ance against it. The board of
trade decided the case in Dinwiddie's favor. We may see in this affair
the germ of that mutual jealousy which afterwards grew up between him
and some of the leading characters in Virginia.

In the year 1743 died Edward Barradall, Esq., an eminent lawyer; he held
the office of attorney-general, judge of the admiralty court, and other
high posts. He married Sarah, daughter of the Honorable William
Fitzhugh. He was buried in the churchyard in Williamsburg, where a Latin
epitaph records his worth.

In the same year died the Rev. James Blair, Commissary to the Bishop of
London. Finding his ministry in Scotland obstructed by popular
prejudice, he retired to London, whence he was sent over to Virginia as
a missionary, (1685.) He was minister for Henrico Parish nine years; in
1689 was appointed commissary. From Henrico he removed to Jamestown, in
order to be near the college, which he was raising up. He became (1710)
the minister of Bruton Parish, and resided at Williamsburg. He was a
minister in Virginia for about fifty-eight years, commissary for
fifty-four years, and president of the college fifty years. His sermons,
one hundred and seventeen in number, expository of the Sermon on the
Mount, were published in England, (1722,) and passed through two
editions. They are highly commended by Dr. Waterland and Dr. Doddridge.
Dr. Blair appears to have been a plain-spoken preacher, who had the
courage to speak the truth to an aristocratic congregation. Alluding in
one of these sermons to the custom of swearing, he says: "I know of no
vice that brings more scandal to our Church of England. The church may
be in danger from many enemies, but perhaps she is not so much in danger
from any as from the great number of profane persons that pretend to be
of her, enough to make all serious people afraid of our society, and to
bring down the judgments of God upon us: 'by reason of swearing the land
mourneth.' But be not deceived: our church has no principles that lead
to swearing more than the Dissenters; but whatever church is uppermost,
there are always a great many who, having no religion at all, crowd into
it, and bring it into disgrace and disreputation." Commissary Blair left
his library and five hundred pounds to the college of which he was the
founder, and ten thousand pounds to his nephew, John Blair, and his
children.[435:A] Commissary Blair was alike eminent for energy,
learning, talents, piety, and a