Old Virginia and her neighbours

WILLIAM AND MARY. 117which shows the frankly materialistic view at thattime entertained by the British official mind regardingEngland's colonies. When Blair urgedthat a college was needed for training up clergymen,Seymour thought it was no time to be sendingmoney to America for such purposes ; everypenny was wanted in Europe for carrying on thenecessary and righteous war against Louis XIV.Blair could not deny that it was an eminentlyrighteous war, but he was not thus to be turnedfrom his purpose. "You must not forget," saidhe, " that people in Virginia have souls to save,as well as people in England." " Souls "! cried"Seymour, " damn your souls ! Grow tobacco !In spite of this discouraging view of the case, thegood doctor persevered until he obtained fromWilliam and Mary the charter that founded thecollege ever since known by their names.The college was established in 1693, with Blairfor its president.^ Governor Nicholson, with seventeenother persons appointed by the assembly,formed the board of trustees. From the outsetNicholson was warmly in sympathy with the enterprise,but now this friend was called away for atime. In the anti-Catholic fervour which attendedthe accession of King William and Queen Mary,the palatinate government in Maryland had beenoverturned, and the new royal governor, Sir LionelCopley, died in 1693. Nicholson was then promotedfrom deputy-governor of Virginia to be governorof Maryland. About the same time Lord^ Dr. Blair held the presidency for fifty years, until his deathin 1743.