er;

the same time, the eyes of the needy and aspiring adventurers of the old world. Not only was it said to offer subsistence to the unemployed labourbut a sum of money, which would be scarcely sufficient to stock an Engglish farm, might there purchase an estate equal to those possessed by some of the greatest nobles of Europe. Mr Birkbeck was the first whose publication filled the nation with golden hopes; but as party enters into every thing in this political country, so in proportion as the friends of liberty and the admirers of America extolled his reports, others represented them as originating in restless discontent and visionary expectations. Amid these doubts, a body of British citizens, severely straitened by the pressure of the times, and who felt a longing after these immense estates, to be obtained almost without purchase, formed the resolution of deputing one of their number to survey these vast western meadows, and report as to the expediency of a colony being transported thither. Mr Henry Bradshaw Fearon undertook this mission, and, on his return, communicated a narrative in some respects controverting that of Mr Birkbeck, and which has generally been received as a very fair and candid statement. Messrs Bradbury, Palmer, and Hall, produced also very interesting accounts of the observations made by them, so that, on the whole, the materials afforded for judging upon the subject, might now be considered as tolerably ample.

at 120,000, Mr Hall at only 100,000; both agree that building is going on very rapidly; and Mr Hall understood that 2000 houses were contracted for at the time he was there. Mr Fearon gives the following view of the prospects in respect of business: "The capitalist may manage to obtain 7 per cent with good security. The lawyer and the doctor will not succeed. An orthodox minister would do so. By the way, the worn-out, exposed impostor Frey, who said he was converted from Judaism to Christianity, has been attracting large audiences in New York. The proficient in the fine arts will find little encouragement. The literary man must starve. The tutors' posts are pre-occupied. The shopkeeper may do as well, but not better than in London-unless he be a man of superior talent and large capital: for such requisites, I think, there is a fine opening. The farmer (Mr Cobbett says) must labour hard, and be but scantily remunerated. The clerk and shopman will get but little more than their board and lodging. Mechanics, whose trades are of the first necessity, will do well: those not such, or who understand only the cotton, linen, woollen, glass, earthenware, silk and stocking manufactories, cannot obtain employment. The labouring man will do well; particularly if he have a wife and children, who are capable of contributing, not merely to the consuming, but to the earning also of the common stock." Here we may form a judgment of the greatest height to which literature has been carried on this side of the Atlantic. "Booksellers' shops are extensive. Old works are scarce. Standard works are not so by these I mean such as Shakspeare, Milton, Blair, and Johnson. Theological works (those only which are orthodox) are common, and I should suppose much in request. Hartley, Priestley, and the religious

In presenting a general summary of the information thus obtained, we shall begin with the old or Eastern States. New York is beyond doubt the first commercial city in America; it is also considered as that in which society is carried to the greatest perfection, and indeed the virtual capital, though Washington is the seat of government. Mr Fearon states its population

bling a lady in the house, and but few females." House-rent seems high, and provisions only a little cheaper than in England. Although slavery does not exist to nearly the same extent as in the southern states, yet negroes are publicly bought and sold, and coloured men are viewed with the most scandalous prejudice. Mr F. says, " Soon after landing I called at a hair-dresser's in Broadway, nearly opposite the cityhall: the man in the shop was a negro. He had nearly finished with me when a black man, very respectably dressed, came into the shop and sat down. The barber inquired if he wanted the proprietor, or his boss, as he termed him, who was also a black: the answer was in the negative; but that he wished to have his hair cut. My man turned upon his heel, and with the greatest contempt, muttered in a tone of proud importance, We do not cut coloured men here, sir.' The poor fellow walked out without replying, exhibit ing in his countenance confusion, humiliation, and mortification." On inquiring the reason, the barber gave information as follows: "I reckon you do not know that my boss would not have a single ugly or clever gentleman come to his store, if he cut coloured men; now my boss, I guess, ordered me to turn out every coloured man from the store right away, and if I did not he would send me off slick; for the slimmest gentleman in York would not come to his store if coloured men were let in; but you know all that, sir, I guess, without my telling you; you are an elegant gentleman too, sir.' At the dinner table I commenced a relation of this occurrence to three American gentlemen, one of whom was a doctor, the others were in the law: they were men of education and of liberal opinions. When I arrived at the point of the black being turned out, they exclaimed, Ay, right, per

VOL. XI. PART I.

fectly right, I would never go to a barber's where a coloured man was cut.'

Mr Fearon made an excursion to Long Island, with the view of visiting Mr Cobbett: "My feelings, in walking along the path which led to the residence of this celebrated man, are difficult to describe. The idea of a person self-banished, leading an isolated life in a foreign land-a path rarely trod, fences in ruins, the gate broken, a house mouldering to decay, added to much awkwardness of feeling on my part, calling upon an entire stranger, produced in my mind feelings of thoughtfulness and melancholy." He was well received, and gives the following result of his visit: "Mr C. thinks meanly of the American people, but spoke highly of the economy of their government. He does not advise persons in respectable circumstances to emigrate, even in the present state of England. In his opinion, a family who can but barely live upon their property, will more consult their happiness by not removing to the United States. He almost laughs at Mr Birkbeck's settling in the Western country. This being the first time I had seen this well-known character, I viewed him with no ordinary degree of interest. A print by Bartolozi, executed in 1801, conveys a correct outline of his person. His eyes are small, and pleasingly good-natured. To the French gentleman he was attentive; with his sons familiar; to his servants easy; but to all, in his tone and manner, resolute and determined. He feels no hesitation in praising himself, and evidently believes that he is eventually destined to be the Atlas of the British nation. His faculty of relating anecdotes is amusing.-Instances when we meet.

"My impressions of Mr Cobbett are, that those who know him would like

T

him, if they can be content to submit unconditionally to his dictation. · Obey me, and I will treat you kindly; if you do not, I will trample on you,' seemed visible in every word and feature. He appears to feel, in its fullest force, the sentiment,

I have no brother, am like no brother, I am myself alone.""

Boston has a population of 40,000, but is not increasing, as it wants a fertile country behind. It is the head. quarters of federalism in politics, and unitarianism in religion. There are greater distinctions of rank here than in the other cities, and society, on the whole, is more polished than in New York. Attendance on public worship is regular, and great outward decorum of behaviour is observed, though the state of morals has been said not materially to differ from that in other large towns.

Philadelphia, the rival of New York, contains also about 120,000 inhabitants; but house-rents are about 25 per cent lower. Mr F. says, "My first impressions of this city were decidly favourable: it gave me ideas of a substantial cast. In the possession of a character essentially different from New York-it has not so much business, not so much gaiety, not so much life; but there is in Philadelphia a freedom from mere display, a relief from gaudy trappings, an evidence of solidity, of which its more commercial rival is nearly destitute. The streets are clean, well and regularly built. First-rate private houses are numerous, as are also public buildings; but their architecture is not of the highest order. The foot-paths are impeded by an injudicious mode of constructing cellars, by which they project into the street; and also by a very slovenly practice of the storekeepers, which is common in America, namely, placing quantities of loose

goods outside of their doors." His observations on the society, however, are not favourable. "I perceived here what-unpleasant as may be the discovery, I think I have observed elsewhere, and worse still, what I fear pervades this new world, an affectation of splendour, or what may be called style, in those things which are intended to meet the public eye; with a lamentable want even of cleanliness in such matters as are removed from that ordeal. To this may be added, an appearance of uncomfortable extravagance, and an ignorance of that kind of order and neatness which constitute, in the sight of those who have once enjoyed it, the principal charm of domestic life. I should rejoice to find myself in an error in this judg ment; but all I have seen myself, and all I have collected from the observation of others most competent to form a correct opinion, tend to its confirmation.

"Last evening I drank tea at a genteel private house. The furniture was splendid, the table profusely supplied, being loaded with fish, dried beef and sausages; the bread and butter was roughly cut in huge hunks piled zig-zag. The children's faces were dirty, their hair uncombed, their dispositions evidently untaught, and all the members of the family, from the boy of six years of age, up to the owner (I was going to say master) of the house, appeared independent of each other. I have seen the same characteristics in other families-in some indeed decidedly the contrary; but these latter would seem to be the exceptions, and the former the general rule." Philadelphia, during Mr Fearon's stay, was violently agitated by the election of a governor, which is made by the general suffrage of the people. The following is a specimen of the compliments which pass between the parties on such an occasion:

“WILLIAM FINDLAY-1. A selfish politician, who never served his country, and always on the look-out for office. 2. An apostate federalist and time server. 3. A constant office hunter. 4. A treasury broker and public defaulter, who exchanged and used public money for his own benefit. 5. One who holds morality in contempt, and maintains and practises the maxim, that the end justifies the means. 6. One who has resorted to the basest falsehoods to support himself. 7. One who intrigued and bargained for the office, and openly electioneered for himself. 8. A state inquisitor, who would gag, if not immolate every man, not of his own sect. 9. A man who has blended the public money with his own, and is yet to account for misdemeanor in office. 10. A barbarian, who holds that the study of the law disqualifies a man from being a judge."" Take notice who are the friends of WILLIAM FINDLAY,-1. Traitors and apostates. 2. Inveterate aristocrats. 3. Office holders and office hunters. 4. Cormorants for the loaves and fishes, and friends only to themselves. 5. Fugitives from British gaols and justice."-There is a great deal of drink ing and betting at these elections, but not any riot or serious commotion. The wages of a common labourer are 4s. 6d. to 5s. 7 d. per day, those of skilled trades proportionally higher. The academy of fine arts, and the penitentiary are praised. The prejudice against people of colour appears as strong as at New York. "There exists a penal law, deeply written in the minds of the whole white population, which subjects their coloured fellowcitizens to unconditional contumely and never-ceasing insult. No respectability, however unquestionable, no property, however large, no character, however unblemished, will gain a man, whose body is (in American estimation) cursed with even a twen◄

tieth portion of the blood of his African ancestry, admission into society!" As to general manners, Mr F. says, "To classify the population of this city I should only have to repeat what I have communicated concerning other parts of the union. There is, of course, here no rank of society correspondent to the peerage, or the 'hautton,' in England; but there are many who keep carriages, have truly elegant houses, and superb furniture. These are called of the "first class;" and although they have not the pomp or the titles, they have the pride of an aristocracy. The small and middling tradesmen do not make much exertion, live easily, save no money, and appear to care nothing about either the present or future. If they find business getting bad, they do, what is called, sell out,' and pack up for the

back country. The labourer and mechanic are independent, not in purse, but in condition. Neither they nor their masters conceive that any obligation is conferred by employing them. They live well, and may always have a dollar in their pockets. Men are here independent of each other: this will shew itself even in half an hour's walk through the streets of Philadelphia."

Mr Palmer gives the following view of the rural economy in the neighbourhood of this city: "The farm-houses are almost all of stone, and very substantial, with good barns and barracks to preserve their grain; the barracks have a moveable roof, supported on posts, in which holes are bored and the roof raised and lowered at pleasure. We called at several houses; every thing, though homely, indicated ease and plenty. The chairs and tables were plainly made, the windows, which are numerous, all sashes (I never saw a casement in the United States) the best room displayed a list carpet of home manufacture, (very few have fi