tion. But afterwards, natural and experimental Philosophy, Mechanics, and, in short, every branch of the Mathematics, particularly Algebra, and Geometry, warmly engaged my attention, till they led me on to Astronomy, to which after I had left College, till some time after I was married, I devoted my time. I never thought, however, that I had made any great proficiency in any study, for I was too sociable, and fond of the conversation of my friends, to study as Mr. Jefferson did, who could tear himself away from his dearest friends, to fly to his studies," &c.*

*The Memoir is manifestly unfinished, and we regret that we cannot complete it as we could wish. We can only add, (as at present informed,) that the writer was subsequently elected by the General Assembly Governor of the Commonwealth, in the year 1802, again in 1803, and a third time in 1804, at the end of which term, being constitutionally ineligible for another, he retired of course to private life; and was soon afterwards appointed by Mr. Jefferson, who was then President of the U. S., Commissioner of Loans for Virginia, which office he held till his death on the 11th of October, 1808.

Gov. P. was twice married, first, as he has stated in the Memoir, to Miss Frances Burwell, of Gloucester, and after her death, and while he was a member of Congress, (probably about the year 1790,) to Miss Margaret Lowther, of New York, who survived him some years. He left also several sons and daughters by both marriages, some of whom (with their descendants,) are still living.

CIVIL LIBERTY.

This is not the liberty which we can hope, that no grievance ever should arise in the commonwealth; that let no man in this world expect; but when complaints are freely heard, deeply considered, and speedily reformed, then is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look for.-John Milton.

THE TEMPERANCE REFORM.

[We continue here the Memoir of the Temperance Reform in our State, begun in our last number, and now concluded in this article.]

On the 24th of February 1835, the Virginia Temperance Society held its Eighth Annual Meeting at the Capitol, in Richmond; when it appeared from estimates founded on reports then made, that there were 35,000 members of Temperance Societies in the State. At the same time, authentic accounts were given of many distilleries and liquorstores discontinued, in different parts of the country.

In this year, six District Temperance Conventions were held, under recommendations of the State Society; at Warrenton, Charlotte Court House, the Brick Church in King and Queen, Staunton, Martinsburg, and Tazewell Court House; all numerously attended by members and others. Among the members were many able and distinguished men.

From the commencement of the reformation in Virginia, to this time, many persons had strenuously objected to the union of females in the pledge. "Were ladies," it was asked, "to be suspected of intemperance?—or of being in danger of sliding into drunkenness?" The supposition was a libel on the sex; and the mere idea of it was not to be endured. To the objections, however, it was answered, that females were by far the greatest sufferers from intemperance-not their own but that of men-by the neglect, unkindness, and even cruelty of those to whom they clung most confidingly; and by countless forms of mortification and shame; that women were therefore most deeply interested in the reform; that their influence, in whatever concerned domestic or social habits, or the kind

ly affections, was irresistible; and that their influence could not be exerted so efficiently in any way, as by uniting in this work. These answers were strong and accordingly, the objections, after growing more and more faint for some years, had now nearly ceased to be heard; and about this time as many females as males became members of Temperance Societies.

From the close of 1835 until 1841, the movement was languid, and not remarkably successful. As many, probably, renounced or violated the pledge, sometimes even relapsing into drunkenness, as were added to the ranks of Total Abstinence. The sellers of drink often exulted in the alleged decline of Temperance, carefully explaining, however, that they meant only the Societies, and professing themselves warm friends of what they considered as Temperance. In 1840, however, the decline of Temperance itself was obvious to all, and was caused mainly by the introduction of a cant phrase of " Hard-Cider" into the Presidential contest of that year; for "Hard-Cider" was now the slang name for all, even the strongest liquors; and was quaffed very profusely.

In 1841, our State felt the influence of a new phasis of the Reform, which began in Baltimore. Six men in that city, long addicted to excessive drinking, were one day induced to take a pledge of abstinence from all that could intoxicate. Delighted with their new liberty, and possessing, some of them, good powers of speech, they set out to address crowds, not only at regular Temperance meetings, but in the streets nay traversed the country, and other States, to proclaim the horrors of strong drink, and the freedom and happiness of perfect temperance. In this year, or early in 1842, some of these men, or of their disciples, reformed drunkards,) came into Virginia, and spoke in many towns and counties with great power and success.

Two of them, more particularly, David Pollard, and Wright, (both mechanics,) spoke to vast assemblies in Richmond, and many other places, with striking results. Wright was somewhat cultivated, and had a pleasing voice and manner. Pollard was unlettered and unpolished, and by the rough, deep cuts he gave, reminded us of John Randolph's likening Ben Hardin to "a kitchen knife whetted on a brick-bat." Both portrayed in such lively colors the miseries of drunkenness, the practices which led to it, the perfect safety and superior charms of cold water, the artifices of liquor-dealers to ensnare the temperate or draw back the reclaimed, the crimes and woes which the traffic occasions, and all its black criminality, that multitudes were either convinced or alarmed. No other ten men, it is believed, had ever induced so many to sign the pledge, or so many dealers to renounce the traffic. They were, however, sometimes opposed, and roughly used by men whom their ridicule, or their graphic descriptions, excited and enraged.

In 1841, or '2, we believe, a legislative Temperance Society was formed; but it was not joined by many members of the Houses; and we have heard nothing of it for some time.

In 1844, a Temperance Convention was held in Richmond, at which Governor McDowell presided; opening the session with an address of rare force and beauty. We must mention this gentleman with honor, as the only Governor of Virginia, who, while he filled the Chair of State, has had the moral courage to avow the principles of totalabstinence, and steadily to banish, not only ardent spirits, but wine, and all other intoxicating drinks from his table and sideboard.

In 1844, and again in 1845, a great sensation was produced in our State by the public addresses of John B.

Gough, a young Englishman, (the son of an old soldier, a Chelsea pensioner,) who had come over to this country at the early age of twelve, where he had afterwards been joined by his mother; upon whose death, some years later, he had fallen into bad habits of deep and frequent intoxication. By the kind attentions, however, of some humane persons in Massachusetts, he had been reclaimed, and had become a travelling speaker upon Intemperance. Here his thorough knowledge of human nature and life, his rich imagination, his ready flow of the happiest language, uttered in a sweet and distinct voice, accompanied with the most expressive gestures, and his wonderful command over the laughter and tears of his auditors, made him, in our thoughts, the most eloquent man we had ever heard. It was really no wonder, therefore, that he wrought such mighty effects on the public mind.

In the mean time, a new form of the Temperance movement had been introduced into our State, hardly observed at first, but now manifest in its progress, and worthy of special notice. We refer here to the organization of the SONS OF TEMPERANCE. This institution was first formed by sixteen gentlemen in the city of New York, in September, 1842, and aimed to bind men by a closer tie, and to enlist their interests and affections more warmly and effectively than the old societies had done. The plan was, to have Divisions in villages and neighborhoods, meeting once a week. Delegates from these, meeting once in three months, form in each State a GRAND DIVISION, which has legislative and judicial control over the subordinate Divisions, and is itself controlled by the NATIONAL DIVISION, composed of delegates from the various Grand Divisions, and meeting once a year. The National Division is the supreme legislature of the whole system for the United States; prescribes constitutions for the grand and subordinate Divisions, (which