m of sufficient acreage to raise tobacco as well
as food-stuff and cattle; and throughout the whole colonial period the
genius of Virginian life opposed the development of towns of greater
population than was required for a shipping point and a warehouse, for
the storing and grading of tobacco, and for a few agents of English and
Scottish merchants.

CHAPTER FOUR

Building a Christian Community

John Hammond, in his pamphlet _Leah and Rachel_ sketched briefly
conditions which existed in Virginia between the "starving time" of
1609-10 and the year 1656. His attempt was to correct an opinion widely
held in England of the lawlessness of colonial life. He interpreted the
great massacre of 1622 as the end of one phase and the beginning of
another. He showed that in each phase there was an inevitable period of
laxity of life and disregard of moral and legal conventions which was
overcome finally by the better element of citizenry. His writing
presents a dark picture of conditions, possibly too dark in some
phases; but his picture of the power of the growing colony to establish
and maintain general concepts of decency of life and conduct is
impressive.

Of the period following the great massacre he wrote:

Receiving a supply of men, ammunition and victuals out of
England, they again gathered heart, pursued their enemies,
and so often worsted them, that the Indians were glad to sue
for peace, and they, (desirous of a cessation) consented to
it.

They again began to bud forth, to spread further, to gather
wealth, which they rather profusely spent (as gotten with
ease) than providently husbanded, or aimed at any public
good; or to make a country for posterity; but from hand to
mouth, and for a present being; neglecting discoveries,
planting orchards, providing for the winter preservation of
their stocks, or thinking of anything stable or firm; and
whilst tobacco, the only commodity they had to subsist on,
bore a price, they wholly and eagerly followed that,
neglecting their very planting of corn, and much relyed on
England for the chiefest part of their provisions; so that
being not alwayes amply supplied, they were often in such
want, that their case and condition being relayted in
England, it hindred and kept off many from going thither,
who rather cast their eyes on the barren and freezing soyle
of New-Eng