error of early plunging boys into the study of ancient and other languages, before they have acquired a competent knowledge of their own. By which mistake it is, that so many who are learned in the languages of Greece and Rome, remain unable to write their own with correctness, and still less, to read and speak it with grace and propriety. To avoid this, and for the still greater benefits of having their minds early impressed with a love of religion and virtue, are the principal reasons that induce me to prefer private education for some time, to public."

The manners of Mr. Lee were, in the highest degree, affable and polite. The candour and disinterestedness of his character, could not fail to strike every person who had the slightest acquaintance with him-entirely devoid of all pride and guile, he became very popular, immediately upon his entering into the active scenes of life.

It is well known that the famous seven years' war, as it is called by historians, was not confined to the European dominions of the two principal and rival nations engaged in it. The colonies of France and England, in North America, were involved in its bloody and destructive consequences. Our frontier settlements suffered continually and severely, from the predatory incursions of the Indians employed by France in Canada, and along the Ohio river. In 1755, England became convinced, that the colonies of Virginia and Pennsylvania, could not longer, without her aid, effectually resist the irruptions of their horrid enemies. She therefore sent, under the command of general Braddock, a body of regular troops, for the purpose of protecting the frontiers of those colonies. The cruel murders committed in the preceding year by the Indians, in the valley, between the Blue Ridge and North Mountains in Virginia, had excited the indignation of the people of the low counties of that colony. Upon the arrival of general Braddock, volunteer companies of militia were raised, which offered their services to march with the regular army. By a volunteer company of his native county, Mr. Lee was

chosen captain. As soon as it had put itself under his command, he marched to Alexandria, on the Potomac, where the regular army had landed. Upon his arrival at that place, he was much chagrined to find, that their services would not be accepted by Braddock-that, with his companions in arms, he must return to his home, without an opportunity of serving his country.

The following circumstance, which happened at Alexandria, may serve to show the coarse and rude manners of General Braddock, and his haughtiness towards provincials, to which may be attributed his subsequent defeat and death. Mr. Lee had walked down to the shore, with General Braddock and some of his officers, where a boat was in readiness to convey them to the commodore's ship. When his officers were on board, although he saw Mr. Lee standing on the shore, General Braddock ordered the men to push off; but the commodore, afterwards the celebrated admiral Keppel, observing this, sternly ordered them to stop, and invited Mr. Lee into the boat, in which he accompanied them to the ship.

Mr. Lee may be said to have inherited a love of public life. Most of his ancestors had devoted the greater part of their lives, to the public service, in posts of honour. They had shown themselves men of business, as well as of capacity. His father had been remarkable for an indefatigable application to public business; and the character of his father, no doubt, had its influence in the formation of the habits of his son. He was appointed about the twenty-fifth year of his age, a justice of the peace for his native county. This office was, at that period of the colony, of much greater importance than it is at present, and the appointment was reserved for men of the greatest purity of character, and generally conferred on those, whose judgments were matured by age. A magistrate in Virginia, performs not only acts of police, but is, ex-officio, a constituent part of the county court, the jurisdiction of which, as a court of common law and equity, was then unlimited. At that

period, suits of the highest grade, and of the greatest importance, were brought in the county courts. In this office, Mr. Lee was active and diligent. He punctually attended in court; and with unwearied patience, went through its most uninteresting business. A copy is found among Mr. Lee's manuscripts, of a petition signed by several magistrates to the governor and council, praying that Mr. Lee's commission might be so dated, that he could act as president of the court, and be allowed precedence in this respect, at an earlier period, than his appointment legally permitted.

He was, in this year, elected a member from Westmoreland, to the House of Burgesses, and from this time, till his death, a period of thirty three years, enjoyed the unabated favour and confidence, not only of the citizens of his native county, but of the state of Virginia. During the first years, of Mr. Lee's service in the House of Burgesses, he had to struggle against a diffidence, which, he began to despair, of ever being able to conquer. It was long before he could be induced to trust himself to the contingencies of extemporaneous discussion. He, however, did not suffer the time to pass without improvement. He made himself master of the various forms, according to which, legislative bodies proceed in the transaction of business; and, acquired an extensive and accurate knowledge of the interests, and financial concerns of the colony. An incident, at that time, of importance to the colony, which will presently be related, at length, occurred to arouse him; and he distinguished himself by an ability and eloquence, which placed him at once, among the first members of the body to which he belonged.

Previous to this epoch in his life, Mr. Lee having become much dissatisfied with several measures of the House of Burgesses, and believing that he could more effectually serve his country in some other station, applied through his friends in London, for a seat in the council. Some of his letters are here inserted, which abound in sentiments ingenuous, dignified, and patriotic,

The manner in which he confutes the objection, that one of his brothers was a member of the council, cannot fail to gratify every reader of sensibility.

WESTMORELAND, VA.

AUGUST, 27, 1762.

SIR-The acquaintance, I had the honour, to form with you when I was in London, in the year '51, will, I hope excuse me to you, for the freedom of this letter. When I consider the weight you deservedly possess, in affairs relative to this colony, I know not any person to whom I can, with more propriety, apply for an application in my behalf, that I may be appointed to fill the next vacancy in his majesty's council. I am the more induced to an application, at this time, as I am informed, that an address is preparing by the council, to his majesty, to remove Mr. from their board, on account of his extreme incapacity, to discharge the important duties of that station. If that address succeed, as I should imagine it would, from the weighty reasons assigned in it, then sir, I would lay myself under the great obligation that will arise from your interposition in my behalf: an obligation which will ever influence me, to consider you as my great benefactor, and particular friend. The desire I have to do my country service, is my only motive for this solicitation; and governed by the same reason, my attention has been, for some time turned to public business, both as a member of the legislature, and of our inferior courts of justice. This experience supported by a laudable ambition, will, I hope, render me an object not altogether unworthy of your patronage.

I have the honour to be, with great respect and esteem, your obedient servant,

TO JAMES ABERCROMBIE, Esq.

In Craven street, London.

RICHARD HENRY LEE.

WESTMORELAND, VA.

AUGUST, 27, 1762.

DEAR SIR-I wrote to you a few days ago, that the council of this colony, had unanimously addressed his majesty to remove from their board Mr., the last appointed counsellor, on account of his incapacity. If this address succeed, I entreat the favour of you, to exert your friendship that I might be appointed in Mr.

་

's place. If an ardent desire to serve my country, added to considerable time and application, already employed in the service of the public, are to be considered in this appointment, you may safely declare yourself my friend. I shall say nothing of the abilities of the gentleman, who, I understand, has a probability of filling the next vacancy, from the chance he stood last; because, as you know him, this would be unnecessary; and because I think it not proper, to establish my success, by making invidious observations on another. But in his favour, it is urged, that his contiguity to the seat of government, renders his appointment proper, as on government contingencies, his attendance in council could be presently obtained. If this argument, independent of any auxiliary one, was to be admitted, might not a cobbler in the city dispute the point with him? Less weight will be found in this reason, when you consider that those who compose our council, meet four times a year of course, to constitute the general and oyer courts; when they sit, on the whole, more than two months, besides the frequent meetings of the general assembly. At these times it is, that council business is chiefly discussed. If, in the intermediate time, any contingency render a council necessary, there are always six or seven of the board, whose situation admits of a very speedy meeting. But in a variety of instances, it may happen, that a dispersion of the councillors through the several parts of the colony, will be attended with advantageous consequences, by their having a more minute