The law of primogeniture having ceased to exist, estates became subject to division and subdivision, until the growing families of the original proprietors found themselves unable to continue planters with any prospect of advantage. In such cases the property was sold, and the proceeds divided according to law, or in conformity to the will of the testator, and so passed into strange hands; whilst with straitened means the members of the family of the once wealthy planter removed to some city, and here clung to their original habits and prejudices; nor, except in a few instances, ever turned their thoughts to trade, at once the source and secret of their changed condition; and into the hands of whose active agents, in fact, had passed the home and the inheritance of their fathers.
Comparatively few of the old families now remain who are wealthy; but happily these have mostly become aware of the effects certain to follow the existing state of society and laws, as well as of the necessity of providing their children with the means of warding off their worst consequences. Now, therefore, the sons of the best men of the South are wisely placed in counting-houses in the great trading cities; or, however good their prospects may be, are bred up to some useful calling, which in this country will, if pursued with industry, ensure decent competence if not always wealth.
The condition of numbers of men, among those of the South who have never been trained to this laudable course, is at this day one that excites great commiseration. How many fine intelligent-looking young fellows may be observed lounging about in the most hopeless idleness, easily to be distinguished for the sons of gentlemen, wearing in a half slovenly way, but with a flashy air, expensive clothes and ill-assorted articles of finery, without possessing either means or energy to cultivate those manly dissipations which in some sort redeem the idleness of our European youth, and at certain seasons withdraw them from mere pursuits of sensuality; making that at least graceful, if not useful to the community, which here becomes truly hideous, as the reckless air and wasted features of most of these unfortunate hereditary idlers sufficiently attest.
I do not anywhere know a class more to be pitied in a country, wherein the idle man finds neither sympathies, pursuits, nor associates, from which he can derive emulation, improvement, or even amusement worthy a rational being; it is, let me add, an exceedingly small class, and of necessity must, I conceive, decrease rapidly; at present its members ought to be regarded by parents as moral landmarks, living to warn the wise and worthy from that course on which their hopes have foundered.
The young ladies appear possessed of the same naïve, simple, yet perfectly easy manners which characterise their countrywomen of the North, where indeed they are principally educated and instructed in all those graceful accomplishments which embellish and refine our life. It appears upon a first view strange that, superior as they are, they do not exercise a greater influence over the youth of the other sex; but this may be ascribed to the fact, that they are brought out before either their judgment or knowledge of the world are sufficiently matured to make them aware of the existence of certain abuses, or of their own power of reforming them. Then again, marrying very young, they commonly quit society, in a great measure, at the moment the influence of their example might be of the greatest service to it.
A TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
Nov. 30th.—Just entered my room, after having been for the last hour engaged waiting for, and watching the progress of, one of those startling phenomena which in the earlier ages were wont to be hailed as especial manifestations of the Creator's anger,—whose influence has been known to stay the onset of engaging hosts, making men deaf to the sound of the trumpet, and dead to the yet more stirring influence of their own furious passions, when standing armed before the array of their enemies,—which have been known to scare the robber from his spoil, and join in renewed amity the hands of long hating brothers.
And even at this day, when natural causes have been assigned for the appearance of this wonder, and science has learned to anticipate the minute and the effect of its coming, still, what power does it exercise over the imagination of the mass! Few minds can watch the progress of such an event, natural though it be, untouched by awe, unelevated to that Being who is the cause of all; the hearts of the simple and the profound, of the sinner and of the saint, alike own the influence of the hour, and render up nature's involuntary homage to nature's God.