The Origins of a Free Press in Prerevolutionary ... - Web Publishing

A Way to some yet undiscover’d Place ;
And barb’rous savage Nations to subdue,
Which neither antient Greece or Rome e’re knew ;
Or else Virginia’s Borders to secure
And fix the Bound of his deputed Power … 19
This verse was part of an early literary culture seen especially in Virginia, centered
on both the College of William and Mary and the planter elite. 20 It certainly
demonstrated extreme deference for the royal governor, giving high praise to him
and his exploration. Essays by “The Monitor” appear in the early issues of the
Williamsburg paper, seeming to perform a watchdog function on both Virginia and
London society. The dramatic style of this author, his witty critiques of fashion and
commentary have been mistaken for a reprint of an unknown English writer, but
careful examination reveals local references. 21
Essay nine by “The Monitor” dealt with decorum, virtuous behavior, envy,
and was a lesson in social deference, “The generous Part of Mankind, are free from
Vehemence and Contention; their Behaviour modest and chaste, their Discourse
easy and pleasant, void of Slander or Detraction …” 22 The Monitor’s specialty was
social commentary, and the extant essays do not venture deeply into politics. This
development of a literary culture in the Chesapeake colonies has not been widely
recognized and is an extremely important observation regarding the development of
19 [Arthur] Blackamore, “Expeditio Ultramontana,” trans. George Seagood, Maryland
Gazette (Annapolis: Parks, June 24, 1729), 1-2. The College of William & Mary was required to
write and deliver to the Virginia governor two new verses in Latin each year in lieu of rent. The
newspaper ran an English translation of the Latin original of the poem, written ten years before
this publication, which is not extant.
20 Brown, Knowledge is Power, 62, suggests that the newspapers supplied a needed outlet for
the literary efforts of the Tidewater elite.
21 Cook, Literary Influences, 179-185. For example, in “The Monitor [pseudo.], No. 17,”
Virginia Gazette (Parks, Dec. 31, 1736), 1, he refers to returning to “this colony,” and later refers
to the York River. Cook evaluated the literary content of the Virginia newspaper to be superior to
anything else in the colonies, and perhaps comparable to London’s literature.
22 Virginia Gazette (Oct. 1, 1736), 1.
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