[Footnote 1: See Col. Benton's description of Virginia, done into
verse, beginning thus:
"As Benton jogg'd along the road,
'Twas in the Old Dominion,
His thoughts were _bent-on_ finding food,
For preconceiv'd opinion," &c.]
[Footnote 2: "The fox peeped out of the window, and the rank grass
waved around his head. Desolate is the dwelling of Moina--Silence is in
the house of her fathers."--_Ossian_.]
[Footnote 3:
Man's strength is gone, his courage--zooks!
And liberty's fine motions, &c.--_Benton_.]
[Footnote 4: And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan.]
[Footnote 5: And they came unto the brook of Eshcol and cut down from
thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between
two upon a staff, ... and they told him, and said we came unto the land
whither thou sentest us and surely it floweth with milk and honey, and
this is the fruit of it.]
[Footnote 6:
In old Virginia stint of food
Diseases have engender'd--
The mind is gone--to want of blood
Good morals have surrender'd.
Houses are fallen--fences down--
And men are now much scarcer--
Wild beasts in multitudes are known,
That every day get fiercer.
Flee gravel--grit--and heartless clay--
Nor corn nor oats will grow there--
To westward hie--away--away!
No heartless Clay you'll know there.--_Benton_.]
[Footnote 7: The yellow iachimo.--_Shakspeare_. [Cymbeline.]]
For the Southern Literary Messenger.