true that distance remedy doth need
And finds it readily: judges are sent
To every shire and county with intent
To hear their causes, controversies try,
And justice to distribute equally.
This sure a great relief is to the poor
Thus to have justice brought unto their door.
Justice is sent, but London still remains
And riches draws from her beloved Thames.
Our capitol may stand where well 'tis plac'd,
And yet this grievance, too, may be redress'd.

But still my admiration will remain
To think our present Carter should maintain
A wrong opinion and quite counter run
To what our fathers have so wisely done!
I know great wits sometimes delight to show
How far bright parts and eloquence will go
To make bad arguments seem very right,
And to that end affirm that black is white.
A secret pleasure 'tis to try the strength
Of their great genius, and observe the length
An argument (though wrong) may be extended;
For maxims (though not true) may be defended.
Perhaps this was the case. At Carter's shove
Our capitol did shake, though not remove!
But let the motive be just what it will,
He then display'd great eloquence and skill.
That he his country's good has in pursuit,
His generous practice puts beyond dispute.
But men are men—all subject to mistakes—
And he perhaps as few as any makes!

I think that those objections mentioned
Are all of any weight that can be said.
The rest are very trifles and not worth
An answer. But now I hope our hearts are all compos'd,
And all our breaches by Dinwiddie clos'd.
May good and great Dinwiddie's able hand
Establish peace and concord in our land—
A land with many signal favors blest—
And may they by kind Heaven be increas'd!

After this long digression, now I come
Our country's love again to reassume
And mention motives which doth it advance,
Make it tenacious, and will it enhance.
For place alone without society
Will be but dull and joyless, languid, dry.
But if, with worthy men the soil is blest,
The measure's full; for that crowns all the rest.
Who can but love the place that hath brought forth
Such men of virtue, merit, honor, worth?
My countrymen (if I am not too fond)
For parts are by no people gone beyond.

The gentry of Virginia, I dare say,
For honor vie with all America.
Had I great Camden's skill, how free
Would celebrate our worthy gentry!
But I am no way equal to that task.
Such a performance certainly doth ask
For a more frequent use of conversation
Than could consist with my low place and statio.
Tied down to labor, education wanting,
But yet my busy soul for knowledge panting,
Though struggling hard, I only just could peep
Above the vulgar, but with them must creep.
Neither my time nor means would suffer me
In polish'd conversation much to be,
'Tis true; I have in my declining age
Found courteous treatment from some wise and sage
And most accomplish'd men of the first rank
Whose goodness to me I am bound to thank
And gratefully acknowledge while I live.
'Tis all the tribute in my power to give.
Those men deserve, their worth should mentioned be,
And be display'd unto posterity,
That so their children may example take
And tread in the same path their fathers make.

Could I accomplish this, how gladly I
Would stretch my wit, and all my skill would try!
But, 'tis in vain. I, in my narrow view
Though there be many, yet can mention few,
And those by families (not single men—
That task's too great for my unskillful pen).

The Nelsons, Digges, Carters, Burwells, Pages,
The Grymes and the Robinsons engages
Respect, and reverence to those names be paid!
Blairs, Ludwells, Byrds in the same scale are laid.
Randolphs and Wallers, Harrisons likewise—
These all contend for honors, noble prize.
Willises, Wormeleys, Lewises do run
In honor's path, as loath to be outdone.
The Spotswoods, Berkeleys, Armisteads thither bend
Their steps and for the lovely prize contend.

I hope Virginia hath many more
To me unknown—might lengthen out the score.
As stars of the first magnitude these shine
And, in their several stations, do combine
The great support and ornament to be
Of Britain's first and ancient colony.

But here I fain would breathe a while and then
Pursue the worthy catalogue again.
Pleas'd with the toil—my country's worth to show—
I once again my narrative renew—
A field so spacious, it will sure be granted
That sooner words than matter will be wanted.

Sincere and brave, Harwood does fearless stand
And with sagacious Allen joins his hand.
Friends so united should not parted be!
A second Allen makes the number three—
All men of worth, though not of vast estates.
(But merit sure makes up what wealth abates.)
If worth deserves respect, then I am sure
Merit to Ambler will respect procure;
Nay, 'tis but just so good a man as he
Should by Viriginia much respected be.
Sweet-temper'd Norton hath experience had
How with the people's love his worth is paid.
Sheild when but young yet did I then foresee
A credit to his country he would be.
Let wary Jamison be mention'd here,
And manly Stephenson bring up the rear.

These worthy men Viriginia's credit raise,
Although ('tis like) by many different ways.
Men differ in the talents they possess,
Some having more and greater, others less.
Yet, all are useful if employ'd well,
And few there be but in some way excel.
'Tis true employments are not always suited
To every genius—this can't be disputed—
For, many times occasion don't allow
A man his great abilities to show.
For want of use and opportunity
Their talents are not known, but dormant lie.
Of this I many instances could give
Of worthy men who in Virginia live.
Though many might be mentioned, yet a few
I only shall present unto your view.

Had it been Carter Burwell's part or station
In arms to