The following pages contain a fragment of the Journal of a young lady of Virginia of the last century.

It seems to have been written by her while on a visit to her relatives, the Lees, Washingtons, and other families of Lower Virginia, mentioned in her Journal.

The friend for whom it was intended was Miss Polly Brent, also of Virginia.

The manuscript was found torn, and discolored by age, in an old desk at the country place in Maryland, to which Polly Brent carried it, upon her marriage into one of the old families of that State.

The Lees, of whom so much mention is made in the Journal—"Nancy," "Molly," "Hannah," and "Harriet"—were the daughters of Richard Henry Lee, of Chantilly. Molly married W. A. Washington, and Hannah was—at the time of the Journal—the wife of Corbin Washington. Their grandson, John A. Washington, was the last occupant of Mount Vernon.

Harriet married the son of Mrs. Turberville, the "old lady" spoken of in the manuscript.

Ludwell Lee, a son of Richard Henry Lee, married the "Flora" of this chronicle. She was a daughter of Philip Ludwell Lee, of Stratford, and sister of Matilda Lee, the first wife of "Colonel Henry Lee;" whose little boy is mentioned as so "fine" a "child." Colonel Henry Lee was none other than "Light-horse Harry;" the "little boy," his eldest son Henry, half-brother to General Robert E. Lee.

It is believed the publication of this Journal will be well received, at a period when everything relating to the family of General Lee is of peculiar interest. It presents, also, a curious picture of the life and manners of that day.

There will be found in it many errors, and some antiquities of orthography, which it has not been deemed advisable to correct. It is believed that the Journal will be more entertaining in its original state than it would be with the aid of any amendments that we might make. It is certainly the work of a very clever girl, and possesses all that freedom of style and charming simplicity which is so pleasing and so rare.

Had the writer anticipated any criticism more searching than that of her amiable Polly, her style and orthography would doubtless have been more correct, and her Journal quite as commonplace as most of those that find their way into print.

The proceeds of the sale of this little volume will be devoted to the "Lee Memorial Association of Richmond," which must further commend it to the favor of the public.

January, 1871.