MyeAany.

Our Mothers I!
{"character_count": 2184, "word_count": 375, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9587000012397766], "ccnet_perplexity": [1797.300048828125], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
AMONG the many very fngular circum-
fances which attended the (ettlement OF this
country, there are none more entertaining than
the expectation of wives from England, for the
colony OF Virginia. DR.. Belknap, in his Anne
ric1n Biography, a work replete with informa-
tion ard entertainment, has given US The follow
ing lhort account of that very uncommon article
of merchandise.


1t feems to have been general fentiment
among thefe colonias, not to make Virginia the
place of their permanent refdence, bu: after
acquiring a. fortune, By planting and trade 70
return to England. For this reafon, mott Of
them were deaitute Of families and had no nat
ural attachment to the country. To remedy
this material defe6, Sir Edward Sandys, the
new trealurer, ProPofed TO the Company TO fend
over freight of young women to make wives
for the planters. This propofal, with ieveral
Others made by that eminent tateiman, was
received with univerlal apPlaufe, and the fuc-
cels anlwered their expectations. Ninety gIrls,
"young and uDcorrupt," were lent over at one
time, I6zo) and ixty more, " "handiome and
we'll recommended" }" at another I6zI). Thele
were foon bleiIed with the Object Of their with
Is. The price Of wife, at 6rt, was one hun
dred and twenty pounds Of tobacco but a the
number became lcarce, the price was increaled
to one hundred and Fifty pounds, the value cf
which in money, was three ihiilings per pound
BY fubfequent act of afembly, it was or dain-
ed, that " the price Of wife fhould have the
precedent of other debts, in recovery and pay
ment, becaufe, Of all kinds of merchandise, this
was the mott deGrable."


All, deGrable indeed The hearts of thofe
ruAic hochpIOrs nnun have leaned for iOy a nd
could that mott defrabe" objea be now
obtained for 70 triHing quantity as Z" one hun
dred and Fifty pounds Of tobacco" there would
not be bachelor found in the country. Our
beau1, BY only preferving the remains Of their
fegars, might ioon Purchafe what perhaps, their
gallantry could never acquire. Our defart
country would foon be converted into beautiful
fields waving with that delicious weed and a
fweet favour would arle, teltifying our attach
ment to the fair iex.