sation and speeches sparkled, where occasion justified, with the brightest gems of chaste and attic wit.

These two gentlemen were present (sometime in the year 1804 or 1805) at the argument of a cause in the Court of Appeals, in which Mr. Wickham and Mr. Hay were opposing counsel. (Here was another pair of great men, "for there were giants in those days.") The argument became animated and interesting. It was an admirable specimen of that "carte and tierce of forensic digladiation," somewhere so graphically described by Mr. Wirt in his British Spy. Mr. Wickham in reply to Mr. Hay after having, with signal power and ingenuity, overthrown the weak points of his adversary's argument, and successfully exposed, as he thought, the inconsistency of his positions, turned to him and triumphantly exclaimed-" Now, I think, I have the gentleman on the horns of a dilemma!" The language employed by the orator, and the name of his adversary (Hay) did not escape the quick and penetrating powers of association of Mr. Warden. The idea of "Hay on the horns" brought instantly to his classic memory the 34th line of the 4th Satire in the 1st book of Horace ;-which runs thus,

"Foenum habet in cornu,―longe fuge, dummodo risum
Excutiat sibi, non hic cuiquam parcet amico;"

and he accordingly repeated it, or the first part of it, in a soliloquy sufficiently audible to reach the attentive ear of Mr. Wirt. Nor was the whole scene and incident lost upon this gentleman. His ready and fruitful mind, apt in the perception of the witty and the humorous, and felicitous in the invention of innocent sport, caught at the opportunity, and immediately threw off the jeu d' esprit in question. As the version of it reported by your correspondent R. is somewhat inaccurate I beg leave here to furnish a copy, preserving I respectfully believe more nearly the true point of the wit, as may be gathered from the history of the anecdote here narrated.

Wickham toss'd Hay one day for sport

On a dilemma's horns in Court,

Jock, rich in Greek and Latin too,
Cried" foenum habet in cornu!”

It is unnecessary to add that the wit was enjoyed by the Bench and

Bar (who were, then, capable of appreciating it) with the most lively pleasure; and passed current in the literary circles of the day as equal to any of Curran's or Plunket's best.

L.

THOUGHTS.

Every virtue carried to excess approaches its kindred vice.
If you can be well without health, you can be happy without virtue.

Edmund Burke.

ON THE LATE NEWS BY THE TELEGRAPH. "Have you heard the good news that has made us all laugh?" "O yes, but it comes by the strange Telegraph;

And, somehow or other, these "heavenly wires,"

(As Jonathan calls 'em,) are terrible liars.”

A QUIDNUNC.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

“Can you or any of your

Our correspondent J. M. writes to us: correspondents give me any information concerning the celebrated Andrew Bell, during his residence in 'our State, in the year 1777, &c. -his sayings and doings-in a word, anything about him.-Permit me to ask also for information relative to Col. Charles Simms, who was out in the campaign of 1774. Possibly he may have left some written memoranda of that campaign, which can be supplied by his descendants. Please forward to me any replies you may receive." &c. We will do so with great pleasure; or the writers may forward their communications to our correspondent himself at Fredericksburg.

We have received Lieut. Maury's valuable and interesting paper relating to the Stars, read before the Virginia Historical Society at its late annual meeting; but too late to give it to our readers in this number. We shall publish it in our next, with great pleasure.

The following paper is a true copy, and almost a fac-simile, of a reprint of an old pamphlet originally published at London, in the year 1649, entitled "A Perfect Description of Virginia," now before us; and will be found to contain a great deal of valuable and interesting information relating to our colony at that early period, and much that may furnish hints for agreeable reflection at the present time.

A PERFECT DESCRIPTION OF VIRGINIA :

Being a full and true Relation of the present state of the Plantation, their health, peace, and plenty; the number of people, with their abundance of cattle, fowl, fish, &c. with several sorts of rich and good commodities, which may there be had, either naturally, or by art and labour. Which we are fain to procure from Spain, France, Denmark, Swedeland, Germany, Poland, yea, from the East Indies. There having been nothing related of the true estate of this Plantation these twenty-five years.

Being sent from Virginia, at the request of a gentleman of worthy note, who desired to know the true state of Virginia as it now stands. Also, a Narration of the country, within a few days' journey of Virginia, west and by south, where people come to trade: being related to the governour, Sir William Berckley, who is to go himself to discover it with thirty horse, and fifty foot, and other things needful for his enterprise.

With the manner how the Emperour Nichotawance came to Sir William Berckley, attended with five petty kings, to do homage, and bring tribute to King Charles. With his solemn protestation, that the sun and moon should lose their lights, before he (or his people in that country) should prove disloyal, but ever to keep faith and allegiance to King Charles.

LONDON: Printed for Richard Wodenoth, at the Star under Peter's Church in Cornhill. 1649.

THESE things that follow in this ensuing relation are certified by divers letters from Virginia, by men of worth and credit there, written to a friend in England, that for his own, and others' satisfaction, was desirous to know these particulars, and the present estate of that country. And let no man doubt of the truth of it, there be many in England, land and seamen that can bear witness of it. And if this plantation be not worth encouragement, let every true Englishman judge.

THAT

1. HAT there are in Virginia about fifteen thousand English, and of negroes brought thither, three hundred good ser

vants.

2. That of kine, oxen, bulls, calves, twenty thousand, large and good, and they make plenty of butter and very good cheese. 3. That there are of an excellent race, about two hundred horse and mares.

4. That of asses for burthen and use, there is fifty, but daily increase.

5. That for sheep they have about three thousand, good wool. 6. That for goats their number is five thousand, thrive well. 7. That for swine both tame and wild (in the woods) innumerable; the flesh pure and good, and bacon none better. 8. That for poultry, hens, turkies, ducks, geese, without number.

9. That they yearly plough and sow many hundred acres of wheat, as good, and fair, as any in the world, and great increase.

10. That they have plenty of barley, make excellent malt. 11. That they have six publick brew-houses, and most brew their own beer, strong and good,

12. That their hops are fair and large, thrive well.

13. That they sell their beef at two pence half-penny a pound, pork at three pence a pound, plentifully.

14. That their cattle are about the prices in England, and most of the ships that come yearly hither, are there victualed. 15. That they have thirty several sorts of fish, river, and sea, very excellent good in their kinds, plentiful and large.

16. That they have five and twenty sundry sorts of birds and fowls, land and water abundance, and for food not amiss.

17. That they have twenty kind of beasts, whereof deer abundance, most sorts to be eaten; creeping creatures many also.

18. That they have fifteen kinds of fruits, pleasant and good, and with Italy they will compare for delicate fruits.

19. They have five and twenty sorts of trees, large, good and fit for shipping, housing, and other uses.

20. That they have roots of several kinds, potatoes, asparagus, carrots, turnips, parsnips, onions, and artichokes.

21. For herbs they have of all kinds for garden, and physick flowers.

22. That their maize or Virginia corn, it yields them five hundred for one, increase, (it's set as we do garden peas) it makes good bread and furmity, will keep seven years, and malts well for beer, and ripe in five months, set in April or May.

23. That they have store of Indian peas, better than ours, beans, lupines, and the like.

24. They have store of bees in their woods, make plenty of honey and wax, and also tame bees in hives about their houses.

25. Indigo begins to be planted, and thrives wonderfully well, grows up to a little tree, and rich indigo made of the leaves of it, all men begins to get some of the seeds, and know it will be oftentimes the gain to them as tobacco (and gain now carries the bell;) their hopes are great to gain the trade of it from the Mogul's country, and to supply all christendom, and this will be many thousands of pounds in the year.

26. Their tobacco is much vented and esteemed in all places, yet the quantity's so great that's made, that the price there is but three pence a pound. A man can plant two thousand weight a year of it, and also sufficient corn and roots, and other provisions for himself.

27. They begin to plant much hemp and flax which they find grows well and good, only hands are wanting to this and other works.