The old residence of the Governors of Virginia might usually have boasted that, if it had in itself no claims to distinction, its occupants had many.

Two articles of furniture of the colonial times are extant in the Capitol, namely: the Speaker's chair of the House of Burgesses, originally decorated with the royal arms; this was removed from Williamsburg, and is now, though shorn of its regal emblems, occupied by the Speaker of the House of Delegates :—and secondly, the tall stove which warmed those colonial and independent halls, in succession, for about sixty years, and for the last twenty-five has served to warm the central hall, in which stands Houdon's statue of Washington. This stove, a work of note, bears the old Virginia colonial arms and other embellishments in relief, and they remain perfect, being as indestructible as the structure they decorate, for the stove is truly a structure of three stories.

The founder of it, Buzaglo, was proud of his work, and when it was shipped from London, he thus writes to "My Lord," (Botetourt,) dated August 15th, 1770: "The elegance of workmanship does honour to Great Britain. It excels in grandeur anything ever seen of the kind, and is a master-piece not to be equalled in all Europe. It

duce them. It is impracticable for a fashionable hoop, without considerable coaxing, to pass between the barriers which are placed to obstruct the entrance of the cows. 1856.

has met with general applause, and could not be sufficiently admired"!!! The reader is advised to draw a long breath, and pause awhile, till his admiration subsides.

This "warming machine," as Buzaglo called it, this master-piece of art and science, doomed to carry his name to posterity, was presented to the House of Burgesses by the Duke of Beaufort. It has survived three British monarchs, and been cotemporaneous with three kingly monarchies, two republics and two imperial governments in France-but of only one constellation of republics in the United States,-I hope and trust "one and indivisible, now and forever !”

The grounds of the Capitol Square were originally laid out by Mons. Godefroï, a French gentleman of skill and taste, according to the formal style, where

"Grove nods at grove, each alley has its brother,
And half the terrace just reflects the other."

He certainly reduced chaos to order, and made the grounds very handsome, and wonderfully uniform, considering their original irregularity. But now "half the terrace" does not "reflect the other ;" The west side has been modernized according to an irregular plan, adapted to it by Mr. Notman, of Philadelphia. Some dozen flights of stone steps are dispensed with; the straight lines of trees are

being gradually thrown into disorder. But the east side, like a prim old maid, retains its formality for the present, and serves to show the contrast between the formal and the picturesque styles.* But the great and striking embellishment of the square will be the Washington Monument,† now ready for the erection of the statuary on their pedestals.

The succeeding generation will have no idea of the original surface of Richmond, from that which will be presented to their view. Besides the changes noted elsewhere, there existed a few years ago a complete barrier to the progress of man and horse, north of Leigh street from Fourth to Fourteenth, by the intervention of a deep ravine, which has now (1860) been filled up on Fourth and Fifth, and is being filled on the higher numbers. Another ravine cut off the communication between Clay and Leigh streets from Sixth to Fourteenth or further. The intercourse is now opened on Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth, and a stack or chimney (for water, not fire), about 100 feet high, is now being erected on Tenth, down which the water will flow from Clay and from Leigh streets, when the chasm between them shall

* The east side has also been changed and beautified.

The incomparable equestrian statue of Washington, by Crawford, was erected and inaugurated February 22d, 1858.

be filled. Marshall street, a few years ago, was closed at Twelfth by a profound ravine, which is now overcome as far as College street-but the heaviest work yet executed, has been the present easy connection of Shockoe hill with Church hill along the line of Broad street, which seemed almost impracticable. The extension of Franklin street from Fourteenth to Seventeenth along precipices and deep gullies is another strong case. It would be wearisome, if not so already, to describe the changes south of Broad street. In a word, the city was all hills, valleys and deep ravines, and had a most forbidding aspect. This page is written for readers in Richmond in 1900.

In the days of my boyhood springs of cool water flowed from various spots at the base of Shockoe hill, along its whole extent from Fifth to Fourteenth streets, and the number of them was considerable, as was their utility. It is but a few years ago that one which discharged itself on Thirteenth street, below the Governor's house, was condemned to flow under the pavement into the culvert; one of the two in the Capitol Square is permitted to discharge its waters near the Court house, far from the spot where they formerly rose. Its brother on the west side of the Capitol was condemned a few years ago and buried alive. On almost every square (west of the Capitol) that sloped to the foot of the hill there was a spring

Hay's, Blair's, Dobie's, Graham's and Hay's again. They all continue to flow in obscurity, no doubt, but the kindness of Nature in bestowing them on thirsty man and beast, and on the arid earth, is no longer estimated-like benefactors whose gifts are forgotten, when no longer enjoyed.

BLACK COCKADES AND TRI-COLORED.

I have a faint recollection of seeing cockades mounted in the hats of many gentlemen, toward the close of Washington's administration.

A black rosette denoted the attachment of the wearer to the policy of Washington; that of strict neutrality toward England and France, when the latter violated our nationality by fitting out privateers from our ports and sending prizes into them; and when the former had very unwisely espoused the cause of her old enemies, the dethroned Bourbons.

The partisans of France decorated their hats with the tri-color (as if they had no nationality of their own), sung Ca Ira and Carmagnole, and accused their opponents of being monarchists or aristocrats, because they did not rejoice with them and make bonfires, when Louis and Maria Antoinette were guillotined, and because they supported Washington when he no longer recognized the French minister and consuls, who had violated our laws; as another minister and other consuls of another power have done more recently.