YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Presented by the Author

A JOURNEY

NORTH AMERICA,

DESCRIBED

IN FAMILIAR LETTERS

AMELIA OPIE.

BY
JOSEPH JOHN GURNEY.

' He is a freeman whom the truth makes free,
And all are slaves beside." COWPEB.

#0t ta 60 3&eprmte&
IN PART OR WHOLE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR^ PERMISSION.

NORWICH :
PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION,
BY JOSIAH FLETCHER.
1841.

JOURNEY IN NORTH AMERICA.

LETTER I.

Earlham, 1st month, \&th, 1841.
My dear Friend,,
I am glad that I at length find myself at
leisure to record some recollections of my late long
and interesting visit to America. I propose to do so
in the form of letters, and I avail myself of our old
and intimate friendship, in freely addressing these let
ters to thyself. Thou art aware that my journey was
undertaken under the apprehension of religious duty.
I left my own country and family, traversed the At
lantic, and continued nearly three years on the other
side of it, partly in order to visit many of the meet
ings of the society of Friends in America, and partly
for the purpose of preaching the gospel of Christ, so
far as ability might be afforded me, to persons of
every name and class. In the pursuit of these duties,
I travelled through most of the states of the North
American Union, as well as in Upper and Lower
Canada. It is very far from being my intention, on the pre
sent occasion, to enter into any detail of my religious
B

2 VOYAGE ACROSS
engagements. I shall, of necessity, make some refer
ence to them from time to time; but I now wish to
note down the more common incidents of my travel —
the objects, natural, civil, and moral, which attracted
my attention by the way — and to communicate to thee,
some of the general impressions which have been
made on my mind respecting North America and her
inhabitants. I am very much of the opinion, that
partly from political prejudices, and partly from the
discoloured accounts of America, which have been pub
lished by some of our English travellers, false notions
on the subject prevail to a considerable extent in this
country. While I desire to maintain a strict accuracy and
impartiality, I shall be glad to do my part towards
correcting these misapprehensions. Certainly I am
bound, by strong ties of Christian love and gratitude,
to promote the cordial good-will and affection which
ought to subsist between the people of Great Britain,
and the citizens of the United States.
I believe that the object which I have thus in view
will be best answered, in the first place at least, by a
simple narrative of my journey. Such a narrative I
will now commence without further preface — only
requesting thy patience, if it should appear in any
of its parts irrelevant or tiresome. I am not disposed
to exclude those small incidents which may afford
some degree of entertainment to the young or casual
reader; and I know thou wilt allow me to indulge
occasionally in familiar descriptions of the beauties
and rarities of nature.
Having bade a long farewell to my nearest and

THE ATLANTIC. 3
dearest friends, I sailed from Liverpool in the Phila
delphia packet Monongahela, Capt. Mierkin, on the
8th of the 7th month, (July) 1837. The commence
ment of an extensive pilgrimage by sea and by land,
and one of undefined duration, was to me a new ex
perience ; and, independently of the separation from
my family and friends, was accompanied by more than
usually solemn feelings respecting the uncertainty of
human life. For my own part, I consider that there
are only two grounds for entire rest and confidence,
under these peculiar circumstances. The first is an
honest conviction that the object which we are pur
suing is consistent with our Christian calling and
duty. The second is an unqualified reliance on that
divine and omnipresent Being who conducts and
regulates the stormy elements of nature, and protects
his obedient children from every external danger, so
far as is consistent with their highest good.
We sailed down the Irish Channel with a fair,
though light wind ; and lovely was the view pre
sented to us, as we passed along, of the Welsh moun
tains on one side, and the sugar-loaf hills of the
county of Wicklow on the other. Our first exit
from the narrows of the channel, after passing the
Tuskar light-house, on the coast of Wexford, and
our entrance on the true Atlantic, were marked by a
sense of pleasurable sublimity. Great were the beauty
and glory of the scene, ruffled as the ocean was by a
gentle breeze, and sparkling under the sunshine with
innumerable living diamonds. But if the pleasures
of imagination were set afloat for a season by this
spectacle, they were soon damped by a succession of
B 2

4 VOYAGE ACROSS
head-winds, and by that peculiarly distressing nausea
which was produced in most of our company, myself
amongst others, by the tossing of the vessel. Hap
pily this inconvenience subsided after a short time,
and although our voyage was almost constantly im
peded by calms and light head-winds, it was by no
means unproductive of instruction and enjoyment.
Our company was not numerous ; but amongst them
were three members of our religious society, besides
myself, and we enjoyed many quiet opportunities for
reading and writing, as well as for the regular holding
of our meetings for worship- These were sometimes
attended by most of the ship's company, and were, I
believe, occasions both of comfort and edification.
It was to me an unexpected circumstance that a
large number of whales came at various times within
sight of our vessel ; some of them, which were seen
very near to us, were of the grampus kind, and dis
played a round whitish back, with a dark thorny fin
at top of it ; others, at a greater distance from us,
were the large black whales. These were often ob
served throwing up vast geysers of water, and after
lifting up their enormous tails — which have been
known at times to break through the sides of large
vessels — suddenly dashing into the deep waters. We
once saw one of these creatures pursued by a thresher
— a kind of shark about six feet long. This dread
ful enemy cuts the whale upon its back with a sharp-
edged fin, while its ally, the sword-fish, harpoons
the animal from below. I presume they make a feast
of their vast prey ; and that, in this as in other similar
cases, destruction may be regarded as the law of life.

THE ATLANTIC. 5
When many hundred miles from land, we often
observed a dark winged gull which the sailors call
the shearwater ; and, on one occasion, a very large
bird, described by the captain as a Cape hen, a species
of albatros I believe, was seen hovering over us.
But the birds which most frequently attracted our
attention, were the stormy petrels, called by the
sailors, " mother Cary's chickens." These interesting
little creatures are often seen at a distance from land
of a thousand or fifteen hundred miles, playing with
the waves, and, in calm weather, to all appearance,
walking on the water. The sailors have two notions
respecting them — first, that their coming portends a
storm, and secondly, that they breed at sea ; but I
suppose that both these ideas are without foundation.
Their sprightly motions, dark wTings, and pure white
belts, form together a very agreeable spectacle.1
The banks of Newfoundland are an object of great
interest on the voyage to America. This immense
i To wild discursive nature true,
O'er old Atlantic's breast of blue,
And o'er his crest of foam,
Intent the roving mind to please,
And fitful as the summer breeze,
A wanderer loves to roam.
Her wing is jet, her belt is snow,
She flits above, she darts below
The wave 's her only pillow ;
Rides on the wind her tiny form,
She greets the gale, salutes the storm,
And mocks the dancing billow.
Strange to relate, some sages sing,
She bears her egg beneath her wing, —
No inconvenient station ;
If this be true, her vital breath
She drew at sea, and only death
Shall end her navigation.

O VOYAGE ACROSS
feeding-ground for codfish, is of vast value both to
England and America. We observed a large number
of fishing schooners, and having been ourselves un
successful in the attempt to catch fish, we availed
ourselves of the near neighbourhood of one of these
vessels, and obtained an abundant supply of fresh
cod, for the use of the whole ship's company. These
fish are here finely speckled, and differ in appearance
from the cod on the English coast. The weather
now became extremely foggy, and having made an
unusual northerly course, we were considered to be
in some danger of running on certain rocks near the
coast of Newfoundland, called the Virgins. But a
fair wind (to us a rarity) carried us safely by them,
and we soon found ourselves on the west of the great
bank, about a thousand miles from the Delaware
capes.2 The sun-fish, looking like a very large turtle
2 Oh, pine not for the distant shore,
For He who wings the stormv
And bids the mountain billows roar,
The pilot's part performs.
While He is stationed at the helm,
The wild wind — let it rave !
Nor rock shall smite, nor gulf o'erwhelm,
Whom God delights to save.
Jehovah, may thy light and grace,
For man's salvation given,
Reflected from the Saviour's face,
Beam on our way to heaven.
Just as in yonder farthest west,
The silent sun descending,
Illumes his glorious path of rest,
The sky with ocean blending.
O God, in whom we live and move,
From whom not death can sever,
Raise in our hearts the flame of love,
And let it burn for ever.

THE ATLANTIC. 7
floating on its back, was observed alongside of the
vessel ; also a small species of black whale, not to
mention the schools of porpoises, in vast numbers,
pursuing their course by leaps of wonderful agility,
at a swift pace. The attempts of our sailors to
harpoon these rapid movers, as they passed by us,
were utterly fruitless.
Six weeks had been spent at sea, and we were now
in the neighbourhood of the gulf stream, which sets
out on its travels from the gulf of Mexico, and after
running many hundred miles northward near the
coast of North America (annually unlocking the ice
in its progress) takes an easterly direction. Our
captain assured me one evening, that he would almost
as soon run on a reef of rocks, as involve himself in
this mighty current, after so protracted a voyage.
For not only does it run several knots an hour, in a
wrong direction for the westward voyager, but is
peculiarly liable to dead calms. After such a declar
ation, I was by no means pleased, the next morning,
to find the temperature of my sea bath to be 75°, a
proof that we were already caught by this wonderful
stream of warm water. The predicted calm soon
followed ; we seemed to be hopelessly imprisoned on
the bosom of the ocean ; not a ripple was to be
observed on its glassy surface. This state of things
often continues, in the gulf stream, for many days ;
but our lot was different. After a few hours, a high
wind in our favour suddenly arose ; with extraordi
nary rapidity the sea was tossed into mountains, and
we soon found ourselves within a short distance from
land. Near the coast, the storm had been terrible,

8

VOYAGE ACROSS

but before we could reach the shore, the wind hauled
to the westward, becoming almost equally strong in
this new direction. Happily we had succeeded in
obtaining a skilful Yankee pilot (I use the term, in
its true sense of a New Englander) who by a rapid
succession of skilful tacks, succeeded in bringing us
within the Delaware breakwater, close by Cape Hen-
lopen. There we enjoyed a station of safety, the work
being one of considerable magnitude and strength.
We found Irish labourers upon it, who were earning
a far better subsistence than they could possibly
obtain in their own country. Our detention for a
long day in this artificial harbour, was relieved by
some communication with the neighbouring village
of Lewiston — striking to the eye of an Englishman,
from the appearance of its neatly painted frame-
houses. From this place we were supplied very
acceptably with fruits and vegetables ; and the next
morning, the wind having become fair, we pursued
our voyage up the Delaware bay and river. The
sight of the land on either side was very cheering,
after forty-seven days spent at sea. I was pleased
to observe some finely cultivated country ; and the
Brandywine hills on the southern bank (the field of
one of the battles of the revolutionary war) seemed
clad with beauty. We passed by the neat towns of
Wilmington and Newcastle, and the mouths of the
Christian ia, Brandywine, and Schuylkill rivers, which
all flow into the Delaware ; and having met with a
steamer to assist our course, we at length arrived at
the city of Philadelphia (a hundred miles from the
capes) late in the evening of the 24th of the 8th

THE ATLANTIC.

month (August) — the happy close of no unpleasant
voyage, although of nearly seven weeks' continuance.
Some kind friends were waiting my arrival, and
I was soon conveyed, through streets shaded by trees,
to one of the most hospitable and agreeable abodes
in which it has ever been my lot to dwell. I found
the warmth of the air to be far greater than that of
an English summer evening ; and the ceaseless songs
of the cricket, so entirely new to my ear, gave me
shrill notice that I was now a stranger in a strange
land. I will now conclude my first letter.
I am, &c. &c.

LETTER II.

Earlham, 1st month, 21st, 1841.
My dear Friend3
My stay in Philadelphia, on the present occa
sion, was only of three days, ending with the first of the
week. The number of Friends, in this city, is large,
and there are four distinct meetings. A joint assembly
of them was convened, at my request, that evening,
in the principal meeting-house — about 2000 persons
present. We were led to remember, that the "memory
of the just is blessed ;" and the Christian character
and conduct of William Penn and his associates, by
whom this city was founded, afforded a subject of
grateful commemoration. The great principles of
justice and mercy, which this eminent servant of the
Lord maintained with so much integrity, as governor
of Pennsylvania, and the wisdom with which he
conducted the affairs of the province, afford an im
portant example in history ; and may well animate
those who profess the same religious views, with
hearty desires to walk, as he walked, in the light of
truth — to follow him, as he followed Christ.
Early the next morning, in company with some of
my friends, who were bound on the same mission I
commenced my journey to the state of Ohio, with

JOURNEY TO OHIO. 11
the view of attending the yearly meeting of Friends,
then about to be held in it. Our route lay through
Pittsburg which is distant nearly 400 miles from
Philadelphia. The journey was to me singularly
novel and interesting. We travelled the first hundred
miles by railroad to Harrisburg, a pleasant town,
and the seat of the Pennsylvanian government. The
country through which we passed was well wooded
and fairly cultivated, adorned with neat looking
villages, farm-houses, and barns ; the latter generally
built on a declivity, so that the upper story can be
conveniently entered from the ground. The grain
harvest was quite finished, but the Indian corn was
still growing in large quantities, and of great height.
The appearance of its broad, dark, pendent leaves, and
vast ears, was highly beautiful ; it may be considered
the staple crop of this part of the country. At
Harrisburg, in company with numerous other travel
lers (for the Americans are a moving people,) we
commenced a long voyage by the Pennsylvanian canal
which passes through a delightful country, alongside
of the rivers Susquehannah, Juniata, Conemaugh,
Kiscamenitis, and Alleghany, in succession — the ca
nal, in certain parts of its course, being exchanged
for some one of the rivers themselves. The scenery,
on the banks of these noble streams, is amongst the
finest that I have anywhere seen ; especially, on
those of the Juniata and Conemaugh — lofty and
picturesque hills of various shapes and sizes, covered
with the native forest ; a wild solitude often pre
vailing, and the rocky beds of the rivers, in some
parts, adding to the picturesque beauty of the pros-

12 JOURNEY FROM PHILADELPHIA
pect. I observed the osprey floating over one of these
rivers; and a bald eagle, quietly seated on the top of
an old pine, seemed entirely to disregard us as we
passed by him. I also remarked the bright little
"yellow bird" flitting about in every direction; and
just caught a sight of one of the water-snakes of the
country, of a muddy green colour. There were also
to be seen, as we passed along, a variety of wild plants
which would, in England, be considered fit orna
ments for the garden ; the blue and crimson lobelia,
the latter of splendid beauty; a small Oenothera or
evening primrose, the wild sunflower, the scarlet salvia,
and different kinds of convolvolus, and of calceolaria
or lady's slipper. I am no botanist, and may possibly
be mistaken in some of the names ; but these " smiles
of Providence" (as Wilberforce used to call the flowers)
filled me with no small delight.
But for the morale of our boat — we had a fine
assortment of company, crammed together, and feed
ing heartily at a long table three times a day — every
body easy and good-tempered, as if the degree of
roughness which they undergo had rubbed off all
inconvenient corners. I remember having been much
struck, on the occasion, with the aspect of these
American travellers — their persons generally slim
and active, their countenances thin, eager, and intel
ligent, and marked by a peculiar air of independence.
This independence — this practical oblivion of all dis
tinctions of class — although strange to my former
habits, was far less offensive to me than I expected.
Every body was civil to all around him ; and those
whom we should have regarded as belonging to the

TO OHIO. [13
upper class of society, displayed no want of refine
ment or polish. Amongst them, were the four judges
of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, in which law
and equity are united, and an appellant jurisdiction
exercised over the local and inferior courts. Chief-
Justice Gibson, who is evidently a person of superior
parts and extensive knowledge, informed me that
the English common law is maintained in this state,
with the exception of a few changes introduced by
American statute — a remark which equally applies to
the generality of the states of the Union. I learnt
from him, that small crimes are decreasing, but
that those of a heavier nature had, of late years, in
creased alarmingly. He ascribed this lamentable fact
to the universal determination prevailing among the
people, to do what they please : or, in other words, to
ultra-radicalism. The tendency of democracy, even in
Pennsylvania, to this dangerous condition of society,
has, of late, been lamentably evinced by a change in
the constitution, which renders the judicial office
dependent on the will of dominant parties in the
legislature, instead of being, as it was formerly, an
office for life. I understood that the chief-justice's
salary was only £600 per annum — a sum, in my opi
nion, far too small for the responsibility and dignity
of the station.
Speaking of the late change in the constitution of
Pennsylvania, I am painfully reminded of the insertion
of a single sad word in the present legal description
of the qualification for citizenship. It is the word
white. And what is the lamentable effect of this
mere stroke of a pen ? Nothing less than the exclu-

14 JOURNEY FROM PHILADELPHIA
sion of the whole coloured race, of every grade, from
the privilege of equal rights, on equal terms, with
those among whom they dwell. The infliction of
the unrighteous system of caste, in one reserved case,
on the frame-work of a democratic society, is a
frightful anomaly. Whether it is considered as
matter of law, or of universal habit and practice, it
must be regarded by every fair observer, as the
greatest blot in the escutcheons of the free states of
the American Union.
If persons of all classes on board our boat (white
only of course) were mingled together during the
day, what am I to say of our bundling by night —
judges, merchants, mechanics, ministers of religion,
&c. &c. huddled together, in near contact, and cover
ing both the seats, and the whole floor of our ves
sel ? Very little air was allowed ; and being much
indisposed, I was prevented by my kind companions
from enjoying the delightful breezes on the deck.
Thus a measure of hardship fell to my lot, and it
was not unnatural that I should be thinking of the
comforts of my pleasant and far distant home. But
there is a stimulus in a total change of scene and
circumstance, which carries the traveller over many
difficulties ; and if the mind is at peace, one can be
happy anywhere.
In one part of our journey, between the rivers Ju
niata and Conemaugh, I had for the first time to
cross the Alleghany mountains. For this purpose,
having left our canal boat, in which, by means of locks,
we had already ascended to a considerable height, we
were conveyed, in rail cars, along a series of levels

TO OHIO. 15
and inclined plains, being drawn up the latter by vast
ropes set in motion by steam. This wondrous rail
road is one of the most extraordinary works of man
to be anywhere met with, and does great credit to the
energy of a people so much distinguished for " going
a-head." The novelty of this mode of travelling —
connected as it was with my first introduction to the
wild scenery of the native American forest — for the
forest, chiefly of pines, covers this part of the Al
leghany ridge — was indescribably strange to me. In
our descent from the mountain (which, where we
crossed it, is about 1400 feet above the level of the
sea) we were gradually let down to the little town of
Johnstown ; from which we pursued our canal- boat
voyage as before.
We arrived at Pittsburg at the close of the fourth
day of our journey. The approach to this American
Birmingham, down the Alleghany river, on which we
had now entered from the canal, is uncommonly pic
turesque and striking. The town — black and smoky,
(for bituminous coal, as well as iron, abounds in the
neighbourhood) — is said to contain 21,000 inhabitants,
and is constantly rising in importance from its hard
ware manufactories. The city stands on the fork of
two noble streams, the Alleghany and Monongahela,
which here meet and form the Ohio. This fork is
famous in history for having been the seat of an old
intrenchment of the French and Indians, by whom
General Braddock was defeated. It was the scene of
General Washington's first exploits, when he was a
young officer in the British service. We were unable
to make any stay in the city of Pittsburg ; and were

16 JOURNEY FROM PHILADELPHIA
therefore deprived of the opportunity of inspecting
the Western Penitentiary of the state of Pennsylvania,
which, like its prototype in Philadelphia, is arranged
on the solitary system, and has the character of being
well conducted. Poor specimen had we of the morals
of the West, in the uncounted falsehoods of the ma
nagers of different steam-boats which were waiting
for passengers on the Ohio ; and it was at last, in
despite of our better judgment, that we were carried
on board the S  which was positively to start
for the south that very evening. The promise for
the evening soon merged into one for midnight ; the
machinery was out of order ; we could not start till
it was mended. In fact, we did not begin our voyage
until a late hour the next morning, after undergoing
the mortification of seeing our happier fellow-travel
lers glide away in a far better vessel, long before we
moved. We had not a single hour to spare, and
might be excused for a little impatience.
Our day's voyage down the Ohio was however sin
gularly interesting. The hills on each side of the
river might often be said to rise into mountains, and
were covered with forest from top to bottom ; and
the winding river, interspersed with richly wooded
islands, assumed, during a course of several miles, the
appearance of a lake — one scene of this description
following another in rapid succession as we moved
along. It was then evening, and the mellowed
brightness of the sky was in character decidedly
Italian. To me it was a new world indeed, and, as I walked
the deck, excited a variety of thoughts and medita-

TO OHIO. 17
tions. The name of this river is Indian — a word of
a pleasant sound, and indicating the true character of
the lovely stream — it means Beautiful.
Our vessel, like many others of the kind on these
western waters, was no ark of safety ; frequent little
accidents impeded our progress, one after another,
until about ten o'clock at night, when it was quite
dark, an important part of the machinery suddenly
gave way, and, in spite of our anxious desires to " go
a-head," we came to a dead stop. We were then
about five miles from Wheeling in Virginia, the place
of our destination for the night. The captain, half
penitent for having so grossly deceived us, made the
best amends he could, by offering us his little row
boat. In this we sped our way, not without some
peril, down those vast dark waters, and found our
selves safely lodged in a very comfortless hotel, just
before midnight. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER III.

Earlham, 1st month, 25th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
The town of Wheeling, although infected, like
the rest of Virginia, with the curse of slavery, derives
considerable commercial prosperity from its situation
on the bank of the Ohio. We left the place early on
the morning after our arrival, and having crossed the
ferry into the state of Ohio, pursued our journey in a
light springy coachee or wagon, through wild and
beautiful forest scenery, and by roads dangerously
precipitous and full of holes. I remember being very
troublesome to my companions, from my perpetual
inquiries respecting the various kinds of forest trees,
which were new to me, and which attracted my atten
tion as we passed along. It may not be unsuitable to
take the present opportunity of mentioning some of
these ornaments of American scenery.
The oaks of America are generally distinguished from
those of England, by the larger size, deep indentation,
and bright polish of the leaf; but in consequence of
the near neighbourhood of other trees, they are seldom
seen to spread like the pride of our parks ; they often
rise, however, to what we should call an extraordinary
height. I am told that there are no less than thirty

OHIO. 19
species of oak belonging to the forest of America ;
the principal of them are the white, black, red, and
yellow, named, I believe, from the distinctive appear
ances of their bark. The red oak is the most like
ours. The chesnut, somewhat similar to the Spanish
species, abounds in many parts, and produces in abun
dance a small sweet nut. Equally common is the
hickory — a beautiful tree resembling the English
walnut — the nut very hard, with a palatable kernel.
The black walnut which produces a nut of a larger and
coarser kind, is much valued for articles of furniture;
it spreads handsomely, the leaf somewhat resembling
that of the ash. The buttonwood, a species of syca
more or plane, is found chiefly on the banks of the
streams ; it grows to a prodigious size, and is highly
picturesque. But the chief glory of the woods of
Ohio, as of those of many other districts, is the rock
or sugar maple, often a very lofty tree, brightly green
in the spring and summer, and in the fall of the year
still more brightly scarlet. As we pursue the thread
of our story, we may probably be reminded of many
other species — enough of trees for the present.
The country through which we were passing was
what the Americans call a rolling one ; being com
posed of a succession of hills and dales. When we
had travelled about fifteen miles, just after winding
our way out of a wooded valley, and scaling a well-
cultivated hill, we found ourselves in the midst of an
agreeable group of houses and farms, with a large
barn-like meeting-house, well-built, and commanding
a most agreeable prospect. The village was Mount
Pleasant, and the meeting-house the accustomed place
C 2

20 A JOURNEY
of rendezvous for the yearly meeting of Friends in
Ohio. Vehicles of various shapes and sizes, were standing
about the building — the horses being hitched, or
fastened to branches of trees. It was the meeting
of ministers and elders, which precedes that of the
general body. In consequence of the difficulties of
our journey, we were a full hour beyond the right
time, and a well-known Friend was engaged in fervent
vocal prayer at the moment when we entered. I shall,
I trust, never forget the solemnity of the occasion,
or the kindness with which the brethren and sisters
present welcomed the coming of a stranger from a
distant land. The general yearly meeting which was
large, lasted several days, and was to me a time of
peculiar interest, beginning on the first day of the
week with public meetings for worship, and proceed
ing on the following days with the business of the
church in its usual order. I need not tell thee that
a Friends' yearly meeting is very unlike any other large
deliberative assembly. Without any human president
— the clerk acting only as the organ for recording the
decisions of the meeting — it is our principle on these
occasions, as thou art aware, to wait on Christ himself,
as the ever-present Head of his church ; and in the
consideration of all questions of practical importance,
to seek the gracious guidance of his Spirit. Feebly
as we may act up to this principle, the actual conse
quence, for the most part, is a quietness and order in
the discussion of subjects, which goes far to promote
the predominance of truth ; and is often accompa
nied by a remarkable feeling of unity and solemnity.

IN OHIO. 21
This goodly order is doubtless connected both with
the habits of our education, and with the method of
our discipline ; but the only availing ground of it,
is the dependence of the mind on a divine and omni
present Saviour. When he is denied or disregarded,
the order of the church is deprived of all its security.
This truth was remarkably exemplified in the yearly
meeting of Ohio several vears ago, when a number
of persons who had lapsed from their faith in Christ,
succeeded, by a noisy and violent demeanour, in
throwing an otherwise peaceable assembly, into a
condition of uproar and confusion ; but these persons
have long since been separated from the Society, and
at the period of my visit all was quietness and peace.
In the meetings for worship, which were thronged by
persons of various denominations, the gospel of Christ
was fully preached, many ministers being present,
and appeared to be received with much cordiality. I
was most kindly lodged in a comfortable, though
rather humble dwelling, where I was fed on the fat
of a fruitful land, and enjoyed the society of many
pious though simple people.
The breakfast hour was seven o'clock ; dinner half-
past one ; tea (a fourchette) six in the evening —
several tiers of friends, in this hospitable abode,
sitting down one after another, until all were satis
fied. The simplicity of the mode of living was to
me at once entertaining and agreeable.
After the yearly meeting was concluded, I spent
many days in excursions to various parts of the coun
try, not very distant from Mount Pleasant, holding
public meetings for worship, as I went along, with

22 A JOURNEY
Friends, and their neighbours of every denomination.
It is surprising with how much readiness the popula
tion in these half cultivated districts, may be convened
for this purpose ; and there certainly appeared to me
no indisposition among the people to accept the great
doctrines of the Christian faith. The Methodists
are very numerous and useful, and are spreading in
all directions. In the course of my travels, I often
observed the traces of their camp meetings, which are
held for two or three days continuously, under the
shelter of the woods, and are attended by vast
numbers of persons. It is commonly stated, that a
considerable degree of dissipation has been one con
sequence of these large assemblies, the looser and
wilder part of which cannot be expected to submit
to the control of the ministers ; but there is every
reason to believe, on the other hand, that these meet
ings have been productive of a diffused knowledge
and love of religion ; and I was told, on good au
thority, that they are now much more prudently
regulated than was formerly the case.
The country over which I travelled during these
excursions (chiefly in Jefferson County) is very much
of one character — a beautiful wooded wilderness of
hill and dale, gradually coming under more and more
cultivation— about half of it now cleared from wood,
and very productive of nourishment for man and
beast. The settlers are becoming wealthy, many of
them being already possessed of considerable pro
perty. The average value of land, when I was there,
was from 25 to 40 dollars per acre. Plentiful ness
and ease, on the sole condition of industry, appeared

IN OHIO. 23
to be the universal order of things. At a cottage
one morning, after a neighbouring meeting had been
concluded — such a cottage as an English peasant
might not unsuitably occupy — we were hospitably
received by a small farmer and mechanic. There
was no strong drink on his table, but the abundance
and variety of the articles produced at dinner, all
served up in the most simple manner, really as
tonished me. We had fricasseed chicken, beef cut
lets, fried ham, two kinds of excellent bread, pumpkin
pie, apple and currant jelly, mashed apples, stewed
plums, preserved pears, apple pie, rice pudding, to
matoes, cucumbers, beet, new butter, virgin honey,
milk, tea, and coffee. At the six o'clock evening
meal, at another house, we had sweet potatoes, po-
tatoe pie, fried ham, beet, apple sauce, preserved
peaches and cherries, two kinds of butter, &c. &c.
No servants of course in any such house. All people
do all things for themselves. I heartily wished as I
went along, that I might myself become imbued with
some small measure of this hardy independence. I
saw no appearances of poverty among the people,
much less of pauperism.
It is greatly to be regretted that the black and co
loured people of this state, are far from being on equal
terms, in point of civil right, with the white population ;
and, by some late law, their condition in this respect
has become even worse than before. Repeated appeals
to the Legislature have been made, in their favour,, by
the Society of Friends. In the mean time they have
more appearance of respectability, and even ease here,
than in some others of the free estates of the Union.

24 A JOURNEY
I remember meeting three negroes one day on horse
back. One of them was a farming man who had
realized a little property ; another a minister of the
gospel, on his way to his congregation ; the third a
female, respectably attired, the wife of one of them.
How happy will be the day when such scenes shall
become general on the other side of the river, in
the states of Virginia and Kentucky !
There are few walkers to be found among the
meeting-goers of Ohio. Convenient wagons are
built cheaply ; and excellent horses (here called crea
tures) are obtained at a reasonable price, and kept
on the produce of every man's farm, free from all
burden of taxation. Thus every one rides or drives
— a remark which applies to persons of all religious
denominations. The exception to this picture of
prosperity, is to be found in the unhealthy looks of
many of the women, especially the mothers and
mistresses of families ; who from the utter want of
servants or helpers, are often compelled to undergo
a degree of domestic labour, totally at variance from
the habits of females in our own country. Nor can
it be denied, that the children as well as the mothers,
suffer great loss from this condition of society. Un
controlled by maternal care and tuition, the little ones
who are not ripe for school, are often found running
wild about the premises, and imbibe the spirit of
American independence, long before they are capable
of using it rightly. This observation is not intended
to be confined to Ohio ; much less to the Friends
residing there, whose habits, comparatively, are rather
remarkable for order ; it is in the nature of things, of

IN OHIO. 25
general application to the middle class of society in
the country districts of America, especially those
which are newly settled.
Among the places I visited in Jefferson County,
was Steubenville, a handsome town of 5000 inhabi
tants, finely situated at the foot of a hill on the banks
of the Ohio. It seemed to be a very thriving town,
and I was glad to find in it seven or eight good places
of worship ; I also heard an excellent report of their
being well attended by the population. I often wished
for the company of my worthy friend, Dr. Chalmers,
when I was engaged, in contemplating, from place to
place, what appeared to me to be the favourable
working of the voluntary system, in the adminis
tration of the Christian religion. I well remember
the delight which he expressed, when we were taking
a view together from an eminence, of one of our cities
which lay below us, dotted with steeples. The city
in question, through the pious zeal of olden times,
had been far better supplied with churches, than most
of the large towns in England. But I remember
telling him that his pleasure would probably be decreas
ed, could he but witness the scanty congregations by
which many of them were frequented. In Steubenville,
and amultit ude of similar towns, in the more thriving
parts of the North American Union, it has often been
my lot to observe an equal proportionate number of
well-built meeting-houses (including those of the Epis
copal Church) scattered conveniently over the town,
and attended, as I was often assured, by the bulk of the
people. Although Ohio is a comparatively young state,
1 did not find any town or village in it, on the roads

26 ohio.
by which I travelled, which was destitute of a place
or places of public worship, or of the usual means
of religious instruction. As far as I could perceive,
the physical developement had already been very
fairly overtaken by Christian culture. Meeting
houses, chiefly belonging to the Methodists, Bap
tists, or Presbyterians, are also frequently to be seen
in country places.
The state of Ohio is a noble district, remarkable
for fertility, and watered by large streams — it already
contains upwards of a million of inhabitants ; but so
great are its natural resources, that it may probably
in the end support ten times the number. Law and
liberty seem to be pretty well balanced in it ; and, on
the whole, it is a country in which any man of good
character and conduct, may live with no small degree
of comfort and satisfaction. I reserve a few further
particulars for my next letter I am, &c. &c.

LETTER IV.

Earlham, 2nd month, 1st, 1841.
My dear Friend,
On the 23rd of the 9th Month (Sept.) 1837,
I set out for my journey to Indiana by the National
Western road — a macadamized turnpike, and a perfect
contrast to the rough and almost dangerous ways
by which I had been travelling since I entered the
state at the beginning of the month. I was conveyed
in one of the homely but comfortable wagons of the
country, a light carriage on springs, drawn by two
good horses, and fraught with other conveniences.
It belonged to the kind and intelligent friend who
undertook, from pure love to the cause in which I
vas engaged, to be my driver and companion. I
once idly thought, before I left England, that it would
serve some useful purposes to take a servant with me
to America ; but experience soon undeceived me. My
every want was amply supplied by the kindness of my
friends ; and had I taken any one with me in such a
dependent situation, the probability is, that he would
soon have become an American on his own account,
and have left his master in the lurch.
Our first day's journey on the road in question was
of 40 miles, to a little pseudo-Norwich, /an unin-

28 a. journey
viting village of about 700 inhabitants. I was glad
to observe two meeting-houses in the place, in one of
which we held, during the evening, a satisfactory as
sembly for worship.
A single stage from this village brought us to Zanes-
ville, on the river Muskingum, a neat and prosperous-
looking town, of about 7000 inhabitants. It is connected
by one of those long covered wooden bridges, so corn-
mon in America, with the town of Putnam on the
other side of the river. This latter place is of a very
agreeable aspect,its good frame houses being pleasantly
intermingled with fine trees. At Zanesville we passed
the First day of the week; and the attention and so
lemnity which prevailed in a large public meeting in
the evening, afforded an evidence that its inhabitants,
varied as they are in point of denomination, are no
strangers to the blessings of our common Christianity.
As we had no change of horses, our progress was a
slow one ; but our next day's journey was of 42 miles,
ending at a small place called Reynoldsburg. ^The
following extract from my journal, written that even
ing, may give thee some notion of the country through
which I was passing. " I have been travelling to-day
through a dull country— the hills and dales being
now exchanged for a flat plain, half covered with
woods, and tolerably cultivated. The little new-born
village to which we are come for our night's lodg
ing is surrounded by forest ; but it cannot be called
very desolate, as it contains four Christian congrega
tions, and two very tolerable houses of entertainment.
These houses are of much more frequent occurrence
on this national road, than on many of the high roads

IN OHIO. 29
in England. I am rather disappointed by the absence
of variety in birds and flowers ; the country here has
few ornaments. I have, however, observed several
species of woodpecker — some gaily marked — haunt
ing the forest ; a large plain-looking kingfisher ; and
the "blue bird" of bright plumage, between the size
of a thrush and a sparrow. This last is named from
its colour, and is a fit companion for the " vellow bird"
already described — both being common in almost all
the states. The " red bird" also occasionally occurs,
but not so frequently. The wild flowers of this
season are not very attractive ; they are chiefly of the
class syngenesia — Michaelmas daisies, yellow chrysan
themums, &c. Limestone is the geological charac
teristic of this district. It is supposed to have a
deleterious effect on the water, which is remarkably
irritating to the bowels ; but this inconvenience is
experienced chiefly by strangers. Good coal is also
abundant, and is obtained without difficulty from ho
rizontal shafts on the sides of the hills. In Pennsyl
vania the coal is called anthracite, being destitute of
bitumen, and throwing out a red heat without flame,
but not, as I believe, without some undesirable mix
ture of carbonic acid gas. Here, as at Pittsburg, the
coal is bituminous, and is equal, as far as I know, to
that of Newcastle. This surely is a country of won
derful resources."
From Reynoldsburg we proceeded, before breakfast,
to Columbus, the seat of government — a baby metro
polis bursting into life, and already making some show
of magnificence, though at present with a population
of only a few thousands. The meeting-houses and

30 a journey
some of the private dwellings are large and handsome.
One gentleman has been building an excellent stone
house at the expense of about £6000 sterling—just a
specimen of what American citizens are doing ! There
is a good institution in this young city, for the main
tenance and education of the deaf and dumb ; and a
state lunatic asylum, on a noble plan, for the accom
modation of 700 patients, was in rapid course of erec
tion at the time of our visit. The people at work
there, were inmates of the state prison. They seemed
to be very industrious. We saw them assemble in
excellent order for their dinner, and held a religious
meeting with them after the meal was finished.
The state prison itself is however the most inter
esting object of attention at Columbus. It con
tained, at the time of our visit, 374 convicts, in
cluding those who were at work at the asylum. Of
this number I was glad to find that only 16 were
coloured persons ; and the females who occupied a
separate part of the building, were only four. The
prisoners sleep in separate cells, and each cell is fur
nished with a Bible. During the day they are em
ployed in their respective working rooms, in large
companies, all in silence — as busy a scene as I ever wit-.
nessed — carriage-lace weaving, tailoring, shoemaking,
manufacturing saddle trees, carpentering, working in
iron, and stone cutting — the raw hands stone break
ing. The several divisions of men were employed in
executing the orders of certain joint-stock companies
engaged in their respective trades ; and I was assured
that the payments for the work defrayed the whole
expense of the prison. Whipping is the penalty for

IN OHIO. 31
the breaking of that perfect silence which is here
enjoined ; from the very nature of things, it is to be
feared that great severity is too often practised, and I
remember being much annoyed by observing watch
men on the walls, with rifles in their hands. The
prisoners are fed daily on what appeared to be a suffi
cient quantity of meat and coarse Indian-corn bread.
We saw them assembled at their dinner, and great
was their attention to the words of Christian truth,
which were afterwards preached to them. I was,
however, pained by an appearance of much depres
sion in many of them, and a pallid state of health
seemed to be of common occurrence. After all, to
work hard without wages, and under the terror of the
whip, is a wretched slavery, and ought to be in some
way or other alleviated, even in the case of criminals.
Some of these prisoners were sentenced to terms of
ten or twelve years ; in such persons hope must sink
to almost its lowest ebb ; nor can it be denied that
nature shrinks, from the long continued pressure
either of solitude or silence. Murder of the first
degree is the only crime in Ohio punishable by death.
How strangely different is this state of things from that
in the slave state of South Carolina, where the statute-
book is stained by the enactment of the last sad
penalty of the law for 30 different offences !
I own I was surprised that the convicts in this pri
son, though a very small proportion indeed of the
population of the state, should be as numerous as
they are. In a country where every man may earn
his livelihood without difficulty, why should there be
any crime ? The enigma was solved by an inspection

32 A JOURNEY
of the records of the prison, from which I learnt that
a large number of its inmates had become criminals,
through the medium of intemperance. I was sorry to
hear that some of the Temperance Societies of this
state were on the decline, and that whiskey drinking
is a reviving practice. It would be well were Father
Mathew to make them a visit ; but I do not suppose
that the inhabitants of Ohio are more given to intem
perance than those of many other states of the Union
— certainly not more so than the people of our own
country. I was pleased with visiting the halls of assembly of
the upper and lower house of the Ohio legislature';
they are handsome and convenient rooms. The
senators are 36 in number ; the members of the lower
house 72 ; but this little parliament was not then in
session. The latter are elected annually ; the former,
once in two years. The governor of the state is
allowed, as I understand, a salary equivalent to £#00,J
per annum. Nothing indeed can be more simple than
the frame-work of this and other similar republics in
North America. As far as I could observe, it is a
political constitution which works pretty well. The
dangers attending it appeared to me to arise, first,
from the violent spirit of the two parties to which
the public good is often sacrificed ; and secondly,
from the prevailing tendency in democracy, to descend
into that condition of society in which every man is
his own master even in defiance of the restraints of
law and justice. I did not myself perceive any pecu
liar evidences of this degenerating process, in the
state of Ohio.

IN OHIO. 33
After spending an interesting morning at Columbus,
we took our afternoon stage to Jefferson, still on the
national road, where we held a meeting in a little
chapel belonging to the Methodists, who seem to be
the leading religionists in these small places. At our
pot-house breakfast, early the next morning, our table
was supplied with venison steaks, fried chicken and
ham, molasses, preserved cherries, etc. — one of the
usual indications of the plentifulness of the country.
The deer are abundant in the neighbouring woods,
from which they often emerge, and, as the people say,
" plague the corn." At Jefferson we were compelled
to desert the national road, which was no further in
a finished state ; our route lay over aflat country and
through fine woods- — the road intensely bad and
muddy. It was in this part of my journey that I
caught a glimpse of the natural prairies of America —
rich and beautiful meadows, with which the forest is
here interspersed ; but I am not one of those American
travellers who have enjoyed the privilege of traversing
those more extensive districts of the same description,
in the far west, where fine park scenery, adorned with
a profusion of the gayest flowers, is said to be the
aspect of uncultivated nature.
A wealthy settler named Gwyn, over whose terri
tory we passed, is the owner of a multitude of fine
Durham-like oxen, which we saw grazing about
his wild pastures. Any Norfolk farmer would have
applauded the comeliness of the beeves. As we
drove along, my attention was attracted by the " blue
jay," a bright bird, which is the noisiest inmate
of the woods, and very common. I also observed a

34 A JOURNEY
pretty kind of partridge, gaily marked about the
head. The day's journey which I am now describing,
brought us to Springfield, a rising town of consider^
able importance, where we held a public meeting for
worship, and were kindly entertained at the house
of an opulent friend, with all the refinements of
English hospitality. Thus were we prepared for the
somewhat tedious journey of two more days, through
a half-cultivated country, until we reached the plea
sant town of Richmond, on the White Water River,
in the eastern part of the state of Indiana.
The next night we lodged in a miserable house of
entertainment by the road-side, which was crowded with
persons travelling westward, and almost intolerable
was the bundling. Undoubtedly the most interesting
and surprising circumstance which engaged my atten
tion, during this journey on the main route to the
westward, was the unparalleled scene of movement —
all in one direction — of which we were witnesses.
" Westward, westward speed thy way," seemed to be
the common motto. I am wholly unable to conjec
ture what might be the number of wagons, all of
large dimensions, and filled with the sturdy families
of the east, which we overtook as they were making
their slow but sure progress towards the wilderness
of Indiana, Illinois, or possibly Wisconsin. These
movers had in general the appearance of considerable
respectability, though sometimes they were rough and
rude. Not uncommonly my ears were grated by
profane swearing, carelessly uttered, as it seemed, in
cold blood; for I may observe, in passing, that an

IN OHIO. 30
American is seldom seen in what we call a passion.
Sometimes these moving families would fill the houses
of entertainment by the road-side at night. More
frequently, however, we observed them bivouacking,
for their night's lodging, in some convenient spot
under the shelter of the woods.
Here it is only fair to remark that this perpetual
move to the westward is by no means always attended
with success. Occasionally we observed a wagon-
load of these migratory people returning eastward.
The dejection and disappointment evidently marked
on their countenances, formed a singular contrast to
the comparatively careless and hopeful aspect of those
who were journeying towards the setting sun. One
could not witness the scenes which I have now de
scribed, without many a reflection on the floating and
uncertain circumstances to which we are all liable in
this state of discipline and change. In the mean time,
who can calculate what will be the ultimate diffusion
and greatness of the people of the United States ?
I am, &c. &c.

D 2

LETTER V.

Earlham, 2nd month, 3rd, 1841.
My dear Friend,
Never, to the best of my knowledge, have I
witnessed so remarkable an assemblage of people, as
that which was convened for public worship, at Rich
mond, on the commencement of the Yearly Meeting
for Indiana — Friends and others, arriving on horse
back, or in the grotesque carriages of the country,
almost without end. The horses, hitched to nearly
every tree of the wood which surrounded the vast
red-brick meeting-house, formed in themselves a
curious spectacle. It was supposed that about 3000
people were accommodated within the walls ; and
nearly as many, unable to obtain a place in the
house, were promenading by the hour together on
the premises. It is the constant custom of the
people in the surrounding country, to attend the
" Quaker's Meeting" on this particular occasion ; and
I cannot think that they were actuated by much of
religious zeal ; for those who could not obtain a place
in the house, seemed perfectly satisfied with the op
portunity which they were enjoying of walking and
talking with their neighbours. It was however, for
those within, a time of great solemnity and refreshment.

IN INDIANA. 37
On the following morning we proceeded to the
business of the church. All strangers had now with
drawn ; the great shutters which divide the house in
two, were let down ; the one compartment was filled
by the men — the other by the women. Each sex, as is
our custom on these occasions, formed a deliberative
body of its own, — the attention of the women, amongst
us, being exclusively directed to the care of the female
part of the society. The brethren only have a legis
lative power ; and this as thou art aware extends over
the whole body, including both sexes. The Friends
who had assembled on the present occasion had many
of them come from great distances ; some from the
state of Ohio, others from the extreme west of Indi
ana, others again from Illinois. The whole population
of Friends, within the limits of this yearly meeting,
is about 30,000.
I am not about to occupy thy attention with a
description of the various sittings of this annual as
sembly; but there are two or three points on which
I am inclined to make a few remarks. The first is,
the care exercised by this large body, in promoting
the Christian education of their children throughout
their limits. From the reports which were pre
sented on this occasion, it appeared that some thou
sands of them were placed in select day schools, in
which they were taught the elements of useful know
ledge, and at the same time trained in the principles
and habits of the Society. It was also determined
that a large boarding-school should be instituted, for
the still more liberal education of the children of
those members who were able to undertake this extra
expense.

38 A JOURNEY
Another point to which I allude is slavery, which
formed the subject of a lively discussion. The result
was the issuing of a powerful printed document on
the evils of the system, which was ordered to be freely
circulated among the population at large.
Nor was there less interest felt on this occasion,
respecting the long persecuted Aborigines of North
America. The small tribe of Shawnee Indians, who
were compelled, some years since, to remove from
their former reservations in Ohio, to a new location
west of the Mississippi, are under the particular care
of the Friends of Ohio and Indiana. A few indi
viduals of the society have long been resident amongst
them, and have not only instituted a school for their
children, and are promoting, as far as they were
able, the Christian instruction of the tribe, but have
been very successful in training them to regular agri
cultural habits. Great was the affliction felt at this
time by the friends of this cause, in consequence of
the lamentable circumstance, that nearly 100 of the
Shawnee warriors, whose attention had been directed
by the Friends to the arts and comforts of peace, had
been induced by the Federal government to quit their
homes, to undertake a long march and voyage to
Florida, and there to engage in a dangerous bush
warfare against their brethren, the Seminoles. I be
lieve that most of them have since returned to their
families and their farms. It is only justice to state
that, when I was at Washington, a few months after
wards, Joel R. Poinsett, the secretary at war, a
gentleman of integrity, as well as information and
ability, frankly assured me, on behalf of the Van
Buren government, that the labours of the Friends

IN INDIANA. 39
among the Indians should never again meet with
such an interruption. A respectable Friend, in the
station of a minister, has lately moved a thousand
miles westward from his own home in the north
eastern part of Ohio, under an impression of religious
duty, to settle among the Shawnee Indians. Thus it
may be hoped that the work of evangelization and
civilization are likely to go forward, hand in hand,
for the benefit of that interesting people.
Many days, after the conclusion of the yearly meet
ing, were occupied by a visit to the settlements of
Friends within a hundred miles of Richmond. In
the course of this excursion I saw much of the wild
forest, and passed over roads which might truly be
called dangerously bad. The mud holes, in some
parts, were indeed tremendous. But in extremely
sequestered spots, 1 was occasionally refreshed by
meeting with instances of simple, but genuine piety;
and although the cultivation of the land was by no
means in so forward a state as in many parts of Ohio,
I still found myself hospitably entertained with a
sufficiency of good food, and very tolerable lodging.
I remember being led one night by torch-light, through
what appeared to me an almost impervious forest,
until I arrived in safety at the humble abode of one
of the settlers, where I found all my needs abundantly
supplied. There is, however, one exception to the wholesome-
ness of diet in many of the newly-settled parts both
of Ohio and Indiana. It is, that the milk is occa
sionally found to be poisonous, though its deleterious
qualities are not to be detected by the taste. The

40 A JOURNEY
effect of a free use of the beverage, under these circum
stances, is a violent sickness of the stomach, often
terminating in death. In one of the meetings which
I visited in Indiana, the master of a family had been
carried off by the "milk-sick" (as they call it) just
before I arrived, and I heard of several instances of
the same description. This lamentable effect appears
to arise from the almost inevitable custom of suffering
the cattle to graze in the wild woods : there they pro
bably meet with some kind of food, which, without any
apparent injury to their own health, infects them in
their character of the feeders of man. The cheese
and butter, as well as the milk, become fraught with
danger, and the beef itself is found to be equally poi
sonous. A dreadful mystery hangs, at present, over
both the causes and the remedies of this evil, which
renders travelling in these parts of the country in no
small degree unsafe. Wherever one goes, one is
assured, that the " milk-sick" is not there, but only at
some village or settlement ten or twenty miles distant.
As the country comes under cultivation, and the cattle
are confined to cleared pastures, this strange affliction
gradually disappears. In the mean time, it is evident,
that a life of successful labour, in the wilderness of
America, is not without its dark shades.
Here I may remark, that when I speak of cleared
and cultivated land in Ohio, and still more in Indiana,
I do not mean land without any remaining vestiges
upon it of the forest. The stumps of the trees are
in general left in the ground, and although they are,
in the end, uprooted, either by a machine used in
some parts, or by the spade, this is the result of a

IN INDIANA. 41
further advance in cultivation than is usually to be
met with in these western states. Nor does the new
settler, in his effort to clear the land, by any means
always make use of the axe. Often does he content
himself with girdling the tree, so as to destroy its
life. He then leaves it to wither, rot, and fall by
the common processes of nature ; or sets fire to it,
leaving a black unsightly trunk to deform the beauty
of the scene. Sometimes the fire spreads far beyond
his intention, and wonderfully injures the delightful
aspect of the native forest. I have already mentioned
the sugar-maple as an ornament of the woods. I
wish now to remark, that it is very far from being a
mere object of admiration to the settlers of Ohio,
Indiana, Canada, and many other parts of North
America. It is one of the grand resources for the
supply of the domestic table. The tree is tapped
(near its root) early in the spring; and the juice
which flows from it, is converted, by the usual process
of boiling (roughly conducted of course), into a very
nutritious sugar, of a dark brown colour. The flavour
is peculiar, but not unpalatable ; and the molasses
which drip from the sugar, when it is left to granulate,
are much more agreeable to the taste, than those ob
tained from the sugar-cane.
In my notice of Ohio, I mentioned that I every
where found the physical and civil development of
society overtaken by religious culture. It is only
candid to remark, that as I travelled still further west,
I was sorry to observe, that this was far from being
uniformly the case. Small scattered villages are to
found, even in the eastern parts of Indiana, in which,

42 A JOURNEY
at the date of my journey, there was no place of
public worship ; and there can be little doubt, that
this destitution becomes more frequent, as one pro
ceeds further and further into the western wilderness.
In the mean time, a surprising number of missionaries
are sent out from the societies in the eastern states,
on visits of Christian love to the settlements in the
west. Partly from the influence of these persons, and
partly from general causes, the existing defect is in
course of being gradually remedied; more effectually
so, perhaps, than could possibly be the case through
any intervention of the powers of government.
In the course of the excursion which I am now
describing, I called on S  M  , the sheriff of
Wayne, whose office (being of course the highest in
the county) is not merely to superintend the catching
of thieves, but literally to catch them with his own
hands — his fine athletic person being, among other
qualities, the recommendation for his post. It seetns
that, in this young country, bursting as it is into new
life and importance, and marked by a perfect de
mocracy of institution, the high-sheriff and consta
ble are one.
I have one more point to mention before I take
my leave of Indiana. Newly settled as it is by im
migration from the eastern states, it has already
become a point from which a further movement west
ward, is rapidly progressing. A curious evidence of
this fact came under my notice, in connection with
our own society. The families which composed a
country meeting in North Carolina, afflicted by their
vicinity to the curse of slavery, moved almost with one

IN INDIANA. 43
consent, to a new location in Indiana, about 600
miles from their former home. There they cleared
and cultivated a large portion of land, and made
themselves very comfortable. The land, of course,
rose proportionably in value. In the mean time the
children of these families had grown up, and each son
was requiring a farm for himself. These industrious
persons then concluded to sell their improved lands,
and to remove in a body, as before, many hundreds of
miles further west, into the wild but fertile territory
of Wisconsin, where any quantity of land might be
obtained for nothing — subject, however, to a future
pecuniary arrangement with the federal government.
There, as I understand, they are cultivating the wil
derness on a system of subdivision, which meets the
utmost demands of the rising generation ; and they
have happily been able to maintain their religious
polity without material loss. Ministers and flock
were all gone together, and their unity as a body was
not broken. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER VI.

Earlham, 2nd month, 5th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
The yearly meetings in America are eight in
number, four of which are held in succession during the
autumn, and the other four in the spring and summer.
It could not fail to be an object of importance to
me to attend these general assemblies of a people
whom I had crossed the Atlantic to visit. It was
for this reason, that I felt constrained to quit Indi
ana; to give up the satisfaction of making my ac
quaintance with the queen of the west, — I mean the
beautiful and prosperous city of Cincinnati on the
Ohio ; and to pursue as direct a course as possible to
North Carolina, where the yearly meeting assembles
early in the 11th month (November). The question
was, how I was to perform this arduous journey of
600 miles, across a region more or less settled and
cultivated, of which I had no knowledge. My friends
found it very difficult to contrive either a companion
ship or a conveyance. It so happened, however, that
a worthy member of the society, a wagoner by trade,
was employed to drive me to a neighbouring meet
ing, with a pair of horses which he used in his

ohio. 45
business, and in a carriage borrowed from one of
his neighbours. The animals were diverse in colour,
but admirably matched in pace and quality ; doubtless
it was because of their suitability to each other that
they bore the names of David and Jonathan. I soon
perceived that this was the man and these the horses
which were to transfer me from Indiana to Carolina.
I had indeed afterwards much reason to acknowledge
that this was one of those many instances of a kind
providence, by which my course in America was
wonderfully facilitated ; my friend and his horses
suited me exactly, and continued to be my helpers
through a much greater extent of country than I
then contemplated. I bought a humble but conve
nient wagon, on wooden springs, of a carriage-maker
at Richmond ; an active young man accompanied us
on horseback, as our guide, or, as they say in America,
our pilot; and our party being joined by three other
friends bound in the same direction, we set off on
our pilgrimage, at the rate of about four miles an
hour (a rate which, though a slow one, was often
exchanged for a slower still) in good health and
spirits. Our route lay, for several days, through the
south-western part of the state of Ohio, a region of
uncommon fertility, interspersed, of course, with ex
tensive woods of native growth. Nothing scarcely
could exceed the beauty of the autumnal colouring
of the forest, very superior to the corresponding
effect in our own country; the bright red, orange,
and yellow of the maples, oaks, chestnuts, &c. inter
mingled with the unfading and lively green of the
pines. Large sepulchral mounds are to be observed

46 ' a journey
in this part of America; and in one place a circular
embankment surrounding a valley of ten miles in
circumference, with intersecting dikes, all of great
antiquity — a sure indication that the present tribes
of Indians had predecessors much more civilized than
themselves — a people who understood the art of
fortification. The pottery and warlike weapons
which were used by this mysterious people, now so
completely extinguished, have been discovered in
various parts of the United States.
In the course of this part of our journey, we came
to several of the settlements of Friends ; and the
readiness with which they and their neighbours flock
ed to the meetings which we appointed, convinced me,
to my own comfort, that my long pilgrimage had
not been undertaken in vain. One morning, though
it was a common working day of the week, about
1600 persons assembled; but the settlers of Ohio
can afford to renounce the labour of a few hours in
their fields, with little difficulty. The district to
which I allude, is fertilized by the big and little
Miami rivers, and its sturdy occupiers appeared to
be living on the very fat of the land.
We spent a few hours on our way, and held an
evening meeting at Chillicothe on the river Sciola —
a town of about 6000 inhabitants. Public races were
going on, at the time ; affording an evidence that dis
sipation is ever prone to follow in the tract of civiliza
tion. On this occasion I saw something of the public
dining and supping at large hotels— a practice with
which I afterwards became very familiar. Certainly
it is not a scene of much punctilio — a multitude of

IN VIRGINIA. 47
persons sitting down together, but wholly regardless
of each other, and devouring their food with great ra
pidity — every man laying hold of the best he can
find, and no one waiting for his neighbour. Since
that time however, it is only fair to confess that I have
witnessed many such repasts in America, conducted
with considerable quietness and order. Undoubtedly
the English traveller through the United States, has
small cause for complaint ; if he conducts himself with
common kindness, he is sure to meet with almost uni
versal civility.
I took my last leave of the State of Ohio at the
town of Gallipolis, which was originally settled by the
French, and is pleasantly situated on the lofty bank
of the " beautiful river." I was told that the people
of this place had no very high reputation for morals
or religion ; their French extraction was said not to
be favourable to these ends ; but they flocked in large
numbers to an evening meeting, on less than two hours'
notice, and were evidently capable of impression on
the most important of all subjects. I believed it to
be my duty to hold a similar meeting at Charleston
in Virginia, on the ensuing First day of the week.
For this purpose we left Gallipolis early on the pre
ceding morning ; and, having crossed the Ohio, we
entered at once on the Virginian forest. Our jour
ney was adventurous and difficult, the road winding
through apparently interminable wood ; in some parts,
rocky and hilly ; in others, deep with mud. We were
ordered to travel nine miles by a wild and almost un
trodden path, to the house of a settler, who it was
hoped would furnish us with a breakfast. After a

48 A JOURNEY
tedious drive we arrived at the appointed spot ; the
master of the house was absent ; his wife was prepar
ing the family linen for a grand move to the West
ward ; and all breakfast either for ourselves or our
horses, was at first peremptorily refused. After a
little gentle persuasion, however, our friend relented,
and long patience was at length rewarded by as good
and plentiful a morning meal as I ever saw. We
had hunger for our sauce, and grey squirrels, with
many other articles, for our food. These animals
abound in the woods, and are excellent at the table.
As night approached — and night in these regions
comes on with little notice of twilight — we were pur
suing our journey, through the forest over a very high
hill. By an almost precipitous descent we arrived, just
before total darkness, at a little farm house where we
earnestly hoped that we should find a lodging. But
no such accommodation was there — we were instructed
to go half a mile further to a more likely tenement.
In the course of this half mile, we were in great dan
ger of being overturned in descending the steep bank
of a stream which it was necessary to cross, though
all was then darkness. I shall not forget the comfort
of at length finding ourselves in shelter and safety
beside a blazing log fire, though with rough fare, and
in a most humble dwelling. Of the two little beds in
the kitchen, one was occupied by an elderly friend of
our company and his wife — the other was kindly re
served for myself. The rest of our company was stow
ed in a small garret. Want of cleanliness is the only
real pain on such occasions. I find a note in my
journal that the spitting consequent on the chewing

IN VIRGINIA. 49
of tobacco, is in these parts, nearly universal. It is a
strange fact to notice — but I actually mistook the
sound of it for the noise of rain, during the silence of
one of our public meetings.
We were glad to leave our lodging-place in the
wilderness, at break of day, and after a few more miles
of difficult travelling, arrived at a good house of en
tertainment, where we washed, breakfasted, and held
our morning meeting — it wa3 the First day of the
week. Our travelling on that day being fully justified
by a religious object, we continued our journey by a
heavy public road to Charleston on the Kenahwa.
Though rather late in the autumn, the weather was
hot ; and the journey, tedious in itself, was rendered
most afflicting to me by my first full sight of slaves ;
men, women, and children, in large numbers. Many
of them were tidy, and looked tolerably comfortable ;
others were poorly clad, and had a very wretched
appearance. Often, in the course of this journey
through Virginia, did we meet companies of slaves,
themselves on foot, following the planter, or merchant,
who owned them, and who (with part of his family,
perhaps, and a favourite slave or two) was going
before in some kind of carriage. On these occasions
it was sorrowful to observe the lame ones limping
behind, and yet compelled by a stern necessity to keep
within the limits of the straggling company.
It is impossible for a casual traveller to form an
exact estimate of the real condition of the slaves in
America. One thing is certain— that they are system
atically excluded by law from all school instruction ;
and though, undoubtedly, there are many humane

50 A JOURNEY
slave-holders, it follows, from the very nature of the
case, that great cruelties must often be perpetrated.
I well remember that an ingenuous white lad who
guided me, one day, to a bathing-place on the
bank of the Kenahwa, gave me a most affecting
account of the whippings with the cow-hide (some
times amounting to 200 lashes) which are still often
inflicted on these children of oppression. The best
aspect under which I saw American slavery, was at the
public meetings for worship, which were held, in the
course of this journey, in numerous towns and vil
lages of Virginia and North Carolina. The slaves
often attended in considerable numbers, and generally
occupied the gallery, while the body of the house was
filled by the white inhabitants. I was glad to find
that this liberty was allowed them in many places,
though the practice is not universal. I felt it to be
a privilege on these occasions, freely to proclaim those
grand principles of Christian truth, which are of equal
application to bond and free ; but which, nevertheless,
when truly received and acted on, cannot fail to un
dermine the system of slavery at the foundation.
Although, of course, the subject of slavery itself could
not, with any propriety, be adverted to on such occa
sions, I was often surprised by observing that a close
practical application of the principles of the gospel,
was not only patiently borne in the slaveholding
states, but even received with apparent cordialitv.
1 ascertained, after one of these meetings, that the
sexton or verger was the property of the minister.
Both parties seemed pretty much at ease in their
relation to each other.

IN VIRGINIA. 51
Our journey was so much delayed by the badness
of the roads, that our hopes of reaching Charleston
for the projected meeting, fell to a low ebb. Night
was approaching, and we had to cross the river by a
ferry, before we could enter the town ; hut, late as we
were in our arrival, our object was happily accom
plished. The Methodists, with the greatest good
will, lent us their meeting-house, notice of our inten
tions was rapidly diffused through the town ; the
house was well filled with whites and blacks ; the
meeting was solemn and refreshing ; and after all our
anxieties, the travels and labours of the day were
crowned with peace.
The next morning, we pursued our journey east
ward by the turnpike road, on the north bank of the
Kenhawa. This river, which flows through western
Virginia, and at length falls into the Ohio, is noted
for its picturesque beauty. The high wooded hills on
either side, were at this time painted with the autum
nal scarlet, crimson, and orange, while the cedars and
pines were in all their greenness. The shumach, with
us a garden plant, is here one of the most common
of wild shrubs, and its leaves were then of a ver
milion dye. The weather happened to be lovely,
and the atmosphere very clear, so that when the sun
was setting, the scene was gorgeous.
Salt works and coal mines abound on the banks of
the Kenahwa. It is a curious circumstance that
numerous fountains of brine are found within a few
yards of the river ; we were told that they bored for
it, to the amazing depth of 6, 7, or 800 feet. The
salt produced is excellent. The Americans are won-
' E2

52 A JOURNEY
derfully eager and enterprising ; but alas for the
slaves, who are employed in these works !
We arrived at nightfall at a comfortable house of
entertainment, kept by a notorious hunter, who amidst
the wild mountains and forests of this neighbourhood,
had succeeded in destroying an amazing number of
panthers, wolves, and bears. These animals are still
frequent in a district which, with the exception of the
narrow and fertile valley through which the river runs,
defies all attempts at squatting or settling. Wild cats
are also numerous here, and the deer abound. Our
landlord's stories were highly amusing. Not long
since he had killed two bears and three deer one
morning before breakfast — at another time, a panther
which, from the tip of its tail to that of its nose,
measured 10 feet, 10 inches. The young panthers are
spotted ; the old ones of a light brown. One day,
when on horseback, he was carrying a dead deer
across his saddle through the forest, and suddenly
found himself surrounded by seven wolves. The
foremost aggressor, on a rising ground, was ready to
make his spring ; but the hunter shot him with the
least possible delay, and the others immediately fled.
In the course of the following day, we left the
romantic river, and wound our way at a slow pace
into the high country— this being the course which
the new turnpike takes. As we were pursuing our
journey in an uninteresting part of the road, and
along-side of the forest, we observed on our right
hand a small path running up a hill, through the wood.
We had been advised to watch for it, and when found,
to examine it for ourselves. We accordingly left our

IN VIRGINIA. 53
carriages, and after pursuing this sequestered path,
on foot, not much more than fifty yards, we found
ourselves, quite unexpectedly, on the flat top of a
perpendicular rock, many hundred feet high. This
was the celebrated Hawk's Nest. We laid hold
for safety on the bare boughs of a sturdy little cedar
on the edge of the precipice, and willingly gave our
selves up to the silent contemplation of one of the
most magnificent prospects to be found in North
America. The New River, which afterwards, with
another stream, forms the Kenhawa, is here seen
winding its course, first through a romantic dell,
and afterwards along an open plain at the foot of
a glorious chain of mountains covered with forest,
amongst which it appears at last to lose itself.
The beauty of the scene was much enhanced by the
rich woods which lay immediately below the precipice,
and covered most of the plain through which the
river was flowing. It was scarcely possible not to
attempt to sketch, so lovely was the scene. But this
is a spot where nature may fairly be said to bid
defiance to the pencil.
Slow was our progress through Virginia, and not
remarkable for many circumstances which require to
be narrated. We passed through the towns of Louis
burg and Fincastle ; and in both these places, as well
as many others on the road, we held our public meet
ings for worship, and were treated with that civility
for which Virginia is celebrated, by persons of every
class. On one occasion we diverged from the high
road, in order to visit the blue sulphur springs, an
interesting spot in the midst of wild scenery. Major

54 A JOURNEY
 the head of the establishment, summoned his
neighbours and servants to our meeting, and enter
tained us handsomely for the love of the gospel, free
of all expence. We met with similar treatment in
Virginia and North Carolina on several occasions —
an hospitality which was the more remarkable because
we were a large party ; and the principles which, as
Friends, we were known to entertain on the subject
of slavery, were generally understood. We also passed
by the white and sweet sulphur springs, which at
this season are deserted, but in the summer are fre
quented by large numbers of visitors. At the latter
establishment we lodged and held our meeting. The
weather was then cold ; and the miserable manner in
which the slaves were clad, excited our great com
miseration. I quietly remonstrated with their master,
who bore the title of Doctor. He first assured me
that the slaves were among the happiest of human
beings ; but was nearer the truth, when he afterwards
observed that they were remarkably able to endure
hardship. Certain it is, that the negroes here, as else
where, are an easy, placid, and long-suffering race.
In the course of the journey, the high road passes
over two ranges of mountains — the Alleghany, and
the Blue Ridge. These mountains do not appear to
the eye quite so lofty as the Snowdens, Helvellyns,
and Ben Lomonds of Great Britain, and they are
covered with pines and other trees to their very tops.
Some of the scenes, however, which were presented
to us, as we passed over them, were of singular gran
deur and beauty, and we felt it a privilege to feast on
the wild magnificence of uncultivated naturet

IN VIRGINIA. 55
On the eastern side of these mountains, we came
into the land of cotton and tobacco, and often saw
the slaves at work in the fields, looking wretched
enough ; poorly clad, and under the perpetual watch
of a white overseer. Much of the land, however, is
extremely poor, having been exhausted by slave labor ;
and large tracts of it have been deserted, and have
again become a wilderness. On the more fertile es
tates, the appearance of the vigorous green tobacco
plants, and of the cotton pods, now in all their white
ness, was to me at once new and agreeable.
Slavery is uniformly accompanied by the prevalence
of immorality ; and it is in the slave states of America,
that crimes of the deepest dye are the most common.
On asking, in one of the little county towns through
which I passed, whether there was any one in the jail,
I was told that one " gentleman" was confined there,
who had been left for execution for stabbing his friend
to death. I visited this "gentleman," and a more
miserable creature I have seldom seen. I was sorry
to find him very regardless of his awful situation.
Stabbing, alas, is a common crime in Virginia. Very
soon after, in another small village, I was called to
witness a precisely similar scene.
After holding meetings in the towns of Competition
and Danville, (the latter of which is situated on the
Dan river, and is a place of considerable importance,)
we entered Guilford County, in North Carolina ; and
after a long day's journey arrived at New Garden, a
well-known settlement of Friends, and the place where
the yearly meeting of that state was then about to be
held. It was now the 3rd of the 11th month (Nov.)

56 A JOURNEY IN VIRGINIA.
and we were glad to find a shelter in the humble
dwelling of a Christian widow who, although poor
herself, was more than willing to make us partakers
of the best that she had. Such was the termination
of our three weeks' transit from Indiana to North
Carolina. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER VII.

Earlham, 2nd month, 10th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
The old Friends' meeting-house at New Gar
den (a building remarkable for the utmost simplicity,
and not in the tightest order) is situated in the midst
of the forest; but the oaks and other timber trees
around.it, have room given to them to spread their
branches like our large trees in England. In the pic
turesque burying-ground, attached to the meeting
house, and under the shade of one of these oaks, rest
the remains of numerous British soldiers who died
of their wounds after Lord Cornwallis's victory at
Guilford, in the first American war. The meeting
house then served him for an hospital. The Friends
of North Carolina are a somewhat rustic communi
ty, and many of them are numbered among the poor
of this world ; but they are warmly attached to the
cause of religion and virtue, and have done themselves
great credit by instituting an excellent boarding-school,
for the education of their young people. The house
is built in the woods, near the meeting-house, on a
large scale ; and at the time of my visit, 98 young
people, including many adults, were there pursuing
a useful course of study, under a most respectable
superintendence.

58 A JOURNEY IN
I can hardly refrain from mentioning to thee, the
name of our friend, N. H. who was once in England,
and who, at the date of my visit to New Garden, was
in his 80th year — abounding in love, eloquent in
preaching and prayer, full of life and vigour bodily,
intellectual, and spiritual. He may truly be called
the father of this yearly meeting, being a man of
large views and great influence over Friends and
others. When in business he was a blacksmith ; but
blacksmiths, and other mechanics, are gentlemen in
America — an observation which I have a right to
make, as I once had my horses shod, in North Caro
lina, by a most respectable magistrate. Our aged
friend, however, is truly a gentleman, both by nature
and grace.
I am not about to describe the particulars of another
yearly meeting, but I may just observe that the pre
sent occasion was fraught with solemnity and interest,
the characteristic of the assembly being, as I thought,
lively Christianity in its very simplest form. Our
yearly meetings do not always confine themselves, as
thou art well aware, to the mere concerns of their
own body. They often discuss public matters which
affect the cause of religion or humanity. On this
occasion the Friends united in a petition to the Fede
ral government for the abolition of slavery ; on which
subject, two years afterwards, they appealed to their
own state legislature in a very forcible and spirited
manner. Both these petitions, as might have been
expected, were met by a rebuff.
Resident as the Friends of North Carolina and
Virginia are, in the midst of slaves and slaveholders,

NORTH CAROLINA. 59
they are often placed in trying and difficult circum
stances ; and to this condition of things it is chiefly
owing, that so large a number of them have migrated
to the Western states. In the mean time they are
bearing, as a Christian body, a conspicuous, though
quiet and inoffensive testimony to the eternal prin
ciples of justice in reference to this subject. It is a
well-known rule of our society throughout America,
that no slaveholder can enjoy the privilege of mem
bership in it ; thus there is one body of Christians,
at least, in America, which is of clean hands on the
subject of slavery ; and it may be hoped that their
example will be followed, ere very long, by other
denominations.1 In the mean time the slavery of
Guilford county, and other parts of North Carolina
where Friends are settled, assumes, through their
influence, a much more mitigated form than is usually
to be observed.
Here it seems necessary for me to mention a sin
gular circumstance, which may appear at first sight to
contradict the letter of these remarks, but which
perfectly consists with their spirit. In consequence
of the almost insuperable difficulties thrown in the
way of manumission by the laws of these slave states,
the Friends of two or three generations back, who
held slaves, and were desirous of emancipating them,
and others of a later date who have become slave
holders, against their own will, either by heirship or
i I understand that the separatists, who left the Society of Friends
under the guidance of the late Elias Hicks, and who now form a
distinct religious community, maintain the same discipline as it re
lates to slavery.

60 A JOURNEY IN
bequest, were compelled, for want of a better mode
of clearing their consciences, to transfer their slaves
to the yearly meeting itself. That body has held
them at a vast expense both of money and trouble
for many years — there having been at one time at
least 1500 negroes upon their hands. Practically
these people were, all the time, at perfect liberty,
being kindly cared for, and treated in every respect
as freemen. The bulk of them have, at length, been
transferred to the free states — a small remnant only,
who were unwilling to remove, being left under the
care of their kind patrons in North Carolina.
I will take this opportunity of stating that the
three yearly meetings, which I had now attended,
severally petitioned Congress (on religious grounds of
course) against the annexation of Texas to the Fede
ral union. This was a question at that time warmly
agitated in the country. That vast and fertile region
having shaken off its allegiance to Mexico, is settled
by slaveholders ; and as its population increases, there
can be little doubt that the slaveholding interest of
the country will be constantly augmenting. As Texas,
when sufficiently peopled, would admit of a division
into seven or eight distinct states, its annexation
to the Union could not fail to throw a vast prepon
derance, in Congress, into the hands of the pro-
slavery party. The South was violently for the
measure ; the North, as decidedly against it. Happily
for the cause of justice and humanity, all thoughts
of it seem to be now abandoned.
After the yearly meeting was concluded, I set off
with my kind friend the wagoner, and our excellent

NORTH CAROLINA. 61
horses, with a young man on horseback for our
" pilot," on a visit to a round of meetings in Guilford
and Randolph counties. Our journey, which lasted
nearly a month, though somewhat laborious, was to
me fraught with interest. The people at whose houses
we lodged, from night to night, were in the utmost
simplicity in their mode of living; but their tables
were well supplied with wholesome fresh pork, corn
bread, and sweet potatoes ; and the rough accommo
dation which often fell to our lot, was amply com
pensated by unvarying kindness. One day I was fed
upon an opossum, an animal common in these parts,
which grows fat at this time of the year on the
luscious fruit of the persimmon tree. Its flesh tastes
like young pork, to which, however, it is inferior.
The persimmon grows wild, and abounds in this
neighbourhood. Its fruit contains large black pips,
which, from their size, it is somewhat dangerous
to swallow. It is very astringent, until it is almost
withered in the sun, when it becomes excessively
sweet, and falls in abundance to the ground.
The lands through which we passed were very
much covered, either with vast woods of stunted oak
and pine, or (in the open parts) with a coarse sedge
grass, then of a dark brown — almost the only pasture
for flocks or cattle afforded by North Carolina. This
pervading grass imparted a very dreary aspect to the
country ; and whether the woods are a second growth
after the exhaustion produced by slave labour, or the
first production of an originally poor land, they have,
in general, very little of the luxuriant beauty of the

62 A JOURNEY
forests of Ohio and Indiana. The roads through
them are often rocky and precipitous.
These woods were, however, rendered interesting
to me, by circumstances pertaining both to nature
and to grace. With regard to the first, I found much
to admire in some of the birds and animals. The
elegant forms of the wild turkeys on the full run,
were sometimes seen gliding through the forest ; and
on one occasion, I observed a little herd of wild deer,
bounding about the woods within a hundred yards
from us. The wolves which still inhabit these
regions, did not come within sight of us, but they,
or their ancestors, yet furnish anecdotes for the
cottage fire-side. Some considerable time ago, a
Friend was passing through some of these woods,
with his wife, and a large dog, in their train. He
saw a wolf in the distance, and unwisely excited his
dog to follow him. The wolf turned round and en
tered on a most fearful conflict both with dog and
man. While they were struggling, the man being
already bitten, his wife boldly came up to the scene of
action, disengaged a large butcher's knife from her hus
band's person, and quietly cut the wolf's throat, —
thus saving the lives of her two companions. With
regard to birds, the woodpeckers are gay and nume
rous ; the Virginia nightingale, of a bright red, was
also observed, and on one occasion, I thought I
heard his lively song; a very elegant long-legged
bird with brown wings and snowy tail (called here
the kill-deer ) was often to be noticed on the open
lands, and a small black vulture, called the Turkey

IN NORTH CAROLINA. 63
buzzard, was seen roosting on many a tree, or slowly
floating through the air, utterly regardless of the
presence of strangers. Here I must just remark,
that although the general aspect of the country was
poor, fertile and well-cultivated spots, covered either
with the ripe Indian corn of the declining year, or
the young wheat just springing up for the year to
come, were to be observed in the neighbourhood of
the branches and creeks, as the Americans call the
smaller streams which water their country. Many of
the farms occupied by our Friends were in good
order and tolerably productive.
With regard to matters pertaining to religion, I
could not be otherwise than surprised and delighted
by the flocking together of the people to the meetings
which were held, one after another, in the midst of
these woods. They seemed to emerge out of the
surrounding wilderness, as if they had been sum
moned by the touch of some magical wand ; and on
some occasions, the numbers collected were so large,
that, although it was now late in the 11th month
(November), we were obliged to hold our meetings
in the open air. This circumstance, however, occa
sioned no material difficulty, as the weather was
delightful, and the sky without a cloud. Never did
I enjoy a finer climate than in North Carolina, in the
latter part of the fall of 1837. In the evening, after
the work of the day was done, I often wandered
about, enjoying the solitude of the forest, conversing
in mind with my far distant family, and contem
plating the splendid beauty of the evening star,

64 A JOURNEY
which looked at least twice as large as it does in
England.* After holding a meeting in a place called Kennet,
in the midst of a wood as usual, and in a barren
district, we were invited to visit a mine of gold
and copper in the neighbourhood, there being seve
ral in this part of North Carolina, which produce
both these metals. The gold ore is first broken,
then ground, in a powerful mill, to an impalpable
powder ; and lastly, amalgamated with mercury.
The mercury takes up the gold, and, when distilled,
leaves the precious metal as the residuum. I under
stand that the pursuit of gold in this country has
* Thou radiant star of the darkening west,
Thou diadom in the train eTLtJm**^***?
Of the sable queen whose velvet vest,
Envelopes the dewy plain.
Gladly I hail the mellow light,
That from thy centre flows,
And gaze with joy on the diadem bright
Thy circling beams compose.
How steady is each pencilled ray,
How calm thy vestal flame,
Lent by the glorious monarch of day,
From age to age the same !
Thy lamp is hung in the heavens above,
In the midst of etherial blue,
Of the church redeemed by a Saviour's love,
Perpetual type and true.
When sorrow o'ershadows each temporal gem,
Of man's uncertain story,
The church lights up her diadem,
And travels her path to glory.
And why so clear and steady the ray,
That illumines her race of duty ?
Because from Christ the fountain of day,
She has borrowed all her beauty.

IN NORTH CAROLINA. 65
been very far from enriching those who have been
engaged in it, but the copper ore which has only
lately been discovered, is rich and abundant, and is
likely to be worked to great advantage.
After the month's excursion which I have now
described, we returned to New Garden, and spent a
day or two very agreeably at the boarding school.
It was delightful to observe how eager the young
people were to be instructed, both in the book of
nature, and the book of scripture ; and a plan was set
on foot for the latter purpose, with the sanction of
our aged friend already described, and greatly to the
delight of the scholars. Having taken our last
leave of this interesting community, we set off, with
the same equipage, for the southern and eastern part
of the state, intending afterwards to go northward
into Virginia, until we reached the city of Richmond.
This also was the journey of a month. We passed
through the pleasant country towns of Hillsborough
and Greensborough, where large meetings were held ;
and, on our route, we visited the university of this
state, at Chapel Hill. It was the first institution of
the kind that I had seen in America. It contained
140 students, and seemed to be well-conducted under
the presidency of W. Swain, late governor of the
state, a person of superior parts. About a hundred
of the young people attended a meeting appointed
for me in the college, and though playful enough
at first, at length listened with much attention to a
view of the internal evidences of Christianity, which
I was led to unfold to them. The gospel is the one
great conservative principle in America ; and nothing
F

66 A JOURNEY
can be more important for her civil, as well as
spiritual benefit, than the training of the young men,
in her colleges, in the knowledge and love of the
Christian religion.
From Hillsborough we proceeded to Raleigh, the
village-metropolis of the state. It is a very good-
looking place, interspersed with trees, and the un
finished capitol, built of granite, in the Doric style
of architecture, is by far the handsomest building
that I saw in America. It is, in fact, magnificent
enough for a nation ; and quite too grand as I
thought for one of the poorest states of the Union.
Times no doubt, were good with the planters of North
Carolina, when they commenced this undertaking,
and when they expended a vast sum of money in
procuring a statue of Washington, which they em
ployed Canova to execute. But vain was their
patriotic effort ; after the statue had been placed in
the capitol, it was destroyed by fire, and is now a
mass of unsightly stones.
I was treated with great politeness by some of the
principal gentry of Raleigh; and the meetings which
were held during our visit of two days to the place,
were well attended both by them and their slaves. But
my heart was sickened by the accounts which I heard,
in this neighbourhood, of the prevalence of the internal
slave-trade. I was assured, on the best authority,
that two-thirds of the funds of the bank of North
Carolina, were invested in loans to the slave mer
chants, and that not less than a million of dollars
had been expended, the year before, in the single
county of Caswell, for the purchase of negroes on

IN NORTH CAROLINA. 67
speculation. The plain fact is, that the lands of
North Carolina and Virginia, have been for so many
years under a process of exhaustion by slave-labour,
that this labour is no longer a source of profit.
The negroes themselves are now the only profitable
article on the estate, and to breed them for sale
insensibly becomes the regular business of the coun
try. In defiance of the ties of home, matrimony,
and kindred, they are sold to the dealers, and after
wards transported to Alabama, Louisiana, and other
states to the south, and south west; and thus a traffic,
ruinous in its own nature, and utterly disgraceful in
its moral character, becomes more and more familiar
to the slave-holding public of America.
Raleigh presents an encouraging specimen of the
good effect of the voluntary system in religion.
Ample accommodation is there to be found for the
public worship of the inhabitants ; the Episcopalians,
Presbyterians, and Methodists, are all well supplied
with ministers ; and all seemed to be living in Chris
tian good fellowship with each other. But alas, for
their blindness on the topic of slavery ! I ought,
however, to remark, that North Carolina once had
an established religion, which was demolished, as far
as regarded its connection with the government, at
the time of the revolution. It does not appear that
the void occasioned by this circumstance has been
uniformly filled up by the voluntary energy of the
people. Deserted Episcopal churches, falling into
decay, are to be seen here and there ; and I passed
through one considerable village at least, in which
there was no provision whatever for public worship.
F 2

68 A JOURNEY
As we proceeded south from Raleigh, we entered
by degrees on the country of the long-leaved pines.
The forest, in many parts, is completely composed
of this beautiful tree, the foliage of which is decidu
ous, and looks like large bunches of green hair.
These trees are tapped for turpentine, and are much
disfigured, though not destroyed, by being bared of
part of their bark. The oil is perpetually dripping,
and the receptacles or boxes into which it falls, are
formed in the trees themselves, near their root. A
single turpentine orchard sometimes contains 15,000
pines in this disfigured condition. The flying squirrel
is an inhabitant of these forests. I remember picking
up one of them which had fallen with a tree, blown
down in a tempest. It was stunned and injured,
but with a little cherishing, soon recovered its life
and sprightliness. The large black eye of this little
animal is of singular brilliancy. The membrane
which connects its fore leg with the body, serves the
purpose of a wing, as it springs from tree to tree,
and its tail has much the appearance of a feather.
I afterwards brought home to England two of these
lovely creatures, which are easily kept in health, in
this country, at a warm temperature.
After holding meetings in the little towns of Smith-
field and Waynesboro', and visiting some sequestered
settlements of Friends on the deep and rapid Neuse
river, and at a place called Contentnea, we turned our
course northward, passed over the Roanoake and
Chouan rivers, and entered on the counties of Perqui
mans and Pascotang, at the north-eastern extremity of
the state. This part of the country is remarkable for

IN NORTH CAROLINA. 69
swamps and jungles, which are still inhabited by bears
and panthers ; and alligators are frequent in some of
the rivers. The soil is rich ; and notwithstanding the
unhealthiness of the climate, we found rather a large
community of Friends settled in the district. George
Fox visited this country, through great personal diffi
culties, and laid the foundation of a society here,
which still maintains itself in a very creditable manner.
The forests through which we passed in this part of
our journey, presented no interesting scenery ; but
the holly trees covered with red berries, under the
flickering sunshine, were highly ornamental, and the
sweet-scented American myrtle is common amongst
the underwood. The cypress trees in the swamps
throw up their roots to a great extent in elevated cones,
which go by the name of cypress " knees," and have
a strange appearance ; and a large species of cane with
long leaves is to be observed in abundance.
A species of aloe is cultivated here, called the Bear's
grass, the long spiked leaves of which consist of tough
fibres. From these the Americans manufacture the
" grass rope," which is quite as strong as that made of
hemp, and is much used in this part of the country.
After spending many days among our friends, in
specting their excellent school, and holding large
meetings at Elizabeth city on the coast, and many
other places, we were guided by some of our kind
brethren into the south-eastern part of Virginia.
In this district the meetings of Friends are ex
tremely reduced by emigration to the west — a cir
cumstance which occasioned us no surprise ; for the
country both morally and physically had become a

70 NORTH CAROLINA.
waste, under the blighting influence of slavery. We
heard a wretched account of the licentiousness which
almost universally prevailed among the white gentry;
— at the same time their noble demesnes, once pro
ductive of cotton, corn, and tobacco, were now covered,
to a great extent, with a miserable second growth
of pines. Such is the curse which rests upon this
iniquitous system. A few days after the commence
ment of the new year, we arrived in safety at Rich
mond, the capital of the state, a handsome city of
20,000 inhabitants. Here a flood of letters from
home after long and painful abstinence, proved a de
lightful reward for the labours of our long travel.
I am, &c. &c.

LETTER VIII.

Earlham, 2nd month, 12th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
At a small village called Summerton, through
which we passed on our way to Richmond, we were
kindly lodged at the house of a worthy Friend, who
is known through all that part of the country as the
protector of the negroes. To him they are accustomed
to appeal in every difficulty ; and the respectability
and inoffensiveness of his character, make way for his
useful exertions among the slave-holders themselves.
At this time he had just succeeded in securing the
freedom of 50 black people. Their late owner had
emancipated them by will, with directions to our friend,
who was his executor, to send them to one of the free
states. The widow disputed the will. The executor
beat her at law, just in time to avoid the operation of
one of the wicked statutes of the Virginian legislature,
which enacts that if slaves emancipated by will, are
not sent out of the state within twelve months after
the testator's death, the bequest of liberty shall be
revoked, and the poor creatures sold by public auction.
This is one specimen of the many laws of the south
ern states of America, which, in order to support a
svstem fraught with ruin and danger to the white

72 A JOURNEY
inhabitants, as well as of deep affliction to the blacks,
are enacted from time to time, in defiance of the most
common principles of justice and mercy. I was told
that in North Carolina, no marriage licences are
allowed to the slaves, and thus by constraint of a so-
called Christian government, no such thing as legal
marriage is known amongst them. This remark ap
plies in substance to all the slave states ; for when the
connubial tie can, at any time, be dissolved by a sale
at auction, and the property of parents is not allowed
to be inherited by their children, it is obvious that
marriage has no real sanction, either civil or religious.
In plain truth, the continued existence of slavery
essentially depends on the continued degradation of
its victims. Bought and sold as they are like beasts,
they must needs be reduced, as far as possible, below
the level of rational humanity. Train and educate
them as the possessors of intellectual souls, and their
bonds must fall from them. It is doubtless on this
ground, that common school learning is strictly for
bidden by the laws of North Carolina and Virginia,
(as well as of other slave states) to the children of
slaves. But it seems a refinement of cruel caution to
extend these laws— as they are extended— even to the
free coloured population.
Having made these remarks, it is only fair to ob
serve that many of the Virginians make way for the
oral religious instruction of their slaves, as well as for
their attendance at public worship. At the town of
Petersburg on the Appamattox river, where we held
a meeting just before we arrived at Richmond, I was
assured by a Baptist minister, that he was in the prac-

IN RICHMOND. 73
tice of thus communicating the familiar lessons of
scriptural knowledge to two thousand black people,
including children.
The city of Richmond is situated on the brow of
a hill, hanging over the beautiful James river, and
crowned, magnificently enough, by the capitol — an
elegant building planned by Jefferson. The view of
the city, from the hill-top, is somewhat of the same
class as that of Norwich from Mousehold, and of
Rouen from Mont Catterine ; except that of old
churches and cathedrals, there are none. With places
of worship of modern date, the town is well supplied ;
and a handsome new church stands on the site of the
theatre, which some years ago — with many of the gay
citizens within its walls — was suddenly destroyed by
fire. On the First day of the week, a meeting for
worship was held in the morning with Friends and
their neighbours in the old Quakers' meeting-house ;
another in the afternoon with the 200 prisoners in the
State Penitentiary — a prison pretty well conducted on
the silent system ; and a third, in the evening, by the
speaker's permission, at the capitol, which last was
largely attended by the gentry of the place. It was
said that a thousand persons returned, being unable
to find room in the hall. I mention these circum
stances to show, that although the sentiments of
Friends on the subject of slavery are perfectly under
stood, the inhabitants of these strong-holds of the
system, if prudently dealt with, are willing to receive
our ministers kindly, and to give an open reception
to the preaching of the gospel, for which repeated
opportunities occurred before we left this city. In

/4 A JOURNEY
the mean time it cannot be denied that slavery and the
internal slave-trade, are the curse of the place. Terror
reigns in this metropolis ; and at the tolling of a bell
at nightfall, all persons of a coloured skin are com
pelled, at the risk of severe punishment, to leave the
streets and retreat to their homes.
Before we left the city, we attended a debate in the
legislature, which was conducted in a gentlemanlike
manner. We afterwards called on the Governor,
General Campbell, to whom our views respecting the
oppressed negro population were freely stated. He
received us with kindness, but bitterly complained of
what he called the violence of the Northern abolition
ists. He wished to persuade us that their proceedings
had operated, in Virginia, as an effectual bar to the
progress of emancipation. Certain it is, that before
the late movements in America on this subject, it was
freely discussed in the legislature of the state, and
considerable hopes were entertained that measures
would soon be enacted, with a view of gradually effect
ing the extinction of the system. Now the doors
seem to be effectually shut to any such views ; and
the local newspapers teem with the most absurd and
extravagant praises of their favourite " institution."
I am nevertheless inclined to the belief, which was
afterwards expressed to me by a distinguished British
functionary in America, that the free agitation of
the subject has been the means of producing con
viction on many minds, even in the south ; and that
more has thus been done for the undermining and
final extinction of the system, than is generally sup
posed. Certainly I could form no such judgment,

IN RICHMOND. 75
were I to rely on the Methodist Conference of
Georgia, or on the " Richmond Whig." The former
decreed, about this time, " that slavery as it exists in
the United States is not a moral evil ;" the latter ob
served when I was at Richmond, that " slavery is good
in itself — calculated at once to develop the nobler
faculties of the whites, and to afford to the blacks the
greatest degree of happiness of which their natures
are capable."
During a week's journey from Richmond to Wash
ington, we came to a considerable settlement of Friends,
at Cedar creek. One of the principal of them — a per
son of high respectability — had been distributing some
time before, an excellent address against slavery, which
had been issued by the yearly meeting of Philadelphia.
This was an offence, which by the law of Virginia was
punishable with two years' imprisonment, and hard
labour, in the penitentiary. The case was brought be
fore a court of justice, and our friend was certainly in
great peril. But his known respectability called forth
the better feelings of the gentlemen of the district,
with many of whom he was familiar ; and, greatly to
their credit, the grand jury ignored the bill. I believe
that his influence and labours, in relation to this sub
ject, were by no means fruitless ; improving sentiments
respecting it were diffusing themselves in the neigh
bourhood ; and in our public meeting for worship, at
Cedar Creek, some close practical remarks, which
were fully understood as applying to the evils of sla
very, were listened to with great respect and attention.
I am indeed most willing to acknowledge, that there
is much of a generous and gentlemanlike demeanour

76 A JOURNEY
attaching to the character of the people of Virginia;
and the marked politeness and hospitality which
we received at their hands will not easily be for
gotten. It often appeared to be my duty in meetings which
were attended by the gentry of this state, to plead for
" the faith once delivered to the saints," and to dwell
on the evidences which prove that it comes from God.
I was afterwards informed that this was no unsuitable
direction of the ministry, and that speculative views
tending to infidelity were not uncommon amongst
them. This effect I have heard ascribed to the almost
unbounded influence of the late Thomas Jefferson,
himself a Virginian. But whether the charge of infi
delity so often brought against that eminent person,
had any foundation in truth, is, I believe, a matter of
considerable doubt. In the mean time, it is certain
that the influence of individuals over large communi
ties in this land of democracy, is very much greater
than it is in England.
It was now the depth of winter, and the prevalence
of snow and frost, with almost extreme cold, seemed
like a practical denial of the fact, that we were under
the 38th degree only of north latitude. Such being
the case, I had little opportunity of observing the na
tural productions of the country. Almost the only
remarkable animals which had caught my eye for some
time past, were two live opossums which a boy on the
road was carrying suspended by their tails. They
have the appearance of large guinea pigs, with small
snouts, and long grey hair. They are sullen animals,
and when caught pretend to be dead. On this occa-

IN RICHMOND. 77
sion, the deceit was of no purpose — the lad was carry
ing off his prize in triumph.
We visited a place called Wainoak, where there was
once a large settlement of Friends, but where the meet
ing had been reduced (by emigration, the consequence
of slavery) to a state of desolation. I was interested in
observing the process of rapid restoration which was
taking place on the land, from the use of shell-lime,
of which immense beds have lately been discovered.
It is also a curious fact that nature, in these regions,
has her own method of restoring land without the
intervention of man. The leaves of the otherwise
useless second growth of pines, which now covers the
once cultivated estates, are perpetually falling on the
ground, and in some measure enrich the soil ; and the
trees themselves die in great multitudes, fall, rot, and
serve the purpose of manure. The strange consequence
is, that instead of the pines, up springs a forest of
oak ; but this remarkable change is only occasional.
After holding a large meeting at Fredericksburg,
a considerable town, pleasantly situated on the Rap-
pahanock river, we took the steamer the next morning
on the river Potomac, and enjoyed a delightful voy
age of 60 miles, to the city of Washington. The river
is of a magnificent breadth — the banks generally low
and woody. Both the Virginia and Maryland shores,
as we were informed, had once been highly cultivated ;
but the blight of slavery had now rendered them com
paratively unproductive. Shad and herring are caught
in abundance in this river ; the finest oysters are also
found here ; and, during the cold of winter, its surface
is sometimes half covered with millions of ducks.

78 A JOURNEY
We saw considerable numbers of them, of a black
and white plumage.
On the south bank of the stream, not far from the
city of Alexandria, is Mount Vernon, a lofty wooded
bluff, on which stands the elegant but simple villa
where General Washington lived, died, and was bu
ried. We had no opportunity of visiting this inter
esting spot ; but as we passed by it, we could not but
pay a cordial mental tribute to the genius, as well as
political and private virtue of that most extraordinary
person. To think of his having been both a soldier
and a slaveholder, was indeed a subject of deep regret.
But we nevertheless knew that he was a man of prayer,
and his qualities of mind were peculiarly calculated to
obtain for him the warm affections of America, and
the respect of the world. I was a good deal interested
afterwards in examining a copy of his pecuniary ac
counts, in his capacity of Commander-in-chief. They
were written in his own bold, clear hand, and dis
played an astonishing accuracy of detail — perhaps I
might say a scrupulous kind of honesty. The union
of this minute care with the most comprehensive
opinions and designs, constitutes a singular feature in
his character. He is generally regarded as having
been the most religious of all the American Pre
sidents. The aspect of the city of Washington under the
bright sunlight of a winter afternoon, as we glided
over the vast sheet of water, (into which the river
here dilates) partook rather largely of the sublime
and beautiful. The capitol which stands on a con
siderable elevation, and is built of white stone, was

IN RICHMOND. 79
the most conspicuous object in the scene. It is the
restoration of the building to which the British army
so wantonly set fire in the last American war; and
might be considered exceedingly handsome, were
it not for its leaden, heavy dome, which is sadly out
of proportion, and mars the beauty of the edifice.
We landed at the wharf at nightfall on the 17th of
1st month, (Jan.) 1838, and found very comfortable
accommodation at Brown's hotel. There our com
pany was soon joined by some of our kind friends
from Baltimore and Philadelphia.
On this occasion we spent four days at Washington,
ending with the first of the week ; except that on one
day we were occupied in visiting our friends, and
holding a religious meeting, in the neighbouring city
of Alexandria. In a commercial point of view the two
places may be described as rivals, neutralizing each
other's prosperity. Neither of them can be said to
flourish as places of trade ; and Washington particu
larly, derives its main support from its being the seat
of government. The district of Columbia in which
it is placed, is only ten miles square. Every one knows
that slavery exists in it, and that the city itself is a
notorious slave mart. With the exception of the
territory of Florida, these ten square miles form the
only area on which the Federal government, according
to its present constitution, has the power to abolish
slavery. Its competency for this purpose — considered
on the ground of equity — has indeed been denied by a
solemn vote of the senate ; but there can be no doubt
that this decision was the effect of southern influence.
That Congress has the right, both legal and moral, to

80 A JOURNEY
effect this object — and further, that it is bound to do
so by obligations of the most sacred nature — seems to
be the conclusion of every unprejudiced by-stander,
who calmly inquires into the subject.
The notion which I used to derive from the stories
of English travellers in America, respecting the grass
growing in the streets of Washington, is not altoge
ther untrue, as it relates to the cross streets which
run into the country, and are not much frequented.
The fact is, that the situation of this city precludes
the probability of its ever becoming a large or thriv
ing metropolis ; the present population is only
22,000. But the main street, which is upwards of
a mile in length, is very handsome and imposing.
At one extremity stands the magnificent capitol, with
its rows of Corinthian pillars. Near the other end
are the public offices of government, and beyond
them the commodious but unpretending " White
House" — the official residence of the president, and
the only palace in democratic America. The hill
on which the capitol stands is well laid out as a
pleasure ground, and in the green seasons of the
year, is striking for its resplendent verdure. An
extensive flight of stone steps encompassing a foun
tain of cold pure water, leads into the great ro-
tundo, which is adorned with pictures representing
some of the most interesting scenes of the American
revolution. On one side of this rotundo, is the hall
of representatives, and on the other the senate cham
ber — both of a semicircular form, and handsomely
fitted up ; each member being provided with a station,
chair, and desk, for his own particular use. The hall

WASHINGTON. 81
of representatives is distinguished by a fine row of
pillars ; and is altogether much more aristocratical in
its appearance than our own house of Commons. But
as a place to speak in, and hear in, it is if possible
worse than St. Stephen's.
On the morning after our arrival we went up in
good time to the capitol, and were introduced to
several of the senators, particularly to Col. Preston,
from South Carolina, a gentleman of remarkable
urbanity of manners, and endued with what may
justly be described as the silver tongue of eloquence.
I also enjoyed a short interview with Daniel Webster,
a stout person, of manly appearance, whose intel
lectual powers are, I presume, superior to those of
the generality of public men on either side of the
water. His forehead is of remarkable prominence
and breadth, his eye penetrating ; and the little which
I heard of his public speaking was strong, clear, and
fluent. With Henry Clay, of Kentucky, we conversed
for some time in private. He is the Brougham of
America, as it relates to his ready wit, and powers of
fervid declamatory argument; but is doubtless his
inferior in literary and scientific attainment. His
figure is tall and slender, and there is an expression
of humour and benevolence in his countenance, which,
in connection with his marked politeness, is very
winning. He expressed kind feelings and good
principles on the subject of slavery, as well as on
that of the wrongs of the Aborigines. But he
complained bitterly of the abolition movement, and
was evidently, like other slave-holders, under the
influence of some very strong prejudices.

82 WASHINGTON.
In the evening we spent a very agreeable hour
with John Quincy Adams, once the President of the
United States, and almost the only anti-slavery ad
vocate in Congress — though, on several points, him
self differing from the abolitionists. He is now 76
years old, yet full of mental vigour and animation, and
probably more fraught with learning and information
than any other man in America. He received us
with great kindness and cordiality. On a subsequent
morning, at the early hour of nine o'clock, we were
introduced to Martin Van Buren, the president, — a
gentleman of the utmost affability and ease of man
ner, with much of acuteness, and I think benevolence
also, marked on his countenance. During our short
interview, the subjects of our conversation were the
claims of the native Indian tribes, and the African
slave-trade, on both which topics he spoke with a
good deal of fairness. It was my endeavour to
impress on the mind of the president, the vast im
portance of the cordial co-operation of America with
the European powers, in the suppression of the slave-
trade, on the perfectly reasonable principle qf a mutual
right of search — a principle which surely ought not
to offend the pride of any one nation. But the
Americans are a community of kings — every man his
own ruler — and they shrink from the very notion of
indignity. Thus I fear they are but too likely to
persist in sacrificing the interests of humanity to
what is falsely regarded as national honour.
The principal object which I now had in view
in visiting Washington, was the holding of a meet
ing for worship with the officers of government,

WASHINGTON. 83
and members of Congress. My mind was attracted
towards these public men, under a feeling of religious
interest ; and far beyond my expectation, did my way
open for accomplishing the purpose. Colonel Polk,
the speaker of the representative assembly, granted
me the use of the legislative hall ; the chaplain of
the house (a respectable Wesleyan minister) kindly
surrendered his accustomed service for our accommo
dation. Public invitation was given in the news
papers ; and when we entered the hall on the following
First day morning, we found it crowded with the
members of Congress, their ladies, and many other
persons. The president and other officers of the
government were also of the company. Undoubt
edly it was a highly respectable and intellectual
audience ; and I need scarcely tell thee that it was
to me a serious and critical occasion. One of my
friends sat down with me in the speaker's rostrum ; a
feeling of calmness was graciously bestowed upon us ;
and a silent solemnity overspread the whole meet
ing. After a short time, my own mind became deeply
impressed with the words of our blessed Redeemer,
"I am the way, the truth, and the life." Speaking
from this text, I was led to describe the main features
of orthodox Christianity ; to declare that these doc
trines had been faithfully held by the society of
Friends, from their first rise to the present day ; to
dwell on the evidences, both historical and internal,
which form the credentials of the gospel, considered
as a message to mankind from the king of heaven
and earth ; to urge the claims of that message on
the world at large, on America in particular — a
G 2

84 WASHINGTON.
country so remarkably blessed by Divine Providence —
and above all, on her statesmen and legislators ; to
advise the devotional duties of the closet, as a guard
against the dangers and temptations of politics ; to
dwell on the peaceable government of Christ by his
Spirit; and finally, to insist on the perfect law of
righteousness, as applying to nations as well as indi
viduals — to the whole of the affairs of men, both
private and public. A solemn silence again prevailed
at the close of the meeting; and, after it was con
cluded, we received the warm greetings of Henry
Clay, John Quincy Adams, and many other mem
bers, of whom we took our leave in the flowing of
mutual kindness. Thus was I set free from the
heavy burden which had been pressing upon me.
In the evening, we met a large assembly at the Me
thodist chapel at Georgetown, a populous place almost
adjoining Washington ; and the next morning pursued
our journey to a small settlement of humble Friends,
in the state of Maryland. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER IX.

Earlham, 2nd month, 25th, 1841. '
My dear Friend,
The circuitous route from Washington to
Baltimore, which we took on this occasion, presented
but few objects of interest. The country appeared
very poor — exhausted, in many parts by slave labour
— and clad in the brown livery of an American
winter ; but the weariness of our route was well
compensated by our approach to Baltimore itself,
under the bright light of the setting sun. The view
of the city, with the Patapsco river on which it stands,
and the great bay of Chesapeak, into which that river
runs, was beautiful and animating ; and being much
at ease in my own mind, after our engagements at
Washington, I took no small pleasure in the contem
plation of the scene. The commodious home which
I there found at the house of a beloved friend,
at once opulent and generous, presented a singular
contrast to the rough, though equally hospitable
accommodations which I had met with among the
woods of Indiana and Carolina. The city of Balti
more, which is said to contain 100,000 inhabitants,
is well built, handsome, and cleanly. It stands on
the brow of a gentle hill, and the upper part of it is

86 BALTIMORE.
adorned by a large Roman Catholic cathedral (for this
state was originally settled by Catholics) and by a
lofty pillar of no common beauty, on the top of which
stands a statue of Washington. The places of public
worship throughout the town are large ; the Metho
dists abound here both white and black ; and the
voluntary system in religion seems to be working
remarkably well. On the First day of the week after
our arrival, the Friends' meeting was largely attended
in the morning; we had 2000 people, as was sup
posed, at a Methodist meeting-house, in the after
noon ; and nearly 3000 in the evening at the Baptist
chapel. On another evening a crowded meeting took
place with the black people, in a Methodist meeting
house appropriated to themselves. They received our
gospel message with extreme cordiality, and we found
no small difficulty in restraining their audible re
sponses. Afterwards we visited the jail and the penitentiary
— the former in a very bad condition, without any
provision whatsoever for the moral reformation of
the prisoners, and with scarcely any classification.
The latter appeared to be well conducted on the
silent system. The prisoners work in companies,
and during the religious meeting which we held with
them, conducted themselves with great propriety.
Baltimore may truly be said to be distinguished by
polite hospitality, and is somewhat remarkable for its
luxuries. The terrapins, a species of land tortoise,
found on the coasts of the Chesapeak, are a common
delicacy at the tables of the gentry ; so are the can-
vass-back-ducks, which are said to derive their fine

BALTIMORE. 87
flavour from the wild celery which grows in the
Chesapeak, and which is fetched up for them from
the bottom of the river by certain inferior ducks,
which they employ as their servants. The finest
oysters abound. I was informed that racoon hunting
is still common in this neighbourhood. The hunters
go out at night and cut down the trees on which the
animals are detected, their dogs being of course ready
for the prey. The flesh of the racoon is eaten, and
its fur is valuable.
Although Maryland is a slave state, yet the influence
of the system on society in general is much limited by
the small proportion of slaves, as compared with those
of the more southern states. If, however, the question
be asked by what means this proportion has been
lessened, I fear we must answer, Not by the liberal
hand of the emancipator, but by the perpetual traf
ficking of the slave merchant, who buys up these
children of bondage, (too often without any regard
to the nearest family ties) then consigns them to one
of the negro jails, and finally transports them to the
far distant regions of the south, where their labour is
valuable. There are two of these jails in Baltimore,
one of which I visited on a subsequent occasion. It
was indeed a most painful visit. The wretched in
mates, though properly fed and clad, loudly lamented
their condition ; and one young man eagerly assured
me that he was free and had been kidnapped. I
seized a private opportunity of taking down his
name, residence, etc.; but we were too closely watched
by a malignant-looking keeper to find any opportu-

88 BALTIMORE.
nity of satisfactory communication with these afflicted
beings. This jail is in the open street, and the whole
affair is carried on without the least attempt at pri
vacy or apparent sense of shame. This miserable
traffic, and< the slavery with which it is connected, is
the blot of1 Maryland ; but as there is a large prepon
derance of free people, and a gradual diffusion amongst
them of just sentiments, we may entertain the hope,
that, before very long, it will be finally erased.
In the mean time, the legislature of this state,
which meets at Annapolis, has been passing the most
stringent laws in order to retard — and, if possible, for
ever to prevent — the coming of the day of liberty.
Well might Jefferson say, " I tremble for my country
when I remember that God is just."
A journey of six hours by the railroad (except that
we crossed the beautiful Susquehanna in a steam-boat)
brought me back to Philadelphia, on the 2nd of the
2nd month, (February) 1838. A multitude of per
sons, thronging three or four long and commodious
cars, were our fellow-passengers. The Americans are
indeed a moving people, and their principal rail routes
frequently present crowded scenes with which those
in England can by no means vie. The distance
between the two cities is about 100 miles, and one
circumstance on the journey is well calculated to
interest a stranger. It is the conspicuousness of the
line, though without any natural division, which sepa
rates the slave-wrought lands of Maryland from the free
territory of Pennsylvania. The sudden transit from
inferior to superior cultivation, and from impoverished

PHILADELPHIA. 89
soil to fertility, is extremely striking — especially at
the more advanced seasons of the year — and certainly
it speaks volumes for the instruction of statesmen, in
proof of the utter impolicy of slavery. One can
hardly imagine on what grounds this perpetual visible
evidence can be long resisted.
The quiet, pleasant home which had been so gene
rously offered me at Philadelphia on my first arrival
in America, now became my peaceful shelter for up
wards of three months. It would be totally irrelevant
to the plan of these letters, were I to detail the
religious engagements which closely occupied each
passing day during this period. I will however give
thee a very general sketch of them.
Philadelphia having been originally settled by
Friends, the influence of our Society in that city has
always been considerable, and may perhaps have been
one cause of the quiet, orderly habits for which
the more respectable classes of its inhabitants have
been so long remarkable. Before the Hicksite divi
sion, Friends formed a considerable proportion of the
population, which was then much less numerous than
it is at present. There are still upwards of 3000
members, who compose four large meetings in the
Northern, Middle, Western, and Southern districts of
the town. During the early spring of 1838 all the
Friends united in holding an evening meeting, every
First day, in the large central meeting-house in
Arch Street. These several meetings were of course
frequently attended, and the joint evening assem
blies which were much thronged, not only by our
own people, but by strangers, afforded ample scope for

90 PHILADELPHIA.
the work to which I believed myself to be called—
the plain preaching of the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ, in all its parts. Public meetings were also
occasionally held, to which the citizens who had no
connexion with Friends were specially invited. But
the livelong hours of each succeeding day were occu
pied by domiciliary religious visits to the families of
Friends. Thou art well aware of the nature of this
engagement. It is, as thou knowest, an arduous ser
vice ; but I apprehend that it is a means of no incon
siderable good to our religious society — it brings home
the truth to the private and intimate fire-side. I will
just add that, with us, it is peculiarly a work of faith ;
for we generally enter the families total strangers to
their circumstances and individual characters ; we then
sit down in silence with them, and express only what
we believe at the time to be given to us to say. This
at least is our principle ; in accordance with our well-
known views of the spiritual nature of the ministry of
the gospel of Christ. Upwards of 500 families were
thus visited during my stay in the " city of brotherly
love." Although I was thus closely occupied, I availed
myself of occasional hours of leisure in visiting seve
ral of the public institutions ; and daily opportunities
occurred, in the course of my rounds, of admiring
the beauties of the city or immediate neighbourhood.
Philadelphia occupies a space of two miles square
(not fully built over in all its parts) between the rivers
Delaware and Schuylkill. This space is subdivided
into squares by a long series of streets, which cross at
right angles. A few of these squares are still left

PHILADELPHIA. 91
open, according to William Penn's original design,
and are adorned with grass lawns, gravel walks, and
a rich variety of American forest timber. Had this
plan been maintained throughout Philadelphia, it
would assuredly have presented as lovely a scene
as any city in the world ; and even now it has few
rivals. Many of the principal streets are lined with
rows of trees, and the broad side-pavement of brick,
forms a pleasant sheltered walk in warm weather.
Arch street and Chesnut street are distinguished for
their beauty in these respects; and the houses, though
generally built with red brick, are (in those streets
particularly) of a remarkably neat and handsome
appearance. Several of the public buildings are also
ornamental to the town, especially the mint, the Bank
of the United States, and the meeting-houses of
various denominations.
The city is admirably supplied with water from the
Fairmount water works on the Schuylkill river. The
water is carried by forcing pumps into an extensive
reservoir at the top of a picturesque acclivity, com
posed of primitive gneiss. A pleasure ground, with
various accommodations, surrounds the works. It
is a scene of real beauty, and is the constant resort of
persons who are in search of amusement, air, and ex
ercise. I cannot wonder that Philadelphia is so much
beloved and admired by its own inhabitants. Often
did it remind me of the old monkish rhymes which
were written in good old times, in praise of our own
city of Norwich. Urbs speciosa situ, nitidis pulcherrima tectis.
Grata peregrinis, deliciosa suis.

92 PHILADELPHIA.
Perhaps, however, the speciosa situ would by some
persons be scarcely considered applicable to a city
built, as Philadelphia is, on a perfectly level plain.
I have heard it observed that the spring creeps in Eng
land, but leaps in America. During the earlier part
of my stay in the city, the mighty Delaware was filled
with large masses of ice ; and it was only by the sin
gular contrivance of an ice-boat, edged with a sharp
iron, and impelled by steam, that we could gradually
cut our way across to the Jersey shore. At the same
season, the sleighs were gliding rapidly through the
streets, the needful notice of their approach being
given by the bells on the horses. But in the course
of the 4th month (April) the traces of winter had
disappeared, the verdure became beautiful, and the
avenues and wooded squares burst into beauty.
The tranquillity of Philadelphia, especially in win
ter, is often interrupted by alarms of fire, and the
rattling of the fire-engines through the streets — accom
panied by the eager vociferation of idle people on the
full run. This was a circumstance of frequent occur
rence by night and by day, and serious fires some
times took place ; but, generally speaking, the alarms
seemed to be little more than the sport of the young
men, who are associated, in large numbers, in the fire
companies. The practice is no small nuisance both
to the quiet citizens themselves, and to the strangers
who happen to be visiting there.
It would probably be difficult to find, in any city,
markets more abundantly supplied with a vast variety
of provision than those of Philadelphia. They are
held in buildings of great length, under cover, which

PHILADELPHIA. 93
run along the centre of some of the streets — the larg
est in Market street, which divides the northern from
the southern districts of the town. Often did I walk
through this market, partly for the sake of its shelter
in rough weather, and partly in order to observe its
ever-varied contents. As the spring advanced, I here
remarked the rock fish, which is caught in the river
in great abundance, much resembling the English
carp in shape, but growing to a larger size, and
beautifully striped. It is a great delicacy at table ;
but the favourite fish of Philadelphia is the shad
which comes up the Delaware in vast multitudes
in the 4th month (April) and is caught in large nets
or seins constructed for the purpose. The flesh of
this fish is very rich and nutritious ; it looks like
a thick bream, varying from two to six pounds in
weight ; and forms for many weeks an important
and general article of diet. About the same time
wagon loads of the passenger pigeons were brought
into Philadelphia and were seen in heaps in the mar
ket. The pink breasts and illuminated necks of the
old male birds are very beautiful. I also observed
clusters of waxen chatterers, the large grey robins of
America, with breasts of a bright purplish pink, and
meadow larks, bigger than our fieldfares, spotted with
black above, and of a bright yellow below — all brought
in for food. The country districts are in this way much
despoiled of some of their choicest ornaments. Veni
son from the wild districts of Pennsylvania is some
times seen in great abundance. The beef is excellent
and plentiful ; the mutton, once so inferior, is now

94 PHILADELPHIA.
much improving; and, as the year advances, the show
of fruits and vegetables bespeaks the plentifulness of
the land. The most tempting and beautiful part of
this display, is the vast supply of delicious peaches, in
the latter part of the summer, from the fields of New
Jersey. The museums of Philadelphia are well worthy of
attention. In one of them, which is well furnished
with the treasures of natural history, I was much
interested in examining the almost perfect skeleton
of the mammoth, Mastodon giganteum. It was dis
covered several years ago in a marl pit, in the state
of New York; the skeleton of an elephant which
stands by its side is much less than half its size, and
might easily be mistaken for one of its young. On
my return to Philadelphia in 1839, I had the oppor
tunity of inspecting the magnificent Chinese collection
made by one of the wealthiest and most respectable
citizens, who had long been resident at Canton. It occu
pies the whole of a vast apartment in the new museum.
Its owner, Nathan Dunn, politely showed me the trea
sures which he had collected. They consist of the
paintings, manufactures, and natural productions of
the country. But the most striking feature of the
collection is a lively representation of the costumes
and habits of the people, in a succession of shops and
rooms of different kinds, fitted up a la Chinoise, and
supplied with appropriate figures, admirably made in
clay under the direction of our friend Dunn, while he
continued in China. They are (if my memory serves
me right) the work of native artists. As one paces

PHILADELPHIA. 95
along through this department of the Philadelphian
Museum, it is no difficult matter to imagine oneself
in China.
In the other public institutions of Philadelphia, there
is much to be found of an instructive and interesting
nature. I will now make brief mention of some of
them, whicb I had the opportunity of visiting before
I left the city. The institution for the deaf and dumb
is admirably conducted ; and highly entertaining was
the examination of the pupils, of which I was a
witness. 1 know not whether I was the more amused
by the nice skill and tact of the teachers, or by the
acute yet curious answers of the young people who
were questioned on the occasion. In the course of
one of our walks I had much pleasure in visiting the
house qf refuge for young criminals, boys and girls,
about 160 in number. I found them eating a whole
some supper of mush (or Indian corn) and molasses.
They are well instructed, and each child has a com
fortable solitary sleeping cell. The children displayed
much tenderness of feeling in a meeting that was held
with them, and I could not but conclude that this
was truly a place of reformation. Equally was I
interested with the shelter for coloured orphans,
where these helpless ones are well fed, clothed,
housed, and instructed. I afterwards saw a counter
part of this institution, equally well conducted, at
New York, both chiefly under the care of Friends.
Another asylum in Philadelphia is occupied by fifty
poor widowed ladies who seemed to be supplied with
every comfort ; many of them were under deep reli
gious impressions. I saw several of the schools ;

96 PHILADELPHIA.
some confined to the children of Friends, others for
the public ; and all conducted, as far as I could judgef
in a manner likely to insure a useful education. I
think, however, that more of scriptural instruction
might be given in the public schools with great ad
vantage. The Philadelphia hospital is richly endowed, and
is under excellent management. One half of it is at
present given up to the insane, but the governors
have lately erected a large new building for a lunatic
asylum, on an excellent site, which they have pur
chased in the country. This building is admirably
suited to the purpose. The Friends' asylum for the
insane, at Frankfort, near Philadelphia, is conducted
on the same wholesome principles as the York retreat.
There is a society among the patients for the promo
tion of literary and intellectual improvement, which
has a decided tendency both to arouse and rectify the
latent and morbid faculties of the mind.
The almshouse, about a mile from the city, which
answers in character, though by no means in style, to
an English poor-house, contained, when I visited it,
about 2000 inmates — the sick, the insane, the fatuit-
ous, the impotent, and the destitute. Here there is
an ample refuge for extreme poverty, under any of
its forms, even for the wandering stranger from Eng
land or Ireland. All are well lodged and fed. The
institution is under able superintendence and manage
ment; and the attendance at the meeting which we
held there was large and satisfactory. But I confess
that it appeared to me too much like the palace of
the poor ; and I felt alarmed at this decisive planting

PHILADELPHIA. 97
of pauperism in the land of independence. It is
impossible to calculate to what a head it may come,
in the course of years. The seeds of the same system
are now sown in almost every part of the union, but
where the expenses of these institutions are defrayed
(as I understand to be the case in Massachusetts) by
the labour of the inmates, the danger of the plan
is of course greatly lessened.
But I have yet to mention by far the most impor
tant public institution to be found in Philadelphia.
I mean the celebrated eastern penitentiary, in which
the separate system of prison discipline was admirably
conducted, when I visited it, by our worthy friend
Samuel Woods. It generally contains about 400
convicts, each of whom is provided with a small cell,
or rather apartment, to himself, in which he pursues
the work most adapted to his capacities, and is fur
nished with a Bible, and often with other books. The
cells on the ground floor are small, but they are fur
nished with a little piece of ground behind them in
the open air, which the prisoner is encouraged to
cultivate. The cells upstairs, which offer no such
privilege, are in themselves more roomy and agree
able; and it does not appear that the prisoners on
the floor enjoy better health than those in the upper
stories. The prison consists of eight large corridors,
which meet in a central hall — the Governor's residence
being separate from the rest of the building. When
a prisoner is brought into this institution, he is in the
first place washed and suitably dressed in a place near
the porter's lodge. He is then blindfolded, and led
H

98 PHILADELPHIA.
by one of the keepers to the apartment which he is
doomed to occupy, as a solitary inmate, for months,
or for years. This process, which prevents his having
the least notion of the location of his cell, and which
imparts a dreadful mystery to his circumstances, is
generally found to have a most humbling and over
powering effect even on the stoutest criminal. The
prisoners are well fed, and their solitude is often
interrupted by the visits of their jailors, who bring
them their food, materials for their work, &c. ; and
the "moral instructor," a lay religious teacher, who
seemed to me to be a man of good sense and piety,
is constantly going his rounds from cell to cell. But
the chief circumstance which renders this long solitude
bearable, is constant employment ; nor can any more
cogent punishment be inflicted on an unruly prisoner
than the withdrawal of his work. Religious service
is generally performed on the First day of the week,
either by the moral instructor, or by some benevolent
volunteer. But I am not sure whether this is con
stantly the case. On my first visit, religious worship
took place, after the manner of Friends, in two of the
corridors successively. The doors of the cells were
then thrown open, that the prisoners might hear the
words of the preacher, which is the usual arrange
ment on such occasions. An awful silence reigns
through the whole prison ; and the solemnity which
we felt when we were thus engaged, with a congrega
tion which we could not see, is not easily to be ex
pressed. I believe it to be impossible so to construct
a prison on this system, as absolutely to prevent the

PHILADELPHIA. 99
possibility of communication between prisoner and
prisoner. Nevertheless the experiment of solitude
may here be said to be very fairly tried.
I am unable to come to a satisfactory conclusion,
whether it answers its purpose or not. The pro
portion of returns to this prison, which is generally
considered to be the best test, is certainly considerable;
but this fact is said to be accounted for by some of
the peculiar circumstances of Pennsylvania, especially
its immediate vicinity to the slave states. On a sub
sequent occasion, I was kindly allowed to spend a
morning in going from cell to cell, just as I pleased.
Some of the criminals, who had been before in Sing
Sing, or Auburn, where they work in silent compa
nies, positively assured me that the system under
which they were now placed, was the more comfort
able, and had the better effect on their minds and
tempers. In the course of my rounds I met with the
deep sufferer, the hard inveterate criminal, the noisy
hypocrite, and, I believe, the true penitent. Many
persons among them seemed, in some measure, civi
lized by the process ; others appeared to care for no
man ; and one of the prisoners, whose expression was
peculiarly unfavourable, assured me, in answer to my
private questioning, that his solitude made him worse
and worse — that even thieves, when together, thought
it creditable to put the best leg forward, as he had
once done; but that now he surrendered himself to
his iniquity, and his soul was always feeding on gar
bage. I have no reason to suppose that this was a
common case. On the whole I am inclined to believe
that when under the most kind and religious care, this
H 2

100 PHILADELPHIA.
system tends to reformation more than any other.
But let the Christian visitor neglect his calls of charity,
or the superintending magistrates their frequent and
unexpected visits to the cells ; or let the governor on
the spot become hardened by his office, or soured in
temper, and no one can answer for the consequences.
Favourably as matters now stand, in this institution,
occasional instances occur of insanity — chiefly, I be
lieve, among the blacks. There is a possibility, in
the system, under less happy circumstances, either
of dangerous neglect, or of the exercise of private
cruelty, which renders it, in my opinion, almost too
dangerous an experiment ; and I cannot say that I
hail the probability of its introduction into our own
country. The females in this prison occupy a distinct
gallery, and are under the kind notice of a committee
of ladies. Heartily do I hope that these pious visi
tors will persevere in their praise-worthy, voluntary
exertions ; for if these should be withdrawn, the objects
of their care will be left in a condition of painful
destitution, as it regards an effective moral and reli
gious influence.
The "Moyamensing prison," or jail, in another
part of Philadelphia, where we also held meetings,
seemed to be well conducted on the same system. I
was glad to observe that several intelligent and in
fluential gentlemen were taking a lively interest in
its welfare.
During my stay in Philadelphia, several circum
stances transpired of a public nature, which were by
no means calculated to impress me favourably on the
subject of democratic institutions, though I am well

PHILADELPHIA. 101
aware that those of America are not without their
great advantages. One of these was the want of
public virtue manifested in Congress, on the occasion
of the fatal duel between Graves and Cilley. These
combatants fought with rifles, fired repeatedly, and
drew ten paces nearer to each other (as I was inform
ed) at each fire, until poor Cilley, the father of four
little children, fell and died. This murderous affair
was suffered to pass with impunity ; the murmurs
in Congress, on the subject, soon died away, and the
members attended the funeral of Cilley, who was of
course just as guilty as his antagonist, with every
mark of respect. It seemed to me that this was partly
the result of the general notion, that every citizen of
the state is left at almost unlimited liberty to do as
he pleases.
Another circumstance which produced a similar
impression, was the combination of a large com
pany, called the " pre-emption company," to deprive
the Indians of the Seneca nation, in New York,
of their reserved lands ; and under the pretext of a
false and surreptitious treaty with some of their
chiefs, to drive them into the western wilderness.
Some of our Friends in Philadelphia have long been
zealously engaged in the endeavour to stave off this
act of unrighteousness by personal applications to
the officers of state, and other influential persons
at Washington ; but the corruption of numbers, who
were set upon seizing the property of their neighbours,
has prevailed over the simple dictates of justice ; and
thus this shameless treaty has, at length, been ratified.
A third circumstance alluded to, was that change

102 PHILADELPHIA.
in the constitution of Pennsylvania, which I men
tioned in a former letter, and which had at this time
been just carried, en masse, by the votes of a majority
of the people. I have already noticed the reduction
of the judicial office, by this change, to a state of
entire dependence on the government and legislature
of the day ; and the introduction of that single
word " white," by which the whole coloured popula
tion, 40,000 in number, were at once deprived of
their citizenship. This affecting act of degradation
was received by that people with deep sorrow,
which happened to come in some degree under my
own observation. I was told, that a white boy was
observed seizing the marbles of a coloured boy in
one of the streets, with the words, "you have no
rights now." The latter submitted in silence. The
number of coloured persons, in the Eastern peni
tentiary, forms a considerably larger proportion as
compared with the white criminals, than the whole
coloured population of Philadelphia bears to the other
inhabitants. This fact is accounted for, partly by the
frequent access into Pennsylvania of runaway slaves
from Maryland, Delaware, &c, and partly by the
greater readiness of the magistrates to commit, and
of juries to convict, the coloured people ; but who
is not aware that the more any class of men is held
and treated as degenerate, the more prone they will
be to acts of immorality and fraud ?
Shortly after this visit to Philadelphia, an event
occurred which perfectly corresponded, in its nature
and principle with the circumstances already men
tioned ; but was of a more frightful and violent

PHILADELPHIA. 103
character — I mean the conflagration of the Pennsyl
vania hall, at the time of the anti-slavery conven
tion, and after the assembly had been compelled to
leave the room by violent and abusive conduct. The
work of destruction was effected by an uncontrolled
and incontrollable assemblage of the people, includ
ing many persons dressed like gentlemen. True,
indeed, it is, that no small provocatives to popular fury
were administered on the occasion, by the imprudence
of some zealous individuals ; but nothing of course
could, in the least degree, justify this most lawless
attack not only on the personal safety, but on the
undoubted civil rights, of a respectable part of the
community. Nevertheless this tremendous outrage
was permitted to pass over with perfect impunity.
The ruins of the hall still present to the view of the
stranger a most significant memento, that there is
no tyranny so bad as that of a mob — no government
so dangerous, as that of a self-willed, self-regulated,
and licentious populace.
If then, I am asked, what is the conservative
principle which can alone hold together the elements
of civil society, even in orderly Philadelphia, (as it has
always hitherto been called) I do not hesitate to
answer, — Christianity ; and this, as I believe, will do
it. When I call to remembrance the attention which
is paid to religion in this metropolis, by the bulk of
its inhabitants ; the large and numerous churches
and meeting-houses, and the ample supply of religious
instruction, which have there sprung up without any
aid on the part of the government ; the pouring forth
of multitudes of respectable people to and from their

104 PHILADELPHIA.
places of worship, which I have often witnessed ; the
orderly keeping of the sabbath — a point in which
Philadelphia appeared to me to be on a par with
Edinburgh; above all, when I think of the large
number of individuals, in that city, of sterling inte
grity and decided piety, with whom I am myself
acquainted — I cannot but rest in a peaceful per
suasion, that the cause of order, justice, and truth
will still be maintained in these parts. The city will
be preserved, not because of the wisdom of human
legislation, or of any peculiar, political, or local
advantage ; but because of the blessing of divine
providence on the " salt of the earth." I am, &c. &c.

LETTER X.

Earlham, 2nd month, With, 1841.
My dear Friend,
I was now becoming more and more acquainted
with some of the distinguishing traits of American
character, and there are a few points in it, to which it
may not be improper just to allude. The first is a
remarkable sensitiveness as to the opinions of others,
a sort of punctilious deference to the verdicts of the
community among whom one may happen to dwell.
This feeling often engenders an extreme caution
about little matters, which imposes shackles strange
to the habits of Englishmen. Nor is this state of
things diminished by the freedom with which the
character and conduct of individuals are made the
subject of common conversation. The tongue is a
little member, but not easily controlled ; especially,
perhaps, in a perfectly democratic society : and with
out any intention to falsify, the warm imagination of
the Americans is often found to clothe an original
simple story in a new and unnatural dress. I am of
the judgment, that the powers of the imagination
are somewhat more predominant among them, than
the cool, rigid processes of intellect ; and probably it
is on this account that their public oratory is often
diffuse and flowery. It is not unusual, in this coun-

106 PHILADELPHIA.
try, to run down the poetry of America ; but there is
much in the works of Bryant and some other authors,
which ought to redeem its character; and a pretty,
second-rate poetry is much more frequent among
young persons of both sexes in America, than it is in
England. The more severe and elaborate culture of
the mind, and the higher attainments, even in mat
ters of accomplishment, are still generally wanting.
But in the qualities of the heart, I found far more
to like and to love in America, than I had ventured
to anticipate. Friendship glows in Philadelphia, in
New York, in New England, with a peculiar ardour.
The degree of phlegm to which we are accustomed
in our own country, is seldom met with ; and from
grateful and multiplied experience, I am able to testify,
(and I do it with the utmost willingness) that the
main characteristic of American society is cordiality.
The natural tendency of universal personal inde
pendence to weaken the social ties, is powerfully
counteracted, among the Americans, by the warmth
and fidelity of their affections. The tendency in ques
tion is indeed often perceptible ; and yet I know of no
more attached husbands, wives, parents, children, &c.
than are to be found in America.
Before I left the city, I had the opportunity of at
tending the yearly meeting of Friends. The assembly
was very large, and the affairs of the church were
conducted in it with the utmost propriety and order.
I remember that I found, on that occasion, an ex
cellent opportunity of fully expressing my views on
the subject of slavery, stating the results of my own
observation. The points on which I thought it right

PHILADELPHIA. 107
to dwell, were first, the turning of a fruitful land
into barrenness ; secondly, the immense prevalence
of immorality in connection with the system ; thirdly,
the iniquitous laws against the education of the
blacks; and fourthly, the extent and cruelty of the
internal traffic. But few of the friends of Philadel
phia had connected themselves with the late public
abolition movements — a remark which equally applies
to those of New York. But they are not, on that
account, to be regarded as indifferent to the cause.
They think it best to pursue the object in connexion
with their own society, and in their own way ; being
fearful of acting, in this matter, on any thing short of
direct religious principle. My own hope is, that
Americans of every denomination will become in
creasingly united, on this ground, in their endeavours
to obtain the abolition of slavery; and then, if their
proceedings are conducted in a truly Christian spirit,
they will not fail to be blessed with ultimate, perhaps
with speedy and unlooked-for success.
In the course of this yearly meeting, I paid a visit,
in the capacity of a minister, to the assembly of
sisters, about 1500 in number. Rightly were they
engaged in quietly discussing and settling those
affairs in our society, which appertain to the female
sex, and thus came within their own province. A
more beautiful scene of order and neatness I never
beheld. I have no doubt, that we derive great
advantage from our thus bringing women into the
occupation of their right place in the church ; and
thou art well aware, that we lay no bonds upon them
in reference to the ministry. It is our principle,

108 A JOURNEY
that all persons, of both sexes, who are called of
God into the work, and qualified by his Spirit for its
performance, are at liberty to engage in it in our
public assemblies. But this view by no means em
braces the practice which was, at this time, becoming
prevalent in America, of the public lecturing by
females in the anti-slavery and other philanthropic
causes. An exhibition of this kind was one of the
provocatives offered to a touchy public at the anti-
slavery convention mentioned in my former letter.
It was connected with a new-fangled notion, that
women have in all respects equal civil and political
rights with the stronger sex, and that their public
functions ought to be identical. It is a happy
circumstance, that this notion, so dangerous to the
best refinements and comforts of society, has been
pointedly discouraged in this country, and there is
reason to hope, that in America, it is gradually but
surely fading away.
After having completed my duties in Philadelphia,
I was engaged in two interesting though not exten
sive journeys ; the first, in New Jersey ; the second,
in Pennsylvania. Near the close of the Fourth
month (April) I crossed the Delaware under the
guidance of an elderly and most intelligent Friend
(himself a Jerseyman) who conveyed me in one of
the convenient wagons of that country, from village
to village, and from meeting to meeting. I well
remember encountering an awful thunder-storm as
we were approaching his house at " Pleasant View,"
not far from the Jersey bank of the Delaware. We
reached our shelter just before the thunder-cloud

IN NEW JERSEY. 109
burst ; and in a few moments, the house was struck
with lightning, and seemed, for an instant, filled with
flame. The stress of the shock was taken off by
one of Franklin's lightning rods, part of which was
burnt to an oxide, by the descent of the electric fluid.
These tremendous storms are among the grand objects
which characterize America.
As we jogged along over a flat and sandy, but not
unproductive country, my kind companion gave me
much information on the subject of its statistics and
natural history. The population, amounting by the
last census to about 400,000, is perhaps as respect
able and orderly as any to be found in America. An
excellent education may be obtained either at the Pres
byterian college at Princeton, or at the seminary of
the Dutch Reformed church at New Brunswick ; and
an enlightened system of legislation has distinguished
this state, in relation to capital punishment and other
similar subjects. These objects have been very much
promoted by certain eminent men, who have risen
to important political stations through their success
as advocates in the courts of law. Among these are
Samuel Southard, one of the senators from this state
in Congress ; and Theodore Freylinghuysen once his
colleague, but now chancellor of the university of
New York. I have the pleasure of some acquaint
ance with both these gentlemen, whose fine talents
are truly valuable, because united with correct and
enlightened sentiments on subjects connected with
humanity and religion. This certainly is one of the
most delightful of unions ; and I do not consider it
by any means rare in America.

110 A JOURNEY
The soil of New Jersey produces, in some parts,
good Indian corn and other grain ; but it is chiefly
cultivated with fruits and vegetables, with which it
supplies the markets of Philadelphia and New York,
in great abundance. The peach orchards, adorned at
this season with the greatest profusion of pink blos
soms, were highly beautiful. Large fields are planted
with these trees, which bear fruit only for two or three
years, and are cut down before they grow to any great
size ; when fresh ground is chosen for the purpose. A
small white worm generally attacks them, and finally
succeeds in killing them, if they are left longer on
the ground. Indeed, the insect tribes are waging a
fearful warfare in America, against various kinds of
fruits, and even of forest trees ; so that some of the old
and valuable productions of the land are gradually
disappearing. In the mean time, it is a curious cir
cumstance, that parts of New Jersey are starting
into new fertility, in consequence of the discovery of
a dark green marl which has lately been dug up, on
the low grounds, at a depth of about ten feet below
the surface. This marl is composed of lime, sulphur,
and magnesia, and may probably have a marine
origin. Such has been its wondrous efficacy, in some
cases, that it has actually converted land of the value
of five dollars per acre, into pasture and arable
grounds of ten times the value. The barren soil
bears a valueless herbage called Indian grass. After
a single dressing with the green marl, it spontaneously
produces abundance of white clover. I was told that
the New Jersey farmers have not yet settled the
question, whether this white clover is a new creation,

IN NEW JERSEY. Ill
produced by virtue of the wonder-working marl,
or whether the seeds were previously latent in the
earth. I need not say that the latter is the truth.
The white clover is indigenous to the soil of Jersey.
Instead of turnips, they are fond of raising the
rutabaga, which resembles the parsnip in appearance.
They praise it greatly, as good food for their stock.
Rye and rye bread abound ; the latter very moist
and sweet.
The Jerseymen are famous for the rearing and
fattening of stock. I saw two of their enormous
beasts, which were displayed in Philadelphia as a
show. One of them was stated to be of the weight
4012 lbs. the other of 4005 lbs. and I was assured that
3500 dollars had been given for the pair. But I
presume that all these figures may have been some
what exaggerated. Certainly I never saw such bul
locks in England.
Some of the sandy plains of this state are covered
with pines. These are supposed to have a very salu
brious influence on the atmosphere ; and at one place,
among the woods, comfortable accommodation is
provided for invalids — especially those whose lungs
are affected. This is a common resort for the Phila-
delphians, and others, during the summer. There are
also large swamps in some parts of Jersey, covered
with the native white cedar. This is a very valuable
tree, and the posts and railings which are made of its
wood, are said to last even a hundred years.
My companion informed me that the large black
snake is still common ; it bites, and sometimes winds
somewhat fearfully round the limbs of those who ap-

112 A JOURNEY
proach it, but it has no poison. The water-snake is also
found in the ditches, grows at times to the size of a
man's arm, and is said to be poisonous, but not fatally
so. I was engaged one day, in one of the woods, in
the vain pursuit of some variegated lizards, from
six to eight inches long — black spots on a basis of
pale brown — the eyes bright and lively. I also ob
served, in the course of this excursion, the meadow
blackbird, with a patch of bright orange in each wing ;
the cat-bird, of a blueish grey ; the wood-robin, (a
thrush) of a fine yellowish brown, with a long tail;
and the Baltimore oriole, of splendid orange breast
and sides (called here the goldfinch). All these are
songsters, and their notes are sweet, but shorter and
less melodious than those of our own singing birds.
The female of the last-mentioned bird hangs her nest
on the branches of trees, curiously attaching it with
any threads or fibres which she may be able to pick
up. I also remarked a handsome upland snipe which
inhabits the corn-fields, like our landrails ; and the
king-bird, of mixed black and white plumage, of the ,
size of a thrush, which mocks the hawks, and asserts
its dominion over all the feathered tribes.
The towns of New Jersey, though none of them very
large, are numerous ; and several of them wear the
appearance of considerable comfort and prosperity.
At different times during my stay in America, I passed
through Newark, on the Hackensack river, a well-
built populous place, noted for its manufactory of car
riages, harness, hats, and shoes. I also visited Tren
ton, on the Delaware, the seat of the legislature, where
I had much satisfaction in visiting the state prison. It

NEW JERSEY. 113
is formed and conducted on the same system as the
eastern penitentiary of Philadelphia ; it was under the
close care of attentive and benevolent visitors. It is
on the steady maintenance of such care that the pros
perity of all prisons, and prisons of this description
in particular, essentially depends. A person who had
long been keeper of this prison, and was eminent for
his qualifications for the office, was leaving it on the
day of my visit. He was dismissed for the simple rea
son that he was somewhat of a marked politician, and
the other party had just become dominant in the state.
Party patronage in America is constantly made to ap
ply to offices which ought to be held without the small
est reference to any such considerations. Who can
tell the value of an intelligent, humane, and religious
jailor? And who would not regret that such an one
should be rejected or dismissed because the Whigs had
beat the Democrats, or the Democrats the Whigs ?
Yet such is the law of party in America. Undoubt
edly the same thing is too true in our own country ;
but by no means to the same extent.
On another occasion I visited the college of Prince
ton — chiefly under the care of the old school of
Presbyterians. Several of the professors are eminent
men in their respective lines, and there is, I believe,
scarcely any institution of the kind in America, which
bears a better character. Every facility was given
me when I wished to hold a religious meeting with
the students. About 200 of them attended, with the
professors, and there seemed to be a prevalent feeling
amongst them of the importance and value of sound,
vital Christianity. I may give a similar account of
i

114 A JOURNEY
the college belonging to the Dutch Reform church
at New Brunswick, under the presidency of Dr. Mil-
ledollar. In that pleasant city of 6000 inhabitants,
on the banks of the Rariton, I was received (as I had
before been at Princeton) with the greatest hospitality,
and the meeting held in the Dutch Reform church was
large and interesting. This town affords a pleasing
specimen of American well-doing in matters civil and
religious. I was informed that the tradesmen of the
place were making their living and saving money,
and I saw no signs whatsoever of poverty. With
regard to matters of a higher character, there are at
New Brunswick, six commodious places of worship —
one to each thousand of the inhabitants — all occupied
by orthodox denominations of Christians, who seemed
to be much intermingled in friendship and good fel
lowship. Dr. Milledollar gave me an affecting account
of a tornado with which this place was visited a few
years since. As he was looking from his window in
the college (on a hill above the town) he perceived
a pillar of vapour approaching, reaching from earth
to sky, and with an appearance of fire within it — no
doubt an electric formation. It whirled round and
round, as it approached, with immense vehemence-
passed through part of the town — tore up the trees,
and demolished the houses— and at last travelled off
in a new direction, and disappeared. Almost imme
diately after this frightful visitation, one of a much
more genial character came upon the inhabitants of
New Brunswick. It was the pouring forth of a spi
ritual influence, by which several hundred persons
were brought, within a short space of time, from a

IN NEW JERSEY. 1 15
worldly condition of mind, to decided seriousness in
religion. It was one of the oft-mentioned revivals;
and in this case, the experience of a few years subse
quent to the event, had afforded substantial evidence
that, with a few exceptions, the work of conversion
was genuine. The pastors of the town had no reason
to think that this extraordinary spiritual change was
(under grace) the effect of the tornado. Yet the
two events in their combination, afforded a practical
commentary on the words of scripture, " Clouds and
darkness are round about him ; righteousness and
judgment are the habitation of his throne."
Our present excursion ended with a visit to a
village-city which I shall (I trust) always remem
ber with grateful and pleasurable feelings — I mean
Burlington on the Delaware. This is indeed a plea
sant spot. On the green bank of the noble stream,
stands a row of villas which have a peculiar air
of prettiness and polish ; and the verdure, as the
spring advances into summer, is delightful. The
streets are wide and adorned with trees. The town
is not distinguished for commercial advantages ; but
it affords a quiet and agreeable residence to many
persons of retired habits. To me the pleasures of
this spot were those of friendship. Often did I visit
it, and as often did I there enjoy both intellectual and
religious intercourse with many who are the objects
of my love and esteem. In the immediate neighbour
hood, there are some pleasant residences. Greatly
should I enjoy introducing thee to W  , a lovely
spot, laid out a. l'Anglais, and inhabited by a fa
mily which could not fail to engage thy regard and
I 2

116 NEW JERSEY.
affection ; and to O  the agreeable country seat
of a Christian gentleman, now in his 87th year,
whose courteous demeanor, cheerful good-humour,
and unfaded intellect, are rendered doubly delightful
by the sunset glow of fervid religion. I have often
heard the manners, the intellect, and the piety of
Americans lightly spoken of; but most truly can I
aver that not a few are the instances which I met
with, among them, of finished politeness, acute intel
lect, and lively piety — all in combination. With this
remark, which I can assure thee, is perfectly true, I
will conclude this letter.

I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XI.

Earlham, 2nd month, 19$, 1841.
My dear Friend,
I will now proceed to describe some particulars
of an excursion or two in Pennsylvania, which 1 may
premise with the remark that the face of the country,
on the respective banks of the Delaware, is very differ
ent ; the advantage in point of beauty being decidedly
in favour of Pennsylvania. The Jersey shore is sandy
and flat; the other, comparatively fertile, and varied
with hill and dale. The country about Philadelphia
in particular, is gently undulating — wooded with a
variety of timber, and adorned by the numerous sum
mer residences of the more wealthy citizens. I was
interested by the old villa of the Logans at German-
town — a substantial brick mansion built in the Eng
lish style of his day, by James Logan, the confidential
secretary of William Penn, and the most effective of
his helpers. There I was courteously received by
its late owner Deborah Logan — an old lady remark
able for her poetic and literary taste, who had tran
scribed, in an elegant old-fashioned hand, many of the
letters and other documents of William Penn's day,
and had thrown no unimportant light on the antiqui-

118 A JOURNEY
ties (as they may now be called) of this rising country.
Her curious volumes have been presented to the His
torical Society in Philadelphia. The house, over
shadowed by hemlock trees (a dark, lofty species of
pine) and filled with antique furniture, has as much
the air of the " olden time" as any thing one can find
in America. The neighbouring village of German-
town extends to a considerable length, consisting of
pleasant houses on each side of a high road, encom
passed with trees.
One of the prettiest places in the neighbourhood of
Philadelphia is G  , the seat of a kind and intelli
gent Friend, under whose roof — shaded as it is with
weeping willows, chesnuts, and other native trees — I
sometimes found a delightful resting-place. 1 re
member spending one morning in company with this
Friend and some of his family, in a drive along the
banks of the Schuylkill. It is a noble stream, and is
found extremely convenient (as well as the Lehigh,
another tributary of the Delaware) for the conveyance
of the anthracite coal from the mines in the interior.
The scenery through which I passed on this occasion,
is wild and romantic, and I was charmed with the
beauty of the red-blossomed Judas trees — with us a
great rarity— but there, one of the profuse orna
ments of uncultivated nature. The head waters both
of the Schuylkill and Delaware, are said to pre
sent scenes of a most picturesque character ; the dis
tant highlands of Pennsylvania, out of which these
rivers flow, being covered with the noble native
forest. The people of this extensive state are still in
possession of vast tracts of land, which have not yet

IN PENNSYLVANIA. 119
been brought under the hand of the cultivator, and
will probably add to the wealth and prosperity of a
future era.
The friend to whom 1 have just alluded, kindly
consented, after my return from New Jersey, to ac
company me on a journey through parts of Pennsyl
vania ; and about the middle of the 5th month (May)
we set off in his easy comfortable wagon, on a round
of visits to the meetings of Friends, in Lancaster,
Chester, and Delaware counties — it being, at the same
time, one of our objects to hold public meetings for
worship with the inhabitants at large. The spring
was now in all its vigour, and the apple orchards
covered with white blossoms, amidst the general ver
dure, vied in beauty with the peach fields of Jersey.
Woods of oak, hickory, and chesnut abound. But
the country is more than sufficiently cleared, and is
probably as well cultivated as any part of America.
It is divided between arable land and pasture, and I
was pleased to observe the rough angular palings ge
nerally called " the worm fence," so usual in America,
occasionally exchanged for the green thorn hedge.
The grass grows abundantly ; but, strange to say, it
often becomes, under the summer heat, so unwhole
some as to salivate the horses and cattle, for which
no remedy has yet been discovered.
The wooded hills were at this time profusely adorned
with the calmia latifolia, or mountain laurel, the ex
quisite white blossom of which, spotted with pink, and
curiously folded and cut, is familiar to the English
gardener. Another of our garden plants, the azalia,
is here called the wild honeysuckle. The white and

120 A JOURNEY
pink varieties were then abounding in the woods. I
also observed the blue hepatica, the dog-toothed violet,
(I believe a kind of lily) the sanguinaria or blood
root, which is used in medicine, and bears large white
blossoms ; and a true violet of a bright yellow colour,
but scentless. One of the chief beauties of the forest,
at this time of the year, is the dog wood, which looks
remarkably gay as one travels through the green shade
— being covered with large yellowish-white blossoms
as they seem at a distance ; but these, on a nearer ex
amination, are found to be mere cups containing the
small florets of the shrub. Still more ornamental,
however, is the tulip tree, or American poplar {Lmio-
dendrum tulipiferwn) . This tree grows to a great
height, and is most luxuriant in its appearance when
it bursts into greenness — the production of its leaves
being by one of the most beautiful of nature's pro
cesses. The bud which contains the leaf is packed
up and folded in a most curious manner, like a
child's puzzle. In the course of the 6th month
(June) the tree blossoms, and is then covered with
tulips. The specimens of it, which are sometimes to
be found in our English gardens, give but a faint idea
of its native beauty and vigour in America.
The soil of the country through which I passed dur
ing this journey, is generally a kind of loam— in other
parts, clay over limestone. It produces abundance of
wheat, as well as of rye and Indian corn. Agates and
blue beryls, crystalized like minature pillars of basalt,
are among the minerals of the district ; they were
shown me in a friend's cabinet. As we passed along
we observed the little salad bird, black and yellow,

IN PENNSYLVANIA. 121
very active and sprightly in its habits ; and the scarlet
tamger, one of the most splendid of the wild birds of
America, of the size of a small thrush, all of bright
scarlet, except the wings, which are black; also the
American red-start, of the size of a sparrow, orange
and black — an agile bird, and a good songster. Near the
dwelling of one of our friends, I remarked the green
ish brown female of the Baltimore oriole, flying about
her pendulous nest, which she had attached by threads,
with the usual nicety and skill of her tribe, to the branch
of a tall tree. The birds, in the more secluded parts
of the country, are so little interrupted, that they seem
to have scarcely any fear of man, and are therefore
the more easily observed and admired. The hum
ming birds were now beginning to make their appear
ance, ravishing the sweets of the azalias and other
bell-shaped blossoms ; but the extreme rapidity of
the motion of their wings, as they dart from flower
to flower, generally prevents a satisfactory view of
them. One of them, however, more considerate than
the generality of his tribe, lighted on a pea stick
in the garden of one of my friends, and continued
there in quietness for nearly ten minutes, as if for
the purpose of displaying his beauty to a stranger.
It was a cock-bird, of a bright glossy green, with a
blazing throat. Much more quickly evanescent was a
garter snake, of a bright gold colour, variegated with
black, of which I just caught a glimpse at the resi
dence of another acquaintance, as the creature glided
rapidly through the grass.
In the course of our drives, in this excursion, we
caught a land tortoise, from 6 to 8 inches long — the

122 A JOURNEY
shell, orange and dark brown intermingled. These
animals are common both in Pennsylvania and Jersey,
and are said to live a hundred years. Sometimes
one sees graven on their shells, the initials or names
of the land owners of past generations, who have
taken this method of transmitting their reputation to
posterity. I also observed a small species of tortoise, in the
puddles and ponds by the road side ; and the snapping
turtle, an edible animal (so called from the peculiar
motion of his jaws) inhabits the river of Pennsylvania,
Jersey, and Delaware. I am little or nothing of a
naturalist, but the variety of plants and animals which
I met with, from day to day, was a constant source of
recreation to me — a charm most agreeably mingled with
graver pursuits, and in itself full of instruction.
Often as I had to admire the natural beauties of
American scenery, and to trace the constant improve
ment which is there taking place in agriculture, I
found the United States, including Pennsylvania it
self, still lacking in the more polished charms of parks
and gardens. The former are no where to be met
with ; and the latter are for the most part in a rough
condition — luxuriant weeds predominating over the
peas, lettuces, and other edible vegetables. Nothing
is to be seen of the smooth-shaven lawn so ornamental
in England, and very little of the gay flower bed.
These defects naturally belong toacomparativelyyoung
country, where labour is dear ; though they arise in part
from the disposition so prevalent, among all classes
of American citizens, to be always driving onward in
pursuits of a more gainful and utilitarian character.

IN DELAWARE. 123
While honesty constrains these remarks, I am glad
to be able to add that garden-cultivation is making a
gradual progress among our transatlantic brethren.
Amidst the general neglect, I saw many pleasing spe
cimens of care; and the late horticultural shows at
Philadelphia and Burlington, nearly rivalled those of
our own country.
We held a public meeting at the pleasant town
of West Chester, which is in the centre of a highly
cultivated district ; and in the evening took up our
quarters at the house of some kind friends, at the
little city of Wilmington, in the state of Delaware.
This delectable place, as I thought it, stands near the
south bank of the Delaware, upon a rising hill, on
one side of which flows the Christiania, and on the
other the Brandywine, two of the tributary streams
which run into that magnificent river. The weather
was lovely, and the sea breeze from the east, sweeping
up the river, remarkably refreshing. Here we spent
the First day of the week, and after having enjoyed
a quiet meeting with our friends in the morning,
attended an overflowing assembly in the evening,
at the large meeting-house, now in possession of
the Hicksite separatists who here proved a large
majority. So extensive a departure from the sound
principles of the Christian faith, was a subject of
deep lamentation to the friends of divine truth. For
myself, however, I was treated by this people with
kindness. They offered no obstruction to our using
the house ; flocked in large numbers to the meet
ing, and listened with great attention — perhaps I
might say with feeling — to those glorious truths of

124 A JOURNEY
the gospel of Christ, which many of them, at the
time of the division, had treated even with scorn
and ridicule. I feel a hope that the attention which
they thus gave to a stranger, was not altogether fruit
less to themselves.
If the question is asked, how it came to pass, that
the authors of this dangerous schism were able to
lead away so large a number of followers (i. e. about
one third of the Society of Friends in America) the
answer is not difficult ; for the mournful fact is ex
plained by two circumstances — first, the extraordi
nary influence of individuals on communities of
men, and particularly on religious bodies, which is
one of the characteristics of America. This was
pre-eminently the case with the late Elias Hicks, of
Jericho in Long Island, who was a man of plain and
simple habits ; a pattern, as was supposed, of self-
denial ; and at one time a zealous preacher of the
truth. He was admired and beloved by thousands;
and being thus placed in an elevated position, gra
dually imbibed those false views of religion which
flatter the natural pride of man's heart ; rejected the
Saviour who bought him ; and became dogmatic and
overbearing. His ministry, still eloquent, was now
distinguished by bold asseverations, in opposition to
some of the primary articles of Christian truth. His
personal appearance and demeanour are said to have
been highly imposing, and multitudes who were des
titute of that knowledge which would have enabled
them to detect his sophistries, bowed under his au
thority, and were carried away by the stream. The
second point to which I alluded, as accounting for

IN PENNSYLVANIA. 125
this strange event, is this very want of knowledge.
There can be no doubt that a careful, scriptural edu
cation had been grievously neglected before this he
resy appeared. The consequence was that there was
very little in the minds either of old or young people,
which they could effectually oppose to the influence
of error.
I am the more inclined now to make these remarks,
because on our return from Wilmington to my com
panion's pleasant residence at G  , we enjoyed the
opportunity of visiting two institutions belonging to
the society, which are eminently calculated to remedy
this defect. The first is West-town school, which is
situated in a healthy and beautiful part of Chester
county. The landscape around it of woods, hills, val
leys, and here and there a little stream, are quite en
chanting. Here, about 250 of the children of Friends,
of both sexes, receive, under the most judicious care,
a guarded and religious education. The cultivation of
the intellect was set at nought by Elias Hicks, who
trusted implicitly to the strong powers of his mind,
and defied useful literature. But here that object is
steadily pursued on a somewhat higher scale, than in
the public schools belonging to our body at Ack-
worth and Croydon. Above all, the Holy Scrip
tures are daily read, and the children instructed in
their contents. I have every reason to believe, that
the moral and religious influence of this institution
is at once powerful and extensive.
A drive of fifteen miles from West-town, across
a " rolling" country of much picturesque beauty,
brought us to Haverford, where there has been lately

126 A JOURNEY
established an academy, or rather college, for the
education of an older and more opulent class of lads.
Repeatedly, and always with great pleasure, did I
visit this institution. At this time there were 70
boys and young men accommodated in the house,
which was built for the purpose — pursuing a course
of classical and scientific study, under well-qualified
teachers. Each of them is provided with a neat
little chamber to himself, in which may be found his
bible, a few other books of his own selection, and
the requisite articles of furniture. This separate
lodging I hold to be a most important provision for
the moral and religious welfare of the young people,
as well as for their comfort. There was an appear
ance of order and sobriety to be observed in these
young persons, accompanied by an obvious infusion of
American independence, which pleased me greatly.
A highly talented Friend on the spot, to whom they
are greatly attached, devotes his time and mind to
their moral and religious culture. In many of the
young people whom I saw in different parts of the
Union, after they had left this school, I was able
clearly to trace the effects of that Christian care
under which they had been placed at Haverford.
The beauties of nature are not neglected here. The
house, which stands on an eminence, is in the midst
of a pleasure-ground, pleasantly laid out after the
English fashion. The boys had just been raising
among themselves and their friends, a purse of 2000
dollars, which has since been expended on an ex
cellent conservatory. I look back on my visits to
both of these seminaries, with peculiar gratification.

IN PENNSYLVANIA. 127
*
Long may they flourish for the intellectual and spirit
ual benefit of our young people !
The interesting little tour which I have now de
scribed, ended with a meeting at a sequestered and
romantic spot (near the residence of my kind com
panion) called Merion ; where, in a small select com
pany, we were brought to feel the sweetness and
strength of true Christian fellowship — " the unity of
the spirit in the bond of peace." After this meet
ing, I took leave of my friend and his family, returned
to Philadelphia, and on the next day set off for New
York. Before I enter on this new scene of interest, I may
just remark, that during my visits to Philadelphia, I
was so much engaged in the pursuits of my own
objects, that I had little opportunity of obtaining
the acquaintance of many of her citizens, not con
nected with Friends, whom I should have been glad
to know. I remember, however, with pleasure, a
call which I received one day from Dr. Ludlow, the
president of the literary and theological department
of the university of Pennsylvania. He is a person
of high character and superior parts ; and the institu
tion, under his care, as well as the corresponding
medical department, is in good reputation. I also
called at the laboratory of the celebrated Dr. Hare,
who received me with great kindness, and much
interested me by his conversation. Another day, at
the table of a common friend, I met the aged Peter
Duponceau, whose eminence as a lawyer is sin
gularly combined with an intense love, and deep
knowledge, of classical and oriental literature. He is

128 PHILADELPHIA.
one of the few citizens of America, who has given
up his time and mind to the profound study of lan
guages ; and has lately published an elaborate volume
to prove that the general notion respecting the
Chinese language (namely, that its written words or
letters are so many pictures or hieroglyphics) is
without a foundation in truth. The flowing grey
hair, beaming eye, mild yet expressive countenance,
and sprightly conversation, of this literary veteran,
are peculiarly striking.
I am inclined to mention one more circumstance,
which afforded me considerable pleasure during my
stay at Philadelphia. It was a visit to the president
and directors of the Pennsylvania bank of the United
States. All commercial men, of course, understand
that this is no longer a national concern, but only an
extensive joint-stock company, subject to the laws
and government of the state of Pennsylvania. I
was introduced by a most respectable citizen of
Philadelphia, who had been a member of the board,
when the bank was national ; and was very politely
received by the well-known Nicholas Biddle and his
associates. Banker though I am, our conversation
was not upon banking ; but on a variety of topics
connected with my travels in America, and the impres
sions which had been made on my mind in the
course of my journeying. I was much pleased with
the easy manners, and intelligent conversation of
these gentlemen ; and was, of course, quite igno
rant of the dangerous financial operations which were
then going on under their sanction. The suspension
of their specie payments, which took place in the

PHILADELPHIA. 129
winter of 1839, the vast fall in the price of their
stock, and the general embarrassment and difficulty
which was then experienced in the money-market
(evils which are not yet removed) are matters of
public notoriety. But the root of prosperity in Ame
rica is deep and ramified ; and, if the legislature will
but fairly do its part, this important institution may
yet recover its standing. Be that as it may, I have
little doubt, that in due season commercial ease and
prosperity will again be enjoyed in Philadelphia.
In the mean time it is a singular circumstance —
one quite strange to the politics of England — that
banking is the main question which divides the two
great parties in the United States. Very often is it
discussed, both in public and private, not in the cold
calculating manner which appertains to such topics
in this country, but with all the warmth and fire of
party spirit. I was shocked and yet almost amused at
the strange toast which, I was told, had been given,
about this time, in a loose assemblage of persons in
New England, importing that the country must now
assuredly prosper, "because the banks and Christianity
were on their last legs." The Van Buren party are
considered to be the opposers of the banks — the
Whigs their defenders ; and great is the virulence
often expressed on this subject. The controversy
probably arose from the celebrated act of the Jack
son administration, which dissolved the connexion
of the bank of the United States, with the Federal
government ; and it has been prolonged in conse
quence of the withdrawal of the national funds from
the state banks, and the plan set on foot by President
K

130 PHILADELPHIA.
Van Buren, for the passing of the public monies
through the hands of treasurers and sub-treasurers;
appointed by the government itself.
Whether the abolition of the national charter of
the bank of the United States was wise or otherwise,
in a commercial point of view, is a subject on either
side of which much plausible\easoning may be urged.
To me it appears that the absence of such a central
power, as a regulator of the circulation, exposes the
monetary system of America to very serious difficul
ties. But there can be no doubt that politically it was,
strictly speaking, a democratic measure, tending to
weaken the hands of the Federal government, by
severing its connection with the common pecuniary
and commercial transactions of the country.
In the mean time I have no idea that the absurd
folly which dictated the above-mentioned toast in a
company of low infidels, has any place in the minds of
the more respectable portion of the Van Buren party,
any more than in those of the Whigs themselves.
I presume that all persons of common information
in America, as well as England, unite in the judg
ment, that banking, conducted on sound and legiti
mate principles, is absolutely essential as a means of
facilitating trade. Still more settled is my belief,
that by far the largest and most influential proportion
of the American population, of both parties, would
deprecate nothing so much, as to see " Christianity
on its last legs."
For my own part, I heartily crave that a better
understanding may soon take place between these
two parties, which appeared to me to be divided by

PHILADELPHIA. 131
accident, and by different views of certain eminent
persons — each party having its own favourites — than
by any grand diversity of principle ; and that all may
unite in removing from America that stain of national
guilt which still rests upon her, because of slavery. If
this blot be removed, America must prosper, morally,
commercially, and politically.
I am, &c. &c.

K2

LETTER XII.

Earlham, 2nd month, 21st, 1841.
My dear Friend,
On the 25th of the 5th month (May) I quitted
Philadelphia for many months, and paid my first visit to
New York. It seems strange that I should have been
nearly a year in America without seeing its great
emporium of commerce ; but afterwards my acquaint
ance with that city, and many of its inhabitants,
became intimate and familiar. The journey from
Philadelphia, of about 100 miles, was the easy occu
pation of a morning. In company with one of the
moving multitudes of America, I first took the steam
boat, for 25 miles up the Delaware to Bordentown;
then the railroad across the state of New Jersey,
to Amboy on the sea coast ; lastly, another steam
boat, for a run of 30 miles along the narrow arm of
the sea between the Jersey coast and Staten Island—
until the noble bay at the head of which stands New
York, burst upon our view.
Here the scene is truly magnificent. Gradually
receding, on the right hand, are seen the wooded and
hilly shores of Staten Island, adorned with several
handsome white buildings — two of them marine
hospitals; a third, a large hotel; besides many pri-

NEW YORK. 133
vate houses. At a greater distance, in the same
direction, and bounding the whole scene, runs the
low green shore of Long Island ; on the left is seen
the main land of New Jersey, which, in this part, has
much of picturesque beauty ; and immediately in
front, on the south-west point of Manhattan Island,
the city itself, with its many spires and 312,000
inhabitants. The scene is varied by three small
islands which lie in different directions between the
opening of the strait and the city. On Governor's
Island, the principal of them, is erected an extensive
circular fort. Manhattan Island, on which stands
the city, is separated from Jersey by the Hudson
river, flowing from the north — here four miles broad ;
from Long Island, by the east river, a narrow arm of
the sea, in which vast numbers of ships are seen at
anchor; and lastly, from the main land of the state
to the north, by the Harlaem river, by which the East
river and the Hudson are connected. The entrance
into this land-locked expanse, from the Atlantic ocean,
is through a strait called the Narrows, between Staten
and Long Islands. There can be no doubt that this
bay is one of the most beautiful in the world ; nor can
one conceive of a more commodious location for com
mercial purposes than that of New York. The East
river, which opens into Long Island sound, affords
an easy daily communication with the ports of New
England. The Hudson conveys to the city the
riches of the state of New York itself; and through
the Narrows, the merchantmen of Europe find a
safe and easy access to the Tyre of the western
world.

134 NEW YORK.
At the south-west point of the city, facing the bay,
stands the battery, which commands (in a precisely
opposite direction to that which I have just described)
an admirable view of the whole great picture. Here
a broad public walk, under the shade of noble trees,
affords the citizens, when weary with the labours of
trade, an excellent opportunity of inhaling the fresh
sea breezes. On our way from the battery to the hos
pitable quarters which were provided for me in this
city, we passed through Wall Street, which is generally
considered the most concentrated focus of commercial
transactions in the world. It consists of innumerable
offices, public and private, several in each house, and
all of them conspicuously lettered on the outside.
The whole money-dealing of New York is here
brought into a very narrow compass of ground, and
is in consequence transacted with peculiar quickness
and facility. Prodigious sums are given for very
small pieces of ground in this part of the city. The
destructive effects of the late awful fire, which is said
to have annihilated twenty millions of dollars in
property, and which happened in the most populous
and busy part of the town, are now no longer visi
ble. Numerous streets of perfectly new houses are
seen on every side, and although many of them
are narrow, their general appearance is that of neat
ness, order, and thrift. The Broadway, three miles
in length, leads to the higher parts of the town,
where the streets and squares are airy and spacious ;
composed chiefly of the commodious residences of
the monied aristocracy of the city. The handsome
stone buildings of the State University, in Washington

NEW YORK. 135
square, are of modern Gothic architecture, and vie
in appearance with the colleges of Oxford and Cam
bridge. About the centre of the city, is an open wooded
space, called the Park, in which stand the City Hall,
the Post-office, and other public buildings. These
have an imposing appearance; and when the New
Exchange, in Wall street, is finished, it will be one
of the most striking buildings in America ; it is sup
ported by vast pillars, which, with the rest of the
edifice, are of fine granite.
The principal hotels, though of no particular beauty,
are of enormous magnitude. They serve the purpose
not only of inns, but of boarding houses for families
— all for the most part uniting in the use of a com
mon table. They are vast concerns, and have the
reputation of being ably conducted ; but surely this
mode of life will gradually disappear, as wealth, edu
cation, and refinement, make progress in society.
The private houses, like those of Philadelphia, are
generally of neat red brick-work, four stories high,
besides the basement. This last in New York gene
rally contains the dining-room ; so that we descend to
dinner, instead of going upstairs to the second story,
which is the usual practice at Philadelphia. The
drawing room, in both these cities, (with the hall
on one side of it) usually occupies the whole of the
first story, being divided into two by large folding
doors. These apartments are often very spacious ;
and in many houses, the open stoves, with their un-
blazihg anthracite coal, are now banished, and plain
marble slabs, perforated for the passage of hot air,

136 NEW YORK.
substituted in their room. Venetian blinds are seen
at all the windows ; and, in the summer months,
are universally let down — for the New Yorkers, as
well as the Philadelphians, are lovers of shade in their
houses, in hot weather, even to darkness. The flights
of steps at the front doors, of a reddish brown sand
stone (brought in large quantities down the Hudson)
have a remarkably handsome appearance. Sometimes
they are to be seen, at every successive door, along
an extensive street. New York has the advantage
of Philadelphia, in the beauty of the places of pub
lic worship, many of which have lofty spires — some
of wood, but generally of stone. Those of the Epis
copal church are, in this city, pre-eminent for archi
tectural beauty ; but generally speaking, in this state,
as well as New England, the steeples of the Presby
terians, Baptists, Methodists, Universalists, &c. are
all equally aspiring.
Eager and active is the population of this city. It
is impossible not to be struck with the mien and
manner of the people as one meets them on the side
pavements of the street ; so different from the slow
gait, and easy appearance of the Philadelphians. As
in London, so here, every one seems occupied by
business of importance to himself — every one in rapid
pursuit of his object. The personal appearance of
the New Yorkers is also peculiar. They are gene
rally slender and pale, and one does not often meet
the robust form and ruddy visage, to which we are
accustomed in England.
The time of the yearly meeting for this state was
come ; and Friends were collecting in considerable

NEW YORK. 137
numbers, not only from the immediate vicinity of
the city, but from distant parts of the country ; and
more than a few, from Canada. The followers of
Elias Hicks, however, are here the more numerous
body, and have taken possession of the large old
meeting-houses belonging to Friends. They were
holding their yearly meeting simultaneously; and as
they have the same appearance in point of attire with
the body from which they separated, the city to all
appearance was much thronged by Friends. Our own
meeting was composed of about 1000 persons, men
and women, and was very agreeably conducted — the
members being much united in their endeavours to
maintain the cause of sound and primitive Christi
anity. There are two large buildings in New York which
may be hired for public meetings either of a philan
thropic or religious character — the Tabernacle in
Broadway, which is large enough to contain 4000
people ; and an old theatre, now converted into a
chapel, in Chatham street, which is said to hold
more than 3000. Meetings for worship were ap
pointed, at my request, in each of these buildings
successively. These were attended by a multitude of
Hicksites, as well as Friends and persons of other de
nominations ; and we had reason to believe that the
doctrines of Christianity, as plainly unfolded in the
New Testament, were then listened to with attention
and good-will, by many who had been accustomed to
neglect or oppose them. I have no doubt that reli
gion, under various administrations, is bearing with
great force, on the stirring and intelligent population

138 NEW YORK.
of this great city. The Episcopalians, the Presbyte
rians, the Methodists, and the Baptists, are all of
them vigorous ; and the attendance on places of public
worship is much larger in proportion (as I have every
reason to believe) than in the generality of our own
cities. On the other hand, lawless infidelity is ramp
ant amongst many. Fanny Wright, and other persons
of that description, give public lectures, without reserve,
on deism and atheism ; and liberty is degraded into
licentiousness, among multitudes of low Irish and other
uneducated persons. Commerce, in the mean time,
exerts a prodigious sway, and the pursuit of gain is
the regular daily occupation of almost every body.
But on this free and bustling arena, Christianity is,
in my opinion, lifting up her voice on high, with in
creased and increasing efficacy.
The state of New York, an independent republic
of upwards of 2,000,000 of people, imposes no taxes
of any kind. The celebrated Erie canal, 360 miles
in length, formed under the auspices of the late
governor De Witt Clinton, connects the river Hud
son with lake Erie, and not only affords immense
facilities both to commerce and agriculture, but yields
the state an annual profit of more than 700,000
dollars ; and this in itself forms a sufficient revenue.
I was informed that the salaries of all the public
officers amount only to 66,000 dollars per annum.
The state is divided into upwards of 10,000 educa
tional districts, in which more than 500,000 young
persons receive an elementary education, free of ex
pense—being at school, on an average, for eight
months during the year. These schools are sup-

NEW YORK. 139
ported, partly by the funds of the state, and partly
by local rates. They probably form, as a whole,
the most generalized machinery for popular education
to be met with in any country in the world.
There is only one point connected with these
schools, in which a large proportion of them differ
from the British free schools in England. It is that
neither the Scriptures themselves, nor extracts from
them, are used as daily reading lessons. I consider
this to be a lamentable defect, and one which can
scarcely fail to be injurious in its consequences.
Happily the exception does not apply to the schools
in the city itself, which are ably superintended by a
committee of gentlemen, and are conducted, as all
such institutions ought to be, on the basis of Scripture.
Here I may just remark, that the friends of education
in New York were much indebted to the late Joseph
Lancaster, whose invention they adopted, and who
assisted them very materially in the formation of
their schools. I often saw him while I was in Ame
rica, and much regretted that his want of care and
prudence was so constantly involving him in difficul
ties. In the autumn of 1838, he was repeatedly heard
to say, that his work was finished, that he had now
nothing left him to do but to die. Soon afterwards
he was knocked down in the streets of New York by
a runaway horse in a wagon, and died in a few days.
Notwithstanding all his infirmities, there is reason to
believe, that through the mercy of that divine Saviour
in whom he trusted, his end was peace.
During the whole of my stay in America, New
York, in a commercial point of view, was in a state

140 NEW YORK.
of considerable depression. The enormous losses
occasioned by the great fire, were by no means fully
recovered ; and, since that event, frequent conflagra
tions, to a less terrible extent, have taken place in
the city. But the main cause of suffering was that
unequalled course of speculation and gambling,
chiefly connected with the cotton-market, which dis
graced the mercantile annals both of England and
America, in the years 1836 and 1837. The amount
of accommodation-paper which was then in circula
tion between the two countries, probably formed a
larger bubble than the world had ever before seen;
and when it burst, in the spring of 1837, the desola
tion which it produced, in New York particularly,
was extensive and overwhelming. One indication of
the altered state of things, was afforded by the com
parative prices of land in the immediate neighbour
hood of this city. During the flood-tide of prosperity,
large lots were purchased at Brooklyn, on the opposite
side of the East river, and in other places near the
city, in order to be laid out for houses and streets.
Enormous prices were given ; in many instances 2000
dollars for an acre. But now the delusion had been
dissipated, the speculators in land were in distress,
and it was found impossible to sell the subdivisions,
from which vast profits had been expected, without
incurring an equally formidable loss.
The plain English of the whole of this affair, is
that the Americans, and especially the eager citizens
of New York, are prone, in the pursuit of gain, to
" go ahead" at far too swift a pace ; and thus they are
liable to the most appalling disappointments ; but

NEW YORK. 141
give a little time, infuse a little patience, instil a little
more of the sober and prudential qualities — and there
is not the least doubt, that the energy of their native
character, together with the inexhaustible resources
of their country, will bring them into a state of
prosperity, of which they need not, if they will not,
be again deprived.
The island of Manhattan is twenty-one miles in
length, and forms a county in itself. The city which
now occupies its south-western extremity may be ex
pected, with the growing prosperity of the country, gra
dually to spread over its surface. In the mean time, the
handsome town of Brooklyn, containing some 40,000
inhabitants, has risen up on the Long island shore
of the East river, immediately opposite to New York ;
and the perpetual plying of small steamers across the
strait, serves all the purposes of a bridge, and turns
the two cities into one. The view of New York
and its harbour, from the heights of Brooklyn, is
wonderfully fine — a remark which equally applies to
the opposite prospect, from the hills of Hoboken on
the Jersey shore of the Hudson. These are pros
pects calculated to fill the mind with large ideas both
of the beauty of nature, and of the ceaseless energy
of man. They are views, not only to admire, hut to
contemplate. Of that energy, we have a remarkable example in
the extraordinary works which are now in progress,
for the purpose of conveying to New York the pure,
salubrious waters of the Croton river, from a distance
of forty miles to the north. The city, at present, is

142 NEW YORK.
by no means well supplied with water, and much
that one drinks is inferior to that of Philadelphia.
But should this vast undertaking happily succeed
(which can only be at an enormous cost) there is
reason to believe, that New York will be better
supplied with this great necessary of life, than almost
any city in the world.
Every man, of whatsoever country, who has a
head upon his shoulders, and who has resided a very
few years in America (except only the poor coloured
ones) is a citizen and a voter, both in New York
state and Pennsylvania, without any respect whatso
ever to the distinctions of property or education ;
and they vote by ballot. Whatsoever may be thought
of this last provision, the universality of suffrage is
found by experience to be de trop; and the more
respectable classes have long begun to sicken of this
fullness of democracy. Towards the close of 1838,
the mob, under some passing political excitement,
took absolute possession of the house of legislature
of Pennsylvania, at Harrisburg; and, for a few days,
assumed the supreme government ; but after having
played their game to their own satisfaction, they at
length dispersed, without doing any material injury.
It is an unhappy circumstance, that the mobility
in America, especially the Irish emigrants, are impla*
cably opposed to the people of colour, and follow up
the prejudices entertained among their superiors, by
acts of violence, when any sufficient excitement occurs,
In New York state, a coloured man may vote when
possessed of real property worth 250 dollars. This

HUDSON RIVER. 143
provision, unequal as it is, is better than the total ex
clusion enacted in Pennsylvania. In the mean time,
although the descendants of Africa of all grades of
colour, are at present separated by an apparently
impassable line from white society, there can be no
doubt that they are gradually making progress, both
in education, and in the acquirement of property.
They have several meeting-houses in this city, and
range chiefly with the Methodists ; and lamentable
as it is that their children should be excluded from
the public charity schools to which the whites resort,
it is some consolation, that separate schools are open
for them in this city, at the public expense.
After having attended the yearly meeting, and held
those meetings with the people at large, to which
I have alluded, I was accompanied by four of my
friends, on an excursion to the city of Albany, on the
west bank of the Hudson, and the seat of the legis
lature. It was a voyage up that delightful river, of
160 miles, and lasted twelve hours, from seven in the
morning, to the same hour in the evening. The
steam-boat which conveyed us was large and commo
dious — the upper deck a place of promenading ; or if
one likes to sit, for sketching, or reading at ease.
The company was as usual, perfectly civil, and the
weather delightful. But what shall I tell thee of the
scenery ?
" Magnificent Hudson, I hail thy display,
Of many a headland, and many a bay,
And mountain with forest impending,
And villas of marble, that peep thro' the shade
Of the deep-wooded glen, and the vast palisade,
Of nature's own hewing and rending."

144 HUDSON RIVER.
The river in most parts appears to be about a mile
in breadth, but swells out, from time to time, into
glorious bays. The depth of the water is so great
and uniform, as to admit of navigation for 130 miles
from New York, for vessels of considerable burthen,
I believe for brigs which are often built at the city
of Hudson, as whalers. Out-jutting points of wooded
rock and hill are to be seen at almost every turn;
with bright-looking villages on the banks, and orna
mental houses among the trees, built of the marble
which the prisoners work, in the pits of Sing-Sing.
At this picturesque village, about 30 miles north of
New York, and immediately on the east bank of the
Hudson, stands one of the great Penitentiaries of the
state, and presents an extensive front to the view of
the voyager on the river.
The celebrated palisades are a long line of basaltic
rocks, extending for several miles on the western
bank, not very far from New York. They are not
regularly crystallized in the usual form of basalt, but
descend perpendicularly into the water, having the
appearance of being split into stripes — wonderfully
even, and of very considerable height. About 50
miles from the city the river becomes compara
tively narrow, and runs, for 12 miles, through delight
ful mountain scenery — sometimes however, spreading
into a Killarney-like lake, without any visible outlet
— the whole scene being enlivened by numerous
sloops with white sails, conveying the produce of a
most fertile country, to the markets of New York.
This district is called the Highlands. Just in the
midst of it, on a lofty eminence, called West Point,

ALBANY. 145
stands the national military college, which is backed
by still loftier hills, and commands a variety of de
lightfully romantic views.
After passing through these 12 miles of moun
tain scenery, we found ourselves in a bay of great
breadth and beauty, on the west bank of which is
the young city of Newbergh. Several miles further,
the agreeable town of Pokeepsie, in Duchess County,
comes into view, on the eastern bank ; and, after a
further voyage, the city of Hudson, adorned with
several steeples, and built on a height which descends
precipitately into the water. This city is also on
the eastern shore, and just opposite to it is a little
American Athens, by no means destitute either of
natural or artificial beauty. During this part of the
voyage, the Catskill mountains on the west, covered
with wood and rising to the height of 3000 feet, form
a very interesting object ; and one just catches a view
of the celebrated " mountain house," that favourite
resort of the lovers of nature — pitched, as it were by
magic, on one of its peaks, in the midst of the native
forest. The approach to the city of Albany is very beautiful.
It is a neat-looking town of 30,000 inhabitants, built
on a rising ground on the western side of the river.
The legislative and city halls — their domes covered
with glittering tin — have quite an imposing appear
ance. Here I was most kindly received by our mutually
dear friend Dr. Sprague, the principal Presbyterian
minister of the city — a person, as thou art well aware,
of talent, learning, and piety. In his company we

146 ALBANY.
passed an interesting day. The morning was spent in
viewing the scenery of the Hudson, from the neigh
bouring heights, and afterwards in a call at the house
of the Patroon, Stephen Van Ranselaer. The re
spectable old gentleman was too ill to see us ; and
has since died, and been succeeded by his eldest son.
We enjoyed inspecting the old English-like mansion,
and trim, well-cultivated gardens ; and were very
kindly received by his wife and family. The Patroon
may be described as a Dutch Lord, and is the only
hereditary nobleman in America. In return for
kindness shown to King Charles II, while he was
an exile in Holland, the monarch, on his restoration,
presented Van Ranselaer's ancestor with 20 miles
square on the banks of the Hudson. The title and
estate have since lineally descended from generation
to generation ; and although much of this territory
has been sold or exchanged, the Patroon is still con
sidered to be the wealthiest landed proprietor of the
United States.
Dr. Sprague introduced me to several of the min
isters of the city, who met us at dinner, and appeared
to be persons both of intellect and piety. In this
place, the Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Dutch Re
formed, and Baptist preachers seem all to be united
in Christian friendship and fellowship. The after
noon was agreeably spent in the inspection of an
admirable seminary, in which 300 young ladies re
ceive an education considered to be quite equal to
that bestowed on the stronger sex, in the generality of
American colleges. I was surprised at the accuracy
of knowledge which some of these young persons dis-

ALBANY. 147
played in answer to the questions addressed to them
by their tutor. In the evening, a large and solemn
meeting, after the manner of Friends, was held in
Dr. Sprague's commodious meeting-house ; and the
assembled multitude seemed to be of one accord in
the willing reception of those great doctrines, in
which sound Christians, under every name, are sub
stantially agreed.
Our friend Dr. Sprague has now, for several years,
been a widower, and has experienced the blessings
of vital religion in many an hour of solitude and
distress. Early the next morning, we took an affec
tionate leave of him and his interesting children, and
returned by the steam-boat of the day to New York.
I am, &c. &c.

L 2

LETTER XIII.

Earlham, 2nd month, 2ith, 1841.
My dear Friend,
On the following day, in the company of a
number of Friends, I took a large steam-boat for
Newport, in "the island" of Rhode Island. Our
object was to attend the yearly meeting of Friends
for New England, which was then about to assemble
at that place. We set off at five o'clock in the after
noon — the weather fine but windy — and under the
bright beams of a clear evening, greatly enjoyed the
view of the main land, on the left hand, and of Long
Island on the right, as we passed rapidly up the East
river. On the former shore are to be seen the peni
tentiary for the city of New York, a prison too well
peopled, and although once regarded as a pattern,
now somewhat in the rear of modern improvement;
but I speak only from report, having had no opportu-
tunity to inspect it. In the same neighbourhood is
the new lunatic asylum, a very handsome building of
stone ; and some of the gentlemen's houses, near the
shore, approach to the magnificent.
The coast of Long Island has the aspect of green
ness and cultivation, and is also diversified with
pleasant residences. In a narrow part of the strait,

VOYAGE TO NEWPORT. 149
within a few miles of New York, the navigator has
to steer through a rocky conflux of currents called
Hurl-gate or Hell-gate. Our boat defied the whirl
pool, and we soon found ourselves in Long Island
sound, a noble expanse of water, which dilates to a
breadth of twenty miles ; the shores, on either side,
being just visible. Dark clouds were now gathering
over us, and the sky assumed a stormy appearance ;
so that it was unusually satisfactory to remember,
that the God of his people is also the Lord of nature,
" and holds the winds in his fist." However the
moon rose in great glory, and, as the sailors say,
" scoffed away the clouds." The night became exqui
sitely beautiful, and was spent partly on the quarter
deck in lively conversation, and partly in vain attempts
to sleep. From the sound we passed into the open sea,
and had no difficulty in weathering Point Judith,
which from the meeting of currents is dangerous in
rough weather. As the morning broke, we entered the
beautiful bay of Narraganset, and landed in safety at
our desired haven. I use the word safety with some
stress, because I do not consider that the American
steam-boats, although large and commodious, are
exactly calculated for the open sea, especially by night.
Very shortly afterwards, a fine new steam-boat called
the Pulaski, on her way from Charleston to Norfolk,
was destroyed by the bursting of her boiler, when about
200 persons were lost ; and in the autumn of 1 839,
on the very same route by which we had now been
going, the Lexington steamer took fire, and upwards
of 150 passengers perished. Nevertheless, this voyage
from New York to New England is a regular daily

150 NEWPORT.
business. It is 200 miles in length, and on this occa
sion lasted only thirteen hour9.
Newport harbour is one of the finest on that side
the Atlantic, and was the great naval station of the
British, during the revolutionary war. The town,
however, which contains about 9000 inhabitants, and
is pleasantly situated on a sloping shore, has now but
little commerce. The island of Rhode Island, on
which it stands, is fifteen miles long, and three and a
half broad, and is often called the garden of New
England. It is a verdant spot of earth, well culti
vated with different kinds of grain, though partly in
pasture, and is much adorned with apple and cherry
orchards ; but these unhappily have, of late years,
suffered greatly from the resistless warfare of insects.
Much of the ground is rather lofty, so as to com
mand delightful views of the sea on either side, and
the air was, at this time, more delicious than I am
able to describe. I thought it the perfection of
climate. The thermometer was then standing at
above 90° at New York, Philadelphia, and other
places. But here, the warmth was tempered by the
most salubrious sea-breezes. Well do I remember
some of my country walks at this time, during the
clear cool evenings, in company with intimate friends.
The air was perfectly clear, and, when the sun was
setting, the heavens seemed illuminated and dyed all
round. The bright crimson melting into the brighter
azure could not, as I thought, be rivalled on our side
the Atlantic ; except, as I suppose, in Italy.
We found a most comfortable lodging provided for
us at a boarding-house kept by a female Friend, close

NEWPORT. 151
to the sea-coast ; and a solitary rocky shore near at
hand, afforded easy opportunities for bathing. The
abundant table which was daily spread for us by our
kind hostess, was distinguished by two articles which
may be worth mentioning, as characteristic of the
country. The one is the " black fish," which is caught
here in abundance, and is remarkable for its agreeable
flavour ; it was our daily fare at breakfast, and is
from one to three or four pounds in weight. The
other is the soft moist bread of the country, made of
a mixture of rye and Indian corn ; it is quite sweet,
and is considered to be a very wholesome diet.
In a meadow near our lodgings, I observed in one
of my solitary wanderings, the little private burying-
place of the Dyer family. Mary Dyer was one of
the flalfcejx Friends who were hanged at Boston in the
days of Sir John Endicott's persecutions ; not long
after the first settlement of Massachusetts. The
Nonconformists, who there found refuge from perse
cutors at home, soon forgot the principles for which
they had been pleading ; forbad any Quaker to enter
the province on pain of death, and actually hung this
poor martyr, and two of her brethren, who, in spite
of the iniquitous law, were emboldened to visit that
part of the country on a gospel errand. They met
their death with perfect composure, and even with
gladness. The story is current in America, that no
wheat will grow on the place of their execution. I
mention the circumstance because it was often told
me, but I presume that it may be accounted for by
other than supernatural causes.
The " Quaker great meeting," as it is called in the

152 NEWPORT.
neighbourhood, is the most marked annual event
which occurs on this peaceful island, and great was
the multitude of all sorts of people, who flocked to
the large old meeting-house, on the First day of
the week ; as well as to another place of the kind,
open at the same time, in the sequestered village of
Portsmouth, a few miles distant. We were at Ports
mouth in the morning, and at Newport in the after
noon. At the latter place about 2000 people were
present ; and amidst so great a diversity of names
and sects, it was not, I hope, unsuitably that we were
reminded of our Lord's words, " One is your master,
even Christ." The meetings for discipline occupied
several succeeding days, and the Friends in attend
ance being accommodated at large boarding-houses,
the evenings were spent at one of these places after
another, in pleasant and profitable communication
with numerous companies of young people. Energy,
good sense, and intelligence, with quick susceptibility
of feeling, and a determined perseverance in the pur
suit of their objects, are some of the marked charac
teristics of the citizens of New England ; and we may
observe amongst them a greater degree of bodily
vigour than is often seen in other parts of America.
It was delightful to observe the eagerness with which
these simple-hearted young people received such
familiar information and instruction as their visitors
were able to communicate. The warm affections of
the heart seem to form in them an invaluable coun
terpoise to Yankee independence. I have already
hinted that the New Englanders are the only true
Yankees — the name having been given to them by

NEWPORT. 153
the Indians. My young friends seemed willing to
accept the plain hints of an Englishman, that the
independence to which I have alluded is not without
its dangers and temptations — that it pre-eminently
requires the remedial discipline of the cross of Christ.
On the 5th morning of its session, the yearly meet
ing, which was somewhat larger than that of New
York, was brought to its conclusion in peaceful
solemnity ; and in company with a beloved friend
and brother, to whose affectionate attentions I am
deeply indebted, I then undertook a long journey,
for the purpose of visiting the Society of Friends,
and of holding meetings with the people at large,
in the several states of New England. These are
six in number — Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Con
necticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
Thou art aware that a yearly meeting of Friends
consists of several Quarterly meetings ; which latter
are held every three months, being composed of the
members of their constituent monthly meetings. It
so happened that a series of these Quarterly assem
blies were about to be held in succession, just at such
times as would suit our convenience in gradually
travelling northward ; and thus we were furnished
with a number of fixed points by which, in some
measure, to regulate our journey.
At Newport I had the opportunity of making the
acquaintance of Judge Story, who was presiding over
the circuit court of the United States, then in session
at that place. I called upon him at his lodgings, and
was received with that easy urbanity which distin
guishes the public men of America — no set of persons

154 ISLAND OF
can be more accessible to foreigners, than they are.
His manners and appearance are remarkably lively,
his conversation fluent, his information varied and
extensive, and his legal lore almost unrivalled on that
side the Atlantic. He invited me to take a seat by
him on the bench ; but although time did not allow of
my accepting his offer, the short time which I spent in
his court afforded me an evidence of his good sense
and acuteness in his capacity of a judge. He was
then engaged in trying a case of mutiny, which had
occurred among the seamen of an American mer
chantman. We could not wait the issue of the trial.
Our first excursion was along the whole length of
this beautiful little island, on our way to some set
tlements of Friends on the eastern main land of the
state, from which the island is separated by a narrow
arm of the sea. Over this inlet has been thrown one
of those long wooden bridges, supported by piles,
which are so common in America — the land of
timber. On our way we paid our respects to another cele
brated citizen of New England — Dr. Channing — who
resides during the summer months in a sequestered
villa, on this lovely island, belonging, I believe, to
his wife's family. The place is embosomed in trees,
and the garden is carefully laid out in green walks
and flower-beds like those of England. He is a man
of slender frame and small stature — his countenance
as completely intellectual as any I know. His man
ners, in the first instance, appeared to me to be
reserved, but he soon became free and animated
when we conversed on the subject of slavery. Though

RHODE ISLAND. 155
he is classed among the Unitarians, having been for
many years their favourite minister in Boston, I
believe him to be no stranger to high devotional
feeling; and most heartily do I desire that he may
find his rest at last, in the " fulness which is in Christ."
Every one knows that his pen is distinguished for
felicitous vigour. His expressive portraits of John
Milton and Napoleon Buonaparte are well known in
this country ; and his useful little work on the internal
evidences of Christianity, might lead one to suppose
that the leaning of his mind is in favour of evangeli
cal truth. His pamphlets on slavery, on the annex
ation of Texas to the Union, and now, lastly, on
emancipation, are full of just sentiments, expressed
in a most lively, pointed, and spirited style. Our
intercourse on this occasion was short, but was very
agreeably renewed after my return from the West
Indies. I then spent a long evening with him and
his amiable wife and family, greatly to my enjoyment.
On theological subjects I thought it best not to touch ;
but he listened to my story of the West Indies with
the deepest attention ; and, on whatsoever other topic
we may differ, I have the satisfaction of knowing that
we are perfectly one in sentiment on the subject of
slavery. On both sides of the inlet of the sea to which I
have alluded, the land is strown in great abundance
with a bony fish, of a blueish colour, here called the
Manhaden, about the size of a herring. It is caught
in immense quantities on these coasts, and is used
chiefly for manure. We found the effluvia to be
no luxury ; but it is said not to be unwholesome,

156 ISLAND OF
and such is the virtue of this manure, that great crops
of white clover are obtained by it on parts of the land,
which in their own nature are stony and barren.
During the whole of this drive the sea views pre
sented to us at every turn were enchanting ; and I
well remember the enjoyment which I experienced in
a long ramble among the hilly woods, interspersed
with granite rocks, on the shore of the main land
opposite to the island. Some young people who
were my companions, busied themselves in gathering
the wild flowers of the district, for my amusement.
Amongst them were the Arethusa, of a beautiful red
colour, and expanding like a small lily, but I believe
of the orchis tribe ; a fine yellow cistus ; the blue
lupin ; the yellow star of Bethlehem ; the pink co
lumbine ; the blue iris ; and a small red species of
calmia, called the sheep laurel, which is very destruc
tive to the flocks. We also gathered a sweet-scented
fern ; and my companions showed me the bay-berry
bush. This shrub bears a waxy berry, of which the
Americans make excellent candles. One of the most
remarkable animals of this district is a leaping frog
with very long hind legs, the body of a bright green and
gold colour. Quails are common here, and at this sea
son of the year, their melodious cry, which seems to
articulate the words "bob white," is heard almost per
petually. Some of the birds which frequent the coast
are also well worthy of observation, particularly the
small mackerel gull, extremely taper and delicate, and
the most elegant of flyers. On the sands, I remarked
pale yellow birds, like sand-pipers in shape, and not
much bigger- than sparrows; running about in large

RHODE ISLAND. 157
numbers, regardless of man, and with the greatest
agility. As a general remark with respect to the
productions of nature in America, I was brought to
the conclusion that the fruits have less flavour, the
flowers less fragrance, and the birds less song, than
in our own country. On the other hand the eye
is more gratified with fine colours than it is here — a
remark which particularly applies to birds, flowers,
and skies. To these may be added the butterflies,
which in New England particularly are large, and
some of them distinguished for gaiety. One of a deep
orange, and another yellow with black spots, attracted
my attention ; nor ought I to forget the fire-flies,
which float about during the dark evenings like little
stars or meteors. I understand that they are very small
beetles. But, bright as they are, they by no means
equal those which I afterwards observed in Jamaica.
Having completed our short excursion to the east
ward, we returned to Newport, held one more meet
ing with our friends in that town and neighbourhood,
and early the next morning took our leave of that
delightful centre of sea breezes, in health and peace.1
1 FAREWELL TO RHODE ISLAND.
A long farewell to the verdant isle
Where the corn-fields wave and the pastures smile,
And the greenings load the orchard now,
And the cherry bends her blushing bough,
And the bread is brown, and soft, and sweet,
Without one particle of wheat,
And fishes from the bright blue sea,
Strewn o'er the furrow and the lea,
Amply repay the boatman's toil,
And fructify the fattening soil,
And the golden oriole hangs her nest,
And the robin swells his ruby breast,

158 JOURNEY OF
We were now moving westward ; and, in order to
reach the main land of the state in that direction, had
to pass over the Bay of Narraganset by two ferries,
each of three miles length — the small Island of Con-
nanicut lying between them. A meeting of Friends
was settled on this Island, about a hundred years ago,
by some eminent preacher ; but now there is only a
small remnant left. I well remember the pleasure
which I derived from a passing visit there, to an aged
female on the couch of infirmity, whose lively hope
and fervent piety afforded a plain proof that in the
absence of external religious advantages, divine grace
may yet be predominant. A green old age, in a reli
gious sense of the term, was a spectacle which I
often enjoyed in the course of my travels in America.
As we passed along by slow stages from meeting to
meeting, through a rough and unproductive country,
but one by no means destitute of picturesque beauty,
I was pleased with the simple and hardy appearance of
the people. Some of their habits are curious enough.
And floating fowls the deep explore,
And sports the surge on the circling shore,
Where smooth the sands and level the space
That lure the steed to a flying pace,
And health from many a fountain flows,
And childhood wears on her cheek the rose,
And thrive the strong, and bloom the fair,
And breathes the soft salubrious air,
And sparkles many a vivid eye
Beneath the crimson canopy,
When the western skies with glory glow
And o'er the east their radiance throw,
And, kindled in the Saviour's name,
Friendship emits a steady flame,
And Christian love abroad is shed,
And blessings are poured on the pilgrim's head —
I weep, for 1 hear the signal bell,
Rhode Island, I bid thee a long farewell !

RHODE ISLAND. 159
Women of the middling class, even among Friends,
wear necklaces of heavy gold beads, which have, I
believe, descended from generation to generation. I
suspect that they are considered to have some advan
tageous physical or medical properties ; and for the
same reason, I suppose, men in plain clothes, are
often to be seen wearing little gold earrings. Sim
plicity, industry, and'good sense, are the characteristics
of the people.
We held meetings at the manufacturing town of
Greenwich, on the western coast of the bay, where the
failure of an extensive house had produced a tem
porary desolation ; after which a long stage brought
us to Providence. This pleasant city is built on seven
undulating hills at the head of the bay, and on the
banks of a river of the same name. The views of
the bay, from the upper part of the town, are peculi
arly lovely. The houses are chiefly of frame, neatly
painted white, and the streets, interspersed with fine
elms and other trees, looked clean and agreeable.
The churches and meeting-houses are large and hand
some, and here again the voluntary system seems to
be working very advantageously. The ministers of
the orthodox denominations are in good fellowship
with one another, and their congregations are large.
There is a body of Unitarians in the town, under the
pastorship of a gentleman of talent and benevolence :
and the Universalists also have their meeting-house.
But it is evident that the sounder forms of religion
have here a decided predominance.
This result may be partly owing to the beneficial
influence of Brown University, which is conducted by

160 JOURNEY.
professors of good religious principles, and superior
intellectual endowments, under the presidency of
Dr. Wayland. The president is himself in high
reputation as a theologian and moral philosopher,
and is evidently a person of true piety, as well as
powerful talent. I regret that in his work on
" Human Responsibility" he has published an argu
ment against the abolition of slavery in the district of
Columbia, on the ground of constitutional equity.
I consider his view on the subject to be a mistaken
one ; but it is quite an error, in my opinion, to set
him down, on that account, as an enemy to the cause
of emancipation. In the progress of that cause he
is sincerely interested ; and no person in America
appeared to be more delighted than the doctor, with
the good accounts of the working of freedom, which
I had the happiness to give on my return from the
West Indies.
Amongst the hospitable inhabitants of this city,
we spent a week of no common interest. The society
there is at once polite and intellectual, and nothing
could be more hearty than the reception which they
gave to the Gospel message, which a stranger amongst
them believed it to be his duty to deliver. An inter
esting meeting was held, by permission of the presi
dent, with the students in the college — 160 in number
—many of whom seemed to be under deep religious
impression ; and great was the multitude which flocked
to the meetings, appointed for the public at large in a
vast Baptist meeting-house. During a few engage
ments of this description, we were led to contemplate
the great feautures of the Christian religion, in the

RHODE ISLAND. 161
view of the glorious attributes of the Father of mer
cies, and of the respective offices of the Son and the
Spirit. These points are clearly interwoven with each
other, and may be said to constitute the fabric of
Christian truth. The more they are examined in
reverent dependence on Him who is the fountain of
light, the more they will be found to consist with the
purest conclusions of sound reason, and with the
infinite perfections and absolute unity of the Supreme
Being. Excuse these remarks — I am led into this
train of reflection in the remembrance of a time when
a remarkable evidence of the truth of these things,
was afforded me by the joint and concurrent feeling
of Christians — accustomed to a diversity of administra
tion — who appeared, nevertheless, to be " all baptized
by one Spirit unto one body" — all "made to drink
of the same Spirit."
One of the dearest homes which were furnished me
in America, was at Providence. My host and host
ess, who are persons of large property and influence,
and decidedly religious character, dwell in a most
comfortable mansion in the upper part of the city,
surrounded by a well-cultivated garden, and over
shadowed with trees ; and they have also a villa in the
country, near at hand, which they frequent almost
daily. Their orchards are loaded with fruit ; and
their house is the scene of simple but liberal hospi
tality. I shall not forget my happy friendship with
their young children ; but I wish on the present
occasion to offer a brief tribute to the memory of the
eldest son of the family — a young man of 20, when I
first knew him — full of health, energy, and generous
M

162 PROVIDENCE.
feeling, and remarkable for an acute and even powerful
intellect. He was engaged to a young Friend who
was in every respect worthy of him ; and when we first
became acquainted (several months before my visit
to Providence) he received with gladness the message
of life and salvation. I now found him much ad
vanced in his religious course, but afflicted most unex
pectedly with inflammatory rheumatism, and greatly
weakened and undermined in health. I cannot for
get his unwearied and affectionate attentions to me,
notwithstanding his sickness ; and I fondly hoped
that he would yet recover, and live to adorn his
appointed station in the church and the world —
but perfect wisdom ordained otherwise. A few
months afterwards, his health had fallen to a still
lower point of infirmity; his heart was affected by
the disease ; and one morning, after a single gentle
sigh, he suddenly expired. Though very young, he
was extensively known, and beloved by all who knew
him. The grief of his family and friends was inex
pressible ; but we were all consoled by the assurance
that his faith and his virtue had now resulted in
perfect and eternal happiness.
Our Society in this neighbourhood, though not
very large, contains many valuable and interesting
members— amongst others a " beloved physician,"
the favourite practitioner of the city, and one of
the ministers of our little church. In the immedi
ate neighbourhood of the city, the Friends of New
England have a well endowed seminary, in which
from 60 to 100 boys and girls are comfortably board
ed, and receive an excellent education. I was much

PROVIDENCE. 163
pleased both with the literary and religious care
under which they were placed. The building is large
and commodious, on an elevated site — and the view
from the top of it, of the bright clean-looking city,
the blue bay, the rivers which flow into it, and the
well-wooded country in full verdure — was one of the
loveliest that I saw in America. On some of the
streams there is considerable water power, and in the
neighbouring village of Pawtucket, extensive cotton
mills and manufactories are carried on with much
order and success. Although the celebrated tariff
on British manufactured goods (which once excited
the warm indignation of South Carolina) is now
so much lowered, and the manufacturers of New
England are deprived in consequence of the protec
tion which they formerly enjoyed, it was evident to
me that these persons were substantially prosperous ;
and that as labour becomes cheaper they will gradually
outstrip the English manufacturer in the American
market. Before I quit my record of these agreeable scenes,
I must endeavour to do a little justice to that singu
larly comfortable little republic which had been lately
under my notice — of course I mean that of Rhode
Island. By the census of 1830, this state contained
about 90,000 inhabitants, a number which now must
be considerably increased. It is however, compara
tively speaking, a small community, and the territory
is also small. The soil is by no means particularly
fruitful, and there is great room for improvement in
the agriculture of the district. Although much of
the land is interspersed with fragments of granite, and
M 2

164 RHODE ISLAND.
with woods which are picturesque rather than luxuri
ant, there can be no doubt that it might be greatly
improved, were the attention of the people less directed
to manufacture, and more to farming. The popula
tion is healthy, active, intelligent, and, I believe,
moral ; the government cheap and unpretending,
— their king being paid only £100 per annum ; tax
ation almost nothing ; education general ; literature
cultivated, among the more refined classes, to no com
mon extent ; sound religion on the voluntary system,
not only maintained, but diffusing itself with increasing
energy ; and law seldom overborne (as in some other
parts of the Union) by that degraded liberty which
defies control. I must acknowledge that the politi
cal condition of Rhode Island appeared to me to be
highly respectable, and I scarcely know where one
could find a community among whom — cceteris pari
bus — it would be more desirable to dwell. To a con
siderable extent these remarks would apply to the
other states of New England, but perhaps not so fully.
The account which I have given thee of this part of
my travels, though certainly very favourable, is as far
as I know, impartial.
I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XIV.

Earlham, 2nd month, 21th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
Within a day or two of the close of the 6th
month (June) 1838, we took our leave of our numer
ous kind friends at Providence, and were swiftly con
veyed down the blue waters of Narraganset, 30 miles,
to Falls River, a manufacturing town of 7000 inhabit
ants, on the eastern coast of the bay. It is pleasantly
situated on a rising ground ; and the water power,
afforded by the falls of a small river which runs
through it, sets many a cotton mill at work. It is
evidently a rising and thriving place. At " candle
light," as the Americans say, we held a meeting
with the inhabitants in the new and commodious
Friends' meeting-house. It was pretty well attended,
though on the evening of a working day; and for
ourselves, the comfortable dwelling of a hospitable
member of the Society, afforded us every accommo
dation for board and lodging. Notwithstanding the
great heat of the weather, we had been refreshed,
after our labours at Providence, by our agreeable
voyage ; and the next morning enjoyed a long drive,
through a rocky and wooded country, to another set
tlement of Friends in the little village of Newtown in

166 NEW BEDFORD.
Massachusetts. There also we were engaged in a
public meeting, and enjoyed, among some pious, sim
ple-hearted people, the welcome of a cordial hospi
tality. In the afternoon we pursued our journey to
New Bedford, a town on the southern coast of Mas
sachusetts, of 11,000 inhabitants, admirably situated
for commerce, and built on the brow of a hill which
overlooks the sea. Many of the houses, in the upper
part of the town, are built of stone, and form a series
of as elegant residences as can be found any where in
America. The weeping elm and other trees abound,
and the place, as a whole, presents an uncommon scene
of beauty and neatness.
The great expensiveness of some of the houses is
the result of the commercial prosperity of the place
— its inhabitants having grown rich on its princi
pal trade — the South Sea whale fishery. Many a
noble vessel leaves this port every year in the pur
suit of the spermaceti whale, and many a story of
adventurous exploits is brought back with the annual
supplies of the oil and spermaceti. We were inter
ested in observing the process by which the spermaceti
is prepared for candles. Another article frequently
brought home in these vessels, for the amusement of
the women who are left at home, is an amazing
variety of the shells of the South Seas, of which
many beautiful collections are to be seen in New
Bedford. On the day after our arrival, large meetings were
held in the meeting-house belonging to our Society,
which, in this place, forms an important part of the
community. The attention paid to religion in New

NEW BEDFORD. 167
Bedford is general, and the orthodox denominations
form a large majority. There is, however, a consider
able body both of Unitarians and Universalists. The
former chiefly consist of the more refined and edu
cated classes. They appeared to me to form, in Mas
sachusetts, an aristocratic caste, quite as much as a
religious sect ; as if it was inconsistent with the
claims of polished intellect, and especially with the
functions of public life (to which many of them are
devoted) to be trammelled with what they regard as
the superstitions of orthodoxy. Universalism may
be described as a sort of heretical Methodism, in
which an appeal is made, with no small measure of
zeal, to a less cultivated part of the community. I
had reason to believe that many low free-thinkers
were embraced in this sect ; and I fear that the lead
ing tenet on which they are accustomed to dwell, is
spreading among the people. It is that the doctrine
of eternal punishments forms no part of Christianity
— that good, bad, and indifferent, will all be ultimately
saved. Thus the scriptural view of human responsi
bility is dangerously undermined, and the foundation
of Christian morals shaken. Amongst too many, the
very notion of retributive justice in a world to come,
seems to be discarded, and the evil passions of human
nature are let loose in proportion. The diffusion of
this line of sentiment is one of the worst features of
the present state of society in New England. Yet I
am by no means seriously alarmed on the subject. It
was evident to me, as I journeyed along from city to
city, and from village to village, that the phalanx of
those who are attached to the sound principles of the

168 NANTUCKET.
Christian faith is growing stronger; and that the
various forms and degrees of infidelity, although in
somewhat turbulent action, will never prevail.
Early in the week, in company with numerous
friends, I set off on a steam-boat voyage of sixty
miles, for the island of Nantucket, in which the
Quarterly Meeting of Friends, in this district, was
about to be held. We stopped on our way for a
supply of fuel at Martha's Vineyard, an island of con
siderable size. Here a discovery has lately been made,
at a depth of 40 feet underground, but of 100 feet
above the level of the sea, of some saurian teeth, I
believe fossilized ; also of the undecayed teeth of
sharks, which must, on a calculation of proportions,
have been no less than 70 feet long. Martha's Vine
yard presents no feature of beauty. This certainly
may be said of Nantucket also, which was once well
wooded, but is now a region of sand, almost a dead
level, and with scarcely a tree to be seen upon it.
It is, however, partly covered with a light herbage,
which sustains some thousands of sheep, and the
mutton is said to be the best in America. The
island is fifteen miles in length, and three and a half
in breadth ; and uninviting as its aspect is to the stran
ger, it is beloved with an almost romantic ardour, by
the simple-hearted, hardy, and hospitable people to
whom it is a home. Separated as they are by 60 miles
of ocean from the inhabitants of the main land, they
have preserved rather a singular simplicity of man
ners. The square open carts which form their only
mode of conveyance, are exceedingly rough, but their
houses are neat, cleanly, and comfortable. Notwith-

NANTUCKET. 169
standing the awkward sand-bar, which runs across
their harbour to the north of the island, and the dan
gerous shoals on the south, which have been the scene
of many a destructive shipwreck, the industrious
people of Nantucket have long carried on the whale
fishery, to a great extent. Almost the whole of them
live in one large town close by the harbour, and they
have all the appearance of a contented and respectable
community. In this town there are still to be found
upwards of a hundred families of Friends. The whole
population is 7000 ; and great was the willingness
which they evinced, even on the working days of
the week, to attend our public meetings for divine
worship. The sword-fish is commonly caught here. I ob
served that it has no teeth ; its skin is nearly black,
and its sword portentous. This vast creature (often
about 200 lbs. in weight) is here a favourite article
of diet. Its meat furnished me with a breakfast, and
tasted like delicate veal. When our religious en
gagements were concluded, we returned by the same
conveyance to New Bedford, and highly agreeable
was our voyage. The weather was warm and clear,
and a brisk head wind, against which our steam-boat
carried us along in triumph, fanned us to perfection.
I was surrounded in the boat by a group of ingenuous
young people, whose good sense and good humour
could not fail to add to my pleasure.
On our return to New Bedford, a few days were
passed in a succession of religious engagements in
that town and its neighbourhood. One of these was

170 JOURNEY
a meeting at a romantic spot in the country, called
Aponagansett. Here, in former days, was one of the
settlements of the Aborigines. It is surprising how
completely the tribes which once hunted among the
rocks and woods of New England, or fished upon her
coast, have now disappeared from the whole face of the
country. A few lingering remnants of them, indeed,
are to be found in one or more of the states, especially
Maine ; but for the most part, no memorial of them
is left, but certain names of places which are obviously
Indian. These, amidst the curious medley of names
which distinguish the geography of the United States,
stand pre-eminent in point of elegance, and beauty
of sound. The weather, at this time, and, indeed,
during the whole of the summer of 1838, was ex
tremely hot, the thermometer ranging from 80° to
90° in the shade. In Philadelphia it rose to 102°.
The Americans themselves seemed much oppressed
by this degree of heat. To me it was by no means
disagreeable ; for there is something stimulating in
the clear atmosphere, and when the sea-breeze was
blowing, the temperature was delightful. I can
not, however, be surprised that the health of the
Americans often suffers from their own climate, when
I remember the sudden and violent changes to which
it is liable. During my journey, at this season, in
Massachusetts, I observed that the foliage in a cer
tain district, was completely destroyed, or rather dried
into blackness. This singular effect was owing to
the frost of a single night, and wherever the enemy
had penetrated, not a tint of green was left.

IN MASSACHUSETTS. 171
I observed this circumstance, as I was traversing
the south-eastern part of Massachusetts which ends
in Cape Cod — the whole promontory, which is
of considerable extent, being familiarly called "the
Cape." In this district, there are settlements of
Friends at Falmouth, Sandwich, and Yarmouth.
Early in the 7th month (July), my kind companion
and I took our last leave of our many hospitable
friends in New Bedford, and were conveyed in a
steamer, to a small village on the southern coast of
the cape, called Wood's Hole. There we were met
by a Friend, with my own wagon and faithful horses,
which had helped me along for so many hundred miles
in the west and south ; and after having served another
travelling minister in the interim, were now destined
to accommodate us for a long journey to the north
and the east. Our equipage was humble, and some
what rough, but it served our purpose well ; and as
we proceeded, at no rapid pace, from meeting to
meeting, we had abundant opportunities for observ
ing the country, and communicating with the people.
The former, on this promontory, has little beauty to
the eye of an Englishman. The soil is much covered
with low stunted wood and fragments of rock; but
occasional strips of fertile land repay the toil of that
minor portion of the people which is engaged in
agriculture. In the course of our drive, I observed the " bob-
link," a small kind of blackbird, with white head and
wings, which is known by its lively chirp, its name
being the imitation of the sound. It is common in
most of the northern states. Locusts, with transpa-

172 CAPE COD.
rent wings, and bodies of about an inch long, were
flying about in every direction. I was assured by
our intelligent guide, that these animals make their
appearance every seventeenth year. This happened
to be one of the years in question, but they were not
numerous enough to make much impression on the
vegetation. I was informed that the inhabitants of " the Cape"
were about 30,000 in number ; their chief occupation
is salt-making (from the sea water) and fishing.
Though strangers to what we should call luxury,
they are most independent folks, every man finding
a comfortable dwelling in his own little white painted
frame-house, and supporting himself and his family
by his own labour. These people are greatly attached
to their native soil, rough and barren as it is, and, as
far as I could learn, they wanted for nothing. Schools
and meeting-houses abound amongst them, and the
tone of morals and religion is unquestionably favour
able. Our Friends, at their three settlements, gave
us the kindest reception ; and we left " the Cape"
under the agreeable impression, that, in this secluded
district, destitute as it is of any thing like wealth,
there is much of sobriety and substantial happiness.
Heartily do I wish, that the peasantry of Great
Britain and Ireland were as generally comfortable
and virtuous as the sturdy inhabitants of Cape Cod.
From Sandwich, a pleasant little town on the
north-western edge of " the Cape," we set off on our
journey of three days to Boston. On our way, we
visited Plymouth, a sea-port town, celebrated in
American history as the landing-place of the "pilgrim

BOSTON. 1 73
fathers." The stone, or rather sea-washed fragment
of rock, on which they first set their feet, has been
transferred from its original location, and is now
placed in the centre of the town ; it is surrounded
by an iron railing, and bears the date of the event,
a.d. 1620. Well would it have been if these fathers
had steadily maintained, in their own conduct and
government, those principles of equity, mercy, and
peace, which they so warmly advocated when them
selves suffering persecution in our own country. But
irresponsible power is generally found to be too great
a temptation even for the good. The pleasantly-
situated town of Plymouth was once flourishing in a
commercial point of view ; but now it has the ap
pearance of decay, which I understand to be owing
to the formation of a sand bank, in front of the
harbour. From Plymouth, we drove to the sequestered vil
lage of Pembroke, where we found a small body of
Friends ; and were kindly welcomed at the house of
an intelligent farmer, in the depth of country retire
ment, and under the shade of beautiful trees. The
farmer, his wife, and little boy, " piloted" us to Bos
ton, where we found accommodation at an excellent
hotel, and spent several hours — proceeding in the
evening, to the neighbouring town of Lynn.
The extreme heat which was then to be felt in
the streets in Boston, formed a singular contrast
to the equally intense cold, generally experienced
there in the winter. We climbed up to the top of
the state house, and from this elevated position,
enjoyed a magnificent view of the whole city and

1 74 BOSTON.
neighbouring country. Immediately below us, lay
the "common," a large verdant space, left vacant
for the health and recreation of the citizens, and
adorned both with wood and water. The city, in
cluding this common, occupies the whole surface of
a circular peninsula. The streets, though not very
broad, are handsomely built. The population, now
upwards of 90,000 in number, is actively devoted to
trade, and the whole appearance of the place reminds
one of London. Making allowance for the difference
of size, the similarity between the two cities is striking.
The safe and beautiful harbour of Boston, together
with the sober and intelligent character of its inhabit
ants, may be said to ensure its continued and increas
ing prosperity. Close by the town is Bunker's Hill,
where a monument is erected in commemoration of
the victory which the Americans gained there, in the
revolutionary war. In the suburb, which goes by the
name of Charleston, is the state penitentiary, which
is conducted, like those at Columbus, Sing-Sing, and
Auburn, on the silent system — the prisoners working
in companies. 1 much regretted that no opportunity
offered for my visiting this prison ; but from the state
ments which I have received, I conclude that it is one
of the best specimens of the system which can be found
in the United States.
Although I was obliged, on the present occasion,
to curtail my visit to Boston, I returned repeatedly
to that city, and once held a public meeting with the
inhabitants, in a large building, which (like those
already mentioned in New York) may be hired for
any religious or philanthropic use. I remember I

BOSTON. 175
was then led to plead very earnestly for the faith once
delivered to the saints — to dwell both on the evidences
and the essential doctrines of the Christian religion.
A large proportion of the people of Boston are,
by profession, Unitarians. Several individuals of this
description, who live there, are personally known to
me ; and far indeed am I from any desire to underrate
the moral worth and respectability which attach to
their character. It is nevertheless cause for lamen
tation, that a view of religion which excludes several
important and fundamental evangelical points, should
be now prevalent and fashionable, where, in the days
of the early settlement of America, it was wholly
unknown. Certain it is, that many of the more
wealthy and polished inhabitants of Boston belong
to this sect ; but the orthodox part of the community
is said to be decidedly gaining ground ; so that the
proportion of the people, which ranges under the
banner of sound religion, may be regarded as con
siderably enlarged.
The places of worship in this city, and, indeed,
throughout the states of New England, both in town
and country, are both numerous and large, and are
unquestionably well attended by the population. The
quiet appearance of Providence, Boston, and other
towns, in these states, on the First day of the week,
is remarkably satisfactory ; and the only circumstance
which changes the face of things, is not less gratify
ing — I mean the pouring forth of the mass of the
population to and from their respective meeting
houses. It is my decided judgment, that in this

176 BOSTON.
highly important particular, New England, has on the
whole, the decided advantage over the mother country.
The state of Massachusetts, by the last census,,
contains a population of upwards of 700,000; and
every 1200 inhabitants are represented by one member
in the legislature. The result is a House of Com
mons somewhat larger than our own. Education
is general throughout the state; the people are orderly,
intelligent, and industrious, and for the most part,
obedient to the sway of the laws. It cannot, indeed,
be denied, that liberty in New England, is, in gene
ral, so well checked by the restraints of law, as seldom
to degenerate into licentiousness.
Having made these remarks in favour of the con
stitutional fabric and general character of these states,
I am bound in fairness to mention certain exceptions
which may be deemed to have arisen, in part at least,
from the democratic freedom here so entirely preva
lent. The question of slavery has raised mobs in
Boston, and other towns of New England, as well as
in Philadelphia. The first public efforts of the abo
lition societies were met by violent attempts to put
them down, wholly at variance with the good order
of society, and even with the principles of democracy
itself. On the other hand it must be confessed, that
in the train of the abolition movements in New Eng
land, some dangerous sentiments have been advanced
and advocated. I allude, to the new-fashioned notions
which have been of late so much in vogue respect
ing the rights of women, passive non-resistance, the
immunity of children from punishment, and even the

/ / /

BOSTON. 177
equalization of property. On these different topics,
there has arisen, of late years, an uncontrolled wild-
ness of sentiment, which, were it to prevail, would
soon be found to be utterly inconsistent with the
most fundamental principles of civil, social, and
domestic order. When male and female itinerant
lecturers are heard declaring that women have in all
respects the same civil and political rights and duties
as the stronger sex — that no resistance ought to be
made, even by peaceable legal proceedings, to the
violence of the thief or the murderer — that no alle
giance is due from the Christian to any civil govern
ment whatsoever — that children are at liberty to
follow their own courses, and that it is unlawful for
a parent to punish them — that wives and husbands
may lawfully separate, when they are weary of each
other's society — and that the agrarian law of olden
times ought now to remodel the whole affair of pro
perty — when all these anomalous ideas are let loose
each in its turn on an imaginative public, one cannot
but tremble in the view of the consequences. One
is brought home more than ever to the conclusion,
that "it is not in man that walketh to direct his
steps," — that, unless he comes under the restraining
influence of Christian principle, the " imaginations"
of his heart will be "only evil continually" in the
sight of God.
My consolation in reference to this subject lies in
the quiet assurance that the tide of these notions has
been, and will be met by the unbending ramparts of
truth ; will soon ebb, and gradually disappear. In
the mean time it is of high importance that the
N

178 BOSTON.
genuine and unadulterated cause of the abolition of
slavery, should be steadily maintained by all who love
the truth — that the ministers of religion should clear
themselves from the stain of giving any countenance
to the unrighteous system — and that all Christians
should unite, with a temper at once firm and gentle,
in the adoption of every fair method for promoting
its immediate and entire extinction.
In the houses which I visited in New England, I
seldom met with any kind of fermented liquor; and
it was evident that the practice of abstaining from all
such beverage was increasingly prevalent throughout
the more thoughtful part of the community. The
air in those regions is so stimulating, that I found
little difficulty in falling into the general practice ;
and cordially did I rejoice in the temperate habits
which distinguish so large a proportion of the rising
generation in America. But I confess I had no plea
sure in observing the social cup of tea or coffee
exchanged for the glass of cold water; and I was
really grieved when I saw many fine young people,
of both sexes, undermining their constitutions (as I
believe) by resolutely restricting their diet to vege
tables. It seems to be one of the favourite devices
of the great adversary of mankind, to accompany
every virtue with its shadow in caricature, for the
purpose, 1 suppose, of turning the virtue itself into
ridicule, and of thus diminishing its legitimate in
fluence.
I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XV.

Earlham, 3rd month, 3rd, 1841.
My dear Friend,
I can hardly think of any two places more
dissimilar than Lynn in Norfolk, and Lynn in Massa
chusetts. The former, with its narrow streets and
various remains of antiquity, I need not describe to
thee. The latter is an extensive, airy, wide-spread
town, containing, by the last census, 9000 inhabitants,
and consisting of broad, open, unpaved streets, and
neat frame houses painted white. Weeping elms
are to be seen here and there, and from the upper
part of the town there is a noble view of the sea, and
of the neighbouring rocky promontory of Nahant.
It is quite a charming place, and was rendered the
more pleasant by the comfortable home provided
for us. I remember that the table of our kind host
was abundantly supplied with a variety of fish, and
with the wild berries common in the neighbouring
country — blackberries, blueberries, whortleberries, and
raspberries — the last of excellent flavour, and all re
freshing under that warm sky, being usually eaten
with milk.
Although the people of Lynn are partly supported
by fishing, their chief occupation is the manufactoryN 2

180 LYNN.
of ladies' shoes. Almost every body you meet or
see, gentle or simple, is a shoemaker. If thou art
desirous of being entirely rid of the notion that han
dicraft trades are not gentlemanly, go to America, and
the delusion will soon be dispelled. In New Eng
land, especially, the ingenious mechanic, the worker
in leather or cloth, the storekeeper and the farmer,
all wear the upright front, and every man is a king
to himself. When these potentates are brought under
the dominion of the King of kings, all is well ; but
here alone lies the secret of their harmlessness and
safety. Crime is rare in these parts, and were it not
for some infusion of those wild sentiments to which
I adverted in my last letter, the Lynn of Massachu
setts might be considered a place much distinguished
for sobriety and good order. The undesirable opera
tion of these sentiments may often be traced in indi
vidual examples. In this neighbourhood I made my
acquaintance with an interesting young woman, who
was conducting a large school with admirable pro
priety and success. I thought it a sad change for the
worse, when she forsook her important, though quiet
station, and became an itinerant lecturer in the anti-
slavery cause. She was soon engaged in controversy
on the subject of the rights of women, wrote letters
in the newspapers, and described herself as " the ad
vocate of truth in its keenness." I mention the cir
cumstance not to disparage the individual, who was
evidently acting under the impulse of an honest zeal,
but simply as a specimen of the peculiar nature and
effect of the spirit to which I have alluded. Truth
in its sobriety, in its quietness, in the meekness and

LYNN. 181
gentleness which becomes the Christian — yet not
without the keenness which may be required on oc
casions — will, I hope, prevail over the extravagance
of new opinions ; and then I am persuaded the true
welfare of our species will be effectually promoted in
the world.
A domiciliary visit to Friends (of whom a hundred
and thirty families are to be found in Lynn, and
fifty in the neighbouring city of Salem) occupied my
companion and myself for about three weeks — many
hours being of course set apart for the attendance of
the usual meetings, and of public assemblies for wor
ship among the inhabitants at large. I well remem
ber the daily pleasure which I enjoyed before break
fast, at Lynn, in the use of the cradle bath, as it was
called by the people. It is a hollow in one of the
rocks by the sea coast, which nature fills every day
with fresh sea water. My walk to this bathing
place was through a field of Indian corn, then in all
the glory of its greenness, the verdure being inter
spersed with the vast yellow blossoms of the pump
kins, growing amongst the corn, and fine creeping
specimens of the pink convolvolus major. The chief
recommendation of my bath, however, was its perfect
safety ; for sharks are common on this coast, and not
very long before my visit, one of them attacked a
sailor who was paddling a little boat, dragged him
into the water, and devoured his prey, before any
assistance could be rendered.
A few years before, a still more remarkable circum
stance occurred on this coast, within sight of Nahant.
It was the appearance of an animal nearly a hundred

182 LYNN.
feet long, playing on the surface of the water — I be
lieve during several hours. As the story went, his
shape was that of a serpent — the waving lines of his
body being very perceptible. His head was like that
of a horse, his colour black, his girth of the size of a
barrel. The sailors went out in boats to harpoon
him, but dared not execute their purpose ; and I was
informed that one boat actually passed over him by
accident, when his form was seen below in the deeper
waters. A multitude of men and women were assem
bled on the shore, as witnesses of this rare spectacle.
Amongst these were some very sober and intelligent
members of our own society, who repeatedly assured
me that they watched the creature, observed his mo
tions, marked his protruding head — in short that he
was literally and truly the sea serpent. Whether
their senses deceived them or not, I cannot pretend
to decide, but it is a curious circumstance, that old
Bishop Pontopedon of Norway, describes the same
kind of animal in similar terms, declaring that its
body was as big as a barrel, and his head like the
head of a horse. For my own part, I see no good
reason why such a creature should not be numbered
among the wonders of the Lord in the deep.
To change the subject to one of a far different
nature, it was at this period of my visit to America,
that we received the doleful tidings of the forci
ble removal of the Cherokee nation (in number I
believe, about 1500) from their reserved lands in
Georgia, to the wild regions west of the Mississippi.
There can be no doubt that these Indians had a
perfect and absolute right to the soil on which they

LYNN. 183
dwelt, and which they had already brought into a
state of profitable cultivation ; for this land — their
own originally — had been appropriated to them by
the Federal Government, with every possible solem
nity of sanction. Georgia nevertheless decreed that
they should either adopt her laws and constitution as
their own, and thus surrender their nationality, or
give up their lands, and go forth from the country
into banishment. This decree was covered by the
vain pretext of a treaty with the Cherokees, which
was in its nature utterly fraudulent, but nevertheless
received the sanction of the senate, and had now at last
been carried into execution. The Cherokees persist
ed in avoiding any voluntary movement — they were
forced from their homes by troops under the com
mand of General Scott ; and although there can be
no doubt that the General conducted this work of
iniquity with great skill and kindness, large num
bers of these afflicted people perished during a long
and difficult march into the far west. There, alas,
this once peaceable community is torn by dissensions.
Two violent parties have arisen among them — blood
has already been shed ; and it seems highly probable
that the final issue of this series of wrongs will be
the extermination of the tribe. It must I think be
acknowledged by every fair observer that the cruel
treatment of the Aborigines, in different parts of the
world, is one of the foulest blots on the character
of the nations of Christendom ; nor can it be deni
ed that by this blot both the English and Americans
are deeply stained. In the present instance, the
direct participation of Congress, as well as of the

184 NAHANT.
legislature of Georgia, in the nefarious transaction,
has converted the lawless rapacity of individuals into
national crime. Can any one who watches the order
of Providence, and believes in the righteousness of
God, entertain a hope that national crime will for
ever remain unpunished ? The political secret of the
mischief lies here — the federal government at the
centre has but little power, and I fear but little will,
to check any lawless movement on the part of indi
vidual state legislatures ; and many of these, in their
turn, are far too much at the beck of a licentious
population, whose especial dislike is directed against
Indians and negroes. In the mean time, an eager
pursuit of their own pecuniary interest confims this
dislike, and carries it forward into acts of oppression,
which the more enlightened part of the citizens of
America deeply deplore.
The little promontory of Nahant is separated
from Lynn by a sand-bank of about a mile in length ;
and, at low tide, the ride or drive across is pleasant
and easy. Nahant itself is highly picturesque ; some
pains have lately been taken to plant it ; and near
its extremity are erected a large hotel, a convenient
chapel, and some pleasant residences. But the beauty
of Nahant is its rugged lofty cliff of porphyry rocks,
which descends precipitously into the sea, and affords
a variety of romantic scenery. Among these rocks,
sea bathing is enjoyed in safety even by the women ;
and the place is the constant resort of the citizens of
Boston, during the summer months. Here by the help
of a daily steam-boat, they can enjoy frequent recrea
tion in the midst of picturesque beauty and delightful
sea breezes.

SALEM. 185
We spent a few days very agreeably to ourselves
in the city of Salem, where we were again favoured
with a comfortable abode in the lap of courteous hos
pitality. It is a city of 15,000 inhabitants, many of
whom have grown rich on the East India and China
trade, which is the principal pursuit of the merchants
of the place. It is a well-built town, and the old elms
and chesnuts, which wave their branches over the
streets, afforded us a grateful shelter in the almost
extreme heat. Here we pursued our family visits,
until the whole engagement was brought to its con
clusion. During the few days of our stay, we formed
many agreeable acquaintances, and held several large
public meetings. The Universalists have a consider
able influence in the place.
In a large concluding meeting, the great principles
of human responsibility, the awful sanctions which
Christianity has imparted to her code of morals, and
the immense importance of the practical application
of the law of holiness, were points on which we were
led to dwell, in much unison of feeling (as I believe)
with a vast number of reflecting people who were pre
sent on the occasion.
Before we left Salem, we had the pleasure of in
specting the museum, which contains a rich collection
of East Indian and other tropical rarities, contributed
by the merchants and sailors of the place — no person
being admitted a member of the institution, who has
not sailed round the Cape of Good Hope, or Cape
Horn. From this city we were " piloted" by several of our
affectionate friends to Andover in Massachusetts,

186 ANDOVER.
celebrated as the seat of the largest, and I believe the
best theological seminary in America. It is under
the care of the Congregationalists, but open to Chris
tians of every denomination. The appearance of the
whole place is beautifully neat and rural, and one can
scarcely conceive of a location better adapted to study.
The President, Dr. Edwards, kindly appointed a meet
ing at my request, for the professors and students
to be held in the evening. In the mean time, I en
joyed a leisure opportunity for communication with
an individual whose acquaintance had been an object
of my particular desire — I mean Moses Stuart, who
has long acted as the professsor of biblical literature
in this seminary. I need scarcely say that his re
searches in this branch of study are almost unrivalled.
His work on the Epistle to the Hebrews, in particu
lar, is highly esteemed in this country, as well as in
America. He is about 60 years of age, of a slender
person, mild and most intelligent countenance, and
remarkable simplicity and cordiality of manners.
Great is the ease as well as kindness with which he
pours forth his information for the benefit of his
friends. We were sitting together, during the after
noon, under the shade of some fine elms in front of
our hotel, and I trust I shall not weary thee by intro
ducing a brief record of our conversation.
Knowing how deeply he was versed in German
theological literature (somewhat more so than would
be generally desirable) I asked him whether neology,
among the learned Germans, was on the increase or
decrease. Stuart. — "Decidedly decreasing. It is a
curious circumstance that the profound researches of

AND0VER. 187
their infidel critics have led to the development of
many facts which not only confirm the divine autho
rity of Scripture, but illustrate and establish an ortho
dox interpretation of its contents. Many valuable
commentaries have been lately published in Germany,
and in the right direction. To be sure, the Germans
are prone to take occasional flights into the air ; they
plod through the mud with intense diligence, and
then by way of change, give wings to imaginative
speculations. Their novels are the Arabian Nights'
tales renewed ; and their theology partakes of the
same romance. Even the orthodox  of B 
indulges in speculations on the creation, which amount
almost to pantheism. The sternest fagging is a joy
ous thing to these Germans. One of their great
scholars has lately produced the best of Greek lexi
cons. At the end of his work, he observes that he
might then be expected to recur to the intense labours
which he had undergone — the unrivalled tax upon his
patience, &c. — but all that he could say with truth
was, that, while engaged in the composition of his
lexicon, he had been swimming, for 20 years, in an
ocean of pleasure."
"What dost thou think of the commentaries of
Kuinoel and Rosenmuller, for the use of young stu
dents ?" Stuart. — " Young men require the judicious
care of a good tutor in the use of these books, al
though, as you know, the writers are essentially ortho
dox. But, in giving instruction to my biblical students,
Imake use of no reserves — I freely inform them of
the neological objections to Scripture, and explain
how thev are refuted."

188 ANDOVER.
"Dost thou not find that the sceptical doubt some
times lays hold of the mind instead of the answer to
it ?" Stuart. — " I find about one student in fifteen,
who has five doubts to one reason ; but on the whole
my method answers well. However I am careful to
do no harm. I keep in view the precept of the Ame
rican Dr. Bellamy — ' Never raise the devil unless you
are sure you can lay him."
" What is thy opinion of Neander's Church History?"
Stuart. — " He is a great writer, but not always per
fectly sound in his views ; for example, he denies the
validity of the Christian sabbath. He unfolds his
subjects with great exactness. My students in joke
call him, Dr. Entvickolung — Doctor Developement."
"Is Hebrew much studied in America?" Stuart. —
" All the students at Andover, study both the Hebrew
Bible and the Greek Testament as a matter of course.
As an evidence of the attention paid by American
theological students to Hebrew, my Hebrew grammar
has passed through six editions. I have lately been
engaged in a controversy with Dr. Norton, a Unita
rian divine, who has published an excellent book on
the genuineness of the four gospels ; but pretends that
the gospel of Matthew was originally written in He
brew, and that the Greek is only a translation. I
consider this notion to be disproved by the old Syriac
version, which is now ascertained to have been made
in the first century, or early in the second. I have
lately compared it word by word with the Greek of
the gospel of Matthew. The correspondence between
the two, even as it relates to the smallest particles, is
so exact, as to afford a demonstration that this trans-

ANDOVER. 189
lation was made from the Greek as we now have it,
and not from any supposed Hebrew copy. It was
therefore the Greek and not a Hebrew Matthew,
which was current in the church, in primitive times."
"What part of Scripture is now occupying thy
attention ?" Stuart. — " I am now lecturing on the
Apocalypse, which interests and delights me more
than I can express."
" I hope thou art not riding the hobby of unfulfilled
prophecy?" Stuart. — "Not I, indeed, I have no taste
for such speculations. Your converted Jew  was
here some time since giving proofs, as he called them,
from the Hebrew Scriptures, that the Jews were about
to return in a body to repossess the lands of Canaan ;
and that Christ would come to reign over them there,
in person, in the year 1860. Nothing could be more
puerile and inconclusive than his arguments. I see
nothing in Scripture to warrant the opinion, that our
Saviour will come again to reign personally upon the
earth." " That truly," I observed, " is a Jewish no
tion." Stuart. — " With respect to the Revelation, it
has been said by persons who wished to disparage its
claims to genuineness, that there are no books of its
peculiar style, which belong to the first century.
This assertion is fallacious. The book of Enoch,
the epistle of Barnabas, the shepherd of Hermas,
the vision of Isaiah, with some other productions,
are all of its class in point of style and construction,
and were all written in the first century. Yet they
all fall immeasurably below the Revelation, in weight
and excellence. There is nothing, in my opinion,
which more clearly evinces the apostolic origin of the

190 ANDOVER.
four gospels, than the comparison of those writings
with the spurious gospels which followed them. Just
so, the authenticity and scriptural character of the
Apocalypse is plainly shown, by the comparison of its
contents with those of the unspeakably inferior pro
ductions of the same kind, which were circulated even
in the first century. The apostolic date of the book
is capable of being proved beyond the shadow of a
doubt. The only question which can fairly be raised
respecting it, is whether it was composed by John
the apostle, or by some other John. The majority
of the German critics, even the orthodox ones, are
for some other John ; but, for my own part, I have
no idea that there was any other John, in the first
century, except the apostle, who could have addressed
the seven churches of Asia, as they are addressed in
the Apocalypse."
" Art thou acquainted with Dr. Mede's work on
the Revelation ?" Stuart. — " Oh yes, I have him by
me, but I consider Mede, and id genus omne, essen
tially mistaken in the plan of their exegesis. They
attempt to explain every successive conflict, described
in the book, as relating to some particular event in
history; but I consider these descriptions generic—
a succession of pictures, intended to represent that
one great conflict between Christianity and its enemies,
which will finally result in the absolute triumph of
the religion of Jesus."
The meeting in the evening was attended by the
president, the professors, and upwards of a hundred
young men. It was, to my feelings, an unusually
critical occasion, for I found myself constrained to

NEW HAMPSHIRE. 191
touch on science and literature, as well as religion.
The extreme importance of holding the two former
in strict subordination to the latter, was the subject
impressed on my own mind. Great was the attention
of our quiet and intellectual audience, and the meet
ing ended in solemn and refreshing silence.
On the following morning, we pursued our journey
to Amherst, in New Hampshire — a small but pleasant
country-town — where we held a public meeting in the
evening, lodged at a small inn, and visited some of
the people of the place in their own houses, particu
larly the congregational minister. He seemed to
have the population as much under his own care, as
if he had been an English parochial clergyman. We
then pursued our journey to Weare, in the same
state. Here, there are numerous members, and two
meetings, of the society of Friends. The country
through which we passed is hilly and well wooded.
Lofty mountains were seen in the distance ; but we
did not come within sight of the White Mountains,
which are 6000 feet high, and are a celebrated resort
for the lovers of fine scenery. The woods of New
Hampshire are exquisitely beautiful, the light green
of the sugar maple being frequently contrasted with
the sombre shades of the hemlock pine — both very
attractive trees to the eye. The maple sugar is here
made by the farmers, in large quantities, for their
family uses, and is of a lighter colour than that of
Ohio and Indiana. The lobelia cardinalis, that most
splendid of wild plants, was seen in abundance, by
the sides of the rivulets. The rocks, like those of
Massachusetts, are of igneous origin, generally granite.

192 CONCORD.
New Hampshire is the land of mountain pastures;
and the cattle, generally horned, and of a red colour,
are remarkable for their size and beauty. After hav
ing held a meeting at Weare, and made the acquaint
ance of several interesting Friends, we spent a day,
under their guidance, in an excursion to Concord,
the capital of the state. It is a long unpaved town
on the banks of the Merrimac river, a stream of
much picturesque beauty. The streets are shaded
with noble elms. The number of inhabitants is
5000. Some of them were unwilling to attend our
public meeting for worship, under the apprehension,
that we had come in the character of anti-slavery
advocates. The place appeared to us to be peaceful
enough ; but George Thompson had here been ex
posed to considerable danger, and had been driven
from the place by a pro-slavery mob. We were
sorry to hear of a circumstance so disgraceful to
New England. The state penitentiary at Concord
is well managed on the silent system. We held a
satisfactory meeting with the prisoners, who were
about sixty in number — a very small proportion in
deed of the whole population of the state, which is
estimated at near 300,000.
We returned to Weare, where we spent the first
day of the week among our numerous and simple-
hearted friends ; and the next morning commenced
our journey back again to Lynn. We held public
meetings with the people, on two successive evenings,
at the busy manufacturing towns of Nashua and
Lowell, both on the Merrimac. The latter is a town
of 20,000 inhabitants, and seems very prosperous.

MASSACHUSETTS. 193
Here we were accommodated with the meeting-house
of the Free-will Baptists, who are very liberal in
their sentiments, and agree with Friends, in allowing
the ministry of women. Both there and at Nashua,
our service in the gospel met with a cordial reception.
We had great satisfaction in visiting the fac
tories of Lowell. Cotton-spinning and weaving are
carried on in them to a great extent ; and there is
also a manufactory of carpets. The points which
chiefly pleased me, were the neatness, order, and
comfort of these establishments ; in which respect,
they form a strange contrast to many of those in
Lancashire. I found no little children at work ;
the persons employed, are chiefly young women, who
have as much the air of a decent independence as
any one could desire. All of them were neatly
attired, and not a few were wearing gold necklaces
and earrings. They are said to make quite a grand
appearance at their places of worship. Undesirable
as this may be, it shows the prosperity of a young,
unfettered country. They earn sixteen shillings per
week, on an average, besides their board ; and many
of them raise a comfortable property.
In passing through Andover, as we returned, I
again called on my friend, Moses Stuart, and again
enjoyed some of his interesting and edifying conver
sation. I must not attempt to enter into the detail
of this second conference; but I think it right to
remark, that, during the whole of our intercourse,
not a word fell from him which betrayed the least
unsoundness in faith or principle ; and certainly, he
conversed without the smallest reserve. "What do
o

194 MASSACHUSETTS.
you think," said he, as I was about to leave him, "of
the apostle's command, 'Him that is weak in the
faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations?'"
I replied, that the passage appeared to me to enjoin
Christian love, liberality, and forbearance towards
those, whose religions sentiments do not precisely
agree with our own. Stuart. — "Yes, that is my view.
I love all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, and am
willing to receive them without disputation ; espe
cially when I see the fruit of obedience produced.
This is the point to which I chiefly look."
" And is not obedience the pathway to knowledge ?"
Stuart. — "Yes, surely; who does not know that our
capacity for understanding truth, depends, in great
measure, on our state of heart and feeling? Who,
on any great financial question, would take counsel
of a miser ?"
" Now, professor," said I, " my carriage waits, and
I must leave thee." "Well," he replied, as he shook
me warmly by the hand, "you know there is but one
Lord, one faith, one baptism." " The baptism of the
Holy Spirit, I presume." Stuart. — " Yes, to be sure ;
I, for one, lay but little stress on any other." Thus
we parted, in much mutual affection. He is a person
of singular brightness, and I have done him but little
justice. But, in attempting to give thee some account
of his own opinions, in his own words, I hope I have
not been travelling out of my record. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XVI.

Earlham, 3rd month, 8th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
It was now early in the 8th month (August),
and Lynn continued to be our head-quarters for some
time longer. One evening was spent in an interesting
visit to Marblehead, a small but prosperous sea-port
town, between Lynn and Salem, inhabited by several
wealthy Chinese and East India merchants and sea-
captains. These gentlemen seem to be living with
much of the ease and comforts of refined society.
One of them showed me a valuable collection which
he had made of Chinese natural curiosities and
works of art. An intelligent and attentive assembly
crowded our public meeting in this place.
The next morning was the monthly meeting at
Lynn — the assembly of our members for the purpose
of discipline. Thou art aware, that to these subor
dinate meetings are intrusted the power and respon
sibility of carrying into execution the rules of the
society, which the yearly meeting alone has the right
to enact. About 150 men, and as many women,
formed the respective assemblies on this occasion. I
remember, that in the men's meeting, a lively discus
sion arose on a question by which the Friends of
o 2

196 LYNN.
New England have been a good deal agitated —
whether it was desirable, that the members of the
society, and especially the young people, should join
the public anti-slavery associations of the day; or
whether it was not preferable, that Friends should
pursue their own course of duty, in promoting the
abolition of slavery, in their select capacity, as a
distinct religious body. Several individuals very
eagerly advocated a union with the public associa
tions, but the generality were in favour of the more
prudential line of conduct in this respect. Stranger
as I was, I took no part in the discussion of this
question, with which it did not appear to be my
province to intermeddle ; but I plainly saw, that it
was one of considerable difficulty and perplexity. On
the one hand, I was fully prepared to admit the
rectitude of the general principle of the union of
Christians of all denominations, in the pursuit of
philanthropic objects which compromise the princi
ples of none of them. On the other hand, it was
impossible for me not to perceive, that the public
movement, in this cause, was here intermingled with
collateral points and circumstances, dangerous to the
character of the Christian and the Friend. I believed,
therefore, that it was my duty to call upon all present,
to seek after that depth and maturity of religious
experience, and that humility, meekness, and for
bearance, in which alone, our most interesting con
cerns, whether public or private, can be rightly con
ducted. I also expressed on this, and on many
similar occasions, a heartfelt solicitude that the diffi
culties which impeded the union of many Friends,

WORCESTER. 197
in the public abolition movement, might not lead
them into any coolness or indifference of feeling, on
a subject respecting which the society had so long
borne a conspicuous Christian testimony — that all
might be watchful to perform their religious duty in
reference to this vital topic; and move forward in
the cause of justice and mercy, as the Lord and Giver
of truth might be pleased to guide them, and open
their way.
We had now another important excursion in pros
pect. On the same evening, we drove to Boston,
lodged at one of the hotels, and, early the following
morning, took the rail-road cars for Worcester, in
Massachusetts — a rising town of 8000 inhabitants,
forty miles west of the capital. In this flourishing
and good-looking place (adorned, like other towns
and villages in New England, with numerous weeping
elms) and also at the neighbouring pleasant village
of Leicester, we held public meetings with Friends
and their neighbours, and again found ourselves in
the midst of a community much alive to the subject
of religion. The citizens of Worcester have estab
lished an antiquarian society, and have already formed
a public library of 12,000 volumes. But by far the
most important institution in the place, is the state
lunatic asylum, which is, in every way, creditable to
the republic of Massachusetts. The building is a
noble one, very pleasantly situated on elevated ground,
and in the midst of fine prospects. Here the im
proved system of management is carried out, nearly
to its perfection. The patients, whether paupers or
independent, are managed with uncommon kindness;

198 WORCESTER.
and nothing could be better, to all appearance, than
the modes adopted of applying moral remedies to
their disease. They ride out, cultivate the soil, apply
themselves to music, and attend congregational wor
ship. While they are individually treated as free
citizens of the state, there is a power over them and
round about them, which they cannot overcome or
resist. Dr. Woodward, the superintendent, who
kindly afforded us every facility of inspection, is a
person of high reputation in his line. He assured
us, that one-third of his patients, (and therefore I
suppose of the insane in general) labour under no
delusion, but are suffering from " moral insanity,"
that is to say, some one affection of the mind has
become so predominant, and out of its just proportion,
as to be wholly beyond the control of reason. On
this ground, he is of the judgment, that many per
sons who are punished as criminals, are, in fact, only
maniacs, and are, therefore, morally irresponsible for
their crimes. There can be no doubt, that there is some
truth in this doctrine, but it is surely not without a
very dangerous tendency.
There is no such thing in America as travelling by
post ; but the stage coaches which are made to con
tain nine persons within, and can be closed or open
on each side as the travellers please, are commodious
conveyances, especially in New England. They are
for the most part admirably well horsed, and as to
the drivers — they are gentlemen not only by name
(after the usual American fashion) but in manner.
I was often struck with the mixture in these persons,
of a perfect independence with studied politeness.

HARTFORD. 199
On most of the principal roads an extra stage coach
can be hired without difficulty. In this way we tra
velled much at our ease, 65 miles across a country of
little beauty or fertility, from Worcester to Hartford, a
city of 12,000 inhabitants in the state of Connecticut,
and on the river of that name. It is by comparison
an old town, and its public institutions are said to
be well worth visiting. Being bound for Newhaven,
however, we had no time to inspect them ; and a
crowded public coach conveyed us in the evening of
the same day to the latter place. We passed through
the prosperous looking village of Middletown on the
same river, and arrived at New Haven on the sea
coast of Long Island sound, late at night. The
extreme darkness, illuminated ever and anon by the
most vivid flashes of lightning (for we were in a vio
lent thunder storm) rendered our route somewhat
perilous ; and when at last we arrived at the Tontine
hotel, we found to our disappointment that not a bed
was to be had. We were happy enough however at
length to find accommodation at another inn in the
town. It was the 7th day (Saturday), and late as
was the hour, I called at the house of Dr. Jeremiah
Day, the president of Yale College, with a letter of
introduction from the Professor of Theology at
Andover. I was anxious to hold a meeting with
the young people of the University. The president
had retired to rest, and his lady requested me, if I
wished to make an arrangement with him, to call the
next morning before the college prayers, which are at
half-past five. Such are the wholesome early hours
of the presidents and students of American colleges !

200 NEWHAVEN.
i Accordingly at the appointed time, I presented my
self to the president in his college rooms, and told
him of my wish to hold a meeting with the students in
the evening. He is an elderly gentleman of pleasing
appearance and grave manners. 1 remembered that
Connecticut had long been celebrated for a greater
degree of puritanical strictness, than any other state
of the Union ; and did not feel sure that the appli
cation was the more acceptable, for coming from a
minister of the Society of Friends. The Doctor how
ever, after a little consideration, allowed the meeting
to be appointed, and proposed that it should be held
in the "theological chamber" at eight o'clock in the
evening. In the mean time we were closely engaged
during the day ; our own meeting being held in the
morning, with a few friends who met us from New
York, in one of the chambers of the hotel ; and the
public being convened, at our request, at the Metho
dist meeting-house, in the afternoon. In the course
of the day we called on Professor Silliman, whose
assistance we needed, with respect to some of our
arrangements for the evening. He lives in a beau
tiful spot on the outskirts of the city, where he
received us with great cordiality. He is at the top
of the tree of science in America, and has all the ap
pearance of strong sense and ready talent — I thought
he would class well with the Jamiesons, Whewells, and
Sedgwicks of Great Britain. He is greatly beloved
and respected by the students, and happily unites the
two characters of the philosopher and the christian.
At the appointed hour we repaired, not without
feelings of fear and diffidence, to the theological

NEWHAVEN. 201
chamber at the college, which was soon nearly filled
with young men who came flocking to the meeting.
The respectable president joined our company, which
soon gathered into silence, and we were favoured with
a time of great solemnity and refreshment. We were
reminded of our Saviour's words, "One thing is
needful." To lay hold of that one thing — to become
possessed of the pearl of greatest price — seemed to
be the desire of most, if not all present. At the
conclusion of the meeting the students overflowed
with kind feelings towards us ; and if the president
had appeared somewhat reserved in the morning, he
did not now hesitate to express his cordial good
will. His government of the college, which contains
upwards of 400 students (it being the largest in
America) is said to be distinguished for ability and
prudence ; and he is greatly respected by the young
commnnitv under his care.
This university was founded in the year 1700, and
has long maintained a high reputation. A religious
care is evidently extended over the students. Most
of the colleges in America may indeed be said to be
under an evangelical influence; and the seriousness
which prevails among the young men, in many of them,
is one of America's best hopes. Christianity, indeed,
is the grand conservative principle in these seminaries,
as well as in American society at large, and affords
the only sufficient remedy for those outbreaks of
juvenile independence, which are of no unfrequent
occurrence in these institutions. I had no opportu
nity of visiting Harvard University, at Cambridge,
near Boston, which is the most ancient of any of

202 NEWHAVEN.
these institutions. This seminary was once remark
able for rigid Puritanism, but is now conducted
almost exclusively by Unitarians. Its literary repu
tation is decidedly respectable. I may take the pre
sent opportunity of making a general remark on the
literary standing of American colleges. The system
of teaching is arranged by a division of labour as it
relates to the objects pursued. One man teaches the
classics, another mathematics, another astronomy,
another theology, &c. No one tutor is called to
labour in more than one department of knowledge.
As far as I could learn, the effect of this arrangement,
was a respectable measure of attainment in the several
branches, on the part of the students in general. No
high honours, and no pecuniary ecclesiastical prizes,
are offered as stimulants to the collegians of America.
Accordingly we find, in that country, no senior
wranglers, or medalists, as at our Cambridge — no first-
class men, as at Oxford ; but a fair, general average
of scientific and literary attainment, and only a trifling
sprinkling of the dissolute and the idle. In the last
respect, the comparatively small size and insulated
situation of many of the colleges, are, in my opinion,
a decided advantage.
Newhaven contains upwards of 14,000 inhabitants,
and has a fair share of commerce — chiefly, I believe,
West Indian. It is a place justly renowned for its
beauty. No one can walk under the avenue of mag
nificent weeping elms, with which its principal street
is shaded, without feeling a kind of fascination ; and
the beauty of the central green which faces the ex
tensive buildings of the college, is increased by three

HARTFORD. 203
or four large and handsome places of worship, built
on different parts of it. To me it was certainly a
most agreeable circumstance — one which imparted a
moral charm to the scene — that these edifices belong
to as many different Christian denominations (in
cluding the Episcopal church) all on perfectly equal
grounds in point of authority, and all pursuing the
same great end in Christian good fellowship.
Although our Sabbath-day had been a laborious
one, our prospective arrangements were such as pre
cluded much rest at the end of it. About three
o'clock the next morning, we set off, in an Extra
with four horses (price 18 dollars) for Hartford —
37 miles* There we breakfasted, and then took a
second conveyance of the kind, for a drive of 40 miles
northward, along the Connecticut river, to Northamp
ton, where we had appointed a public meeting for the
evening. On our way out of the city we made a short but
remarkably pleasant visit to Lydia H. Sigourney, a
useful didactic writer, and the poetess of America.
She is a married woman, of middle age, pleasing per
son and manners — very lively, intelligent, and, 1
believe, pious. We talked on subjects of a philan
thropic nature, and with her, as with many others, I
found it no undesirable introduction that I was the
brother of Elizabeth Fry. My sister's labours in
visiting the prisons of Great Britain and Ireland, and
on the continent of Europe, are well known and
much appreciated in America, and our friend Sigour
ney seemed to take the deepest interest in them.
After cordial greetings, and an exchange of books,

204 NORTHAMPTON.
we parted, and I was much pleased to have added so
interesting and useful a lady to my list of acquaint
ances — I hope I may say, of my friends.
We changed horses, and dined at Springfield, a
beautiful town on the eastern side of the river, which
is well known for its manufactories, and contains one
of the armories of the United States. The whole
drive was indeed delightful, the views of the winding
river, of the rich " intervale" on either side of it, and
of the wooded hills which frame the picture, were
highly fascinating. This "intervale" is considered
the richest territory of New England. A considerable
part of it was then covered with broom-corn, an
admirable plant of the same appearance as the Indian
corn, but of a loftier growth, and crowned with a
feathery head, of which the sweeping broom is made.
The plant produces no grain. It seems somewhat
singular that a most fertile district should produce
nothing but brooms. But the cultivation is highly
profitable. Indirectly, this beautiful plant feeds many
an honest family.
Northampton is in Massachusetts. It is a place of
such remarkable beauty as almost to tempt a wander
ing stranger into residence — comfortable white frame
houses, noble trees, commodious meeting-houses, with
steeples and spires, a wooded hill with pleasant resi
dences overlooking the town, the winding river flow
ing through rich meadows in the valley below, fine
mountains in the distance, and a delightful country
on every side. Here I was most comfortably enter
tained at the house of Charles Dewey, one of the
judges of the supreme court of Massachusetts. He

NORTHAMPTON. 205
is a gentleman of superior parts and decidedly reli
gious character, and I was glad of the opportunity
which this visit afforded me of understanding the
mode of life of a genteel American family, quite
unconnected with Friends. On this and some other
similar occasions, I found it to be of the most simple
character, although there was no want whatever of
refinement and polish. I can truly say, that it suited
both my judgment and taste.
1 had written to the Judge to request him to ar
range a public meeting for us on that evening ; but
my letter not having arrived in time, we were glad to
comply with his earnest request that we should stay
at Northampton over another day. Certainly that
day turned out to be one of peculiar charm and in
terest. The morning was spent on an excursion to
mount Holy-oak — a mountain composed, like Ar
thur's seat near Edinburgh, of greenstone ; 1000 feet
high, and covered with chesnuts, elms, and other
forest timber. Mount Holy-oak is one of a range of
hills, of which the regularly divided summits plainly
indicate diluvial action. We wound up the mountain
in our carriage to within one third of a mile from its
top ; after which a fatiguing clamber upstairs — for
the stones are so laid as to become stairs — brought
us at length to a bare open rock from which we feasted
on the magnificent prospect so eagerly sought by the
lovers of American scenery. The weather was radi
ant, the atmosphere as clear as possible, and the pic
ture truly admirable. Nothing can well exceed the
beauty of the Connecticut river, which was winding
beneath us through deep verdure, in all kinds of fan-

206 AMHERST.
tastic ways. A number of white villages scattered
about among the woods were seen in various direc
tions ; and distant mountains bounded the horizon.
We returned to an American early dinner at the
judge's, and in the afternoon, were conducted by a
pious congregational minister to Amherst college.
It was a drive of seven miles over a cultivated coun
try. The college contains 240 students, under the
presidency of Dr. Humphrey who was then absent. It
is an unornamented red brick building in the midst of
a pleasant village. We were cordially received by the
senior professor Hitchcock, so well known on both
sides of the water, as a geologist. His appearance is
very pleasing, and his manners marked by that pecu
liar simplicity and originality, which indicate the man
of genius. It was arranged for us to hold a meeting
with the young men, at half past five, instead of their
usual evening prayers ; and in the mean time we were
admitted to the professor's lecture on geology. It
happened to be the concluding one of his course, and
related to a part of the subject peculiarly interesting
to me — viz. the harmony of that charming science
with natural and revealed religion. The lecture was
clear and satisfactory, and agreed with the conclusions
which had been long since formed in my own mind.
Let geology have her full scope in discovering the
ancient secrets of the crust of the earth — she will
wonderfully elucidate natural theology, and inflict no
wound on the religion of the Bible. Our meeting
with the young men passed off to our comfort. We
were led to dwell on the religious results of sound
science, and on the perfect consistency of evangelical

AMHERST. 207
truth with the most enlightened dictates of reason.
The student and their instructors accepted our service
with great cordiality.
We had previously been much interested in ex
amining the professor's geological collection. It
contains, amongst other wonders, those curious im
pressions on new red sandstone of the feet of some
vast dodo-like bird, of which Dr. Buckland has pub
lished the figures in his Bridgewater treatise. The
professor assured us that many such impressions are
to be observed among the rocks in the neighbourhood
of the Connecticut river, on the banks of which once
stalked, in true American independence, these vast
uncomely creatures — making a progress of about four
feet of ground at every step.
On our return to Northampton we found the people
rapidly assembling at the " old church," a very large
building occupied by the congregationalists, and a
solemn edifying meeting for worship crowned the in
terests of the day. We parted with much affection
and gratitude from our friend Judge Dewey and
his family. At four o'clock the next morning we
were roused form our slumbers, and a rapid journey
of 100 miles, partly by stage, and partly by rail cars,
restored us to our old quarters at the Lynn of
Massachusetts. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XVII.

Earlham, 3rd month, 9th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
In attempting to give thee an account of a
further journey through New England, which lasted
several weeks, I shall endeavour to avoid much of
minute detail lest I should be found guilty of an unin
teresting sameness. Slowly progressing in my homely
wagon from one meeting to another, and lodged and
boarded, as 1 went along, in the humble but comfort
able dwellings of the scattered members of our reli
gious society, I found much of daily comfort, as well
as of constant occupation in the pursuit of the most
interesting of objects — the dissemination of Christian
truth. Before I enter upon any description of our
daily travel, I will make a few general remarks.
The weather, during the whole of this summer
and the early part of the autumn, was warm and
clear, with little interruption ; so much so, that the
country, in many parts, was dried up, and the young
crops of Indian corn, although a high degree of warmth
is essential to them, were evidently withering. It is
probable that this was a season of unusual heat and
cloudlessness ; but it is worth observing that the basis
of the weather in North America, and especially in

MASSACHUSETTS. 209
New England, is sunshine. If it " storms" for a few
hours (as the Americans say when it rains) we are sure
to revert to a clear sky and a bright sun ; and certainly
nothing can be imagined more lucid than the evening
skies of New England, when, just after sunset, the
brightest orange or crimson is seen melting into
azure. It was often my practice, at this time of day,
to enjoy a solitary wander, apart from the haunts of
men, and to converse in mind with the far distant
objects of my nearest affection.
I remember that in one of these evening walks,
on the northern border of Massachusetts, I was
much amused by observing the singular motions of
the night hawks, an elegant species of goat sucker,
with long brown wings spotted with white. About
a dozen of them were flitting about me, very much
in the manner of bats. These birds have a singular
cry, but not so articulate as that of the whip-poor-will,
another bird of the same species, with which I after
wards made my acquaintance. The night-hawks
build no nests, but lay their dingy white spotted eggs
on the bare ground.
Our journey lay through Massachusetts, New Hamp
shire, and Maine ; and although our lot was seldom
cast with the opulent or the polished, the condition
of our Friends, and, indeed, of the population gene
rally, was one of great independence. Almost every
man was dwelling in his own tenement, farming
his own land, or serving in the little store of which
he was himself the proprietor. In the several towns
which we visited, it continued to be a constant source
of satisfaction to observe how well the population p

210 JOURNEY
was supplied with the means of religious instruction ;
and how completely on a par with each other were
the ministers of the different religious denominations.
If, in our own country, the preachers of the Metho
dists, Independents, Baptists, &c. are in some measure
a depressed class, as compared with the clergy of the
Church of England, and if some bitterness of feeling
is the frequent consequence on both sides, no such
results are to be found in the towns of New England.
There the ministers of the different sects which are
here regarded as dissenters, seem to breathe more
freely, to walk and move more independently, and to
act, if I may so express myself, with more of an easy
and uncontrolled vigour.
The clergy of the Episcopal Church in New Eng
land — that celebrated refuge of British Nonconform
ists — are comparatively few, but, as far as I could
learn, of a highly respectable character. It was often
my lot to converse with this class of ministers in
different parts of the Union, and I almost always
found them intelligent advocates of evangelical
religion. If the ministers of other denominations
gained by their equality with those of the Episcopal
Church, it was perfectly clear to me, that the latter
were equally gainers, by the absence of any peculiar
authority or worldly advantage. Take a hundred of
the episcopal clergy of America, without selection,
and compare them with those of any particular dis
trict in England, amounting to the same number—
and the quantum of evangelical attainment will, as I
believe, be found to preponderate on the side of the
Americans. Among the hundred English clergymen

IN MASSACHUSETTS. 211
there will certainly be examples of learning, and
perhaps also of elevated piety, of which no parallels
may be found among the hundred Americans ; but
the average of the latter will stand the higher. Before
I quit this subject, I will just express the regret
which I felt in observing that high church views are
increasingly prevalent among the clergy in America.
Many of them have exchanged their former liberality
for an exclusiveness which does not seem to befit
their actual situation, and not a few of them have
lately adopted the views, familiarly known by the
name of the " Oxford heresy." But there is nothing
in the constitution of American society to nurture
such feelings and notions. We may hope, therefore,
that like many other excitements, into which the
Americans are prone to fall, they will prove evan
escent. But for our Journal. — On our return to Lynn, the
Friends of the district assembled at their Quarterly
meeting. It was a large and interesting body of per
sons, and we took our leave of them in much Chris
tian love. It was near the close of the 8th month,
(August) when we journeyed northward on our pro
gress towards Canada. After passing through the
pleasant little town of Ipswich, (white frame houses
and flourishing elms as usual) we stopped at New-
bery-port, a large town on the mouth of the Merri
mack. The appearance of this place did not, as I
thought, indicate much of prosperity ; and from the
dull aspect of the town, I concluded that but few
persons would trouble themselves to attend our pub
lic meeting in the evening ; but, contrary to my
p 2

212 JOURNEY
expectations, the people assembled in large numbers,
and appeared to be remarkably open to profitable
impressions. Near this place there are two chain
bridges over the Merrimack — the only ones I saw in
America. They form a pleasing variety from the
inclosed wooden corridor — unsightly in itself, and
excluding all view of the river one is passing over —
which is the universal bridge in the United States.
After holding several meetings in the north-western
corner of Massachusetts, we drove on to Dover in
New Hampshire, a pleasant town of nearly 4000
inhabitants, nested in a picturesque valley on the
Cocheco river. Here we held large public meetings;
and afterwards went forward to North Berwick in
Maine, where the Quarterly meeting of the district
was about to assemble. The body of Friends is
large, and the inconvenient old meeting-house was
surrounded, as we approached it, by about 100 vehi
cles of different descriptions — the horses standing
with the carriages, "hitched" after the usual manner,
to wait the convenience of their masters. A re
markable flow of religious feeling seemed to pervade
the assembly. We returned to Dover, where a most
hospitable house and family now afforded us our
head quarters ; and early the next morning, set off
on an interesting excursion, of several days, into
the heart of New Hampshire.
A drive of seventeen miles, over a hilly country,
brought us to the settlement of New Durham, where,
after our meeting, we were entertained in the greatest
simplicity by a mountaineer farmer's family, which
afforded a cheering example of simple piety, wholly

IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 213
out of the way of the world. We enjoyed the fine
healthy country, tossed into high hills, and abounding
in granite rocks and maple woods. Oxen of great
symmetry and beauty, were feeding in numbers on the
sweet pasture with which the hills were clad. In the
afternoon we went forward in the pursuit of similar
duties to another scattered settlement, named Ro
chester, where we met with the like rough and simple
accommodation among persons who love Christian
truth, and are heartily willing to entertain its advo
cates. The next day was the First of the week, and
a drive of sixteen miles, over extremely hilly roads,
brought us to Pittsfield, a manufacturing village.
Friends and their neighbours were there assembled
to meet us at our morning worship ; and after dining
on the bacon and vegetables which are the usual
fare of this country, we drove twelve miles further
to Gilmantown, the seat of a little settlement of
Friends, and of a theological seminary. The people
of the place crowded to the small Friends' meeting
house in the afternoon, and in the evening, the Con
gregational house was freely opened to us. The
vacation at the seminary had just commenced, but
some of the students were present on the occasion ;
and the sufferings of our Saviour, as described in the
53rd chapter of Isaiah, formed the subject of our
consideration in the midst of a large and attentive
assembly. Gilmantown is remarkable for its pictu
resque beauty ; but finer scenery awaited us on the
morrow, when we held our meeting at Wolfsborough,
a village on the borders of Winnipisiogie Lake.

214 JOURNEY
Here, also, we were lodged and entertained by per
sons of a very original character. Indeed the popu
lation of these districts is generally very pleasing,
their persons strong and good-looking, and their man
ners of a Swiss simplicity. Although their living is
somewhat hard, they are much attached, like other
mountaineers, to their native region. On the follow
ing day we enjoyed a long drive by the side of the
lake to Sandwich, where we spent a day or two
among a community of Friends, composing two
meetings, who enjoy but little of the riches of this
world, but live in peace and simplicity on the fruit
of their own labour. This romantic village is situ
ated within an amphitheatre of mountains, near the
head of the lake. They are from 12 to 1500 feet
high, composed of igneous rock, and presenting a
remarkably picturesque outline.
Bears still frequent the forest on and between the
mountains. They are black, and, when full-grown,
of a great size. An aged Friend here, when in the
days of his strength, was attacked and embraced by
one of them ; for they always begin their work of
slaughter with a hug. He had a jack-knife in his
pocket, which he had the presence of mind to draw
out and open, and then succeeded in ripping up his
horrible enemy which fell dead at his feet. This dis
trict is liable to terrible hurricanes. In one of them,
six years ago, the upper part of a house was torn off,
and a child, wrapped in bed-clothes was literally
carried away by the wind to a considerable distance.
He was safely lodged among the branches of a birch

IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 215
tree, in the neighbouring forest, from whence he was
brought down alive.
Having been closely engaged for so long a period
of time, I had intended to go forward from Sand
wich to the White Mountains, so celebrated for their
scenery, for the purpose of a little timely recreation ;
but finding the distance to be sixty miles, and the
journey not an easy one, I was constrained (with the
view to appointments ahead) to relinquish the design.
As a substitute, I spent a long and delightful day, in
company with several friends, in climbing to the sum
mit of one of the shaggy Sandwich mountains, called
Red Hill. At a little solitary tenement on our way,
we were refreshed with a profusion of whortleberries
and milk ; and when we reached the top, enjoyed a
far more delicious feast of rare scenery. Mountains,
woods, valleys, and lakes were spread before us, as in
a map. On one side, was the picturesque water
which goes by the name of Squam; on the other side,
Winnipisiogie lake was seen winding its way among
the green hills, for a distance of nearly thirty miles.
This lake is remarkable for its multitude of small
islands covered with wood. Shoals of a blackish fish,
called the barbel, and a small species of pike, abound
in it ; also salmon trout of a vast size. A boy, who
had fastened his fishing line round his arm, and had
cast his baited hook and line through a hole in the
ice, found his arm forcibly pulled into the water, and
himself nailed down to the hole, and wholly unable
to escape. One of our friends, who happened to be
passing by, forced up the line with a trout weighing
241bs., which, had it not been for the firmness of the

216 JOURNEY
ice, would certainly have succeeded in drowning his
young adversary. I was told, that a large bird, called
here the loon, frequents this lake — of black plumage
with patches of white, and a long swan-like neck.
When driven by the waves ashore, it is unable to
walk, and is easily caught. But when once risen on
her wings, the loon has a rapid flight ; her melo
dious cry is heard at a great distance, and is said to
sound like a trumpet. I afterwards discovered, that
the creature thus described to me, is a large species
of diver.1
Having taken leave of our numerous simple-hearted
friends at Sandwich, we turned our course eastward,
with the view of spending the following First day at
Portland, a large town of 17,000 inhabitants, on the
sea-coast of Maine.
On our way, we visited a few scattered settlements
of the society, and held a public meeting, one even
ing, in a village named Gorham Corner. The small
villages in New England are often called corners.
At this place, there are two large academies, and the
people assembled with great willingness at the "free
church." I mention the circumstance, for the sake
1 0 Winnipisiogie lake of pale transparent wave,
An isle for every day of the year, thy lucid waters lave ;
Three hundred sixty five, are the emeralds on thy brow,
For, on every isle, the hemlock pine and bright green maple grow,
Beside thy shores the barbels black, in shoals, pursue their way,
And trout, of a gigantic race, their salmon spots display ;
The swan-like loon, thy narrowing streams or spreading bays among,
Protrudes her tortuous neck amain, and pours her trumpet song;
For thrice ten miles thy winding form betrays her silvery charms,
And mountains green, with rocky peaks, infold thee in their arms.
O Winnipisiogie lake, I bid thy beauties hail,
And children, in a distant land, shall listen to the tale.

IN MAINE. 217
of observing, that, in many of the country districts of
New England, are to be found places of worship built
at the common expense of the inhabitants, and open
for the use of Christians of every denomination. We
sometimes found the convenience of these buildings,
and could not but rejoice in the liberality which led
to their being erected. As the population in such
villages increases, the number of meeting-houses in
creases also ; and then it mostly happens, that the
free church, which had formerly been the property
of all, falls into the hand of some one denomination.
Portland has a considerable West India trade — the
exports being chiefly timber, here called "lumber,"
from the state of Maine ; and the imports, molasses
and other West India produce. It is built on Casco
bay, which presents a variety of picturesque scenery,
and is said, like Winnipisiogie lake, to contain an
island for " every day of the year." There is a well-
placed observatory near the city, with a good tele
scope. From the top of this building, we enjoyed
a splendid view indeed. On the east, the bay, har
bour, and scattered islands, and a vast expanse of sea
beyond them ; the neat town immediately below us ;
and the White mountains distinctly visible to the
naked eye, in the extreme west, at a distance of eighty
miles — so great is the clearness of the atmosphere of
New England.
Our publie meeting, in the evening, was held in
the large chapel belonging to the Methodists, and
was numerously attended by persons of various de
nominations. The following day was spent in reli
gious service amongst our Friends, and in a long

218 JOURNEY
drive, first round the city, and afterwards to a pic
turesque spot amongst the rocks, called Cape cot
tage, from which we again enjoyed a magnificent
view of Casco bay, and the White mountains — the
whole picture being adorned with the radiant light of
an American sunset. A dark brown fish, with scarlet
spots, of the size of a tench, is commonly caught
and eaten at this place ; it is called the Conner.
On the following day, we left this agreeable city.
It may be worth observing, that all towns in America,
which have received a charter of corporation from
any of the state legislatures, are called cities. I
understand that these charters may be obtained,
whenever the inhabitants amount to 6000 ; but the
title is not generally assumed, except by towns of a
still larger population. We now went forward to
the neighbouring villages of Falmouth and Windham.
At the latter place, the quarterly meeting for the
district was convened ; and we again found ourselves
in the midst of a large and interesting body of our
friends. In this neighbourhood we went to examine
a remarkable land slip which had lately taken place.
Four acres of hill had slid down, in the course of
five minutes, into the vale below, and had filled the
bed of the Presumscot. The water in that river,
above the slip, rose ten feet, in ten minutes, and then
forced out for itself a new channel. Some curious
marine shells, no longer extant, were developed on
the occasion, the slip having taken place three miles
from the sea.
In pursuing our course into the heart of Maine, we
travelled over an uninteresting country not very well

IN MAINE. 219
cultivated, until we came to a fertile and beautiful
district in the neighbourhood of Winthrop Pond,
which is in fact rather an extensive lake in the midst
of picturesque scenery. The landowners and farmers
of this district are flourishing, and the little town of
Hallowell, in the immediate neighbourhood, on the
river Kennebeck, has all the appearance of prosperity.
On our way we held a meeting for worship at Bruns
wick, the seat of the state University. The institution
had become much disorganized in consequence of a
misunderstanding between the president and the stu
dents, who were, I believe, in a state of insubordina
tion. Our meeting, however, was attended by several
of the young men, the president, and some of the pro
fessors, and they certainly formed a most intelligent
and attentive audience. Many were the kind invita
tions which we afterwards received, but of which we
could not avail ourselves. We made a pleasant call
however on Professor Upham, who lectures on moral
philosophy, and has written a volume on the subject
of peace, in which he takes the same view as Friends.
This peace principle is widely diffusing itself in Ame
rica, especially in New England, where not a few
persons have carried their views of non-resistance to
such a length, as to refuse to avail themselves either
of the power of the magistracy, or of the defence of
the law. This must of course be considered an un
reasonable excess ; yet I could not but rejoice in the
counteraction which even these views afford to the
undesirable effect produced on the whole American
population by their militia system. All persons
capable of bearing arms, are called out for military

220 JOURNEY
training one, two, or more days in the course of the
year. This practice, though of little or no effect in
making soldiers of them, is highly undesirable as
a source of dissipation ; and is the means of im
buing the young men of America with notions of
warfare, utterly opposed to the best interests of the
community. One effect of this system is, that colonels
and generals abound on every side. These titles, in
the absence of all aristocratic distinction, are eagerly
sought ; and constantly applied in common conversa
tion. The cashiers of banks, the owners of stores,
the cultivators of land, the clearers of the forest, are
alike dignified with such marks of military authority
and prowess.
Brunswick is on the Androscoggin river — a rocky
stream in which I observed large quantities of timber
lying in heaps, ready to be carried down to the neigh
bouring port of Bath, by the next " freshet," or flood
of rain. This is the truly primitive method by which
the noble pines of the forests of Maine are conveyed
to the sea-coast for exportation. The practice, how
ever, is not confined to this state. I often observed
similar scenes in other parts of the Union, and in
Canada. Not far from Hallowell is the beautiful little city
or rather village of Augusta, also on the Kennebeck.
It contains the usual agreeable mixture of white frame
houses, trees and gardens ; and several excellent meet
ing-houses, with two of which we were kindly accom
modated for our successive public meetings. Here, at a
handsome new state-house, meets the legislature of this
rising republic. By the census of 1830 the population

IN MAINE. 221
of Maine was very nearly 400,000, and must now of
course be considerably larger. The citizens of this
state have every where the appearance of sobriety,
intelligence, and good order ; but the fiery proceedings
for which the legislature has of late been remarkable,
on the vexed question of the boundary line, affords a
plain proof that this is a people by no means devoid
of excitability. At Augusta, we had the pleasure of
conversing with Judge Weston, chief justice of the
supreme court of the state, who is considered to be a
profound lawyer. The little we saw of the society of
the place, impressed us very agreeably.
From Augusta we proceeded to Vassalborough, a
pleasant village higher up the Kennebeck, in which
there is a considerable settlement of Friends. Here
was held the last of our series of quarterly meetings —
as large and edifying as those which had preceded it.
Several days were afterwards spent in a round of visits
to the neighbouring settlements of Friends, some of
which were at a considerable distance to the north
and east. The country is rough, hilly, and young ;
much of it but lately cleared of wood, and still full of
stumps ; the land pretty good and in some parts
fairly cultivated. On several of the farms a machine
is used for tearing up the stumps, and these are then
laid together by way of fence, instead of the usual
provision of palings or stone walls. A small streaked
squirrel, very agile in its movements, is more com
mon in these parts than any other wild animal, and
is generally seen running along the rough stone fences.
We were much pleased with the hardy, industrious
habits, and, I may truly add, the intelligence and

222 JOURNEY
piety, of the scattered Friends among whom our lot
was now cast. More than a few middle-aged men
are occupying the station of ministers amongst them.
We found them generally engaged in the cultivation
of little farms, of which they are themselves the own
ers. In the course of this round, we had much satis
faction in visiting the college at Waterville — another
thriving town on the Kennebeck. We were kindly
entertained at the house of the president, Dr. Everard
Patterson — a person of talent, learning, and piety.
The young students, with many others, flocked to the
meeting which we held in the place, and seemed to
have a good understanding of the plain truths of ex
perimental religion — " He that believeth hath the
witness in himself."
We now returned to Augusta, where we separated
from the young friend who had long been assisting us
as our driver, and whose intelligence and information,
as we passed along from place to place, we had found
particularly useful. He was obliging enough to drive
my wagon and horses back to Providence. In the
mean time, my companion and myself took the mail
route from Augusta to Quebec — not knowing what
difficulties we might meet with on our journey through
a country very little settled and frequented. We
commenced our progress in rather grand style, that is
to say, in a stage coach with four horses. Our route
was by the side of the beautiful Kennebeck and the
first day's travel was of 50 miles to a picturesque vil
lage called Anson. Here the stage rested for the
sabbath — a circumstance very agreeable to ourselves,
and an example which might be followed with great

IN MAINE. 223
advantage, in our own country. To us it was a day
of much peace and quietness. Several Friends came
from a great distance to sit down with us in our
morning worship. In the afternoon the public were
assembled, and some romantic rocks over a tumbling
stream, afforded me, in the interim, a grateful oppor
tunity for solitary reflection. At so great a distance
from my home, and now about to enter on a new re
gion, and on fresh scenes of interest and duty, I could
not but feel my situation very seriously ; and it was
delightful to remember that no distance or difference
of circumstance can divide the love and fellowship of
those who are endeavouring, however weakly, to serve
the Lord.
On the following morning we pursued our journey
along the banks of the romantic river, and soon found
our mail coach exchanged for an open wagon with
two horses. The Kennebeck abounds in picturesque
beauty, and is adorned with many neat little towns
on its banks. On this day we passed through two of
these places — Scouhegan and Norridgewolke — which
seemed to be deriving a healthy state of prospe
rity from the convenience of the river, and the rich
ness of the " intervale" through which it runs. In the
evening we came to the forks of the Kennebeck — so
called from its here uniting with the Dead river.
At this spot is a small sequestered village in the midst
of pine-clad hills ; the scene as we approached it was
lovely, being bathed in the light of the setting sun.
There was no meeting-house in the place, but the
people assembled at our request in the house of a

224 MAINE.
pious methodist ; and religious refreshment and edifi
cation were permitted to crown the day.
The Christian brother at whose house the meeting
was held, was our driver, the next day, in another open
wagon, with two sprightly horses, to the Canada line.
He was a man of a blithesome spirit, and his wild
whistle was perfectly accordant with the scenes through
which we were passing. It is scarcely possible to
imagine a more complete wilderness — if this name
may be properly applied to the true, native, unbroken
forest. But of the beauty of that forest what tongue
can speak in adequate terms ? Such a splendid mix
ture of colours could not be found, I should suppose,
unless it be in the American western sky at sunset —
every variety from the lightest to the darkest green,
and from pale yellow to the rosiest crimson. This
glorious scene continued for many miles ; but was after
wards miserably exchanged for vast ranges of pines,
unintentionally laid waste by the fires of the settlers.
Sometimes one sees a great tract of land, covered
with what may best be compared to enormous black
hop-poles. The moose deer abound in these forests ;
and we were fed on its flesh at the house of a friendly
settler, who gave us our dinner as we passed along—
it being the custom of these persons to entertain tra
vellers, and to receive a moderate payment for their
provision. The moose flesh tastes exactly like beef,
except that it is more tender, and of a very fine grain.
Another kind of deer called the caraboo, is also found
in these woods. The moose are caught chiefly in
the winter, when their flight is impeded by the snow.

MAINE. 225
I was told of a family who were nearly starved to
death during a tremendous fall of snow. The chil
dren one day came running into the house crying out,
"the devil is come." It was one of these vast gro
tesque animals caught by his prodigious antlers. The
family fed upon him till the day of their deliverance.
Bears, beavers, musk rats, and racoons, are also in
habitants of this district. Large brown hawks were
floating about here and there ; the blue jays were
sporting and displaying their beauty, regardless of
our approach ; and still more familiar were the long-
tailed Canadian partridges, which were seen running
near us through the woods. The blackbirds too
were assembled in congregations, and seemed to be
holding councils respecting their intended migration
to the south. We took up our abode that evening
about four miles short of the lines, in a comfortable
log-house belonging to an intelligent settler. He
had cleared a considerable quantity of land, in the
midst of the wild forest, and the neatness, both of
his abode and his family, did him high credit. His
sturdy sons were good readers ; and I shall not easily
forget the extreme eagerness with which one of these
young men devoured a little volume of natural
philosophy, which I happened to have among my
stores. We were positively assured that we should be met
at the lines by another two-horse wagon, the usual
mail conveyance to Quebec, which was now about a
hundred miles distant ; but alas ! the only carriage
which made its appearance was a small one-horse
Q

226 LOWER CANADA.
cart, driven by a Canadian boy, and utterly incapable
of holding us and our luggage. We were at our
wits' end, for we had a difficult journey in prospect,
and the road excessively bad. At last our friend the
settler undertook to convey us in a little wagon of
his own, which was just sufficient to hold us, with a
single horse. The settler himself walked by our side.
Long and tedious was our day's travelling, at the
rate of two miles an hour. It was near the end
of the 9th month (September) and the weather,
strange to say, was excessively hot. The country
was much less beautiful than on the American side
of the lines, and the many-coloured variety of trees
was now exchanged for the unvarying pines, a large
proportion of which were bare, and black with the
burning. A backwoodsman, who overtook us with
his gun, shot us one of those beautiful partridges,
which the wife of an Irish settler on the road cooked
for our dinner. So " severely," as she herself ex
pressed it, did she perform her task, that the white
meat of the bird was perfectly dry and tasteless;
but when well cooked, it is considered a great
delicacy. Shortly before nightfall we reached the romantic
banks of the rapid river Delou (properly De loups —
the river of wolves.) Here we were received by
another family of settlers from the north of Ireland,
who had very much improved their condition, and
were now in possession of a valuable estate. The
land, pretty good in itself, is further enriched by the
burning of the trees, and yields good crops of wheat,

LOWER CANADA. 227
oats, grass, and potatoes. The settlers hire the Ca
nadian French natives as labourers, and pay them six
dollars per month, besides board.
Poor is the spectacle which is now and then pre
sented of the deserted farm, and the log-house gone
to ruin ; but, generally speaking, the people are doing
well. The family who had now taken us in as lodgers,
were protestants, and seemed delighted with the
opportunity of religious intercourse with others — a
privilege of which they had long been entirely des
titute. Here we obtained a better carriage, with two horses
which we had the opportunity of changing in the
course of the day. Our journey now lay through
the rich valley of the Chaudere river, in which are the
pretty little towns called St. Joseph and St. Mary.
We had started very early in the morning, and after
travelling 66 miles, arrived at night at Port Levi, on
the St. Lawrence, just opposite to Quebec. The
country through which we passed was thickly settled
by French Canadians, who speak a patois. Their
conversation, however, is tolerably intelligible, and
they understand the common French when spoken
to in that language. Their houses are white-washed,
roof and all, and their little strips of farms are
managed in a most old-fashioned manner — just as
they were a hundred years ago. They are an amiable,
harmless race, neat in their attire, and pleasing in
their appearance ; uneducated, and utterly indisposed
to all kinds of improvement, but very civil and
respectful in their manners. Their two great enemies
Q 2

228 auEBEC.
are ardent spirits and political agitators — were it not
for these, they would yet be a happy and harmless
people. We lodged at a little inn at Port Levi, and the
next morning crossed the noble river St. Lawrence,
and took up our quarters at the Albion hotel, in the
city of Quebec. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XVIII.

Earlham, 3rd month, 13th, 1841 .
My dear Friend,
We arrived at Quebec on the 28th of the
9th month (September) the weather being still clear
and warm. The city is built on the brow of a lofty
hill, consists of the upper and lower town, and is
crowned by the citadel on a lofty eminence. It was
of course built by the French, who first settled this
country, and its narrow streets and grotesque stone
houses very much resemble those of many towns in
France. Including its suburbs, it contains 35,000
people, English, Scotch, Irish, and French Canadians
— the last forming (I believe) more than half the
population. The nation which holds Quebec, almost
of necessity holds Canada, of which it is the key.
The position of the citadel over the St. Lawrence,
is most commanding, and no stronger place is to be
found — except only Gibraltar.
After having made arrangements for a public meet
ing in the evening, to be held at the Wesleyan chapel,
we placed ourselves under the guidance of our friend
Dr. Cook, the pastor of the Scotch church, and one
of the disciples of Chalmers. He first led us to the
citadel, from which we viewed, under the greatest

230 auEBEc.
advantage of light and shade, the magnificent river
and its shores, as well as the battle-field where General
Wolfe fell. The scene, truly splendid in itself — I
suppose almost unrivalled — was enlivened by the
numerous ships in the river. The timber trade
carried on from this port is very large, and we were
assured by one of the principal merchants, that 1000
vessels sail from Quebec annually — I suppose, how
ever, that this number includes the whole timber
trade of Canada.
On our descent from this delightful eminence, we
visited the museum, which, although not in good
order, was highly interesting on account of the speci
mens which it contains of the fossils and animals of
the country. The wild cat of these forests, called
"the Canadian lynx," is a handsome creature, and
looks the picture of fierceness. The collection of
eagles is splendid, including the bird of Washington.
A gentleman who met us at the museum, had lately
shot one of these creatures, which measured 11 feet
5 inches, from tip to tip of its wings. We also visited
a small well-conducted hospital, under the care of
the sisters of charity. We were glad to observe that
the protestant patients were as kindly attended to as
the Roman catholics ; and their ministers have free
access for the purpose of communicating religious
instruction. Probably there is no part of the world
in which the Romish priesthood is more disposed to
liberality than in Lower Canada. I had opportuni
ties of conversing with several of these pastors, and
was favourably impressed by their manners and con
versation. We called at an extensive Roman Catho-

auEBEc. 231
lie seminary, in which every thing had the appearance
of cleanliness, comfort, and good order. The presi
dent and tutors received us with great good humour
and politeness. There is reason to believe that the
priests in Canada had done every thing in their power
to discourage the late insurrectionary movements.
A peculiar kind of bonhommie certainly distin
guishes both priests and people among the French
Canadians. But there can be no doubt that, in its
main characteristics, popery is the same all the world
over. Exceedingly refreshing to us was it, in the
evening, to have our lot cast among the Method
ists, who here appeared to us to be a humble and
spiritually-minded people. They seemed to be no
strangers to those views of divine worship to which
we are ourselves accustomed. Our congregation was
large, and evinced much feeling and cordiality.
On the following morning, after breakfasting with
Dr. Cook, we accompanied him to the jail, which we
found crowded with prisoners, both men and women —
the political distractions of the country, and the
prevalence of crime, having combined in producing
this effect. The male criminals were herded together
in idleness, to the utter destruction of their morals.
The women were under the care of a good matron,
and in better order.
From the prison we proceeded to the government
house, and paid our respects to the Earl of Durham,
the governor-general, with whom I had a slight
previous acquaintance. He received us with much
kindness, and I afterwards dined and spent the eve
ning with him, his lady, and family. F had a great

232 auEBEC.
deal of conversation with him of a highly interesting
character, and was much struck with his extensive
information and superior talents. He was then 47;
and greatly was I grieved on my first landing in
England, nearly two years afterwards, to hear the
unexpected tidings of his death. Though I had no
reason to suppose that he agreed with me in my view
of the paramount importance of evangelical religion,
it was evident that he was a person of conscien
tious feeling, impressed with a lively sense of a super
intending providence ; and full of good designs for
the intellectual and civil improvement of the people
under his care. His government was steady, calm,
and peaceable, and, as I have every reason to believe,
impartial. Certainly he was called to rule in trou
blous times ; for nothing could then be more uneasy
than the juxtaposition of the two races which com
posed the population of Lower Canada. Lord Durham
was utterly opposed to the shedding of blood, by the
hand either of the soldier or of the executioner. He
had put a stop to the capital punishments in Upper
Canada; and above all, he was daily manifesting to
the citizens of the United States, that liberal and
kindly feeling, and that just appreciation of their
character and circumstances, which powerfully tended
to the removal of misunderstandings, and to the in
suring of permanent peace between the two nations.
Nothing could appear more ill-timed and unhappy than
the fracas which had just taken place between Lord
Durham and the British parliament. He seemed to
be extremely chagrined ; and not less mortified and
disappointed were many enlightened members of the

Q.UEBEC. 233
community under his care, of both parties. I believed
it right to devote several hours to the object of laying
before him in writing, the reasons why I thought he
ought to refrain from giving up his government. I
was informed that he took two days to reflect on the
contents of the letter ; but a kind note which I after
wards received from him, showed that his feelings of
mortification had prevailed ; for he had then deter
mined to return to England. He seemed to be im
pressed with a notion, that he could best serve the
interests of Canada in his own place in parliament.
The event proved that this was an error ; and when
we visited Upper Canada, the following year, we
thought we perceived many evidences that the pub
lication of his manly and able report was premature.
If the view from Quebec is splendid, it can scarcely
be said to exceed that which the city itself presents,
when one is at some distance from it. We drove to a
village a few miles on the road to the falls of Mont-
morenci. Time did not allow our visiting the falls
themselves, which are said to be of eminent beauty;
but, under the guidance of one of the obliging priests,
we came to a position from which the prospect of
the city, in its peculiar position both of strength and
beauty, in connection with that wonderful river, was
enjoyed to perfection.
The morning of our sabbath day was spent in the
seclusion of our own hotel. In the evening a large
promiscuous assembly for worship was convened at
our request, at the Methodist chapel ; and late at
night we stepped into the crowded steam-boat which
was destined to convey us to Montreal.

234 VOYAGE.
The voyage between the two cities is in length 160
miles, and I was sorry that the first part of it was
occupied by the night. In the morning we woke to an
interesting scene ; for there is something truly sub
lime in the grandeur of this river. When we call to
mind the immense extent of territory through which
it runs, and the many enormous lakes of which it forms
the outlet and connecting channel, we may regard it
as the most astonishing flood of fresh water in the
world. The general width of the river appeared to
be about two miles. The banks are mostly flat, but
the foreground of cultivation, sprinkled with neat-
looking Canadian villages, and wooden spires painted
white, and the background of interminable forest,
were objects whicli excited both reflection and admi
ration. About 80 miles from Quebec the river di
lates into the lake of St. Peter, on the southern bank
of which is Port St. Francis, at the mouth of the
river of that name. Here we witnessed a highly
animating spectacle. It was the landing, at this quay,
of the fertile eastern townships, of 200 Scotch emi
grants. They came from Stewart Mackenzie's estates
in the Isle of Lewis, and spoke only Gaelic. They
appeared lively and healthy, and were evidently in
good heart for their new life in the wilderness of
wood. The whole affair seemed to be remarkably
well conducted under the direction of the British
American land company. I have never heard of
these people since; but I have little doubt that
under the blessing of Providence their sober and
hardy habits have been the means of insuring their
prosperity. Any man who is able and willing to

TO MONTREAL. 235
labour, and who has the good sense to abstain from
ardent spirits, may soon live comfortably in Canada.
We did not reach Montreal until midnight after
the second day of our voyage, and continued in our
cots until the early morning. This city is somewhat
larger than Quebec, containing 36,000 inhabitants,
and, like Quebec, it has quite a foreign aspect. It
stands nobly on a sloping bank in front of a wide
expanse of the river, and is backed by a lofty wooded
hill. The vast Roman Catholic cathedral which has
been built of late years at an enormous expense
(defrayed I suppose by funds from Europe) is by far
the most prominent object as one approaches the
town. We afterwards visited the interior of this
building, which is spacious and splendid — affording a
fresh evidence that the Romish church is still both
wealthy and powerful. Our specific object in now
going to Montreal, was to find a convenient passage
to Farnham, one of the eastern townships, where, as
we had been informed, an important meeting of our
little church was about to be held. But a friend from
New England was waiting to receive us, with the
information that the meeting in question was about
to assemble in Ferresburg in Vermont. There was
no time to be lost, and at an hour's notice we were
again on our journey.
We first availed ourselves of the only railroad in
Canada, in order to traverse a flat-wooded country to
St. John's, a considerable town on the Richelieu
river. Here we took the daily American steam-boat,
and soon found ourselves on the noble expanse of
lake Champlain. Our voyage was highly delightful ;

236 LAKE CHAMPLAIN.
for we had every accommodation on board our boat,
with good company, and in the midst of fascinating
scenery. There are many richly wooded islands on
the bosom of this vast water, and the distant moun
tains of the state of New York, on the western
shore, and of Vermont on the eastern, give a Welsh
character to the picture. We arrived at Burlington,
in Vermont, at nine o'clock in the evening. The
next morning, having hired a carriage, we drove six
teen miles to Ferresburg, attended the meeting already
alluded to, and were afterwards entertained at the
dwelling of Joseph and Huldah H  . They are
aged Friends of a most primitive character, and the
father and mother of many sons and daughters. It
is a remarkable circumstance — one that proves that
the Spirit of God often breathes freely amidst wild
and secluded scenes — that the old people themselves,
and all their sons, and all their daughters, and all
their sons and daughters in law (their children being
all married), with the exception of an individual who
is an elder, exercise the important functions of the
Christian ministry amongst us. The family is now
scattered in various locations, and are chiefly em
ployed in the cultivation of land. I am able, from
my own observation, to bear testimony to their Christ
tian character and usefulness.
We spent two more days in traversing the neigh
bouring country, and attending some other meetings;
and, at the close of the week, returned to the city of
Burlington. I was much pleased with the little which I saw of
Vermont. In point of scenery, it is one of the most

VERMONT. 237
interesting of the states. The green mountains are
clothed with the forest up to their summits, being
very lofty and picturesque in shape and feature. One
of them, called the Saddle-back, is more than 4000
feet high ; another, americanized by the name of
Potato hill, presented at this season as fine a display
of rich, unbroken, many-coloured foliage as could
well be imagined. The farms are chiefly of pasturage
— it being a country of dairies and rich cheeses —
many of the farmers are also considerable wool
growers. The people of Vermont are in general
much opposed to slavery. I was ready to think, as
I passed along amongst them, that they were the
better, body and soul, for their retirement from the
world, and for the remarkably pure air which it is
their lot to breathe.
Burlington itself is a place of rare beauty. It
stands on a rising ground ; the streets are wide, the
houses excellent, and the trees, every where inter
spersed, very ornamental. It is the seat of the state
University. The college is built on a high hill above
the town, and the view from the top of it is one of
the most beautiful to be seen in America. On one
side are the Green Mountains, in all their glory, the
" Camel's hunch," and " Mansfield," of noble outline,
towering above the rest — on the other, the bright-
looking town, with its spires, &c, the lake, and the
distant hills of New York ; woods and pasture
abounding in every direction. The scenery of the
lake, at this spot, struck me as singularly like that
of the lakes of Cumberland, particularly Derwent-
water. Here we spent the First day of the week,

238 BURLINGTON.
much to our satisfaction. Several Friends from the
country joined us in our quiet morning worship at
the hotel. In the afternoon a public meeting was
held at a neighbouring manufacturing village, by the
pretty falls of the Wollooski, or Onion river ; and
in the evening, a much larger one in the Methodist
meeting-house, in Burlington, during which we were
brought to remember that if we are Christians indeed;
" our conversation" (in the original, our citizenship)
must be " in heaven." We drank tea with Dr.
Wheeler, the president of the college, who has travel-N
led much in Europe, and is remarkably well informed.
Professor Marsh, who is the teacher of moral phi
losophy, was also of the party, and spoke in high
terms of our late friend Jonathan Dymond's book
of ethics, which I was glad to find in great repute
in the seminaries of America. Thou wilt remember
that his standard of morals is far superior to that of
Paley — being simply and fully scriptural. The Ameri
cans are not suited by Paley's notions of expediency.
We had arranged to start at five o'clock the next
morning, in a hired carriage, on our way to the east
ern townships of Lower Canada; for we still felt our
selves to be in debt to the community of our Friends
at Farnham ; but were somewhat belated in conse
quence of a fearful accident during the night. I had
not been long asleep, in the third story of our hotel,
before I was aroused by an alarm of fire, and the
appearance of a mighty blaze near my window, soon
convinced me that the enemy was close at hand. The
back premises of our hotel, within a few paces of the
wooden house itself, were burning furiously. A good

FARNHAM, L. C. 239
horse belonging to our guide, with eight others, was
destroyed ; and we found it necessary to make an im
mediate escape, bag and baggage, to an inn in another
part of the town. There being no wind, however,
the house which we had left was happily saved. The
rapidity of the flames was such, that had there been
an unfavourable breeze, we should have found it very
difficult to make a safe retreat. Thus we had renewed
cause, on this occasion, to acknowledge the providen
tial hand of our holy Leader and Protector.
Our journey the next day was one of 50 miles,
which we effected with four horses, in an open car
riage, and without change. Our driver was, as usual,
very much of a gentleman. Our route lay along the
western part of Vermont, through a pleasant country.
We had lake Champlain on our left, and the Green
mountains to our right — our course being due north
ward. We dined at the village of St. Alban's, at a
small tabled'hote — in company with Dr. Robert Nelson,
one of the leaders of the Canadian rebels, who had
here taken refuge on the American side of the lines,
and yet within reach of his sphere of mischief. He
looked buried in thought, even while he was dining.
We of course imagined him to be brim-full of danger
ous designs. At night we found most comfortable
accommodation at a small secluded tavern, about a
mile from the lines, on the Canada side. Although
we came from the states, no one interrupted our pro
gress, or made any inquiry respecting our luggage.
The next morning, having started early, we travelled
several hours through a rich flat country, chiefly
covered with forest, and arrived at Farnham in time

24Q FARNHAM, L. C.
for an appointed meeting, at eleven o'clock. About
thirty families of Friends are here settled ; and
although they have had to struggle hard in order to
surmount their first difficulties, they have evidently
pitched on a pretty good district, and are working
their way to comfort and respectability. We were
glad to observe that they had built a commodious
meeting-house, and there appeared to be much of
genuine piety prevailing amongst them. After the
conclusion of the meeting, a Friend present proposed
an address to Lord Durham, to be signed by all the
settlers of the neighbourhood, begging him, for the
sake of peace and humanity, to continue in his govern
ment. The address was approved and signed, and
three members of our society were appointed to con
vey it to Quebec, and lay it before the governor-
general. They were also commissioned to represent
to him the peculiar difficulties to which Friends were
exposed in consequence of their refusal, on consci
entious grounds, to take any part, pecuniary or
otherwise, in assisting the military levies. We after
wards heard that they were received with great kind
ness and condescension ; but the governor's mind was
too strongly determined on retiring, to be changed by
their petition. I believe the Friends themselves were
relieved from all molestation arising from their scruple
against war. They were in the midst of a very un
settled district, and were unable to take the oath of
allegiance, or even to affirm to the substance of it,
because it virtually involves a promise to bear arms
in case of need.

MONTREAL. 241
After a further journey of twenty miles over muddy
roads, and through an alluvial wooded country, only
partially settled, we came to the village of Bedford,
where we held a meeting with the people, and were
comfortably lodged and entertained by a Friend who
had settled there. The next day we returned across
the country to St. John's, on our way back to Mon
treal. There we held a meeting in the Methodist
house ; and, in the midst of the rumours of war,
were reminded of the " good fight" which the apostle
fought — the fight of faith — the only warfare that
becomes the Christian.
The rail-car of the following morning conveyed us
to Montreal, where we continued over the following
First day. It must be confessed, that Lord Durham
was not far wrong when he stated, in his report, that
this city is far inferior, in its general condition and
appearance, to the Buffalos and Rochesters on the
American side of the line. The streets are gene
rally close, narrow, and dirty ; and being wholly un
provided with lamps, are left, at night, in extreme
darkness. Nor can we say much for the hotels, as
compared with many in the United States. The
soldiers were parading about the town, and the
condition of the people seemed very much unsettled.
The French population is large, and some of their
demagogues were still restless and troublesome. On
the other hand, we met with many persons in Mon
treal of respectability and intelligence, and our meet
ings were largely attended by the inhabitants. It is
a place of considerable commerce, and nothing but
the political squabbles of the day appeared to prevent
R

242 MONTREAL.
its usual degree of prosperity. We found the jail
still worse than that of Quebec. It was crowded with
unclassed, unemployed, and uninstructed prisoners.
Among the rest, were thirty-three deserters sentenced
to transportation — no very pleasant token of the
state of things which was then prevailing. In point
of fact, the near neighbourhood of the American
territory, and the certainty that common industry
will there procure a good living, afford temptations
to desertion among our troops in Canada, which no
punishment would be strong enough to counteract.
Having a wish to attend the ensuing Yearly
meeting at Baltimore, we now took our leave of
Canada, for the present, and were heartily glad to
exchange a further residence among its unsettled
inhabitants, for the ease and comfort of the States.
We took our passage on board the Burlington
steamer, which has the reputation of being one of
the best built and best managed boats in America,
and again enjoyed a pleasant day's voyage up Champ-
lain. In the evening, we landed at Port Kent, on
the New York shore, and made our visit to a nu
merous settlements of Friends at Peru — a country
district in the neighbourhood of the flourishing
manufacturing village of Keeseville. The next even
ing, a public meeting was held at that village; and
on the following morning, we were met by a large
assemblage of Friends, Hicksites, and others, at the
new Friends' meeting-house, at Peru. The truth, as
it is in Jesus, was evidently Jn predominance, on
that occasion, over all heretical and unbelieving
views. Great cordiality was evinced towards us,

LAKE CHAMPLA1N. 243
and a large number of our brethren and sisters
followed us to the farm-house where we were lodging.
They sat down in successive layers, at the dinner-
table of our generous host, with that perfect absence
of ceremony and reserve, so remarkable in the country
districts of America. Keeseville stands on the Ossa-
ble, a small rocky river which runs into the western
side of lake Champlain. In this river are some very
picturesque falls, both above and below the town. The
rocks are of sandstone, and are laid upon one another
in perfectly level strata, with an exactness of natural
masonry, which mimics the work of art. In one part
the stream is very deep and narrow, and the rocks,
on both sides, rise perpendicularly to the height of
about 100 feet.
At the close of our second day in this district,
we again took the Burlington steam-boat, and a
night's voyage brought us to Whitehall, at the south
ern extremity of the lake. The last few miles of our
voyage were by daylight. The lake is here very
much narrowed, and flows through low meadows.
I observed the ground, in one place, tossed up into
neat conical hillocks — the work of the musk-rat, which
is said to be as skilful a builder of comfortable
chambers for family uses, as the beaver itself.
The Americans well know how to use, and how to
connect their great inland waters. A canal runs from
lake Champlain to Waterford on the Hudson ; and
Whitehall, which stands at the point where the canal
joins the lake, is a place of much transaction and
thrift. Here we hired an extra, for an excursion
into Washington county. The country is fairly cul-
. A R 2

244 WASHINGTON COUNTY.
tivated, and is remarkable for fine pastures and dairy
farms. The milk, cheese, and butter of this district
are excellent. We visited two settlements of Friends ;
one at Granville, where our lot was cast with some
honest and industrious farmers, who seemed to be
living very comfortably on the fat of the land; the
other at Queensbury, close by the pleasant village
of Glen-falls on the Hudson. We arrived at this
place one afternoon, in the midst of rain and storm;
and were agreeably surprised in finding a large as
sembly of Friends and others collected to meet us,
notwithstanding the wildness of the weather. Many
of them had come from great distances. Thus, we
were again furnished with an evidence, that the se
clusion and rough occupations of the country people
in America, are by no means incompatible with zeal
in the cause of religion.
The Hudson, at Glen-falls, rushes over the rocks in
a large volume, and the scenery of the place is highly
interesting. The descent of the water, however, is
not from any great height. The rocks are of marble,
which, although not of a very fine quality, is sawn
into slabs for chimney-pieces and other articles of
furniture. From Glen-falls we might have diverged
north-west to lake George, where delightful scenery
is to be had in abundance ; but our path of duty lay
in the opposite direction. We therefore pursued
our journey southward, to Saratoga; and thence to
a settlement of Friends, in the county of that name,
at a place called Half-moon. Saratoga is the Chel
tenham of North America ; and in consequence of
the virtue of its aperient, yet stimulating waters, is

TROY. 245
visited by thousands of persons during the summer
months. They taste like those of Seltzer, and are
exported in vast quantities. An Englishman, who is
owner of the Congress spring, is said to make a clear
annual profit, from this ever-flowing well of health,
amounting to, at least, 30,000 dollars.
On the First day of the week, our meeting was
held, in the morning, at Half-moon ; and in the even
ing at Troy, where it was largely and promiscuously
attended. I was sorry to be able to spend only a few
evening hours, in this prosperous and truly beautiful
young city. It contains nearly 20,000 inhabitants ;
the streets are wide, and much adorned both with the
" nitida tecta," and goodly rows of trees. In conse
quence of its location on a navigable river, and in
the midst of a fertile country, this place has sprung
up into importance with wonderful rapidity. I ob
serve the following note in my journal, made at this
time — "The more I see of the United States, the
more it entertains me to observe, how the infant Her
cules is continually putting forth his new and surpris
ing forces. I find it a relief to be again in the states,
after Canada — the condition of things is so much pre
ferable. The total absence of discontent and apparent
misery is agreeable and soothing to one's feelings."
On the following morning, my companion, then
very unwell, returned, by steam-boat, to New York.
For myself, I was left by the way, with a young
friend, at the city of Hudson, about forty miles south
of Troy, where I formed an acquaintance with a
small community of Friends, and held a meeting
with the inhabitants, in the evening. This also is a

246 HUDSON RIVER.
handsome place, and stands well on an eminence
immediately above the river — its numerous steeples
giving great point to the scene as one approaches it
by the water. Brigs of considerable size are built
here, I believe, for the whale fishery. Bright and
beautiful was the morning, near the close of the
10th month (October), when we again went on board
a steam-boat, for our voyage down the Hudson to
New York. The hills, on either side of the river,
were abundantly adorned by the many-coloured foliage
of the woods ; the Catskill mountains were seen tower
ing in the western distance ; and nothing could be more
agreeable than the prospect of our voyage through the
romantic highlands. But long before we reached them,
our hopes were destroyed. When we were in a broad
part of the river, far out of the reach of help, there was
suddenly a tremendous crash on board. Volumes of
smoke and steam, in the midst of noise and confusion,
plainly indicated that we were in no prosperous con
dition. The engine fires were speedily extinguished,
and the half-burnt logs, thrown out of the furnaces,
were seen floating about the vessel. For many minutes,
the passengers were wholly uncertain whether they
should sink or swim. It turned out, at last, that the
great iron shaft of one of the engines had snapped
asunder; and nothing but the providential circum
stance of the interference of a cross beam prevented
its piercing the bottom of the vessel. Thus, in the
result, we were only crippled; and, after long delays,
slowly proceeded, by the force of the remaining
engine, towards New York. Our expected day of

NEW YORK. 247
scenery-viewing, was exchanged for the uneasy voy
age of a long night; and we could only hope, that
the moral discipline was of more permanent advan
tage to us than the anticipated pleasure. Early the
next morning, after an absence of five months, we
again arrived at New York, and experienced no small
enjoyment, on our return, in health and safety, to
our numerous friends in that city.

I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XIX.

Earlham, 3rd month, 16M, 1841.
My dear Friend,
Our stay at New York, on the present occasion,
was only of two days, which were chiefly occupied
by the Quarterly meeting of the Friends of that
district. It was a time of edification and refreshment ;
and cloudless was the dawn of the following day,
when I again found myself on board a steam-boat,
on my way to Baltimore. We proceeded rapidly to
Amboy, on the Jersey coast, much enjoying this fresh
opportunity of admiring the beauties of the land
locked bay of New York. From Amboy, we tra
versed seventy miles of country in New Jersey, by
rail-road, to Camden — a small town on the Delaware,
opposite to Philadelphia ; crossed the river, by a
ferry-boat ; and then stepped immediately into another
steamer, which conveyed us forty miles down the
river, to the old town of Newcastle. A rapid flight
of eighteen miles, by railroad, carried us across the
exhausted lands of the state of Delaware, until we
struck the head of the Chesapeake. Here our last
steam-boat was awaiting us, in which we were con
veyed, with astonishing swiftness, fifty miles down
that vast bay, and twelve more up the river Patapsco,

BALTIMORE. 249
till we finally arrived at Baltimore, about ten o'clock,
p. m. This surely was a wonderful day's journey —
215 miles, chiefly by water, and with winds and tides
against us. Here I observe the following note in my
journal. " What astonishing waters have I travelled
over, in the last few weeks — the brobdignag St.
Lawrence, lake Champlain 150 miles long, the Hud
son 160, New York bay, the Delaware, and the
Chesapeake. The impression made by them on the
mind, is of a sublime order. They give one some
little notion of the larga manus — the boundless liber
ality — of the God of nature."
It was pleasant to return to the peaceful home
which was always ready for me whenever I came to
Baltimore. The Society of Friends in that place has
become small in consequence of the Hicksite seces
sion ; but it is a choice body ; and strong are the ties
of affection and gratitude which bind me to its mem
bers. Here too there is a " beloved physician" in
large practice, and yet much valued among Friends
as a minister of the gospel.
The yearly meeting assembled on the day after our
arrival, and although a small body (not larger than
many monthly meetings in America) continued its
sittings, for several days, after the usual order. The
Hicksites were holding their yearly meeting at the
same time with Friends ; and being much interested
on account of their younger members, I requested their
leave to hold a public meeting at some convenient
time in the large house which properly belongs to our
own society, but which is now occupied by the seced
ing body. This would have been a meeting of my

250 BALTIMORE.
own appointment, and would have involved me in no
compromise of principle. My request was refused;
and I declined the invitation which was at the same
time given me to join them in their usual worship,
on the morning of the First day of the week. This
I could not do without forsaking our own meeting,
and giving them a mark of religious fellowship, which
the truth of the case did not warrant.
I mention this circumstance not for the purpose of
lodging any complaint against the members of the
Hicksite community, who generally treated me with
great kindness and respect ; but for the purpose of
introducing a brief statement of the difference of doc
trine which subsists between the acknowledged leaders
of this body, and the original Society of Friends.
That difference relates, not to any minor points in
the fabric of truth, but to some of the fundamental
articles of the Christian religion. Friends have always
acknowledged their belief in the proper divinity of
Jesus of Nazareth, the incarnate Word. The Hick
site leaders regard Him only as a man endued with
superior measures of that divine influence which they,
with ourselves, believe to be bestowed upon all men.
Friends have steadily maintained the doctrine that
the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, was the ap
pointed propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the whole
world — that He was made a sin-offering for us " who
knew no sin, that we might be made the righteous
ness of God in Him." The Hicksite leaders make no
reserves in the denial of this truth. On several occa
sions of a private nature, I heard their ministry in
which frequent use is made of the name of Christ—

harper's ferry. 251
so that a superficial hearer might suppose them to be
orthodox. The key which unlocks the whole appa
rent difficulty is this — that, according to their nomen
clature, the word Christ does not denote Jesus of
Nazareth, but only a divine principle in the heart, to
which they strangely ascribe the various offices of
the Messiah. Thus the whole plan of redemption,
through the incarnation, sacrifice, and all-availing
mediation of the Son of God, is set aside ; and who
is not aware, that when the Son is denied, the doc
trine of the Spirit itself degenerates — that its true
scriptural character and bearing gradually disappear ?
I entertain a fervent hope that, as the young people of
this body come to be better acquainted than they now
are with the contents of the Holy Scriptures, they
will understand the error of their leaders, and again
find a safe and peaceful shelter under the wing of the
society from which they have been separated.
Very early in the 1 1th month, (November) 1838, I
left Baltimore, in company with two of my friends, in
order to visit a few scattered meetings in the northern
part of Virginia. We took the rail-road for Harper's
ferry, which is on the border of that state, 80 miles
from Baltimore. Our journey was through a plea
sant country chiefly along the banks of the Patapsco,
which we traced almost to its source. At a place
called " Ellicott's mills," where we breakfasted, the
scenery in the neighbourhood of that stream is wild
and romantic, but quite inferior to that of Harper's
ferry itself. That town which contains about 4000
inhabitants, half free and half slaves, owes its origin
to Jefferson, who here established the government

252 JOURNEY
manufactory of arms, and was extremely attached to
the beauties of the location. These are indeed quite
extraordinary. The place is built on the brow of a
steep hill crowned with huge rocks ; at the foot of
which, in front of the town, meet the two large
rivers, Shanandoah and Potomac — the united stream
taking the latter name. In immediate contact with
the point of conflux, and exactly opposite to the town,
rises, almost perpendicularly, a vast lofty rock of
gneiss, from the top of which, called the " pinnacle,"
there is said to be a magnificent prospect. The hills
or mountains on both sides of each river, rise im
mediately from the water, and are profusely covered
with forest trees. After filling up our notices for a
public meeting, and catching a hasty meal, we as
cended the hill above the town ; sat on the rocks
which Jefferson loved to frequent, and which go by
his name ; and enjoyed some delightful views of the
two wide rocky streams, and the surrounding scenery.
The people came in flocks to the meeting, and I trust
that our visit to the place was attended with some
better effect than the mere gratification of our own
curiosity. We were much pleased with an honest elder of our
body from " Goose Creek" meeting in Virginia, who
came on horseback, some 20 miles to meet us, and
guide us through the country. Although a person of
most original simplicity, and accustomed to a rough
country life, he had cultivated his mind both by ob
servation and reading, and amused us, as we went
along, by telling stories of natural history, and quo
ting poetry. Our journey was somewhat remark-

IN VIRGINIA. 253
able. The keeper of the stables at Harper's Ferry had
provided us with a crazy carriage, and the only bad
pair of horses that I met with in the United States ;
for I may observe, by the way, that a sorry, lean, jaded
horse is of extremely rare occurrence in that land of
ease and plenty. We and our carriage and horses
crossed the Shanandoah together, in the ferry boat,
and then pursued a narrow road of extreme roughness,
on the south bank of the Potomac. We soon found
it needful to take to our feet ; but I afterwards rode
for a few miles, on the sure-footed steed of a gentle
man who overtook us by the way, and whe °khough
a total stranger, was bent upon helping us, with that
marked civility for which the Virginians are so famous.
The morning was autumn in its glory ; the air was
fresh and stimulating ; and the sun, through the in
terstices of the clouds, was flinging golden lines over
the forest-clad mountains — the woods themselves
being then chiefly yellow and red. Vast buttonwood
trees were here and there hanging over the river, the
banks of which, on either side, presented a constant
diversity of beauty ; sometimes high impending rocks,
and then again sloping wooded hills. Large birdswhich
I took to be eagles, were seen soaring above the sum
mit of a lofty eminence, called Eagle rock. It was
indeed a feast of scenery ; but we were all the while
in no small anxiety on account of a public meeting
which had been appointed for us at the town of
Waterford, about twelve miles distant in the interior
of the country.
After we had turned away from the bank of the
river, with a hilly and half cultivated country before

254 JOURNEY
us, our hired horses were fairly knocked up ; and
in order to reach the meeting, I had no alterna
tive but to leave my companions behind me with
the carriage, mount our guide's steed, and find my
own way across the country. A guide is almost
indispensable in the country districts of America, and
the consequence of my being alone on this occasion,
was the temporary loss of my road, and a circuitous
journey. On my arrival at Waterford, which is a
village of considerable size, I found a multitude of
persons already assembled at the meeting-house — •
chiefly followers of Elias Hicks. My friends whom
I had left behind entered the house about an hour
afterwards, and after all our adventures, the meeting
passed off to our satisfaction.
The drive of a few miles farther, brought us in the
evening to " Goose Creek," where there are a few
Friends, and a large community of Hicksites. There
the latter freely allowed us to hold our meeting in the
large old meeting-house, now in their occupation ; and
they gave us their company on the occasion with few
exceptions — listening with extreme attention to the
scriptural evidences which were then adduced of the
divinity and atoning sacrifice of Christ. Our guide
already described, entertained us in the most cordial
manner; and very pleasant was it to make our ac
quaintance with the few scattered families of Friends,
who here continue faithful to the principles of their
forefathers. This part of Virginia, although much deteriorated
by slave labour, is still fertile. The vast woods of oak
are magnificent ; and the land, including them, sells at

IN VIRGINIA. 255
from 40 to 50 dollars per acre. A large black squirrel
here frequents the forest ; and I observed a multitude
of snow birds, of mixed white and black plumage, in
size and appearance resembling our " water wagtail."
They are seen here only in the winter, unless, as some
persons suppose, they are the sparrows of summer me
tamorphosed. We met with a handsome brown snake
lying dead on the road, with its head crushed, which
might probably be a copperhead — one of the most poi
sonous of the serpents of America. The black snakes
are also common, and sometimes grow to the length of
many feet. Our guide had witnessed a violent conflict
between one of them and a rabbit. The latter came
off victorious, and left his enemy dead on the field.
This animal however might rather be called a hare,
there being but one species of the kind in the United
States, which somewhat resembles the hare of this
country. Its meat is white and of a fine flavour.
After the completion of our visit at Goose Creek,
we spent a long day in a journey over the Blue Ridge,
where we paid a visit to another small settlement of
Friends ; were again met by the Hicksites ; and held
an overflowing public meeting in the town of Win
chester. I borrowed a horse of one of the Friends
for this journey, and paced on his back nearly forty
miles across a picturesque country — the views from
the Blue Ridge being extensive and various. I was
sorry to learn that the internal slave-trade is making
rapid progress in this district. The once fertile and
cultivated soil is becoming gradually exhausted ; and
slave after slave falls into the hand of the " soul driver"
(as he is justly called) who lodges his victim in the

256 MARYLAND.
negro jail at Winchester, until an opportunity occurs
for conveying him to the far distant south. It was
some comfort to us, amidst these cruel abuses, that
the slaves at Winchester, as well as their masters,
came in large numbers to our meeting; and although
the doctrine preached was of a close practical cha
racter, both parties appeared to give it an attentive
and cordial reception.
From Winchester, we returned to Baltimore, by
rail-road ; and were then occupied in an excursion of
several days, chiefly in Maryland — holding meetings
with the Friends and the public at large, including
the Hicksites. The country through which we tra
velled is favoured by nature, and has many beauties,
particularly in the neighbourhood of the delightful
Susquehannah. The scenery on that river, near its
mouth, is peculiarly lovely. We passed over it, by
one of the usual covered wooden bridges, which is up
wards of a mile in length. On one of the banks, is a
quarry of very fine granite, which seems naturally to
split into large square masses with even lines.
But the blight of slavery is evidently impressed on
the face of Maryland ; and it was a pleasure to me,
in the course of our journey, again to find my way
into Chester county, Pennsylvania, where the country
may truly be said to prosper, under the influence of
free labour, united with the rapidly advancing know
ledge of agriculture. Land is there at almost an English
price. We were travelling slowly about, on this occa
sion, in the wagon of one of our Maryland Friends,
himself a devoted minister of the gospel, and we
thus had ample opportunity of observing the aspect

PENNSYLVANIA. 257
of the districts through which we passed. I have
again to observe, that, on the slavery side of the line,
impoverishment, marked by inferior dwellings and
poor tillage, is everywhere visible ; while on the
other side, the farmer flourishes, and nature smiles.
Who can deny, that the blessings of Providence
depart from slavery, and rest upon freedom ?
I was interested in Chester county, in again observ
ing the Pennsylvanian barn, which is almost uniformly
built against a rising ground, so that there is entrance
from terra Jirma into two distincts stories, the upper
story being the barn proper, the lower containing
the stable, cow-house, &c. The friend, at whose
hospitable house we were accommodated, at a place
called London grove (where we attended a large
Quarterly meeting) showed us his noble oxen, which
are first employed in labour, and then fatted. One
of them had yielded 2500 lbs. for the butcher, which
was equal to 3700 lbs. in the live animal.
The Friends in Maryland, like those in Virginia, are
a scattered remnant ; but I shall not soon forget their
kindness to the stranger ; or the religious comfort
which we enjoyed together in their small Quarterly
meeting at Nottingham, and on various occasions of
a private nature. At the close of this little journey
we again spent the First day of the week at Balti
more ; and were met in the evening, at the large
Baptist chapel, by a promiscuous multitude, including
a large number of the Hicksite community. We
trusted that some of these were brought to more
than a passing feeling of the importance and excel-
s

258 NEW YORK.
lence of " the truth as it is in Jesus." On the fol
lowing day we returned to Philadelphia, where it
was my privilege to pass a few quiet days in a home
which had become much endeared to me, and which
will long be remembered with pleasure and gratitude.
A short visit to Burlington, in New Jersey, succeeded
— a place where religious duty never failed to be
mingled with the pleasures of intellectual intercourse,
and familiar friendship. But new religious engage
ments were now opening upon me at New York, to
which place we returned, in order to pay a domiciliary
visit to the families of Friends. Such an engagement
cannot fail to bring one into some acquaintance with
the interior condition and structure of society; and
although the visit was restricted to a particular com
munity, I had reason to think that the mode of life
adopted amongst Friends, in the great cities of Ame
rica, is much the same as that which prevails in the
more sober part of the population in general. Cer
tainly I was very favourably impressed, on this and
similar occasions, with the domestic economy usual
in that country. There is a freedom and simplicity
in it, which appeared to me to be healthy both for
mind and body.
It was evident that our Friends, both at New York
and Philadelphia, are deriving substantial advantage
from the daily reading of the Holy Scriptures in
their families. I would hope that this practice is
spreading, in America, among persons of all denomi
nations. The thing chiefly wanted is more of intel
lectual cultivation ; and of the profitable employment

Mil

NEW YORK. 259
of leisure hours. 1 often had occasion to regret that
the social circle of the afternoon, or evening, was not
turned to some better account than mere casual con
versation. But I have no doubt that the tone of intel
lect as well as of piety, among the young people of
America, is on the rising scale.
Our daily rounds of family visits did not prevent
engagements of a more public nature. Repeatedly
were the Tabernacle and Chatham-street chapel filled,
during our stay at New York, with crowded assem
blies of the community at large. Fanny Wright was
still lecturing, in the city, against the christian religion ;
and distorted views of phrenology and psycology were
then remarkably fashionable among the more exci
table part of society. It seemed to be my duty, on
these solemn occasions, to unfold the evidences of our
holy religion — historical, prophetical, and internal ;
and to insist on that good old christian doctrine of
grace, from which we learn that men of all kinds of
bodily or mental constitution, are alike the objects of
redeeming love, and alike capable of regeneration
and sanctification, through the power of the Holy
Spirit. During this residence at New York, my acquaint
ance was by no means restricted to our own body.
We called one morning on W. C. Bryant who is cer
tainly the first of American poets. He bears about
him the expression of acute intellectual power, and
somewhat reminded me of Southey. I was pleased to
converse with him about his brethren in the art — the
living poets of our own country. One point may be
S 2

260 NEW YORK.
stated greatly to the credit of this man of genius —
he is a consistent and unflinching advocate of eman
cipation. Bryant is of the Van Buren party. Another
leisure evening was agreeably spent at the house of
one of the leading whigs of this city — Col. Stone,
who is well known for his extensive literary acquire
ments. He is a person of ready wit ; and, what is far
better, of serious religious principles. At his house
I met Dr. Spring, the minister of a large Presbyterian
congregration, which contains, as I was informed,
1000 communicants. I was also glad to renew an
acquaintance with Dr. Milnor, an influential and libe
ral episcopal clergyman, who is indefatigable in his
support of the Bible and Tract societies, and other
similar institutions. I was much interested by visi
ting the office and warehouses of the American Bible
society. The business of that institution is there
conducted on a large scale ; and although I had no
opportunity of attending its public meetings, 1 was
rejoiced to hear of its continued activity and prosper
ity. This surely is a work of which no man can deny
either the propriety or the importance.
It was now the close of the year ; the weather was
clear and cold ; the ice had been already formed in
great abundance on the rivers ; and the sleighs, with
their bells jingling, were perpetually rushing through
the streets. I scarcely remember having ever enjoyed
a more vigorous state of health ; but early in the first
month (January) 1839, when attending a funeral, I
caught a violent cold. We were then under engage
ment to visit the families of Friends in Flushing, on

FLUSHING. 261
Long Island, and had commenced the same line of
service there, both in private and public, as had been
previously the case at New York. But my symptoms
rapidly became inflammatory ; and I was laid up, at the
house of some beloved friends at Flushing, by an ill
ness of full three months' continuance. It would be
idle were I to attempt to trouble thee with the detail
of a sick chamber. Suffice it to say, that I was pro
vided with excellent medical care ; and with nursing
so admirably tender and exact, as to be the principal
means (according to my own apprehension) of the
preservation of my life.
It was about this period that Henry Clay, of Ken
tucky, made his celebrated pro-slavery speech in the
Senate ; and as soon as I was equal to the exertion, I
found it to be no undesirable occupation of my lei
sure hours, to make an attempt at answering him.
The result was the little pamphlet entitled, " Free
and Friendly Remarks, &c." with which I believe thou
art acquainted. It was circulated to a considerable
extent ; and was received in a very obliging manner
by Henry Clay himself.
I had long been engaged in active service — if ser
vice I may venture to call it — and I have no doubt that
it was well for me, and for the mission in which I was
engaged, that I should be laid, for a season, on the shelf.
We want, from time to time, to receive fresh proofs
that of ourselves we can do nothing — that all our
springs of wisdom, love, and usefulness, are in the
Lord. Thus it is a great advantage to suffer the will
of God, as well as to do it — both being combined in

262

FLUSHING.

that great system of moral discipline, through which
the Ruler of all things graciously designs to prepare
us for a better state of being. Trusting that thou
wilt excuse these grave remarks, I will once more
conclude. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XX.

Earlham, 3rd month, 18th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
I look back on my stay in Long Island, during
the three first months of 1 839, with no common feel
ings of interest. It was indeed a time of some suffer
ing from bodily indisposition, but there was much
in it both to instruct and to enjoy. The Friends
under whose roof I was, are the parents of an inter
esting family ; and both they and their children were
ever ready to minister to my comfort.
The village of Flushing stands on the coast of a
beautiful bay near the north-western extremity of the
island, and within a drive of an hour and a half from
Brooklyn, which, as thou wilt remember, is on the
East river, immediately opposite to New York. It
is remarkable for its bright and pleasant dwellings.
Many of these are on either side of a broad road which
runs up a hill, into a well-cultivated district of the
country. At the foot of this hill was the house of
my kind host and hostess, and at the top of it, the
residence of another family greatly endeared to me in
the ties of intimate friendship. The female head of
that house was at this time in Santa Cruz, on account
of her health ; and before I left Flushing we heard the

264 FLUSHING.
melancholy tidings of her death. Her husband and
daughter were also absent in attendance upon her,
and the sons who were left at home were my constant
companions when I was sufficiently recovered to ride
about the country on horseback. Opposite to the
mansion of these Friends stand two veteran oaks, un
der which George Fox, nearly 200 years ago, held a
memorable meeting with the inhabitants of this island;
and close at hand is the old farm-house of the Bowne
family, who were among the first settlers of the dis
trict, and of note amongst Friends at an early period
of their history. The surviving parent of the young
persons to whom I have now alluded, was very con
spicuous in his efforts to maintain the sound standing
of the society, at the time of the Hicksite division.
He is greatly beloved and respected, and may be re
garded as one of the fathers of New York yearly
meeting. I have often been struck with the lively
emotions of sorrow to be observed in American fami
lies, on the death of any one of their fire-side circle —
a remark now suggested by the recollection of the
affecting return of this Friend, with the remains of his
deceased wife, to the bosom of his afflicted children.
Nothing can be stronger than the family attachments
of the Americans; and the acuteness of their feelings
on such occasions, is somewhat heightened by a lively
imagination. Private places of burial are common in
the United States ; and a simple stone of memorial, in
the midst of a neighbouring wood, marks the place
where the remains of this beloved wife and mother
are deposited.
Just opposite to my Flushing home lived an aged

FLUSHING. 265
gentleman of good property, and long established
religious character in the society of Friends. His
mind was strong and clear, his manners quaint and
simple, and his knowledge of men and things exten
sive — frequently did I enjoy his company and conver
sation. Such persons obtain, in America, no small
influence over the surrounding community ; and often
receive, even from those who have no connexion with
them, the appellation of uncle. For myself, I am
not likely to forget uncle Walter of Flushing.
I know of no part of the United States more care
fully cultivated than the neighbourhood of that village.
The farms — each under the care of its own proprietor
— are in excellent order. The country is also well
wooded ; and peculiarly agreeable are the residences
(for the most part white frame houses) which are
scattered over the district. Some of these are occu^-
pied by members of the Hicksite community, from
whom, during my illness, I received many kind at
tentions. Land fetches a high price — in the imme
diate neighbourhood of the town, it sometimes sells
for £50 per acre. A proportion of it is cultivated
in nursery grounds. Indian corn here produces from
80 to 100 bushels per acre; and I was assured that
the profits of the farmer average a high per cent-
age. The produce of one farm of 200 acres, the year
before, was 7000 dollars, besides the living of the
family; but from this gross sum the expense of labour
was to be deducted.
One of the common productions of the waters of
Long Island sound, is a shell-fish, called the clam,
which, like the oyster, is a common article of diet.

266 LONG ISLAND.
During some violent gales, which took place about
this time, a bank, composed of a large species of this
mollusc, with which they feed the hogs and poultry,
was suddenly formed within a few miles of us on the
southern coast of the island. It was said to be twelve
miles in length, and sixteen feet broad ; but the farmers
of the country soon carted away the prize. The hogs
break the shells for themselves, and so feed upon
their contents. In one of our excursions we observed
some of the Brant ducks which frequent this coast.
Their plumage is white, black, and grey intermingled,
and their shape peculiarly elegant. They are curiously
eager and active in their manners, and are caught on
this island (I believe as a delicacy for the table) in
their passage from the north to the southern states.
On the coast of the sound, near Flushing, stands
a seminary, belonging to the Episcopal Church, and
in high reputation. Dr. Muhlenburg there presides
over about 100 pupils. I had much pleasure in calling
upon him in the course of one of my rides. He is a
person of superior powers and high character, and
generously devotes the whole of his time and fortune
to his favourite institution. On another occasion I
spent a few hours at the beautiful residence of George
Douglas, a gentleman from Scotland, of great wealth
and liberality, who, in consequence of his having
been the nephew and heir of a certain baronet, goes,
in Long Island, by the name of Lord Douglas. He
is a person of warm religious feelings, and kindly
invited me to spend a fortnight at his house — an
obliging offer which I was in no condition to accept.
On the opposite side of the small bay near which

LONG ISLAND. 267
his villa stands, is the equally lovely abode of a coun
try judge, which I frequently visited — being always
sure of there receiving all needful refreshment, toge
ther with the kindest welcome.
Though my friend Douglas is dignified with the
title of lord, I was rather amused by observing, during
my stay in Long Island, and on other occasions, that
almost all persons in America are in the practice of
calling their neighbours, just as Friends do, by their
simple names ; and, in the country, the Robert, Sa
muel, and Thomas, often degenerate into the Bobby,
Sammy, and Tommy. Young and old, poor and
wealthy, seem all very much on a level — a condition
of society which is sometimes followed by undesirable
consequences. It is, however, accompanied by a
remarkable willingness to help each other. The log-
house in the wilderness is built by the joint exertion
of all the settlers in the neighbourhood ; and the same
kind of co-operation is to be observed where society
is more advanced. I remember witnessing the re
moval en masse of one of the small frame houses at
Flushing. It was drawn along to its new site by
eighteen yoke of oxen — each neighbour contributing
his portion of the animals required. On all such
occasions, every one is expected to put his own or his
bullock's shoulder to the wheel ; under the implied
compact, that when his day of need comes, he will be
sure to meet with the same assistance.
After I had become a prisoner at large, I made the
most of the opportunities which our daily rides af
forded me, of observing the face of nature, in America,
during the very early spring. Many were the hours

268 LONG ISLAND.
of bright sunshine which we enjoyed from day to
day, and now and then a little genial warmth was to
be felt. But the chief beauty of colouring was in
the blue of the sky above, and of the sea below ; not a
speck of verdure was to be seen. Well do I remem
ber the singular effect of the universal brownness of
the land, on a bright warm day, near the close of the
3rd month (March) when, from a high barren hill,
called Mount Misery, we were viewing the surround
ing country, and the noble expanse, Long Island
sound.1 In a few weeks after this time, the whole
country rapidly became verdant ; but aft u inwards there
was scarcely the least appearance of vegetation. The
greenness of the fields in winter (when the snow
melts) and in the early spring, is a charm which must
be sought in our own country.
My indisposition, during these months, was not so
severe as to prevent my giving up a small portion of

1 Blue were the waters of the sound,
That spread before my view,
And the skies were azure all around,
And still of a brighter blue
Was the wing of the bird that flitted there,
Upon the spreading oak ;
But the giant boughs were brown and bare,
No verdure yet bespoke,
In the trees above, or the fields below,
The genial sap of spring ;
Songs of the lark in chorus flow —
'Tis prophecy they sing ;
Excited by the unclouded beam,
They pour the votive lay,
Gaily predicting, as would seem,
An early coming day,
When bursting into glorious green,
The hill, the vale, the grove,
Shall usher in a fairy scene,
The reign of joy and love !

LONG ISLAND. 269
the time to religious engagements. With my faithful
friend and brother, who had so long been my com
panion, I completed by degrees a family visit to the
Friends of Long Island, partly resident at Flushing,
and partly at Westbury and Jericho, from fifteen to
twenty miles to the east. In both places the society
is small, but our quiet intercourse with its members
was to us a source of comfort and satisfaction. A
few meetings for worship were also held with the
public at large, in some of the neighbouring villages.
Jericho, which is one of these, was the residence of
Elias Hicks, who there exercised his ministry, and
obtained an almost unbounded influence over the
Friends in his neighbourhood— the great majority
having joined his ranks at the time of the division.
The old meeting-house, which is now occupied by his
followers, was freely opened for us ; and great was the
number of this people that flocked, with their neigh
bours, to a meeting which we there appointed. My
feelings were somewhat singular when I found myself
in the seat which this bold advocate of unbelief had
so long occupied. The glorious truths of the gospel
of Christ were then freely declared ; and whatever
might be the ultimate effect produced, it was evident
that many of these dissentients parted from us, after
the meeting, in the feeling of tenderness and love.
Nevertheless, experience proves that when once per
sons have been betrayed into the denial of " the Lord
who bought them," recovery to a sound state in
religion, becomes a most difficult process.
At a small village near Flushing, a wealthy and
liberal member of the Hicksite community has built

270 WEST CHESTER COUNTY.
a "free church," with which we were kindly accom
modated for one of our public meetings. It is a
curious evidence of the easy working of things in
America, that this building — raised at the expense of
a person of views so opposite to those of the Church
of England — is now lent to an episcopal clergyman,
who there performs his weekly service. The owner
of the church lives on the coast of the Sound, in a
large and handsome mansion, where we lodged after
the meeting, and where I often received benevolent
attentions. Would that he and his family may be
brought to a full reception of the Christian religion,
in all its grand and unalterable features !
Late in the 3rd month, (March) I made my first
escape from Long Island, in company with our host
and hostess. We crossed the East river, near the
Hurlgate, and soon arrived at the large scattered
town of Haerlem, on the stream so named, which
joins the East river to the Hudson. We then pro
ceeded many miles further to West Chester, the
village-capital of the county of that name, and arrived
in the evening at the house of an elderly Friend, on
the banks of Long Island sound. Our drive of 20
miles, on the main land of New York, was through
a hilly, woody country, very capable of cultivation,
but by no means well farmed. The Friend's residence
to which I have just alluded, is in a spot of remark
able beauty — fine forest timber abounding on a rising
ground, at the very edge of the sea; and nothing
could exceed the kindness which I there received,
both as a stranger and an invalid. The principal
object of my journey, however, was to visit a be-

WEST CHESTER COUNTY. 271
loved friend to whom I had long been indebted for
protection and advice, and with whom I frequently
enjoyed both intellectual and spiritual intercourse.
He, too, is one of the fathers of our religious society
— a man of warm affections and deep religious feeling,
and an able preacher of the gospel. He and his wife,
whose talents and piety are on a par with his own,
reside in a very picturesque spot, at a small village
called Purchase. Behind the house is a beautiful little
lake named " Rye pond," of great depth, and in the
midst of wooded hills. There we spent a quiet sabbath
day, in the midst of a small but choice society. On the
following morning, we took the steam-boat at Port
Chester ; glided rapidly down the East river ; and in
the course of a few hours found ourselves at New
York, where we attended a large monthly meeting,
and were occupied by a few other religious engage
ments. But the kindness of our many friends was
somewhat too much for me, in the weak state of my
health, and I was glad to retreat to my old quarters
at Flushing, for a few days more of rest and recrea
tion. These quarters were afterwards exchanged for
a pleasant villa near Burlington, in New Jersey,
(already described) where the pleasures of ease and
friendship again awaited me. I remember that I then
added something to my stock of health, by riding
about, with one of my younger brethren, among the
pine woods, which certainly impart a very wholesome
stimulus to the atmosphere. In the course of our
rides we observed large flocks of the crow black
bird (I believe a small species of jackdaw) on their
return from the south ; and the little cedar birds,

272 PHILADELPHIA.
of mixed brown and yellow, with top-knots, frequently
attracted our attention. By these timely indulgences
I was prepared for attending the yearly meeting of
Philadelphia, which took place about the middle of
the 4th month (April).
I cannot enter into the detail of our yearly meet
ing, which was very large and solemn. It was ren
dered the more interesting, by the company of our
valued friend Daniel Wheeler, from England, who,
after a long residence in Russia, and an extensive
missionary voyage among the islands of the South
Sea, was now come, on an errand of Christian love,
to visit the churches in America.
When the yearly meeting was concluded, I still
found a few days of quietness in the country neces
sary to my health. These were spent partly at G  ,
near Philadelphia, a seat of rest, friendship, and
abounding verdure, already mentioned ; and partly in
the heart of New Jersey, at the house of another
Friend, on the banks of a clear, rapid stream, which
goes by the name of Stony-brook. The little coun
try meeting there, is surrounded with lawns and trees ;
and our quiet worship was by no means disturbed
by the hymns of the neighbouring " wood-robins."
One of the farmers in the neighbourhood had been
planting a large portion of his land with the morus
multicaulis, which is considered the best species of
mulberry, for the feeding of silk-worms. This prac
tice was then exceedingly common in Jersey, Penn
sylvania, and many other parts. Never was there a
more complete fever, in the trading world, than that
which then raged in America, in the mulberry market.

NEW JERSEY. 273
Immense quantities were planted; and when quite,
young, sold for a time at the most extravagant
prices. America was soon to beat all the world, in
the production and manufacture of silk. Large
cocooneries began to be formed in some places ; but,
after a few months, the bubble burst ; the price of
the article fell to almost nothing ; the cocooneries
were mostly abandoned ; and many an unhappy specu
lator was left in a state of poverty and ruin. In
the mean time, there can be no doubt that this affair
will still find a practical issue, in America's taking
her permanent share in producing and manufacturing
silk. I observe the following note, on the subject,
in my journal: "When all the people of the free
states come to be clad in silk of their own producing,
it may be hoped that the slave-grown cotton of the
south will become a heavy merchandise !"
Thou wilt perceive that the story of the mulberry
trees denotes a credulity among this ardent people,
which of course seldom fails to lead to disappoint
ment — but is nevertheless frequently excited. The
most extravagant stories were current, at this time,
in New York and New England, on the subject of
animal magnetism ; and, on a previous occasion, it
was almost universally believed, that Sir John Her-
schel had succeeded in bringing to light the geography,
and even the domestic economy of the moon. These
circumstances are accounted for, by the prevalence,
already alluded to, of the power of imagination over
the cooler faculties of reason.
At the close of the 4th month (April), 1 again
arrived at New York; and the next morning, set off,
T

274 WEST CHESTER COUNTY.
with my long tried companion, on a journey through
West Chester, Dutchess, Putnam, and Columbia
counties, on the east of the Hudson ; and Ulster and
Orange counties, on the western side of that river.
Several of the Quarterly meetings of Friends were
about to be held, in some of these districts ; and I
wished also to visit the particular meetings of which
these larger bodies are composed. We first returned
to Purchase, already described in this letter, where
we met one of these Quarterly assemblies, and en
joyed, in the midst of a community already endeared
to us, much of the " unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace." A friend then conveyed us, in his excel
lent wagon, through a rich but not very well-culti
vated country, to Shappaqua and Amawalk meetings,
which were largely attended on the occasion by
Christians of various denominations.
From an eminence above a Friend's house near
the latter place, we obtained a fine view of the Croton
valley, through which runs the clear and beautiful
stream of the same name, destined to supply New
York with water. We then turned westward to Peek-
skill, one of the many thriving and picturesque
towns which diversify the banks of the Hudson;
and after holding our public meeting there one even
ing, enjoyed, on the following morning, a delightful
voyage of thirty miles through the highlands to
P6keepsie — the county town and river port of Dutch
ess county. The rocks covered with the bright ver
dure of the early spring, and the numerous vessels
which we met or overtook, as we proceeded up the
river, presented many an animating scene ; and it was

DUTCHESS COUNTY. 275
not unnatural, that I should long for the company of
my children, that they might take a share in the en
joyment. P6keepsie contains about 8000 inhabitants, and is
the very picture of hope and prosperity. An obliging
gentleman, who was cashier of the bank, and at the
same time, general qf militia, drove me to the " col
lege" — an ably conducted seminary of boys, on a high
eminence above the town. From this place, there is
an admirable view of the neat-looking streets, white
painted houses with porticos and pillars, twelve places
of worship, many of which have spires, the delightful
river flowing below, and a range of mountains to the
west for a back-ground — much the same kind of view
as that already described, from the college in Bur
lington, Vermont. A multitude of persons, of all
classes, attended our public meeting in this place,
on the First day evening ; and we heard very satisfac
tory accounts of progressive improvement in the
moral and religious condition of the people. Cer
tainly it cannot be denied that, in these young cities,
the entire equality of all denominations, and the abso
lute freedom of religious administration, are working
wonderfully well.
We now travelled into the heart of Dutchess coun
ty ; attended the Quarterly meetings of Nine Partners
and Stanford ; and with the kind assistance of the
Friends of the district, were afterwards conveyed to
several of the scattered settlements of which those
larger bodies are composed. While these engagements
were fraught with no ordinary interest, in a religious
point of view, we were much pleased in witnessing,
T 2

276 DUTCHESS COUNTY.
from place to place, the condition of a very moral
agricultural community — thriving on their own indus
try, making from seven to fifteen per cent, on capital,
(as well as feeding their families,) and extracting the
riches of a fat land, for the support of tens of thousands
besides themselves. Every Friend whom we visited (I
do not remember a single exception) was farming
his own land, and living on the products of it, in
great respectability and comfort. One of them had
bought a rough farm, six years ago, with money
borrowed for the purpose. He had now paid off his
whole debt, had brought his estate into English order,
and was rapidly acquiring property. The surface of
the land, in this county, has the appearance of being
tossed and broken, in the days of the old world, by
some violent impulse from below — probably that of
fire. The scenery is in consequence pleasing and
picturesque. The woods are beautiful. In the course
of our drives, I observed the scarlet tanniger in all
its radiance, hopping about quite near to us, and
utterly regardless of our approach. At another place,
two black snakes, full four feet long, which some one
had just killed, were seen lying on the road.
In traversing this county, however, I was informed
that some of the farms, near which we passed, were
leased to tenants ; and it was obvious that these were
less carefully cultivated than the properties which
were farmed by their owners. I was sorry to hear,
that an individual at P6keepsie had gradually accu
mulated a landed property, consisting of more than
a hundred farms. This appeared to me to be an
unmixed evil ; for the prosperity of the country was

NEW MILFORD. 277
evidently owing, in part, to the absence of an over
whelming landed aristocracy. It was delightful to
observe the people so generally living " upright" on
their own soil, and in houses of their own building.
Happily, the practice of America is totally opposed
to the system of primogeniture. The vast property
to which I alluded, will naturally run into subdivision.
Were the gentleman to bequeath all these farms to
an eldest son, an American jury would be quite sure
to break his will. While I am making these remarks,
I do not forget, that, to avoid feudal institutions in
a new country, is one thing — to destroy them in
an old country, quite another. I am speaking of
things as I found them in America, without wishing
to draw any political inferences as it regards our own
country. In the course of the excursion which I have just
described, we passed over the line which separates
Dutchess county from Connecticut, and held a meet
ing at the beautiful village of New Milford on the
banks of the Housatonic. In this neighbourhood the
cultivation of onions is extensive. The river running
through richly wooded hills is a highly attractive
object. Nine Partners in Dutchess county, is the seat of a
public boarding school, under the care of New York
yearly meeting. It is a most comfortable place, and
the institution appeared to me to be remarkably well
managed ; but the number of the pupils is seldom
large. The agricultural population of the state of
New York is considerably behind-hand in its appre
ciation of a liberal, guarded, and Christian education.
At the end of our circuit about Dutchess county, we

278 WEST POINT.
again came to Pokeepsie, from which place we took
the steam-boat for West Point. I was needing a day
of rest and recreation, and both were to be found
amidst the almost unrivalled scenery of that charming
spot. This was the strongest hold of the Americans
during the revolutionary war ; and it was in connec
tion with a plot to betray it into the hands of the
English, that Andre undertook the enterprise which
ended with his ignominious death. A handsome
hotel built on this elevated station, and facing the
river as it flows between two long ranges of moun
tains from the north, here afforded us excellent ac
commodation ; and one quiet evening, with many
hours the next day, were spent in wandering over
these wooded heights.1 From an old ruined fort at
1 The pulse of life stands still — a pause is come —
Tho' mute, its meaning cannot be denied —
" Cease from thyself and commune with thy God,
The Maker and the Saviour of the world."
In solemn silence, far below my feet,
Flows on the wondrous river, and the rocks
On either side incumbent, clad in green,
The brightest and the loveliest blush of spring,
Fling their dark pointed shadows — types of Him
Whose strength immutable and fostering care
Invite me to repose. Above them rise
In mutual near approach and loftier far,
Yet not so lofty as to mock the eye.
The mountain peaks, and domes, and pyramids,
Waving with forest. In the distant north,
The Catskill towering high above them all,
Draws her pale outline on the azure sky.
The mingled foliage of yon sloping woods
That mantle the deep glen, then kiss the wave,
What brush can paint ? The maple filled with juice,
And oaks of various leaf, chiselled and glazed,
And the light willow weeping gracefully,
And sycamore, and poplar gemmed with tulips,
And blossomed chestnut of a darker hue,
Or brighter green and flowerless, elm and ash,

WEST POINT. 279
the summit of a wooded hill, rising far above the
hotel, the prospect of the river, the rocks and moun
tains on its bank, with the neighbouring country, and
the bright little city of Newburg in the distance, are of
the finest character. I wished to hold a religious
meeting with the numerous cadets at the military
academy, whom we saw drilled morning and evening,
for the hour together, on the green adjoining the in
stitution. Major Delafield, the commander, declined
the proposal which he considered to be at variance
from their usual order; and he might probably be
afraid, lest the Quaker minister should argue the sub
ject of Christian non-resistance with his young war
riors. He came however, with some of the professors
and about thirty of the elder cadets, to a private
assemblage at our hotel. I trust that, without any
peculiar discussion of that subject, the great princi
ples were then proclaimed, which, if fairly followed up,
Display in all the fulness of their charms,
The utmost vigour of the rising year.
Sloop after sloop comes dancing o'er the wave,
Each sail expanded to the prosperous breeze,
Now white with sunshine, and now dark with shade,
And changed from form to form at every turn.
Fraught with the riches of a generous soil,
To feed the trading, bustling myriads,
They well might summon me to things of time,
Did not gay fancy greet their airy forms,
As winged heralds from a lighter world,
To tell of things unearthly — fancy roves
Amid these scenes unchecked ; and the young city
That glistens on yon green and distant slope,
Too softly slumbers in the evening beam,
To indicate " the busy hum of men,"
Or mar the peaceful solitude of thought.
Here will I meditate, unheard, unseen,
Not joyless, tho' in tears ; and breathe my prayer
Deep, fervent, frequent, for my best beloved,
Whom ocean severs from their pilgrim sire.

280 HUDSON CITY.
must undermine all warfare at its foundation. The
young men were deeply attentive ; and no one was
more cordial, after the meeting, than the Major him
self. The next morning we resumed our steam-boat for
a voyage sixty miles northward, to Hudson city,
where I proposed spending the ensuing First dayt
In the neighbourhood of this place we were kindly
lodged and entertained at the house of a leading
member of the Hicksite community, whom I had
known in England. Notwithstanding our difference
of sentiment, he kindly assisted us in preparing for
our public meeting, which was largely attended by
the inhabitants, including nearly the whole Hicksite
body. I cannot say what was passing in the deep
interior of the minds of these persons, on whose
account I felt the most sincere solicitude. All that
I know is, that a plain enunciation of gospel truth
was received by them on that day with expressions of
cordiality and concurrence, and some of them seemed
to feel more than a little on the occasion.
The next morning we returned to P6keepsie, and
during our short voyage, made an acquaintance with
Dr. George Mountain, the bishop of Montreal, who
was travelling with an invalid daughter, and was
evidently under affliction. I had known his father,
the late bishop of Canada, in days of old, and was
pleased with the opportunity of conversing with the
son, who, like myself, is a native of Norwich. He
is evidently imbued with deep feelings of piety ;
but his views of Canada, and particularly of Lord
Durham's government, were materially different from

ULSTER COUNTY. 281
my own. He represented the Church of England there
as flourishing spiritually, but as being, in a temporal
point of view, depressed and almost persecuted.
At Pokeepsie we crossed the river, and commenced
a round of visits to the meetings of our Friends in
Ulster and Orange counties, on its western side. This
part of our journey occupied several days, and we
shall not forget the kindness and zeal of the honest
and well-informed friend — himself a preacher — who
guided us along from meeting to meeting. The
country through which we passed is, in general,
neither so fertile nor so well cultivated as Dutchess
county ; but from this remark may be excepted a
rich valley along the banks of the Volkill which flows
into the Hudson ; and Orange county is distinguished
for supplying the markets of New York with admira
ble butter.
In this part of our journey I made my acquaintance
with two interesting animals. As I was roaming one
morning, in the solitude which I enjoyed almost daily,
I was attracted by very sonorous notes from a neigh
bouring pond, which I took to be those of some large
aquatic bird ; but on a nearer approach I found it was
a colony of bull frogs, and greatly was I amused by
watching their movements. The animal is hand
somely marked with black and green, and his large
yellow pouch under the throat is blown out, at each
successive attempt at song. The hind part of the
bull frog is excellent eating. A friend of mine in
Long Island is accustomed to go out in shooting
parties, for the sake of destroying this novel kind of
game, and each excursion of the kind ends in a frog

282 ORANGE COUNTY.
feast. The other creature to which I allude utters a
still more articulate and musical sound. It is the
whip-poor-will. He is a species of goat-sucker, and
his song is heard at nightfall. After listening long
one evening to the melancholy cadence of this singu
lar bird — a cadence which the poor negroes in the
south regard as ominous — I just caught a sight of
him as he flapped by me like a bat. The house of
one of my friends near the Hudson, had been unfor
tunately visited, some time before, by a skunk, as it is
here called. It is an animal of the size of a small
pig, covered with white and black hair, whose means
of defence is the emitting of a powerful odour. The
smell is at first musk-like, and rather agreeable, but
soon becomes so strong as to be unbearable. My
friend's dogs killed the creature, and at the end of
two months the smell of its self-defence had not en
tirely ceased. Thus it appears that strange sounds
and smells, as well as sights, occur to the traveller in
America. I will just mention a wonder of a different
kind, which I find mentioned in my journal at this
point of our travels. An accidental stoppage had
just taken place on the Erie canal, and so great was
the traffic upon it, that by the last accounts a row of
canal boats, ten miles in length, was waiting for the
removal of the obstruction. Such was the inform
ation then received ; but I cannot of course vouch
for its exactness.
Towards the close of this part of our journey, we
passed through the flourishing young town of New-
burgh, well-built, and proudly placed on an eminence,
which rises from as beautiful a bay (into which the

ORANGE COUNTY. 283
Hudson river there dilates) as can easily be imagined.
It is the great outlet for the produce of the district
through which we had now been passing, and already
contains several thousand inhabitants. After holding
our last public meeting at the pleasant village of
Canterbury, a few miles further south — a spot from
which the views of the river are truly splendid — we
lodged at the house of a most intelligent Friend
who has invented a new machine for brick making.
He turns out 20,000 bricks from it every morning,
and seems to be thriving on his ingenuity and in
dustry. It was a constant source of entertainment
to me, as well as of instruction, to watch the rising
energy and young prosperity of the inhabitants of
these districts. We took the steam-boat at Newburgh,
and arrived in safety at New York, just in time for
the yearly meeting.
The assembly, by comparison with former years,
was large ; the business was conducted after the usual
manner, during the course of several successive days ;
the meetings for worship were occasions of great feel
ing and interest, and we were refreshed and comforted
together, under the renewed sense of His love, whom
to serve, worship, and obey, is our truest freedom and
purest happiness. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XXI.

Earlham, 3rd month, 19M, 1841.
My dear Friend,
Our first excursion, after the Yearly meeting
of New York, was again into Jersey, and occupied
several days. It was then that we held the meetings
for worship, alluded to in former letters, at Princeton
and New Brunswick, which were attended by the
numerous collegians of each of those places. The
public were also convened at the flourishing little town
of Rahway ; and after traversing a sandy country of
pines, adorned with some beautiful flowers, we spent a
peaceful sabbath-day among a small community of
Friends at Shrewsbury, on the north-western coast of
the state. The tulip tree, which is common in Jersey,
was now in its glory — the bright abundant foliage
being largely interspersed with noble blossoms of
greenish yellow striped with pink. Truly may it be
said to be "gemmed with tulips."
In the course of this little journey, I was again
rather heavily indisposed, and was glad to retreat
once more, for a few days, to my retirement at Flush
ing. I had, however, another object in visiting that
place ; for I had long believed that it would be my
duty to hold a meeting with the inhabitants under the

FLUSHING. 285
old oaks, there being no suitable place of worship in
the village, large enough to accommodate the people.
It was now the middle of the Sixth month (June,) and
notice had been given of the meeting to be held at
five o'clock in the afternoon of the following First
day. Seats had been provided in the open air for
about 1000 people. The day was windy and lower
ing; and as one dark cloud after another moved rapid
ly across the sky, I could not but feel considerable
anxiety, especially as my powers of voice appeared to
be at a low ebb. But just before five o'clock, the sky
cleared, the wind abated, and a multitude of people
were seen flocking to the spot — large numbers of the
upper class, and many more of the labouring inhabit
ants of the district, including the coloured people,
and Irish Roman Catholics. The mixed assembly
soon settled into silence, and I was enabled to speak
to them for upwards of an hour, so as to be heard by
all present. We were reminded that God is "mani
fest in his Son," and great was the attention which
prevailed on the occasion. After the offering of
prayer, we again fell into silence ; and the meeting
concluded in much order and quietness. Immediately
afterwards a slight shower fell, which, had it occurred
a few minutes sooner, would have robbed the meeting
of its best and most solemn moments.
The beloved mistress of the house, in which I had
been accustomed to find a home in New York, had
gone in the course of the winter to Santa Cruz, in
the vain hope, as it afterwards proved, of the cure of
a pulmonary complaint. She returned home about
this time, and in the course of a few months ended

286 SING-SING.
her mortal career of piety and usefulness. In con
sequence of her illness, I had been transferred to the
kind care of W. and P. M — , under whose most
hospitable roof I afterwards spent many interesting
and peaceful hours. On the evening after our meeting
under the oaks, a company of many of the Friends of
the city kindly met me at this house, when, during
a time of religious solemnity, the seal of the Spirit
appeared to rest on the retrospect of our past labours ;
and equally so on the prospect of a long journey
which my companion and myself were now about to
undertake. We had a view of visiting the settle
ments of Friends, and of holding meetings with the
people at large, in the north-western part of the state
of New York, and in Upper Canada. The next morn
ing we took our departure by steam-boat, and again
commenced a voyage up the Hudson. It was on the
18th of the Sixth month, (June) and just four months
passed away before we returned to New York.
Our first object was a visit to Sing-Sing, which, as
before stated, stands on the eastern bank of the river —
about 30 miles north of New York. I wished to
inspect the State Penitentiary, which contained at that
time 800 men and 50 women. Deeply were we in
terested in the spectacle, as we passed along from
ward to ward, where the prisoners were working in
companies, and in perfect silence, at a variety of trades.
There were the classes of the hatters, the weavers,
the smiths, the stone-cutters, and the yet rougher
workers in a neighbouring marble quarry. It was
satisfactory to witness these scenes of industry, but
far otherwise to observe an overseer sitting aloft in

SING-SING. 287
each ward, with a whip of six thongs, called the
"cat," lying beside him. This he was at liberty to
use at his own discretion ; on the sole condition that
a report of all the punishments inflicted should be
given in writing at the end of every month to the
governor of the prison. I looked over a parcel of
these reports and found that even then, the punish
ments of a month were frightfully numerous. The pre
sent however, was considered to be a time of improve
ment in this respect, for a committee of the legislature
had just been engaged in examining and checking the
cruelties which had here been practised. I suggested
to the Governor, who appeared to be by no means
hard-hearted, that the best remedy for the supposed
necessity of the whip would be to give credit to the
prisoners for a proportion of the profits of their
work — every man's account to be open to his inspec
tion, and the money to be paid to him on his leaving
the prison. I felt assured that even in prisons, no
thing can be less likely to reform mankind than
unalleviated slavery; and I was no stranger to the
controversy of " wages versus whip." The sugges
tion was afterwards repeated to persons in higher
authority. Whether it has been acted on or not I
cannot say; but I am glad to observe the following
passage in an abstract of the message of the Gover
nor of the state, addressed to the legislature at the
beginning of 1841 : — "The discipline of the prisons
has undergone a thorough reform, and the happiest
effects are anticipated from the present wise and
philanthropic system."
The men prisoners evinced much propriety of

288 PEEKSKILL.
behaviour, yet but little tenderness of feeling, in the
meeting which was held with them after their day's
work was done. But abundant were the tears shed
in that which followed with the women, who happily
occupy a distinct prison, and were under the care
of an excellent matron. They are decently clad,
constantly employed, though not at hard labour, and
above all, well instructed. I am not aware that I
have ever seen a company of female prisoners bet
ter trained on the system which my sister E. Fry
has so warmly recommended in this country. The
history of the " prodigal son" was read to them, and
the religious solemnity which ensued was peculiarly
affecting. Late in the evening, an assembly for worship was
convened at the Baptist meeting-house, which the
citizens of this beautiful village attended in large num
bers ; and early the next morning, a pleasant drive
on the east bank of the river, amidst fine scenery,
(especially where the Croton joins the Hudson,)
brought us to Peekskill, already mentioned — to the
house of some of my kindest friends, in time for
breakfast. There we enjoyed refreshment both for
body and soul, and were afterwards accompanied by
several of the family across the river — there of great
width — to Caldwell's landing-place. Here we were
taken up by the steam-boat of the day, and after a
voyage of ninety miles, landed in the afternoon on the
west bank, at the flourishing little village of Catskill.
The weather during the day was charming; the scenery
not the less captivating for having been often viewed
before ; and the company on board agreeable. Our

CATSKILL MOUNTAINS. 289
friend John Griscom, who has travelled in Europe,
and is well known as a man of science, was of the
party, and performed his part in amusing and instruct
ing us. The scenes on board these great river steam
boats in America are sui generis — hundreds of ladies
and gentlemen, with the usual mixture of other classes,
— all disposed to be free, civil, and sociable. The
dinner is abundant, but is not the less of a scramble
from the impatience which every one feels to be again
on deck. I often met with intelligent and pleasant
society on these occasions.
I had frequently seen the "mountain-house" in the
far distance, while voyaging up and down the Hudson ;
and I seized the present opportunity of visiting it. It
occupied us four hours, that evening, to ascend the
mountain in an open stage coach, with four horses ;
and we arrived at the far-famed hotel at night. It
stands on an elevation of 2,800 feet above the plain
below ; and astonishing was the spectacle which burst
upon us, the next morning, on our stepping into the
balcony in front of the house. Before us lay a fertile
cultivated country, dotted with houses, and here and
there with villages, spread out below as a map. The
Hudson was seen winding, like a ribbon, for fifty miles
of its course, across this marvellous field of vision.
The mountain itself is precipitous, and from the top
appears almost perpendicular, so that the effect pro
duced was, probably, like that of looking on the earth
below from a balloon. Behind the hotel is a chain of
high wooded mountains, some of which tower to a
height of a 1000 feet above the pinnacle on which the
house is built. The dark pines on their brows were1
u

290 CATSKILL MOUNTAINS.
mingled with abundance of trees of a lighter foliage,
and the azalia of an unusually pink tinge, was then
adorning the forest. Pheasants, partridges, deers, and
bears, abound in these parts, and two small neigh
bouring lakes, or mountain tarns, supply the visitors
with pickerels ; also with a small fish called the bull's
head. This animal is without scales and black, and
has two stiff horns which are said to inflict a poison
ous sting. The scenery of this place is certainly of a
magnificent character, and is as stimulating to the
mind, as the cool, bracing air is to the body. Our
friend Griscom assured me that he once saw the rain
bow from these stupendous heights,in a complete circle.
Our rambles the next morning were very interesting.
We first went to visit the falls of the Cauterskill, a
mile or two from the hotel. The stream of that
name takes a leap, first of a 160 feet, and then of 80
more, into a prodigious basin surrounded by steep
wooded mountains. The rocks are of a dark grey
colour, and in some parts have the appearance of
slate. Afterwards we ascended one of the hills above
the hotel, and enjoyed wondrous views of the country
below. Nor did these prevent our admiring those
minor ornaments — the wild flowers and butterflies,
which were here in abundance. I gathered a large
species of ladies' slipper, which has a pink pouch in
the centre of its blossom, of the size of a pigeon's
egg. Before we retired to rest, we were allowed to
hold a meeting in the drawing-room of the hotel, with
such of the guests as were willing to give us their
company ; and thus the sight-seeing of the day was
crowned with something better than the most refined

ONEONTA. 291
gratification of the senses. In point of fact, however,
the glorious scenes which we had been viewing, had
been preaching us a sermon, louder and more impres
sive than the most eloquent discourses of men. On
the following day, the long down-hill drive brought us
to Catskill village, where a public meeting in the
evening was pretty well attended by the inhabitants.
We were comforted on the occasion by the remem
brance that " God is Love."
After the fatigue of our mountain excursion, fol
lowed by the labours of the evening, we should have
been glad of a long night's sleep ; but public convey
ances wait for no man. At two o'clock the next
morning, the sky dark — the rain pouring — we took
our places in the crowded stage-coach which was
destined to convey us seventy-four tedious miles, to
the village of Oneonta, in Otsego county, which we
did not reach till ten o'clock at night. The country
through which we passed, was one of high hills and
maple woods, but not otherwise interesting.
Our present object was to visit the numerous little
settlements of Friends, within the compass of But
ternuts' Quarterly meeting. Oneonta is a pretty
village, built on the banks of the Susquehannah, which
is here, by comparison, a small river. The day after
our arrival was the Sabbath ; and very gratifying was it
to see the respectable population of the district pouring
forth to the assembly for worship, which we had ap
pointed for the afternoon. We had previously attended
a large country meeting of Friends in the morning;
and in the evening, we read the Scriptures to an inter
esting circle of our young people. Here we were met
U2

292 BUTTERNUTS.
by a minister of the Society, well known in these parts,
who came to offer us his services and to guide us
through the county. Long shall we remember his
brotherly kindness, and the pleasant bonds of gospel
fellowship in which we were united.
I remember we lodged that night at the house of a
patriarchal Friend, the father of ten grown up sons
and daughters, most of whom were settled in married
life in his own neighbourhood. This family com
munity was one of great respectability, though of the
most simple habits, and afforded me an interesting
example of the thrift which accompanies industry and
sobriety in this young country. On the following
day our friend conducted us to Butternuts, the village
in which he resides, so named from a very beautiful
species of walnut tree, common in this neighbour
hood. The situation of the Friends' meeting-house
there is highly picturesque, and the multitude of
wagons and other carriages, filled with the neigh
bouring farmers and gentry, who, with their families,
were assembled to meet us, formed an animating
spectacle. I believe that Christian truth arose on
that occasion into predominance over all opposing
spirits. After the meeting we wound our way up a
long wooded hill to the "mountain cottage" in which
our friend lived, a rustic dwelling, but neat and com
fortable, and truly the abode of quietness and peace.
Early the next morning we set off in company
with our faithful guide and his son, to a country
settlement called New Lisbon, where, after another
meeting, we took some refreshment at the plentiful
table of an honest Yorkshireman, on a farm which

COOPERSTOWN. 293
he was here cultivating to so much advantage, that
he seemed to feel no regrets for having left the land
of his forefathers. We then drove in a hired open
carriage, through a green hilly country of wood and
pasture, to Cooperstown, the county town of Otsego,
where a meeting with the inhabitants was appointed
to be held that evening. This is a very attractive
place, and to us appeared the more so, from the mel
low tints of the lucid summer evening under which
we approached it. It is composed of neat-looking
white houses, interspersed with trees after the usual
American fashion ; and stands on the southern ex
tremity of the Otsego lake — an extensive sheet of
water lying amongst wooded hills, and presenting
scenery by no means unlike that of the lakes of
Cumberland. This town derives its name from the
late Judge Cooper, whose son and heir, so well
known as a novelist, occupies the stone mansion
which, although of no great antiquity, here goes by
the name of the "Old Hall." I called upon him in
company with our guide, who had long been acquaint
ed with the family, to invite him to our meeting; and
afterwards found that he had broken away from a
gay party in order to attend it. The town was much
filled on this day with judges and lawyers; for it was
the time of the sessions, and the court adjourned at
an earlier hour than usual, for the express purpose
of affording those gentlemen an opportunity of at
tending the Friends' meeting. Such are the free and
pliant ways of our transatlantic brethren. I trust,
however, that their obliging behaviour to a stranger
was not useless to themselves. The cause of Chris-

294 OTSEGO LAKE.
tianity was pleaded on that occasion, in opposition to
some of those insidious forms of unbelief which are
not uncommon in America. We afterwards found
that a highly gifted lawyer, who entertained these
sentiments, formed one of the company. Our guide
followed up the remarks which had been made with
a few clenching sentences ; after which the large
assembly separated in great quietness.
The next morning our engagements allowed of
a few hours' recreation. In company with several
young men, I climbed up a high wooded hill, from
which we obtained a succession of very pleasing views
of the village, adorned with its neat wooden spires,
the lake, mountains, &c. On our return to the hotel,
I found our friend Fenimore Cooper in his white
jacket, ready to row me in his little boat, that I
might examine the beauties of the lake to the great
est advantage. I was the more pleased with the
opportunity of his company, because I knew that he
was an old friend of thine ; and although his great
talents have been employed in a direction which I
can by no means approve, I ought to acknowledge,
that his conversation was interesting and instructive.
He abounds in the knowledge of men and things,
and expressed many sentiments with which I could
concur. The ladies of the family bear a most ami
able character, and seemed very fully to unite with
me in the desire, that the strong and well-informed
mind of this man of genius, might be brought under
that sanctifying influence which can alone enable us
to devote all our faculties to the welfare of our
fellow-men, and the glory of God.

SMYRNA. 295
Our vivid conversation did not prevent my admiring
the scenery of the lake, especially in a romantic spot
where two pines of vast magnitude rise to a conspi
cuous height above the rest of the forest. " Otsego"
means a place of rendezvous, " where people say how
do you do ;" — a rocky island in the lake having once
been such a place for the tribes of native Indians,
which have since melted away into nothing.
This lake produces a fish called the Otsego-bass,
which is considered a great delicacy. I did not see
any of them ; but as we glided over the lake, the
pickerels, suckers, and perch, were darting about
in the clear water. We held a meeting that evening
at Burlington Green, a village eleven miles distant,
where a country tavern afforded us comfortable ac
commodation ; and on the following day were simi
larly engaged, after a long drive, at the pretty little
town of Smyrna, which is situated among woods and
hills. The attendance on this occasion was general,
notwithstanding the rainy weather, and the people,
including a small society of Friends, seemed to be of
a simple and teachable character. I shall not soon
forget the pleasure which I experienced, that evening,
in visiting the neat farm-house of some Friends who
were once Norwich weavers, and then dwelt in no
very tidy cottage in one of our large low parishes.
Now they were enjoying the free mountain air of
Chenango County ; their yard was filled with beauti
ful milch cows — every thing about them wore the
aspect of comfort and moderate prosperity. Of the
five sons of this Friend, who migrated with him to
America, two are living unmarried with their father,

296 HAMILTON.
and two others, as well as their eldest sister, are
respectably married and settled in establishments of
their own. Here I found a cordial welcome, and
had to answer, of course, a multitude of questions. I
was comfortably lodged in this peaceful dwelling, and
as I drove from the door the next morning, I cried
out, as I bade our friends the last farewell — "This is
a thousand times better than Peacock Street ! " A
thousand times better indeed it is ; and happy would
it be if a multitude of our Norwich weavers could
make a similar change. At the same time let it not
be concealed that Englishmen who settle in America,
from their want of conformity to the rough and hardy
habits of the country, are often unsuccessful. The
prosperity of these Friends was the result of great
industry and perseverance. They had been for some
years employed as journeymen in the York cotton
mills near Utica, and had gradually wrought out their
own independence.
A drive of sixteen miles along a fertile valley,
brought us to a small settlement of Friends at Brook-
field, where a large assembly of all classes was again
collected to meet us ; and in the afternoon we pro
ceeded ten miles further, through a beautiful country,
to Hamilton — another of the flourishing American
villages, and the seat of the great theological seminary
of the Baptists. At eight o'clock in the evening, the
Baptist meeting-house was well filled with a respecta
ble assembly, including the Friends of the place and
neighbourhood, the professors of the college, and
about 150 of the students. It was an interesting
audience, and our Saviour's words were, I trust, not

NEW HARTFORD. 297
remembered in vain, " This is life eternal, to know
thee the only true God, and Jesu9 Christ whom thou
hast sent." Here we parted from our faithful guide
and brother in the gospel. Before we left the place
the next morning, I rode up to the college, which
is well placed on a commanding hill, about a mile
from the town ; and held a meeting in the chapel
with the young men and their teachers — the elderly
president, Dr. Kendrick, being also present, lt was,
indeed, a memorable occasion, during which many of
those strong young men were brought into great
tenderness of feeling. Several of them were about
to engage in the work of the missionary, nor could I
doubt that they were under the preparing hand of
that Saviour whose name they were desirous of
proclaiming in far distant lands. Certain it is, that
unless He sends them forth to their field of labour,
and qualifies them for their work, their ardent wishes
to serve their fellow-men will all be in vain.
At Hamilton we dismissed the carriage which we
had hired at Oneonta, and were conveyed by a Friend
in an open wagon twenty miles, to New Hartford,
in Oneida county. Our conveyance broke down
by the way, but we had no difficulty in borrowing
another, to which he attached his team — as they here
call two horses abreast. At New Hartford, which is
a small country village, lives a respectable family of
English Friends, who came from Warwick. Here
they are surrounded with all needful comforts, and
gladly afforded us a delightful resting-place for our
sabbath day. The public flocked to the sequestered
meeting-house in the morning ; and in the evening I

298 utica.
sought a little needful air and exercise, in wandering
over the noble native woods which greatly enhance
the value of our friend's property. The bass tree
(somewhat similar to the lime) the maple, the elm,
and the hemlock, all grow here to a prodigious size;
but there are no oaks. When the trees fall in these
regions, if not speedily removed, they rot on the
ground with great rapidity. An intelligent young
man, the son of our host, was the companion of my
rambles ; and the next morning we rode together to
Clinton, a neat village in a beautiful part of the
country, where there is a Presbyterian college which
then contained eighty students. The president and
professors received us with much kindness, and we
held a satisfactory meeting, in the chapel, with them
and their pupils.
In the evening we met a respectable assembly at
Utica (within a short distance of New Hartford), to
whom it seemed to be my duty to unfold the great
scripture doctrine of atonement in its several parts —
" Without shedding of blood there is no remission."
This young city, of 12,000 inhabitants, stands on
the Mohawk river, in immediate connection with the
Erie canal. The streets are wide and handsome, the
spired meeting-houses numerous and large, and every
thing here wears the aspect of life, vigour, and grow
ing prosperity. 1 am, &c &c.

LETTER XXII.

Earlham, 3rd month, 22nd, 1841.
My dear Friend,
There can be little doubt, that as the cultivation
of this vast state continues to improve, Utica will
become a city of great importance. While it is strange
to think of its having been a wilderness some thirty
years ago — so wonderful is the progress already made
— it is equally out of the usual course of one's expe
rience, to be in a spot so abounding as this is in
hope for years to come. Having appointed a second
public meeting here for the following evening, we
were glad of the opportunity of a long morning for
an excursion of twelve miles, over a fairly cultivated
country, to Trenton Falls. These are the frequent
resort of the lovers both of scenery and geology, and
are, in both respects, extremely worth visiting. The
West Canada creek, a branch of the Mohawk river,
here forms several distinct cascades (two of which are
of considerable height) over dark limestone rocks.
These are composed of numerous thin and perfectly
level strata, in which are found first-rate specimens
of Trilobites, and other fossil remains of a world no
longer known. Abundantly were we repaid for a
ramble of two or three hours along the banks of this

300 ONEIDA COUNTY.
falling stream. The scenery is of the most romantic
order, but part of the walk is rather dangerous ; and
carelessness has here been sometines followed with
the loss of life. An excellent repast was provided
for us at the tavern near the spot ; but the prices asked
for the specimens of the fossils was so extravagant,
that we left the place without making any purchases.
We met a select and serious company at our meet
ing in the evening, and on the following day visited a
small country settlement of Friends, at Westmoreland.
We next proceeded to Rome, a handsome busy village,
destitute of all ancient reminiscences, but, like Utica,
teeming with hope for the future. It is on the Erie
canal, which is in itself a constant source of business.
After assembling with the inhabitants, in the evening,
at the commodious Methodist meeting-house, we drove
a few miles into the country, to lodge at the house of
a Friend, who had met us on the occasion. It would
be difficult to find a better " span," i. e. pair of horses
(I mention it as a trait characteristic of the country)
than that which he drove in his wagon, while he was
conveying us, during two days, from one settlement
of rustic friends to another, in Oneida county. An
elderly person, at whose house we lodged, settled
there many years ago when all was wilderness, cleared
the forest by degrees, and has now a flourishing graz
ing farm of 400 acres. From a high wooded hill on
his estate, we enjoyed a delightful view of the rich
valley of the Mohawk, with Rome in the distance.
It was curious to observe the spires and domes of this
rising village, a faint memento of its great namesake,
but more interesting as a symptom of the native

SKANEATILIS. 301
energy of this young people ; and of that of their
voluntary system in religion. Almost all these flou
rishing villages are adorned after this sort — nearly
every meeting-house having its neat white painted
wooden steeple, or its dome overlaid with tin.
At this place we found good lodging at a respect
able hotel ; and early the following morning were
conveyed, in the rail-car, forty miles along a flat
wooded country, to Syracuse — another thriving town
on the Erie canal. We then hired a carriage, and
drove sixteen miles further, over hill and dale, to the
village of Skaneatilis, which stands on the borders of
a lovely lake of the same name. There we spent our
sabbath day, holding meetings with the small com
munity of Friends, and the public at large. Thrift
and intelligence seemed here to prevail ; but an
English Friend in the neighbourhood, of whose hos
pitality we freely availed ourselves, has not found
his life in America devoid of difficulties, although
he has enjoyed substantial prosperity. His wife had
been accustomed, in her own country, to the habits
of ease and refinement, and has suffered more than a
little from the want of suitable servants or helpers.
The sons also — contrary to all former expectations —
were here obliged to work hard with their own hands.
In these parts labour is dear, and difficult to be pro
cured. I know of no region, to which it would be
more desirable to transfer the surplus which some
times occurs in our own agricultural population.
Part of the next morning was spent in a ride on
horseback along the lake, which, without anything of
the sublime, is remarkable for quiet beauty. I ob-

302 AUBURN.
served the loon, i.e. a large diver — floating on the
water ; the feathers of this bird are so abundant as
to be impervious to shot. We then returned to
Syracuse, where a meeting was appointed for the
evening. The ministers of the place of different de
nominations treated us with the utmost civility ; the
congregation was large ; and we afterwards found
that the view taken on the occasion, of our Saviour's
divinity, was adapted to the condition of the people.
The hotels in these young cities are excellent, and
most of them have a look-out at top, from which the
traveller can obtain a map view of the town below,
and neighbouring country. Here the prospect is
highly interesting. The Onendago lake is seen in
the immediate neighbourhood, and on its shores the
towns of Salina and Liverpool, in both of which places
there are exhaustless springs of brine, and extensive
salt works. After exchanging an affectionate farewell
with our Christian friends, we took the rail-car to
Auburn — a drive of twenty-six miles. This is another
village-city — containing about 6000 inhabitants, and
as pretty a place as one can easily imagine. Here
the white frame houses are interspersed with locust-
trees — a species of acacia, much valued in America
for its beauty, but still more for its hard wood. This
is used for ship-building and other purposes of the
kind. The ground in Auburn is already so valuable,
that small lots sell for prodigious prices.
Arrangements had been previously made for a
meeting with the convicts in the celebrated state
prison. After the prisoners, 650 in number, had
finished their dinner, which was conducted in the

AUBURN. 303
usual silent order, and before they rose from table,
a full opportunity was given us of addressing them ;
and such was the solemnity of the occasion, that a
great many of them were brought to weeping. We
afterwards examined the workshops, which certainly
present a scene of activity and industry. The whole
effect of the prison, in point of order and comfort,
appeared to me to be superior to that of Sing-Sing ;
and I thought it as good a specimen of the silent
system as I had any where seen. But here also the
terror of the whip was the only stimulus to labour,
and great severities were said to have been practised.
The chaplain, who seemed to be a pious man, much
interested in his work, assured me that these accounts
of cruelty had been greatly exaggerated ; but I have
no doubt, that a more lenient plan, and one more cal
culated to excite the best hopes of the prisoners,
would be attended with better effects. The women
prisoners were very few in number, but in a poor con
dition — I found them much less impressible than the
men. We called at the house of William H. Seward,
the governor of the state of New York, in order to
converse with him on the two important subjects
of scriptural education, and mild, yet effective, pri
son discipline ; but we did not find him at home. He
is a man in early life, of good reputation both for
talent and character. Soon afterwards we talked
over these subjects with Francis Granger, the repre
sentative in Congress of a neighbouring district — a
gentleman well known as one of the most moderate,
as well as able of the politicians of America. He
lives at Canandagua, where he received our call with

304 scipio.
great politeness ; and seemed to take, a lively interest
in subjects connected with the moral improvement of
the community.
Our public assembly in the evening was attended
by the students of the theological seminary, under the
presidency of Dr. Richards, an aged Presbyterian
minister, with whose company, at our hotel, we were
much gratified. The meeting passed off to our com
fort ; and the next day we found our way into a
country district of great fertility, which goes by the
name of Scipio. Here there is a large community
of Friends, among whom we spent two or three days
in the usual course of religious engagements, and
concluded our visit by an evening meeting at the
exceedingly pretty village of Aurora, on the banks of
Lake Cayuga. Some of our friends in this neigh
bourhood, are already possessed of large landed
property. Certain it is, that this is a part of the
country in which agriculture is thriving; and the
general aspect of the population is that of thrift and
prosperity. Cayuga is one of the largest and most beautiful of
the interior lakes of this State. I was informed that
it is in parts 500 feet deep ; and there is good steam
boat navigation upon it, for the conveyance of the
produce of the country to the Erie Canal, at its
northern extremity. We drove along its shore to
the town of Ithaca, in Tomkin's County, at its
southern end, a village-city of 5 or 6000 inhabitants,
which rivals even Auburn in beauty. After making
arrangements for a meeting to be held with the people
on a future evening, we continued our journey on the

HECTOR. 305
other side of the lake, to Ulysses, where we met with
excellent accommodation at the farm-house of one of
our friends. There and at the neighbouring village
of Hector, a considerable community of Friends has
long been settled, among whom we had much satis
faction in spending the ensuing First day. This
western side of the lake, like Scipio on its eastern
shore, is a fruitful land, very fairly cultivated — a coun
try full of fat things ; but there is a debit in the account
— a balance of disadvantages — in the long cold winters
and the scarcity of labourers. I observed a profusion
of scarlet lilies, with leopard spots, adorning the hay
fields. This stately flower sometimes bears as many
as fifty blossoms on a single stalk. I never before so
fully understood the force of our Saviour's words, "Be
hold the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil
not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that
even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one
of these."
Two objects in this neighbourhood particularly
attracted our attention. The first is the remains of a
fortification, containing five or six acres of land, and
surrounded on three sides with mounds of earth, which
contain piles of wood burnt into charcoal. A rough
pottery is dug up amongst these mounds. All these
are relics of those mysterious ancients who inhabited
the country before the Indians. The other object is
one of great natural beauty— the falls of the Teck-
hennie — a little stream which forces its way into the
Cavuga Lake, through innumerable horizontal layers,
each about half-an-inch thick, of what I supposed to
x

306 ITHACA.
be clay slate. The fall is 210 feet in height— the
vast chasm being adorned with large hemlock trees.
On the same day, in the afternoon, we returned to
Ithaca — where there is another celebrated waterfall.
The immediate neighbourhood of that place is almost
of Swiss beauty, in point of scenery; and the views
which we enjoyed, in approaching it both from the
east and west, were singularly beautiful. The white
pines of this part of the country are giant trees, and
may be reckoned among its principal ornaments.
The weather was stormy, and the rain that evening
fell in torrents, but there was evidently much of reli
gious zeal among the people ; for they came out in
large numbers to the meeting, which was an occasion
of refreshment and edification. The hotel of the
place afforded us good accommodation, and before the
break of the next day, we were on board a steam-boat,
with our carriages and horses — being several in com
pany. Delightful was our voyage of forty miles down
the whole length of the lake — luxuriant woods, green
sloping hills, and fine crops of wheat, forming the
scene on either side. The salmon trout which abounds
in this and the neighbouring waters, is a large and
excellent fish. Across the northern end of the lake
runs a wooden bridge, more than a mile long. Here
we landed, after which a drive of three miles brought
us to "Seneca falls." The rapid descent of the river
Seneca, which joins the lake of that name to the
Cayuga, affords an admirable water-power to the busy
population of this village, as well as the neighbouring
little town of Waterloo. Flour and cotton mills are
here in constant action. We thought it right to give

GENEVA. 307
a day to each of these places, in order to meet the
inhabitants in public worship. The Hicksites in this
district are numerous, and seemed to be more than
willing to attend our meetings. At Waterloo 1 met
with another of the sons of the Norwich weaver
mentioned in my last letter, who was once one of
my pupils in a small Sabbath school, but is now
respectably settled in married life. He is one of the
most ingenious machine makers of the state of New
York, and happy in his independence. I was sorry
to find that his estimate of the integrity and moral
standing of many of the people around him, was
by no means a high one. This state of things may
probably be owing to the neighbourhood of the canal,
on which the people pursue a mode of life very un
favourable to morals.
From Waterloo we drove seven miles further to
Geneva, a town of 4000 inhabitants. This place is
admirably situated on the brow of a hill, overlooking
the Seneca lake. It is inhabited by many retired
persons of property, and is remarkable for its hang
ing gardens, which impend over the water. They are
luxuriant with verdure, and with much finer beds of
flowers than are often seen in America. Here there
is a college in good reputation, partly medical, and
partly literary and theological. We drank tea with
our friend Dr. Hale, the president of the latter de
partment, a learned and gentlemanlike person, who
treated us with great kindness. The day ended with
a large public meeting, which was attended by the
episcopal and other ministers of the place. These
gentlemen evinced that good fellowship with each
x 2

308 CANANDAGUA.
other, and that Christian cordiality towards ourselves,
which led us to believe, that the system of perfect
equality among the different sects, is here working
well, — to the comfort and advantage of all parties.
We rose the next morning with the glorious sun — ¦
for such it is, par eminence, in this country — and
travelled sixteen miles through fields of wheat, hay,
and Indian corn, to Canandagua, the shire town of
Ontario county. This is indeed a beautiful village.
It consists of a broad road or street running down to
the pretty lake of the same name, with long rows of
locust trees on each side, and many excellent houses,
belonging to as polished a community as can be found
any where in America. Yet all this scene of prospe
rity, not very many years since, was an unbroken forest.
We were introduced to several of the gentry of the
place — among the rest to John Greg, a native of
Scotland, who has grown rich on speculations in land,
and has here built himself a house fit for an English
nobleman ; to Mark Sibley, an eminent advocate ; to
Francis Granger, the member of Congress already
mentioned ; and to a veteran judge of the name of
Howell, of high repute in that country both for talent
and integrity. Our meeting was held in the Court
house, and seemed to be the means of improving our
acquaintance with these and other persons, into the
warmth of Christian friendship.
From Canandagua, a drive of twelve miles, through
a good farming district, brought us into the midst of
a large settlement of Friends, at the village of Farm-
ington, where we spent the First day with much
comfort to ourselves. Great was the multitude of

FARMINGTON. 309
persons, including many of the Hicksite denomina
tion, who flocked to our meeting both in the morning
and afternoon. The evening was spent at the house
of a veteran minister, whose sterling good sense, com
prehensive views of Christianity, and fervent piety, are
not the less striking for the perfect originality and even
quaintness of his manners and appearance. I give this
brief description of our friend, because it characterizes
the effect produced by divine grace in the midst of
the hardy discipline of these rough regions.
I know of no district in America, in which the
anti-slavery cause, as well as that of total abstinence,
are more vigorously maintained by the bulk of the
population, than in the parts which I was now visiting.
Great was the zeal of the young people, both amongst
Friends and others, in the pursuit of these objects ;
and while we could not but admire the virtuous energy
which prevailed amongst them, it seemed desirable to
fix their attention on still higher objects, and to
remind them of the Apostolic injunction, " Let your
moderation be known unto all men — the Lord is at
hand." After visiting many of the families of our Friends,
and holding several meetings in the neighbourhood,
among a sturdy, intelligent, and prosperous people,
(including one at the beautiful little village of Pal
myra) we went forward into the township of Wheat
land, where we found another, though smaller, com
munity of Friends. Well does this district deserve
its name. It appeared to us that at least two-thirds of
the whole surface of the land were then covered with
the ripened and ripening wheat— often five or six

310 ROCHESTER.
large fields together without any break but that of the
paling or stone fence. The land of course is capable
of producing twice in every three years. Never did
I behold a spectacle so calculated to impress the
mind with the idea of aw ocean of plenty.
The wheat of America is generally bearded, and
produces a smaller grain than that of England. The
crops of 1839 were affected, in many parts, by a
blight called " the rust" which blackens the plant,
and deprives even that small grain of half its sub
stance. Yet, on the whole, the production of the
season was immense — enough to overwhelm the Bri
tish market, if importation were allowed free of duty.
It is said that more flour is now made in the neigh
bouring city of Rochester, than in any other place on
the face of the globe.
In that city we spent two days, including the First
of the week, in the midst of a small and agreeable
society of Friends. The Methodist meeting-house
here is of a great size, and was thronged, at our
public meeting in the evening, by an orderly but
promiscuous multitude. There are in Rochester up
wards of twenty convenient places of worship, afford
ing, at once, accommodation for the whole population,
and resistless evidence of the energy of the voluntary
system. The number of inhabitants is now about
20,000; excellent houses and good streets abound;
one-thirteenth of an acre of ground, in the heart of
the town, has been sold for 20,000 dollars. The falls
of the picturesque Genessee river are very grand and
striking, and afford the vast water power which has
produced the prosperity of the city. Thirty years

ROCHESTER. 311
before we saw it, this place was a wilderness — the
range of Indians, and of the wild animals which they
hunted. It is now a large town of remarkable beauty
and prosperity ; and what it will be thirty years
hence, if its present rate of progress be continued,
it is difficult for any man to imagine. The finest
view of it is from Mount Hope, at the distance of
two miles — a wooded hill of extreme beauty, which
is now used as the public cemetery. The prospect
which is there enjoyed of the city, with its numerous
spires and steeples ; of the Genessee, winding its way
through a rich valley ; and of lake Ontario in the
distance, — has left a vivid picture on the mind, not
easily to be effaced. It is that of a country richly
favoured by nature, and bursting into prosperity.
Before we left Rochester, we held a meeting with
the prisoners in the jail. Among our most attentive
auditors on the occasion, was William L. Mackenzie,
one of the restless authors of the rebellion in Canada.
He conducts one of the newspapers at Rochester,
being a citizen of the United States, and had been
condemned by the supreme court of the Union, to
eighteen months' imprisonment, for the breach of his
neutrality. He seemed to be an acute and intelligent
person — his spacious forehead betokening the great
mental power which he has at his command, either
for good or evil. 1 could by no means approve the
exertions which were then making for his deliverance
from a confinement which he described as being in
tensely irksome to him. He was, however, soon
afterwards set at liberty.
The geology of the rocks of the Genessee river is

312 ROCHESTER.
very curious. Nothing can be more distinct than the
several strata — first, on the surface, limestone without
shells ; secondly, limestone with shells ; thirdly, ar-
gillacious iron ore ; next, a kind of blue lias ; and
lastly, red saliferous sandstone. The stratum of iron
ore is from six to twelve inches deep ; and is said
to extend 100 miles. As we wandered about these
rocks, near the lower fall, one of our younger breth
ren gave us a geological lecture, which reminds me
of a remark I was intending to make — that efforts
of philanthropy among the young people in these
parts, are united with no small energy in the culti
vation of intellect. The refining, polishing touches
of scientific pursuits seem to be doubly valuable in
this comparatively new country.
The English Friend, already mentioned as residing
at Skaneatilis, was now kindly devoted to us as our
guide, and drove us about from place to place, in his
light convenient wagon. I shall not attempt to give
thee any detailed account of the journey of several
days which we took together, after leaving Rochester,
on a visit to several scattered settlements of Friends
to the north-west and west — at Elba, Shelby, Hart-
land, and Somerset. Suffice it to say, that though
the country is rough, we met with several families
on excellent farms, which were amply repaying their
honest industry. Amongst them, there were two
from England, who are maintaining the manners and
character which become the members of our religious
society, and are setting an example to their neigh
bours of neat agriculture. The head of one of these
families sold three acres of garden ground, on which

TONAWANTA. 313
he lived in England, purchased 100 acres here with
the money — the land being then extremely cheap — and
is now doing well in every respect. His nicely cut
thorn hedges pleasantly reminded me of my own
country. Again, I would say, let no one suppose
that such results are to be obtained by emigration to
America, without heavy personal sacrifices, and long-
continued, resolute industry.
At Shelby we found ourselves within fifteen miles
of the settlement of Tonawanta Indians, and thought
it right to pay them a visit. It was to me an occasion
of great interest. Accompanied by several of our
friends, we started early one morning and travelled,
in part, across a vast forest swamp. There we had to
endure a corderoy road, composed of trees laid trans
versely, in close juxtaposition, but not always even.
It is difficult to conceive of rougher travelling, and we
could relieve ourselves only by walking. The swamp
was indeed by no means destitute of attraction. The
gay pink rose of the country was adorning the forest;
and the wild raspberries, which there grow in pro
fusion, afforded us no small refreshment. We ob
served some large hawks, and hundreds of the little
" yellow birds" were flying about like butterflies. So
light are these creatures, that they sometimes find a
resting-place on the stalk and ears of wheat. On the
other side of the swamp was the Indian reservation,
about ten miles long and two broad. The people were
living entirely on farming, and we saw some pretty
good fields of wheat, oats, and Indian corn ; also, a
number of beautiful cows. Nevertheless their habits
are indolent, and nothing under their hands bespeaks

314 TONAWANTA.
an advanced condition of civilization. Their farming,
although respectable under the circumstances, is rather
slovenly, which may be chiefly owing to the undesira
ble fact that they hold their lands in common — not in
severalty. Their dwellings are sometimes log and
sometimes frame (that is, either of unsawn timber or
boards), being in both cases much superior to the
common Irish hovel. Our first call was at the house
of the "black chief." It is a pretty comfortable
abode ; a large vessel,^in which they pound the Indian
corn, was standing at his door. The chief was absent,
but his squaw and her family looked much at their
ease, and took small notice of us. The women glided
away whenever our carriage approached them, seeming
to be quite devoid of curiosity, and averse to being
seen. We made entry, however, in one of the cot
tages, and admired a noble, dark brown baby, whom a
girl was holding on her lap. The mother and grand
mother of the child were there, — of fine stature and
features, cleanly in their appearance, and with their
lank, black glossy hair neatly bound about their heads.
But very few of these Indians can speak English.
We then drove to the abode of the Baptist missionary,
who is settled on the edge of the reservation — no
white man being allowed to plant himself within it.
This pious person keeps a school for the Indian chil
dren, who are boarded and clothed, as well as educated
at the expense of the Baptist missionary society.
During the winter, he and his excellent wife had forty
of these little ones under their care.
At one o'clock we proceeded to the missionary
chapel, at which place a religious meeting, with the

TONAWANTA. 315
consent of the chiefs, was appointed to be held.
Johnson, the principal chief of the six Seneca nations,
the "black chief," and several others of these princes of
the earth were on the spot, ready to receive us, with
many other men, and a considerable company of
squaws, who wore earrings, and comfortable white
blankets were thrown somewhat gracefully over their
persons. After we had sat down together, the silence
was soon broken by a handsome young chief, who
addressed the people with great seriousness, in order
to advise them (as we were afterwards told) to behave
with due attention and decorum. Then rose the ven
erable-looking " black chief," a most swarthy old man
— to communicate the decision of the council in favour
of the meeting, and to give us their welcome. I was
afterwards enabled to preach the plain Gospel to them
— the interpreter standing by me, and translating the
discourse, sentence by sentence. Many of them, I
believe, were heathens, but they behaved with great
propriety, and at the conclusion of the meeting, chiefs
and people, men and women, were all very kind and
civil. Some of them were evidently much pleased ;
but their general demeanour was perfectly on a par
with the unemphatic, monotonous sound of their lan
guage. They displayed no excitement of any kind.
On the whole, I left this people under the affecting
impression, that many of them had suffered grievously
from their association with persons who call them
selves Christians. The spirit-shops of the white
people, on the very borders of the settlement, are
sources of irreparable injury ; and now alas ! they seem

316 HARTLAND.
doomed to be cheated out of their comfortable reser
vation, and driven into the western wilderness.
After spending our sabbath day at Hartland, we
drove early in the morning — twelve miles across a
fertile country — to the flourishing town of Lockport,
where at the house of a Friend, distinguished for hos
pitality, we were provided with an excellent breakfast.
We then took the rail-road eighteen miles further —
being now in pursuit of a few days of needful recrea
tion. In the course of an hour or two we had the
happiness to arrive at the falls of Niagara. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XXIII.

Earlham, 3rd month, 23rd, 1841.
My dear Friend,
After establishing ourselves at the Cataract
hotel, on the American side of the Niagara river,
we sallied forth, for a long afternoon and evening
ramble, the weather being exquisitely bright and clear.
It was the 5th of the 8th month (August). We
passed along the high bank of the river, until we
came to the top of the "American fall." It is a
stupendous descent of water, and the scene is at first
somewhat overpowering. This is the fall of that
part of the river, which divides the American shore
from Goat Island, — the magnificent rapids which are
caused by the gradual descent of the previous half
mile, being here exchanged for a sudden awful leap.
By a winding staircase, we found our way to a ledge
of rocks below, where one is almost in immediate
contact with the fall ; and here, the view of the im
mense body of water rushing down with indescribable
force, is much enhanced in grandeur and effect. At
the foot of the rocks, a little further to the north
(i. e. lower down the stream) we took the ferry-boat,
and in which we were finely tossed about, as we were
rowed over to the Canadian side. The river is of a

318 NIAGARA.
palpable green colour, exchanged, under certain lights,
for blue or grey ; and the water is perfectly clear.
A long up-hill walk brought us to the top of the
steep rocks, near the Clifton hotel on the Canada
side, from which point we enjoyed a commanding
view of the whole wonderful scene ; first, the opposite
bank of the river, lofty, precipitous, and clothed with
wood, — the white village, interspersed with trees, being
just visible at the top of it ; secondly, the American
fall already described, which was now directly in front
of us ; thirdly, Goat Island to the south of it, beau
tifully clad with forest timber, and descending in
perpendicular rocks to the river below, — the small
middle cascade (a branch of the American fall) steal
ing its way over part of them ; — lastly, the " Horse
shoe fall," in the form of a crescent, and nearly half
a mile in width. Here that larger portion of the
river, which separates Goat Island from Canada, is
propelled headlong, with inconceivable violence, over
the continuation of the same line of rocks.
The river Niagara is the pouring forth of the
waters of Erie into those of Ontario ; the descent,
during its whole course of thirty miles, being 250
feet. Of this number, ninety are passed over in the
gradual course of the river, and chiefly at "the rapids,"
and 160 form the single leap of the falls themselves,
all three of which are of the same height. Not very
far above, the river has a breadth of two miles, but
contracts, at the spot itself, to 1500 yards, which is
the width of the whole line of the falls, including
the rocks of Goat Island. The quantity of water

NIAGARA. 319
which takes this wondrous leap, every minute, is
estimated at 620,000 tons.
But the grandest of all sights among these extra
ordinary scenes, is the Horse-shoe fall, when viewed
from the Table rock, which forms a plane of several
square yards impending over the river, and imme
diately in front of the fall, with which it is almost
in contact. Here, indeed, there is something to gaze
upon, for as many hours as one can spare ; and the
longer one gazes, the more one is charmed, fasci
nated, and astonished. The water, as it rolls and
tumbles over the edge of the rock, has the appearance
of fragments of bright silver, or glass, or perhaps I
might rather say, of an endless multitude of pearls
and diamonds ; but, as it descends, it gradually breaks
into feathers. But the choicest ornament of the
scene is just at the centre of the crescent. There
the river is twenty feet deep ; and is prevented, by its
vast volume, from breaking when it begins to fall.
The consequeuce is, that it descends in a sheet of
the most vivid, transparent green. Nevertheless, that
part of the water which is in contact with the rocks,
is dashed into spray, and continually floresces to the
surface — producing the appearance of wreaths of
snow, on a robe of liquid emerald. Clouds of a
fleecy whiteness, produced by the impulse of the
water, are seen perpetually rising from the chasm
below, often to a great height in the atmosphere.
These are tossed about, by the currents of air, in
every direction. The river, immediately below the
fall, is completely covered with a mass of foam,
which gradually melts away into dark green, the

320 NIAGARA.
native colour of the water. As a glorious frame to
the whole picture, (the result of the almost constant
sunshine on the spray which fills the atmosphere,)
is a rainbow of the brightest hues, and of vast dimen
sions, which stretches over the whole scene, and
stands by the hour together as motionless as a bridge.
At this season, the rainbow was seen from Goat
Island in the morning, and from the Canada shore
in the afternoon.1
The more adventurous part of the visitors go down
the rocks near the Horse-shoe fall ; put on bath
ing dresses of the most grotesque appearance, in a
small house erected for the purpose ; and then follow
a guide behind the sheet of falling water. The
narrow path by which we walked on this occasion,
is on a steep bank, where it is by no means very
easy to keep one's footing steady. The current of
air takes away one's breath, and the shower-bath,
which instantly wets the visitor to the skin, is some-
1 Six hundred twenty thousand tuns, each minute, is the measure,
That fills thy giant bowl for us with wonder, awe, and pleasure ;
Niagara the great, the free, old Erie's swift discharger,
The billowy breast that banished thee, but sends thee to a larger.
Ontario bids a welcome to thy foaming, gushing waters,
That freshly fill her yawning caves, and nourish all her daughters.
Sunshine and rain contend for thee, thou plaything of all weathers,
Thy falling flood of glass and pearls breaks into fairest feathers ;
But where the deeper billows roll o'er the centre of thy crescent,
Thy vest is of liquid emerald, with native snows florescent.
Thy stream below is a floating field of winter's purest whiteness,
Till it melts away into green and grey, rejoicing in its brightness.
Clouds of thy own creation rise, in wild array, around thee,
And in her zone of magic hues, the radiant bow hath bound thee.
Farewell, flow on — in bygone worlds thy veteran locks were hoary,
And forests wild, untrod by man, have sung thine ancient glory.
A meaner muse of modern days, now ventures to admire thee,
Her music thou may'st well despise — thy own shall never tire thee.

NIAGARA. 321
what overpowering. Under certain lights, the ap
pearance of the falling sheet from these dark caves,
is said to be very splendid ; but, at this time, all was
darkness and confusion, and nothing was gained by
our feat, but the small honour of a printed certificate,
declaring that we had advanced, 230 feet behind the
fall, to Termination rock.
On the following morning, the weather was stormy,
which did not prevent our enjoying many a pleasant
hour in Goat island, which is connected by a long
bridge with the American shore. Here the guide
leads the traveller from one wonderful scene to an
other. First the view of the American fall from the top
of the rocks to the south of it ; after which you descend
to the foot of the precipice, and view the wondrous
cataract from below. This is a dangerous spot until
the "rocks have done falling" — a practice to which
they are prone, during the Spring months, in conse
quence of the loosening effect of the winter's frost.
Dr. Hungerford, a physician from Philadelphia, had
been lately killed by the sudden fall of one of these
fragments. Admirable as is this scene, the " Horse
shoe" again forms the grander spectacle. A slight
wooden bridge, over part of the rapids, leads to a tall
tower built on the rock which immediately overlooks
the fall. On the top of this building, you may take
your station, in the midst of beauty and sublimity,
and there remain unmoved, as long as you please to
continue in a state of fascination. Yet I think the
view was still finer from the end of some large tim
bers which happened to be lying on the rocks, close
to the edge of the fall itself. Y

322 NIAGARA.
Goat Island is a luxuriant spot. The shumach
trees, with their red bunches of hairy berries, were
at this time adorning it; and we were refreshed, during
our walk, with wild fruits — raspberries, small prickly
gooseberries, and mandrakes which resemble our
largest gooseberries, with a very thick rind. They are
the fruit produced by the plant called the may-apple.
Even when one has turned one's back upon the falls,
the walk round this little island is quite delightful.
The timber upon it is beautiful ; and the rapids, on
each side of it, form a spectacle which, were it not
for the greater glory near at hand, might justly be
called magnificent. From the sublime pleasures of
these scenes, there was but one deduction — the total
absence of anything approaching to solitude. The
rail-roads of America have rendered Niagara only
too accessible ; and Goat island is no longer the wild
resort of adventurous lovers of scenery, but a popular
promenade for the gentility of Boston, New York,
and Philadelphia.
On the following day the weather again cleared,
and highly interesting was the excursion which occu
pied our whole morning. We drove in open carriages
from the falls, along the summit of the American
bank of the river, to Lewiston, which is near the
junction with lake Ontario. A constant succession
of fine scenes were to be observed as we went along ;
one, a distant bird's-eye view of the falls themselves—
forming the prettiest of pictures ; and several after
wards, in the opposite direction, of the green river
winding its way to the lake through dark lofty rocks
of limestone covered with wood. A vast precipice,

NIAGARA. 323
on the bank, forming a frightful chasm, is called the
"Devil's hole," into which the Indian natives are
said to have once forced a company of settlers, whom
they regarded as unwelcome visitors. At Lewiston
we crossed the ferry, and ascended Queenstown
heights on the Canada side. Here a monument is
erected to the memory of Sir Isaac Brock, Lieuten
ant-Governor of Upper Canada, who fell at this spot,
during the last American war. The view, from the
top of this monument, of the river rolling into the
lake, and of the interminable native forest on either
side, is not to* be forgotten as long as memory lasts.
Geologists tell us, that the falls have gradually worn
their way backward, ten tedious miles, from this point
to their present position — the work of innumerable
ages. The corresponding strata of limestone, on the
two high banks of the river (evidently divided as
they have been by the action of water) are the silent
but expressive vouchers for the truth of this assertion.
The limestone rocks in the immediate neighbour
hood of the falls, are some of them geodiferous, and
others cornetiferous. The former are filled with little
cavities containing crystals of sulphate of lime ; the
latter present fragments of horn stone, and certain
fossil remains of a zoophite which is shaped like
the top of a horn. I was assured by our intelligent
guide that a multitude of ducks which had floated
into the rapids, during the last winter, were unable to
rise from the water, and were afterwards picked up
dead below the falls. Sir George Arthur afterwards
told me at Toronto, that one of his best soldiers, an
athletic grenadier, who was bathing a few weeks be-
Y 2

324 NAVY ISLAND.
fore, above the falls, was drawn into the rapids ; and
in spite of every effort to save him, was dashed down
the dreadful " Horse-shoe." He was taken up perfectly
dead, but without a single bruise upon his person.
Again the afternoon was spent delightfully at the
Table rock and its vicinity ; and again the hours of the
morning, on the following day, were devoted to the
beauties of Goat island. The longer we continued
here, the greater and more astonishing did the falls
appear to us. To have viewed these scenes at my
leisure, while full scope was given to thought and
reflection, has added to my stock of enjoyment for
life. It is a pleasure which one can always taste in
the vivid retrospect. But duty was now calling us
away from these charms ; and on the afternoon of our
fourth day at Niagara, we took the steam-boat, at a
landing-place about two miles above the falls, for a
voyage up the Niagara to Buffalo.
The river, as one recedes from the falls, becomes
very broad, and incloses some wooded islands of con
siderable extent ; particularly Navy island, which was
occupied by the Canadian rebels during the late con
flict ; and Grand isle, which contains 25,000 acres, and
belongs to the states. Major Noah, a talented Ame
rican Jew, attempted to make it the resort of his
nation ; but his plan, which at one time excited a
good deal of attention, was a total failure. We stop
ped for a while at a vast saw-mill, worked by steam,
on the shore of this island. There, 100 saws were at
work, preparing the prodigious oak timber of the
neighbourhood for ship building, &c. The approach
to Lake Erie is very sublime, from the vastness of the

BUFFALO. 325
water scene ; but the current was running ten miles
an hour against us ; the weather became alarmingly
stormy; and as the last few miles before reaching
Buffalo are of dangerous navigation, the captain
deemed it necessary to put us ashore at Black Rock,
just as the night was closing upon us. This is a
small town on the American shore of the river, three
miles from Buffalo, and is rising into importance in
consequence of its water power. All was bustle at
the tavern at the unexpected landing of so many
strangers, but a steam carriage soon conveyed us to
our place of destination. At Buffalo we were received
in the hospitable house of the only Friend's family
resident there. We were now bound on an excursion
to a few meetings which lay to the south of the city.
Early in the morning, before our departure, I went
up to the top of a vast hotel, and enjoyed a quiet
view of the handsome young city, with its wide streets
and well-built houses. It is admirably situated on the
eastern extremity of Lake Erie, which was seen stretch
ing away, between its wooded shores, into the inter
minable west. The original village was burnt by the
English, in 1812 — one of those many acts of unjusti
fiable barbarity and folly which distinguished the last
American war. From these ashes has gradually arisen
the present thriving town, which now contains 28,000
people. The Buffalonians say that, in due season,
they will have a city as big as New York ; and so ex
cellent is their location, that the prophecy may pro
bably be one day accomplished. In the mean time
the most extravagant speculations have here taken
place in ground— a single foot of frontage running 50

326 INDIAN
or 60 feet back, having been sold in many instances
at an almost incredible price. Many have been ruined
by these speculations ; and Buffalo, like other cities in
America, has suffered from the, late commercial diffi
culties ; but, through all, this queen of the north is
making steady progress, and is doubtless destined to
be a giant.
The Erie canal here joins the lake — and the great
secret of the prosperity of Buffalo is its location at
the point of junction. The union, effected by this
canal, of the waters of Erie with those of the Hudson,
may be ascribed, in great part, to the unceasing ex
ertions of two excellent Friends — the late Thomas
Eddy, and John Murray, both of New York. It
is found to be of constantly increasing importance ;
so much so that the present width of the canal is
wholly insufficient for the traffic upon it. An im
mense operation is now in progress for its enlargement,
on a calculated expense of 23 millions of dollars — but
this amount is as nothing to the republic of New
York — especially as the canal itself will be very sure
abundantly to repay it.
After making arrangements for a public meeting
on our return, we set off on our journey ; and on our
way to a meeting of Friends in the village of Ham
burg, in Erie country, passed through the reservation
of the Buffalo Indians — a fertile and well-wooded tract
indifferently cultivated. I fear they are but an indo
lent people, and whisky is their too successful enemy;
but all this affords not even the shadow of an excuse
for their being robbed of their property. They were
at this time all on the stir— the grand council of the

RESERVATION. 327
six Seneca nations, being about to be held at Catar-
angus. I afterwards learned that they had come to a
decision, by a most overwhelming majority, to reject
the proposed treaty, and to continue in their present
location. But their almost unanimous judgment has
since been set aside, under some fraudulent pretext, and
unless the present government should happily take a
decided course in their favour, it is to be feared that
nothing can now prevent the unrighteous banishment
of these tribes into the far distant wilderness of the
west. To concentrate all the Indian nations, lately
resident within the states, in one large district west of
the Mississippi, had long been the declared intention
of the Van Buren administration ; and the plan has
already been executed to a great extent. It seems a
strange policy to raise up a vast hostile force on the
border of the states, which could at any time co-ope
rate with enemies abroad, or with slaves at home.
But it is much to be feared that the Indians will be
come a prey to that international warfare which was
the constant habit of their warriors in past days. The
Friends of New York and New England yearly meet
ings, have lately been engaged in raising a subscription
for the benefit of the Indians west of the Mississippi.
It is their hope that some judicious Friends may be
found, who will first explore the territory, and after
wards settle amongst them, in order to exert a whole
some influence in promoting the habits of industry,
sobriety, and peace. By such an influence, united
with various means of Christian instruction, it is pos
sible that the ruin and extinction of these interesting
tribes may still be prevented.

328 BUFFALO.
A pious missionary, I believe of the Presbyterian
church, is settled among the Buffalo Indians. We
held a meeting at his house with a considerable com
pany of them, chiefly women — most of the men being
gone to Cataraugus. On that occasion I was inter
preted for by a young woman, whose monotonous
whispers were to me scarcely audible ; but they were
both heard and cordially received by the Indians
themselves. We spent our sabbath-day at Collins and Clear
Creek, small villages about thirty miles south of Buf
falo ; and the respectable appearance of the country
people who thronged our meetings both morning and
afternoon, as well as the neat dwellings which are
scattered over the country, afforded abundant evi
dence that the settlers of this agricultural district
are a prosperous race. Certainly they appeared very
open to those views of vital and practical religion,
which we believed it to be our duty to impress.
On our return to Buffalo, the following evening,
we met a large assembly of the people in one of
the principal chapels. I think I have seldom been
more struck with the apparent respectability of a
congregation, than on that occasion. The people
treated us with marked civility and attention ; the
blessed truths of Christianity were freely declared
amongst them ; and there was evidently prevalent that
sense of divine love, which manifested that the reli
gion of many who were then assembled, was far from
being of a merely sectarian or nominal character. It
was under feelings of no small solemnity, that we
took our leave of the affectionate family of Friends

LOCKPORT. 329
who here entertained us. Very early the next morn
ing we were on our way back to Lockport. It was a
drive of about forty miles, in part through a pleasant
and cultivated country ; in part also across the Tona-
wanta swamp, by one of the very worst roads that I
saw in America. The rough corderoy over which we
sometimes passed, was nothing in comparison to the
mud holes in other places. It seems surprising that
the shortest route between Buffalo and Lockport
should be thus neglected.
When we arrived at Lockport, we found our Friends
from Farmington, and many other places, assembling
for their Quarterly meeting. It was a large and
interesting company ; and such were the hospitalities
of the few Friends resident in the neighbourhood,
that the wants of all were abundantly supplied. Two
large public meetings were then held ; one in a chapel
in the town, and another in the new Friends' meeting
house in the country. The whole occasion bore as
much the stamp of a spiritual festivity, as any that I
remember on either side the Atlantic. The Friends
were comforted together, in the hopes of the gospel,
and in the flowing of brotherly love; and many of
their neighbours seemed to be much alive to simi
lar feelings. Here we parted with our friend from
Skaneatilis, who had been our faithful guide and
helper for many weeks. I was by no means in strong
health, and would fain have taken up my rest for a
few days at the house of the generous Friend who
here received us as his lodgers. But the apprehension
of duties to be performed in a new region, forbad our
stay; and after the conclusion of the Quarterly meet-

330 ONTARIO.
ing, my companion and I set off, by ourselves, on our
journey to Upper Canada.
We arrived that evening at Lewiston, a small town
already described, near the mouth of the Niagara.
There a tolerable hotel afforded us accommodation
for the night ; and on the following morning we went
on board a small steam-boat, which was bound for
Hamilton, at the western extremity of Lake Ontario.
The voyage of a few miles down the river was agree
able, the wooded banks on either side being very
beautiful. Just before we entered the lake, we
stopped at the village of Niagara, which, although
in Canada, is evidently a thriving place. Our voyage
of 65 miles across Ontario, was not rendered the
more agreeable by the groans of the high-pressure
engine of a crazy boat, which had never been in
tended for any thing but river navigation. I was
reminded of the steam-boats of the western waters,
in which this kind of engine is generally used on
account of its cheapness, and which are constantly
liable to the most frightful accidents. But our voy
age turned out to be one of safety, and it was to me
a very interesting circumstance to be roaming over
that vast inland sea of fresh water. I well remember
that a large orange butterfly accompanied our vessel,
on untiring wing, during the whole of this voyage.
Superstition might have depicted it as a token of
our safety ; at any rate it was a curious and amusing
companion. The fisheries, both of Erie and Ontario, are now
become of considerable importance. The salmon-
trout of the latter is a vast creature — its flesh white,

HAMILTON. 331
and without much flavour. But the principal fish of
these waters is the " white fish," which is said to be
delicious fare, and resembles a large herring. Like the
herring, it is salted and exported in great quantities.
Ontario, at its western extremity, ends with Bur
lington bay, which is separated from the rest of the
lake by a long sand bank. A lighthouse stands
beside an opening in this bank, which affords a safe
passage for vessels of moderate size. The scene is
here very lovely, the town of Hamilton, at a distance,
having an agreeable aspect ; and Sir Allan M'Nab's
beautiful villa, among the woods on the shore, forms
a pleasing object. But no sooner did we find our
selves in the place itself, than we began to draw our
comparisons between the beauty and apparent thrift
of the young cities of the state of New York, and
the far less salutary and hopeful condition of a Cana
dian town. Soldiers were wandering about the streets ;
the uncomfortable tavern was filled with flies ; and
there was nothing in the appearance of the place
which bespoke a vigorous or prosperous population.
We were very anxious to proceed immediately on our
journey westward. It was the afternoon of the 6th
day (Friday), and we were desirous of spending the
following First day at the Canadian Norwich, at a dis
tance of about 60 miles. No conveyance, however,
was to be obtained, at that time, either by persuasion
or for money; but the next morning we happily secured
places in a stage-coach which was travelling westward.
As we passed along through a fertile and often pic
turesque country, our impressions of Canada began
to improve. We breakfasted at the village of Ancas-

332 NORWICH.
ter, which is in the midst of rather romantic scenery;
and in the course of the day obtained some fine views
of the Grand river, which flows into lake Erie. On
the banks of that river, the Mohawk Indians are in
possession of a fertile reservation, of which I heartily
hope that the avarice of English settlers may never
deprive them. They do not, however, appear to be
an industrious race. The numerous little companies
of them, which we met with on our way, looked very
much like the gipsies of our own country. The stage
set us down at the little town of Brantford, where
we dined at a crowded tavern ; succeeded in hiring an
extra ; and then went forward over bad roads, and
through wild woods, to the hospitable little farm
house of a pious and useful Friend at Norwich.
And what dost thou imagine this Norwich of Ca
nada to be ? Truly, it is no crowded city, half filled
with weavers who can obtain no employment, but a
fertile country district, pretty well cleared and culti
vated, and inhabited by a community which may
assuredly prosper, on the simple conditions of indus
try, sobriety, and good order. But, unhappily, this
Norwich, like our own city, had been much distracted
by politics. It was a scene of confusion, at the time
of the late rebellion, in which many persons residing
in the neighbourhood were seriously involved — in
cluding some individuals loosely connected with our
society. The Friends themselves are generally both
respectable and loyal ; and many of them were setting
a conspicuous example of a peaceable, orderly de
meanour. Nothing could, to all appearance, be more
unreasonable, than the discontent of the disaffected

NORWICH. 333
party; for the Canadian settlers have scarcely any
taxes to pay, and the resources of a generous soil
afford them abundant opportunities of a comfortable
living. The Friends are numerous here ; and our meetings,
in the morning and afternoon of the following day,
were largely attended by them and their neighbours —
many of the quondam rebels being present on the
occasion. Those peaceable principles of the gospel
of Christ, which are utterly opposed to all seditions,
strifes, and tumults, were then proclaimed; and I
have no doubt that the bulk of the persons assem
bled, were prepared to unite with our Christian doc
trine. We spent four interesting days among this
people; visiting many of the families, and walking
about their little settlements. On the whole, we
received a comfortable impression of their well-doing,
both temporally, and in a religious point of view.
But some of them are poor, and their houses by no
means comfortable ; and all are under difficulty as it
relates to any suitable education of their children. I
well remember, one evening, when we were visiting a
cleared patch in the midst of some of the wild pine
woods, that we were kindly greeted by a Friend who
owned the land, and was there living in a very humble
dwelling. It was just dark, and we had come several
miles to pay the family a visit of Christian love, and
to take a cup of tea with them. They had given up
expecting us, from the lateness of the hour; their
children were running about like true natives of the
forest, and they had not a single candle in their
house. But our friend had succeeded, a few days

334

NORWICH.

before, in shooting a fine buck ; his homely wife set
to work in good earnest ; a small candle was borrowed
from a neighbouring settler ; and we soon found our
selves at a venison feast, in the midst of the wilder
ness ! With this description of a Norwich far different
from our own, I will conclude my present letter.
I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XXIV.

Earlham, 3rd month, 2Qth, 1841.
My dear Friend,
I regretted that I had no opportunity of
visiting the Wilberforce settlement of negroes, which
is considerably west of Norwich. The people be
longing to it had escaped from the slavery in which
they had once been held in the United States ; and I
fear were not in a very comfortable condition in their
new location. One of their own number, who had
travelled for the express purpose of begging funds
for them, had not only brought home no proceeds,
but had sued his brethren for a vast amount of ex
penses — a circumstance which had thrown the whole
of the little community into great difficulty. Some
of the Friends at Norwich were giving a close atten
tion to their case ; and I understood that their pros
pects were then considerably bettered. The number
of negroes already located in Canada, (chiefly run
away slaves) amounts, as I am informed, to about
20,000. They are in general much scattered among
the population at large ; and mostly obtain a pretty
comfortable livelihood by their own labour. Yet they
have many difficulties to struggle with, especially from
the rigours of a climate to which they are wholly un-

336 brantford.
accustomed. About 100 slaves per month were at
that time making their escape into this land of free
dom ; and when we take into view the extreme
hazards and hardships to which they are exposed on
their journey, we cannot fail to perceive that the fact
affords ample refutation of the favourable notions
which some persons profess to entertain respecting
the comforts of American slavery. We were glad to
make our acquaintance, at Toronto, with Hiram
Wilson, the excellent agent of the American Anti-
slavery Society, who was watching over the interests
of this afflicted people ; and it gave us pleasure to
aid him in promoting the formation of schools for the
Christian education of their children. The Friends
of New York yearly meeting had subscribed a con
siderable sum for the furtherance of this object.
In our drives about Norwich and its neighbour
hood, we observed a variety of birds — three distinct
species of woodpecker, the raven, the night-jar, the
blue and yellow birds so common in the states, mul
titudes of blue jays, and, strange to say (at so north
ern a latitude) the humming-bird itself. I also ob
served a handsome streaked water snake. The lobelia
cardinalis abounds ; and the white pines which chiefly
form the forest, are of magnificent stature.
A few days before the close of the 8th month
(August) we set off with a large company of Friends,
in a train of three capacious open wagons, on a pil
grimage of 120 miles, to Yonge street, north of
Toronto, where the half-year's meeting of Friends
of Upper Canada was about to assemble. We first
returned to Brantford, twenty-two miles, where we

UPPER CANADA. 337
held a public meeting with the inhabitants, and lodged
at a comfortable tavern. A similar service awaited
us on the following evening at Hamilton, where we
met with some corrective of our former unfavourable
impressions respecting the place, in the readiness and
seriousness which the people evinced in attending our
meeting. On the following day, while most of our
friends were pursuing their slow journey by land, my
companion and I took an excellent steam-boat for
Toronto — a voyage of 46 miles. We passed by Port
Credit, where the Indians have a station, and are
said to prosper under the judicious pastoral care of
a Methodist missionary.
The bay of Toronto is spacious and beautiful, being
inclosed on one side by an extensive circular sand
bank, at the extremity of which stands a lofty light
house. The aspect of the place, as we approached
it, was rather imposing — the parliament-house, and
other public offices, being conspicuously built on the
high bank of the lake. The town contains 10,000
inhabitants, but it certainly does not wear that ap
pearance of commercial activity and thrift, to which
we had been so much accustomed in the States.
Our large company took up their quarters at the
American hotel for the whole of the ensuing sabbath.
It was in various respects an interesting day. After
our quiet morning meeting, held in our own apart
ment, four of our company waited on Sir George
Arthur, the Lieutenant-Governor, with whom we
conversed with great freedom respecting the moral
and political character of the people. We were glad
to assure him that some persons of a seditious cha-
z

338 UPPER CANADA.
racter who went by the name of Quakers, had little
or no connection with our society ; and that the body
of Friends in Canada wished for nothing better than
to pursue their peaceable avocations under the Queen's
government. The lieutenant-governor is a gentleman
of kind demeanour, much benevolence, and I believe
decided piety. He listened with great kindness to
the appeal which we ventured to make to him on
the subject of capital punishment — this having been.
enforced on several occasions after the late rebellion.
We also conversed on the subject of the Indians, in
whose welfare he appeared to be deeply interested.
We could not but feel some anxiety lest the plans
which have been lately formed for removing some of
their tribes to the Manatoulin islands, which lie to
the north-west of Lake Erie, should not rest on that
basis of a fair and open agreement which could alone
justify the measure. But it seemed to be the lieut.-
governor's strong wish that the transaction should
be strictly equitable ; and he spoke very favourably
of the fertility and other advantages of the proposed
location. Sir George had been well acquainted with
two of our missionary Friends in Van Dieman's land.
I declined his cordial invitation to dinner, but pro
mised to spend the evening with him and his family
circle. In the mean time, in the afternoon, a large
public meeting was held in the Methodist meeting
house, which, I trust, answered some good purpose.
Toronto had been greatly agitated by the politics of
the day ; disaffection had prevailed amongst many of
the people ; but on this occasion we were brought to
feel that the citizenship of the Christian is in heaven.

UPPER CANADA. 339
He is placed under the supreme government of Christ ;
and the result of obedience to this government, is
love to God and man, and the peaceable performance
of all our relative duties. The evening at Sir George
Arthur's was passed very pleasantly. I read the Scrip
tures at his request to his family circle, including a
large number of orderly servants ; and afterwards
much enjoyed an hour's social conversation with
him and Lady Arthur, who is a person of remarkable
amiability. I was also much pleased with the young
people of the family. I found the general's character
standing high in the community. Although he ranges
among the Tories, his political views are moderate —
extremely different from those of some persons whom
I met with in Canada, whose virulent party spirit in
opposition to liberal views, accompanied by a vehe
ment dislike of the Americans, was obviously calcu
lated to defeat its own object.
The people were at this time divided into Loyalists
and Durhamites; for in consequence of the premature
publication of Lord Durham's able report, the dis
affected party had adopted his name, and were avail
ing themselves of the circumstance in order to keep
up a continued excitement. The spirit of many of
the people on both sides, appeared to us to be lament
ably bad ; and wherever we went we found ourselves
constrained to plead for the cause of good order and
Christian moderation.
The roads through the settled districts of this
country are called "streets." Yonge-street begins
at Toronto, and goes on thirty miles in a perfectly
straight line to the north, until it reaches the settle-
z 2

340 UPPER CANADA.
ment of Friends, which we were now about to visit..
The country on the whole route is well settled ; good
brick houses on fertile and fairly cultivated land, are
to be seen on either side of the street. It is evidently
a very productive country, and pleasant in its appear
ance — far superior to the notions that I had previ
ously formed of it. At Yonge-street settlement we
found a convenient abode among hospitable Friends,
ready for our reception ; and were met by numerous
members of the society, many of whom had arrived
from a great distance both from the east and west.
They were come to attend the half year's meeting,
which is here held in lieu of the Quarterly meetings
usual in other parts of America.
This part of the country as well as the neighbour
hood of Norwich, was much agitated during the late
rebellion. It was near this place that the people took
up arms under the persuasion and command of the
restless Mackenzie. And one Lount, a blacksmith,
and formerly M. P. for the district, who though no
Quaker himself, was connected by marriage with a
respectable Friend's family, was so mortified by losing
his election that he openly joined the rebels, and was
executed the year before our visit for high treason.
The poor fellow became very penitent, and is said to
have died in the faith of the Christian.
The half year's meeting was held in a large rustic
meeting-house; it occupied parts of three successive
days, and was an occasion of much interest. The
sincere and simple-hearted, though generally unpo
lished people of whom it was composed, excited both
our regard and our sympathy. They had been ex-^

UPPER CANADA. 341
posed to many troubles during the late political ex
citement. An earnest desire prevailed in the meeting,
that the members of our society, in all parts of the
province, should keep clear of all the jarring and
tumults of political parties — that they might " study
to be quiet and do their own business." This indeed
was already their general habit, and not much fault
could be found, in reference to the subject even with the
young; yet every one felt that it was a day of tempt
ation and difficulty. In the mean time, however loyal
the Friends might be, they could neither serve them
selves in the militia, nor pay any tax in lieu of such
service. On this ground they were exposed, by the
laws of Upper Canada, either to the distraint of their
goods, or the imprisonment of their persons. Two
of our young men had actually been thrown into jail
at Hamilton for sixteen days. The subject was re
spectfully urged on the attention of Sir George Arthur ;
as it had been previously on that of Lord Durham ;
but it so happens that I have never heard the result
of either application.
The attention of the Friends, at this meeting, was
closely directed to the subject of education ; and it
was determined to take immediate steps towards the
establishment of a boarding school. The subscrip
tions made for the purpose, throughout the province,
were aided by friends from New York, and England ;
and it was to us a gratifying circumstance that be
fore we left Canada, an excellent house and farm
on the borders of Lake Ontario, admirably adapted
for a manual labour boarding school, were purchased
for the purpose. By the last accounts which I re-

342 UPPER CANADA.
ceived, it appeared that arrangements were making
for its commencement.
The state of education among the people at large
in Canada, is at present miserably low. Little school
houses are indeed to be observed in the neighbour
hood of many of the settlements ; but we seldom saw
either masters or scholars in these places. A small
allowance is given by the government towards the
support of schoolmasters in the country districts ;
but the persons appointed to this station, through the
favour of public officers, were often of a very inferior
stamp both as to literature and morals. This sub
ject also was laid before the lieutenant-governor, who
seemed earnestly desirous of promoting the literary
and religious instruction of the people under his care.
Next to the party spirit of which I have already
complained, and which appeared to be equally violent
on both sides of politics, the chief curse of Canada is
the use of ardent, spirits. Intoxication is very com
mon among the looser part of the population; and
many an emigrant from the British isles, who might
otherwise have prospered, destroys himself, and ruins
his family, by giving way to this vicious practice. As
we passed along from house to house, and from farm
to farm in this neighbourhood ; (and indeed wherever
we went in Upper Canada,) abundant was the evidence
afforded, that this is a fair and fertile province ; and
that if its inhabitants will but keep themselves clear
of political strife and ardent spirits (two things which
act and re-act) there is nothing to prevent their be
coming a rich and prosperous people.
After the conclusion of the half year's meeting, we

UPPER CANADA. 343
travelled twenty miles further into the country to an
other settlement called Tecumseh, where again we found
more of cultivation and less of the native wilderness,
than we expected. The country is pleasing; and Friends
and their neighbours came in a large number to our
public meeting. I remember catching a beautiful
garter snake in one of the woods — a slim and elegant
creature of a dark greenish brown, with long straw-
coloured stripes. Another natural production of this
country is a wild plum. The fruit which was then
ripening, is of a bright red colour, of the size of a
pigeon's egg, and of a pleasant taste. On the fol
lowing First day, large public meetings were held at
Yonge-street, and at another settlement in its neigh
bourhood. Here the followers of Elias Hicks are
numerous, many of whom were present on these
occasions. I trust it was not in vain that we then
pleaded for the "faith once delivered to the saints,"
both as it relates to its divine origin, and its moral
and practical efficacy.
The next morning my companion and I found our
selves quietly seated, with a kind friend and his wife,
in a rough open wagon ; and spent the whole day in
traversing the country to a place called Pickering. It
was a journey of 40 miles, and though most of the
country was well settled, we passed through one of
those wildernesses of which Lord Durham, in his
report, so justly complains as the consequence of
wasteful grants of land to persons in favour. In this
instance, many thousands of acres of forest, had been
bestowed on some quondam chief justice, and were in
consequence, excluded from public competition, and

344 UPPER CANADA.
wholly unredeemed from their wild condition. Bears
are still common in these forests ; but my curiosity
was nowhere gratified by the sight of the animal run
ning wild.
Nothing could exceed the hospitality of our Friends
at Pickering, some of whom had come from Ireland,
and are here gradually increasing their property. It
is a prosperous settlement, about thirty miles east of
Toronto, and not very far from the northern shore.
of the lake. The road between this place and To
ronto, is laid transversely with sawn timber, which is
said to answer well, and is a grand improvement on
the old corderoy. We were now travelling eastward,
and had only to follow the high road which leads
from Toronto to Kingston. Another of the rough
open wagons of the country, was now provided for
us ; and some Friend was sure to be ready to guide
and drive us, from place to place. The first evening
we stopped at the little village of Darlington. The
country, along our whole route, was flat, fertile, and
well settled, the weather delicious — it being now early
in the 9th month (September). The aurora, which
we often saw, and under a curious variety both of hues
and aspects, was, this evening, of the brightest crim
son, and much diffused over the sky.
The next day, we travelled thirty-two miles further,
passed through the pretty little town of Port Hope,
which is a place of some trade ; and arrived at Co-
bourg, a still larger town on the coast, in time for a
public meeting in the evening. The place had been
tempest-tossed by faction, and had grievously suffered
temporally, as well as spiritually, from the unsettled

UPPER CANADA. 345
state of politics. Our meeting was large, and the
peaceable principles of the gospel seemed to rise into
ascendency over all tumult and strife. Twelve miles
north of Cobourg is the Rice Lake, on the borders
of which wild rice grows in abundance. The Indians
of the district, who are under the care of a Methodist
missionary, are accustomed to gather it for sale, it
being pretty good food. The crops of winter wheat,
throughout this district, were this year nearly a total
failure, which was probably owing to the length and
severity of the winter. The spring wheat was doing
well ; also a small kind of Indian corn, which is one
of the staple productions of the country.
On the following evening a similar meeting was
held at Colborne, a desolate-looking little town ; but
the assembly was considerable. Throughout Upper
Canada we generally availed ourselves of the cha
pels of the Wesleyan^a^ Methodists, who form an
influential and numerous part of the community.
They were then much divided by politics, but I
trust that these difficulties are now removed ; and
I consider the prevalence of their religious system
which never fails to civilize and improve the peo
ple, to be one of the best hopes of this province.
We now diverged into a rough country, and visited
two small settlements of Friends at Haldimand and
Cold Creek. The log meeting-house, at the latter
place, was crowded, on our arrival, with the settlers of
every description, including their infant children and
dogs. The disturbance caused by the two latter, was
almost insurmountable. But difficulties of this sort
must be expected in these rough regions. With

346 UPPER CANADA.
regard to infants, their poor mothers, in many parts
of the United States, as well as Canada, are com
pelled, either to bring them to meeting, or to stay at
home themselves. The former alternative is con
stantly preferred ; and notwithstanding the inconveni
ence these little ones occasion, I always thought it was
amply compensated by the company of their mothers.
Wild and bad was the road by which we travelled
on this occasion, through woods of pines of a magni
ficent height. A boy and girl belonging to a Friend's
family, when walking one day, the year before, through
these woods to Cold Creek meeting, encountered a
large bear who stood looking at them for a consider
able time, and then sheared off into the forest without
injuring them. This was a providential escape. I
met with another Friend, further to the east, who
had unwisely attacked one of these animals with his
dogs, was put to the flight, and was just saved from
destruction by leaping over a stone fence.
The vast pines of these forests are beautiful to
behold, and form, at present, the chief export of
the country. They are floated down the creeks and
rivers to lake Ontario, and are thence conveyed as
rafts to Quebec where they are shipped for England.
This business appeared to me to have an impoverish
ing tendency. The timber is often wanted, on the
spot, for building and other purposes ; and while the
value of the land is vastly diminished by its removal,
the attention of the people is diverted from agricul
ture, to a pursuit which is, in its nature, purely
temporary. The removal of those protecting duties
which now prevent the importation, into England, of

UPPER CANADA. 347
the better pines of Norway, would, in my opinion,
operate favourably, not only for timber merchants at
home, but for the permanent advantage of Canada
herself. We now went forward to some larger settlements
of Friends at Hillier and West Lake. The latter
is near to the town of Picton or Hallowell, on the
coast of Ontario, at which place the steam-boat from
Toronto to Kingston constantly touches. The half-
year's meeting is held here in the winter, and the
new school, for the province, is in the immediate
neighbourhood. Our public meetings at these settle
ments, and at the neighbouring town, were largely
attended ; and we were afterwards engaged for a few
days, in a domiciliary visit to many of the families of
Friends. We were glad to find them in general thriv
ing on their farms — the chief difficulty of the district
having been that want of education for the children
which now, I trust, is likely to be supplied.
After leaving West Lake, we crossed the beautiful
bay of Quinty, which runs to a great extent up the
country to the north and west ; and after holding a
meeting at a pretty country village, called Adolphus,
pursued our route to a Friend's house, in the neigh
bourhood of Kingston. Our road lay along the
eastern part of the bay of Quinty, which is separated
from the main waters of the lake by several wooded
islands, especially the large island of Amherst ; the
scenery on the coast is pretty and picturesque. The
season of fishing was now commenced. The hand
some silvery " white fish" is here caught by tens of
thousands ; it averages about two pounds in weight.

348 UPPER CANADA.
On land, the passenger pigeons often vie with them
in multitude. One of our friends had netted 700
in a few hours. A blinded decoy pigeon, called the
" stool pigeon," is compelled to fly down from a lofty
stool, to the ground. The wild ones, seeing it flut
ter, immediately gather round it, and the net is so
constructed as to spring over them. They are larger
than our pigeons, and their flesh is tender and well-
flavoured. We passed through the little town of
Bath, on the coast, which seemed to us the picture of
dullness, but has nevertheless been the scene of vio
lent political agitation.
After quite a charming drive beside the shore, we
arrived at the homely but comfortable dwelling of a
Friend, who lives in the country about two miles from
Kingston. There we closed a week of great interest,
in peace and safety. The next morning, we met a
company of Friends and others, at the sequestered
little meeting of Waterloo — the house being shaded
with pines. The person with whom we afterwards
dined is one of the many prosperous farmers of this
district. In the afternoon we entered Kingston, and
took up our abode at a crowded hotel, which afforded
us poor accommodation. All the inns here were very
full, many officers and soldiers being quartered in the
town. The weather was very stormy, the rain pour
ing in torrents ; notwithstanding which, a large and
promiscuous assembly met us, in the evening, at the
Methodist meeting-house. The proclamation of the
great principles of peace, order, and submission, was
here followed by vocal prayer on behalf of our young
Queen. We had already been set down in the pro-

UPPER CANADA. 349
vince, for Tories; and such was then the state of
Canada, that this circumstance was quite sufficient
to confirm the report. Another meeting for worship
was held to our satisfaction, on the following evening ;
and I trust that some effect was produced, in allay
ing that hot and factious spirit, on both sides of
politics, with which the place had been so much
agitated. Kingston contains about 6000 inhabitants. It is
admirably situated at the junction of the river St.
Lawrence with lake Ontario ; and the view of it, with
the lake, river, &c, from a lofty peninsula, on which
the fort is built, almost amounts to splendid. It
appeared to us to be a neater, livelier town than
Toronto ; and I consider it to be well chosen as the
future seat of government for the United Canadas.
Before we left Kingston, we were interested
in visiting the jail and the new penitentiary. The
former, like other prisons in Canada, has nothing to
recommend it ; the latter contained at this time 200
prisoners, but was still unfinished. It appeared to
be well regulated on the silent system, and is con
ducted with less severity than Auburn and Sing-Sing.
But the whip, at present, is far from being disused.
Here, also, it wants to be banished by yet more of
moral culture, and by the stimulus of hope in the
shape of small wages. The women are under excel
lent care. We held a very solemn meeting with the
convicts. Still more interesting, however, was our
visit to about eighty American prisoners at the fort.
They had been seized the year before, during their

350 UPPER CANADA.
armed marauding into Canada, in aid of the rebels ;
and by the law of nations were liable to be put to
death. Their younger comrades had been pardoned,
and sent back to their own country. Those whom
we visited were of a more reflecting class, and I was
greatly astonished that such respectable-looking per
sons, as many of them were, should have been guilty
of such extreme folly. We had some interesting re
ligious intercourse with them. They were then on
the point of being transported to Van Dieman's land,
and seemed to be much subdued and afflicted.
We now boarded the Dolphin steam-boat, and
spent a long afternoon and evening in a voyage of
60 miles to the east, down the magnificent St. Law
rence. We landed at night at Brockville, on the
northern bank. This was a very interesting voyage ;
for a great part it was through the "thousand islands,"
many of which are mere patches ; but others are
pretty large — the banks rocky and precipitous, the
soil barren, but covered with forest. The appearance
to the voyager is that of a perpetual succession of
little lakes. The scenery is lovely, but the open
parts of the river, with the distant wooded shores on
each side, produce the impression of greater sublimity.
The fish seem to lie in layers at the bottom of the
river, among these islands. The quantities of them
are immense. On the surface of the water we oc
casionally observed the great northern divers in full
enjoyment. We met with a comfortless reception at a large
tavern in Brockville. It is a considerable town, well

UPPER CANADA. 351
situated for the commerce of these parts ; but, like
most other places which we visited in Canada, had
been agitated by factions ; and did it not wear the ap
pearance of prosperity. Here we had great difficulty
in procuring any kind of conveyance ; but an open
wagon was at length obtained, in which we jolted
sixteen miles up the country to Leeds, or Farmersville,
a settlement of Friends. On our road we met with
an evidence of the substantial prosperity of the
country, which is worth recording. A great auction
was taking place that morning at Brockville ; and the
farmers of the neighbourhood, with their wives and
families — all in large open wagons — were pouring
into the town, in order to attend it. They were
respectably dressed, and looked healthy and happy ;
I was at a loss to reconcile this obvious token of
agricultural thrift, with the desolate appearance of
the town itself.
We had satisfaction in visiting the rustic friends
of this district. In the midst of a rough life,
there was much of simple piety to be found amongst
them ; and although a few of them whom we visited
in the wild woods, were among the poor of this
world — living in rough log-houses — the generality
are evidently thriving. There are several ministers
amongst them, one of whom I remember was a cele
brated bee-hunter. The day before, he had been fol
lowing the bees through the forest, until at last he
discovered their home filled with wild honey. It is
understood in this country that whoever discovers a
stove of this useful article, is at liberty to cut down

352 UPPER CANADA.
the tree on which it is found, though it be on a neigh
bour's property, and to secure the treasure for his
own family uses. A large number of people were
assembled for worship on the following morning;
after which we returned in company with several of
the Friends, to Brockville. It was a clear moonlight
evening, and a promiscuous crowd flocked to the
meeting which we had there appointed. The occa
sion was one of much feeling and solemnity, calculated
I trust to promote the cause of tranquillity and peace.
The people of the place, including several of the minis
ters, were kind and cordial ; and the sheriff of the
county, a liberal and useful gentleman, called on us
the next morning to express his satisfaction in our
visit. Here we again took the Dolphin steamer,
which goes by the name of the " lazy boat ;" but she
carried us safely through the tangled navigation of
the thousand islands, back again to Kingston.
We had now finished our visit to Upper Canada;
and on the following morning went on board the
Great Britain, a steam-boat of great size and beauty,
and came across the lake about sixty miles to the
American town of Oswego. Ontario is indeed a won
derful sheet of inland water. Our voyage across it
was delightful, the weather being fine, and the wooded
islands which are scattered about, here and there, very
attractive. The water is of a bluish green, very bright
and transparent ; and when we were out of sight of
land, it was easy to imagine ourselves on the ocean
itself. The approach to Oswego is striking, the town
being built on two hills which rise from the lake at

oswego. 353
the mouth of the river Onondaga. The pier and light
house are strongly built, and have a noble appearance
in front of the town. It was the evening of the
7th day (Saturday) ; and we again enjoyed the privi
lege of closing the week in safety, at the peaceful
dwelling of a most hospitable family of Friends.
1 am, &c. &c.

2 A

LETTER XXV.

Earlham, 3rd month, 27th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
The sabbath day which succeeded the even
ing of our arrival at Oswego, was satisfactorily spent
among the people of that place. We sat down in
the morning, in a private apartment, with the Friends
of the place, who are not numerous enough to open a
regular meeting in the town. In the afternoon the
people at large were assembled in the Presbyterian
meeting-house ; and I trust it was not in vain that
the fundamental truths of Christianity were pro
claimed amongst them. It so happened that we were
detained at Oswego for a full week ; so that two more
meetings were held in this chapel ; and we made our
acquaintance, in the course of the time, with several
individuals whose religion appeared to us to be of a
vital and spiritual character.
The Presbyterian church in North America — a
numerous and highly respectable body — has lately
been divided into the old and new school. The former
keep up the whole system, both doctrinal and discipli
nary, of the Scotch kirk. The latter have adopted a
much more comprehensive view of Christian redemp
tion, and of the diffusive influences of the Spirit ; and

oswego. 355
are at the same time less attentive to the forms of
Presbyterian church government. I have also been
told that the new school is more avowedly attached
than the old one, to the cause of the abolition of sla
very. This is one of those disruptions to which, on
the free and equal arena of America, Christian sects
seem to be peculiarly exposed ; and most persons
regard them as a serious evil. For my own part, I
am ready to think that little harm, in general, arises
out of these divisions — so long as the essential
points of orthodox Christianity are steadily main
tained. This I understand to be decidedly the case
with both classes of the Presbyterians.
It must, however, be acknowledged, that in some
peculiar cases, even orthodox sentiments on a few
leading points, are connected with such wild extrava
gance, in the circumstantials of religion, that the tout
ensemble is very little to the credit of a free and ra
tional community. This remark applies in full force
to the Mormonites, who have of late years spread in
North America, to a surprising extent. They pretend
that their founder, one Smith, dug up a number of
metal plates (in some part, I believe, of the state of
New York) on which were inscribed in Coptic, or
Ethiopic characters, the contents of a new Bible. The
finder of the treasure was inspired, as they assert, to
decipher and translate these inscriptions ; and the
work has been printed, and widely circulated. Its
contents are somewhat similar to those of the Book
of Enoch, and other unauthentic productions of the
early ages of the church. The fraud, in this case, is
easily discoverable ; for although the book professes
2 A 2

356 oswego.
to bear a date anterior to Christianity, it is distin
guished by the most obvious plagiarism from the
pages of the New Testament. The Mormonites en
tertain a notion that the expected visible kingdom of
the Messiah will have two metropolitan cities — one
in Judea — Jerusalem of course; the other in the
slave-state of Missouri, where a considerable body of
these people have established themselves, and have
been shamefully abused and persecuted. It is a sin
gular fact — one that must be placed to the score of
the peculiar credulity of the Americans — that many
persons of respectability from other denominations,
including some of their ministers, have lately joined
the ranks of this infatuated sect. We met with a
very similar set of people at Kingston in Upper
Canada, one of the symptoms of whose erroneous
notions, is their perfect contempt of all other forms
and administrations of Christianity. The human mind
is ever prone to cleave to its own unauthorized sys
tems ; and prejudice is never stronger than when it
is connected with gross delusion.
I much regret that I never found an opportunity,
when in America, of visiting any of the settlements of
the Shakers, who are no less extraordinary in some of
their notions and habits ; but have little pretension
(as I understand) to sound doctrinal opinions. The
members of this sect lead a life of celibacy ; dress like
very plain Friends ; display an extreme neatness in
their houses, gardens, and fields ; excel the generality
of the people in their knowledge of agriculture ; and
grow rich on the plan of co-operation and common
stock. While they form a singular variety among the

oswego. 357
phases of poor, bewildered, human nature, they have
at least the reputation of being an inoffensive people.
We had intended to have returned to Buffalo, and
there to have taken the steam-boat up Lake Erie, in
order to visit the meetings in Michigan ; but the
lateness of the season, with other calls of duty, now
precluded our doing so. Part of our time at Os
wego was spent in preparing a written address to
the Friends of Michigan, on several topics, respecting
which they were much interested ; and we afterwards
found that this epistle served the purpose which we
had chiefly in view, in our proposed visit. I was also
engaged in writing to Sir George Arthur, to give him
a report of our journey in Canada, and to suggest a
number of subjects for his kind consideration. Thus
our time was fully occupied. We were wishing to
return to New York by the Black-river country, which
we hoped to reach by a steamer from Oswego to Sac-
ket's harbour to the west ; but the rough weather
disappointed us ; the lake had become stormy, and fur
ther navigation on it was considered to be undesirable.
We therefore preferred a quiet voyage down the Os
wego canal to Syracuse ; and from this place were
rapidly conveyed by the rail-road, first to Utica, and
afterwards along the beautiful valley of the Mohawk,
which I had not before seen, to Albany. During the
course of this journey, my companion and I were often
observing to each other how agreeable it was to us to
be again in the States. The difference between the towns
of Canada, and those young and rising cities of New
York, which I have already described, is indeed very
striking ; and I could scarcely avoid drawing the con-

358 STATE OF NEW YORK.
elusion, that were Canada ripe for independence (which
in my opinion is far from being the case) it would be
a policy at once wise and liberal, to suffer her to take her
own course, and shift for herself. Colonial govern
ments, especially when connected with legislative
assemblies, are seldom attended, as far as I have ob
served, with much satisfaction either to the colony or
to the mother country ; and every one knows that the
advantage which England now derives from her com
merce with the United States, is unspeakably greater
than any which was obtained from her former posses
sion of those states, as mere dependencies.
Speaking of the towns of that great country, I
cannot think that the population of them derive any
solid advantage from the multiplication of their daily
newspapers. Scarcely a village is to be found, of any
considerable size, in which one of these periodicals is
not published ; and in the larger towns and cities they
are numerous indeed. That they will be filled up to a
great extent with unprofitable and sometimes danger
ous matter, follows of course ; and I often regretted
that so much time is occupied by American citizens
in poring over these often flimsy productions. This
practice, together with that of reading novels, which
are published in great numbers, and at a very low
price, has a material tendency to lower the tone
both of intellect and moral feeling. In making these
remarks, I do not forget that newspapers well con
ducted — and in moderate numbers — are of essential
service to the community.
lt may not be unsuitable to take this opportunity
of remarking that the elections in America — frequent

HUDSON RIVER. 359
as they are, and often marked by no small virulence
of party spirit — are on the whole more quietly con
ducted, and are attended with much less of treating
and bribery than are common in Great Britain and
Ireland. The population is so generally imbued with
the feeling of personal independence, that bribery for
the most part is out of the question ; and this offence
against the laws (for it is forbidden in most of the
states, on pain of imprisonment and hard labour) is
still further precluded by the large number of voters
on the one hand, and the absence of a surplus of
ready money on the other. The vote by ballot is
found to be a convenient method, and undoubtedly
contributes to the same end. Each voter inserts a
card into the box, inscribed with the name of the
candidate whom he supports ; and the officers in
attendance trouble him with no questions. While
these remarks are amply borne out in a general point
of view, I do not mean to say that the elections in
America are by any means free either from dissipation
or corruption ; especially in large cities, where a loose
and low population is too often included among the
voters. On our return from Albany to New York, we
stopped at the little town of New Baltimore, on the
west bank of the Hudson, in order to visit a scattered
community of Friends, in a country district, twenty
miles south of Albany. The name of the place is
Coemans; and we were much interested in holding
meetings both with the Friends, and their neighbours
of every denomination. It was now the beginning
of the 10th month (October) ; and as we afterwards

360 HUDSON RIVER.
pursued our course down the Hudson, we were more
than usually struck with the beauty of the scenery. The
river was remarkably adorned with sloops — assuming,
under different lights and positions, a constant variety
of shape and appearance ; and the sun shone brightly
on the reds and yellows of the foliage which covered
the rocks and mountains. One of our fellow-passen
gers was General Alvear, minister plenipotentiary at
Washington, from the Argentine republic, i. e. Rio de
la Plata and Buenos Ayres. He was president of the
congress of that republic in 1813, when slavery was
prospectively abolished, by the decree that all children
born from that time should be free — an example which
was afterwards followed, in substance, by all the South
American states except Brazil. He assured me that
emancipation, in South America, is working deci
dedly well, and that the free negroes are willing to
labour under the stimulus of wages.
Our return to New York, after this long and varied
journey, was no small pleasure to us. Our friends
gave us the most cordial reception. The wife and
family of my dear and faithful companion, who had
been so long absent from them in order to assist me
in my gospel errand, had now the delight of receiving
him back again in health and happiness ; and as we
were spending our evening together, peace and joy
seemed to overflow.
I had now the prospect before me of leaving Ame
rica, after six or seven weeks, for the West Indies ;
and shall not attempt to enter into many particulars
of the intervening period. I had little more to do
in the United States, in the capacity of a travel-

LONG ISLAND. 361
ling minister ; but I had many friends to visit, and
many meetings yet to attend— including the Yearly
meeting at Baltimore. After spending the First day
at New York, I was accompanied by a kind friend
and brother to Long Island, and held a large public
meeting for the first time in the city of Brooklyn,
where a revival of religion was said to have lately done
much towards increasing some of the congregations.
Afterwards we again visited our friends of Westbury
and Jericho on that Island ; and convened the pub
lic at the neat prosperous little town of Hempstead,
on its northern coast. We then returned to New
York, and took the steam-boat one early morning
for Amboy, on our way to Philadelphia.
It so happened that President Van Buren was one
of the passengers. He kindly recognised me ; and I
was glad of the opportunity of conversing with him
on a variety of interesting topics. He fully agreed
in my view of the importance of the daily use of the
Bible in the common schools, as well as on the sub
ject of mildness in prison discipline ; listened with plea
sure to a description which I gave him (in answer to
his enquiries) of Wilberforce, and Sir Fowell Buxton ;
and spoke with feeling on the subject of the African
slave-trade. When the voluntary system in religion
was mentioned, he justly observed that "no other
system was possible in America." I remarked that it
seemed somewhat strange to the habits of an English
man, to be sitting side by side in a steam-boat, with
the first magistrate of a mighty nation ; but I begged
leave to remind him that " the King of America" had
great responsibilities. He seemed well pleased with

362 PHILADELPHIA.
the remark, and allowed me at the same time to press
upon him the claims of the afflicted slaves. He was
without any attendant except his son ; but neither the
simplicity of his mode of travelling, nor that of his
manners, interfered with his maintaining a certain dig
nified demeanour corresponding with his station. On
parting, I presented him with a daily text book, pub
lished by my sister E. Fry, and ventured to recommend
an alliance between this minute volume and his waist
coat pocket. He was well acquainted with her cha
racter and objects, and received the gift with the easy
politeness for which he is so remarkable.
I now once more resumed my happy quarters at
Philadelphia ; and after enjoying the society of my
friends for a week or two, went forward to Baltimore,
to attend the yearly meeting. Our friend Stephen
Grellet, who has travelled so extensively in the work
of the gospel, in Great Britain, France (his native
country), Russia, Greece, Italy, Spain, &c. and who
now resides with his wife and daughter at Burlington,
was one of our company — a circumstance which added
much to the interest of the occasion. We were com
forted in the belief that the work of divine grace was
making evident progress among the Friends — especi
ally the young people, some of whom were giving
conspicuous proofs of their increased devotion to the
best of masters. But a " revival " was then taking
place, under much more exciting circumstances, among
the Baptists of Baltimore. One of their popular
ministers, from the state of New York, was holding
what the Americans call a " protracted meeting ;"
and protracted it was, I believe, for full three weeks,

BALTIMORE. 363
with little intermission except at night. Hundreds
of persons, including many of genteel station in life,
were said to be converted, during these proceedings,
from worldly views to serious and decided feelings on
the subject of religion ; and great was the number
baptized, on each succeeding sabbath, in the river
Patapsco, in the presence, of course, of an immense
multitude of spectators. We could not doubt that
a substantially important work was going on in the
hearts of many, under this somewhat bustling and
exciting instrumentality ; but we were at the same
time confirmed in our decided preference of a cooler
and quieter administration. On my return to Bal
timore, many months afterwards, I was informed that
the generality of these converts were persevering
in their Christian course. Must we not acknowledge,
then, that there are " differences of administrations
but the same Lord — diversities of operations, but the
same God which worketh all in all ?"
As I continued to feel a lively interest in the wel
fare of the Hicksite community in these parts, and
could not obtain the use of the meeting-house which
they occupy, for the purpose of a public meeting
with them, I thought it right to spend a day or two,
during this visit to Baltimore, in writing a Chris
tian address to that body. My object was to ex
plain to the young people and others, the difference
of sentiment, on points of the most fundamental
character, which subsists between their leaders and
the society of Friends, and to call upon them to
accept the Saviour of men in all his gracious offices ;
showing them, that it is by faith in Him, that we

364 BRANDYWINE RIVER.
obtain the glorious gift of everlasting life. This
address was approved by the Friends, printed, and
extensively circulated ; and I venture to entertain the
hope, that it has been blessed to some of the Hick
sites, both at Baltimore, and in other parts of the
country. Sure I am that it was written under the
feelings of Christian affection, and with the hearty
desire for their spiritual and eternal welfare.
On my way back to Philadelphia, I spent a day or
two with some kind friends in the neighbourhood of
Wilmington ; and look back with pleasure on the
sunny morning which I passed with the young people
of the family, in roaming about the romantic banks
of the Brandywine river. The scenery there is indeed
lovely, and the botany of the district is said to be
highly interesting. My companions informed me
that the snapping turtle, in this and the neighbouring
streams, sometimes grows to the weight of sixty
pounds, and is excellent food. It derives its name
from the curious circumstance that its head when
divided from the body (as in the case of some other
cold-blooded animals) retains, for many hours, its
power of snapping, and even of biting. The yellow
reed-birds also abound here, grow fat in harvest time,
and are considered a great delicacy at table.
At Philadelphia I attended the marriage of a young
Friend with whom 1 had long been acquainted. The
simple ceremony which is used in our meetings in
England, on such occasions, is also adopted among
our transatlantic brethren. It is at once brief, ex
pressive, and solemn ; but the bride and bridegroom
in America, are afterwards exposed to an exertion

NEW YORK. 365
foreign from our own habits. A crowded circle of
their friends meets them, in the evening, at the house
of the bride. These are all hospitably entertained,
and social conversation is often kept up to a late
hour. This practice has arisen, naturally enough, from
American sociability and cordiality ; but I am sure
thou wilt agree with me in preferring the quieter
method in which such matters are generally arranged
in our own country.
On my return to New York, I spent a little time
in reading to the publishing Committee of New
York yearly meeting, the address already mentioned,
to the members of our Society in Michigan ; and
afterwards in carrying it through the press. Some
of these persons had become unsettled in their sen
timents, and had renounced those spiritual views of
worship, ministry, &c, which distinguish our peculiar
religious profession. The object of this letter, was
to point out the scriptural accuracy and practical im
portance of these views ; and to show their perfect ac
cordance with those fundamental truths of the gospel
of Christ, in the hearty reception of which our Society
unites with other orthodox Christians of every deno
mination. Thus, before I left America, a testimony
was publicly borne, first, against that overstrained and
perverted spirituality which bad been adopted by the
Hicksite community ; and, secondly, against a depar
ture from those scriptural views of the offices and
operation of the Holy Spirit, which truly belong to
the profession of Friends. " Medio tutissimus" is an
old adage, and though of heathen origin, sound and
true, even as it relates to matters of religion. Shoals

366 NEW YORK.
are mostly found on either side, even of the mighty
rivers of North America ; but along the deep middle
channel, the well-fraught vessel may move along in
peace, free from all dangerous obstructions ; and finally
land the passengers, in perfect safety, at the place of
their destination.
The time was now come for my departure to the
"isles of the sea." A Christian friend and brother,
resident in New York, had received the full sanction
of the church, in offering himself as my companion
in this Christian mission ; and our berths were already
engaged in the ship Camilla. We took a hearty leave
of our numerous friends, and on the 23rd of the Uth
month (November) — just at the commencement of
the cold, clear, North American winter — set sail for
the West Indies. I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XXVI.

Earlham, 3rd month, 29th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
It was on the 20th of the 4th month, (April)
1840, on our return from the West Indies, that we
found ourselves gliding along past the Tybee light
house, on the coast of Georgia, into the river Savan
nah. Hundreds of large medusas were seen floating
about in the shoal water alongside our ship. This is
a beautiful creature. The globular external vessel
which forms, as I suppose, the back of the animal, is of
a whalebone-like texture, blueish white, and semitrans-
parent. The chambers within, which are of the same
material, are composed with wonderful neatness and
regularity ; and on the top of the globe is a head or
crest like the blossom of a night-blowing cereus.
Round the edge of the vessel is a loose flap, which is
spotted and tinged with a reddish brown pigment, and
alternately contracts and distends as if it were the or
gan of breathing. The voyage up the river to the city
of Savannah is fifteen miles in length. The country
on either side is flat, but well wooded, and was then
clothed with the verdure of early summer— presenting
a brightness of appearance, to which, in the West
Indies where there is scarcely any variation of seasons,

368 savannah.
we had long been strangers. Rice fields, half flooded
with water, were to be observed on either side ; and
British ships, mostly built at St. John's, New Bruns
wick, were waiting in the harbour, in considerable
numbers, for their cargoes of cotton. Thus, alas, the
powers of commercial nations are combined in main
taining a system of slave labour, contrary to the laws
of God, and the true course of nature, and therefore
contrary to every dictate of sound policy.
The crop of cotton, which was then ready for ex
portation, was one of extraordinary abundance, and
we were astonished, by the immense quantities which
we saw lying in bales on the wharfs of Savannah, as
we approached the city. The article had greatly
fallen in price, and the planters were full of complaints,
— like Norfolk farmers, when wheat is too abundant
to allow of high prices.
The appearance of Savannah from the river, is
that of a handsome old town — and an old town it is
as compared with the rising cities of the state of
New York. It was founded by General Oglethorpe
in 1733. The streets are wide and unpaved, most of
them being adorned with rows of the "pride of In
dia" trees. The foliage of these trees is brightly
green ; and was powdered, at this season, with a pro
fusion of small lilac blossoms, very fragrant. We
were glad to find most comfortable accommodation
at the Pulaski boarding-house. This, like many other
such establishments in America, is kept by a gentleman
who, with his lady, presides at the breakfast and dinner
table. There was a large and genteel company stay
ing in the house, and bountifully were we fed on the

savannah. 369
venison of the woods, and the large and well-flavoured
trout of the river. It could not be denied by any of
us, that we had come to a land of plenty ; and our
American shipmates were all of them delighted by
finding themselves again in the United States ; but
alas for the terrible drawback of slavery !
I had vainly imagined, that I could make a rapid
journey from this place to Philadelphia, where the
yearly meeting was then in session; but we were a
whole week at Savannah, before the steam-boat was
ready to convey us to Charleston ; and certainly it
was a week of no small interest to ourselves. The
air was warm, yet stimulating, and the atmosphere
remarkably clear ; and when I looked out of my cham
ber window on a grass square, covered with " pride of
India" trees and live oaks, I could not refuse to
acknowledge, that we had found an agreeable resting
place, after our West Indian voyage. In the course
of a few days, we formed an acquaintance with several
of the gentry of the place, who treated us with great
civility ; and some of the evenings which we spent in
their houses, were, I trust, occupied in a manner cal
culated to leave a profitable impression. We received
some very kind attentions from a gentleman of the
name of Schmitz, a timber merchant, whom I had
formerly met in Virginia. He has the bibliomania
upon him ; and is in possession of such a collection
of costly books and valuable manuscripts, as would
do credit to the Dibdins and Hebers of our own
country. It is one of the few good private libraries
that I saw in America.
Our daily drives and rides into the country, were
2 B

370 savannah.
interesting, on more than one account. In the first
place, the impoverishing effect of slave-labour was
conspicuous on every side. Thousands of acres which
were once cultivated, are now covered with woods of
but little value. The prevalent system seems to be,
to cultivate land with cotton till it is exhausted, and
then to leave it for a fresh occupation. The cotton
which we had seen in such abundance, had mostly
come from the distant uplands. But these, in their
turn, must soon be exhausted ; and then, alas, the
slave himself will become the chief marketable pro
duction of the country. The rice grounds, which
are composed of fine alluvial soil, on the banks of
the rivers, are not so easily exhausted. We visited
one of them, and were interested in observing the
system of flood-gates and dikes, by which the waters
of the Savannah are diffused over it, and again
withdrawn, at the pleasure of the cultivator. The
slaves were scattered over the moist plain which, at
a distance, appeared dotted with them. They were
weeding the rice, and seemed to us to be working
with scarcely any energy. These rice grounds, as
well as the lower cotton plantations, are dreadfully
unhealthy during the summer months. Their owners
then take refuge on the uplands, or in the towns;
and the white overseers, who are willing to risk their
lives, for a maintenance, by remaining on the estates,
are necessarily of so low a grade, that little depend
ence can be placed on their treating the negroes
kindly. The black people themselves are said not
to be affected by the unhealthiness of these locations.
The sand-flies, on these lowlands, are extremely an-

savannah. 371
noying, and troubled us during some of our excur
sions, considerably more than the mosquitoes of the
West Indies. The proportionate number of black
people in Savannah and its neighbourhood, as com
pared with the whites, is of course greatly less than
in those islands. They appeared to us to be generally
pretty well clad ; but when we met them in the streets,
or on the roads, we soon found that there was scarcely
a trace amongst them of that cheerful look and easy
courtesy, which now so generally distinguish the
peasantry of Jamaica. Their places of worship, in
Savannah, are distinct from those of the whites ; and
we heard a pretty good account of some of their con
gregations. It is pleasant to turn from the contemplation of
slavery, to the beauties of nature, some of which
abound even among the comparatively valueless woods
to which 1 have just alluded. Many, both of the
plants and birds, are worthy of observation. The
magnolia grandiflora grows to a large tree, and its
vast fragrant white blossoms were, at this time, be
ginning both to scent and adorn the woods. Still
more frequent and still more fragrant too, with not
less of beauty, is the smaller species, magnolia glauca,
here called the bay tree. The palmetto, a small kind
of palm with a round top and containing an edible
cabbage, occurs on the banks of the river. We also
observed the stuacia, with a large blossom like a
passion flower, and the pale yellow saracena or saddle
plant, which is provided with a hairy shield in front
of its petals, and with a pitcher for its leaf. To these
may be added, the scarlet bignonia, a beautiful bell-
2 B 2

372 savannah.
flowered creeper, and the trumpet honeysuckle — all
growing wild. The live oak, which is common in
this part of the country, is a highly beautiful tree,
and affords excellent material for ship-building. Its
leaves are of a livelier tint than those of the generality
of evergreens ; and from its spreading branches a long,
stringy, grey moss is usually seen hanging in abund
ance, like the flourishing beard of an old Jew. This
moss, when duly prepared, affords a good stuffing
for beds and cushions, and is a considerable article of
export. Among the birds, the wild turkey is com
mon. I frequently observed the red-bird or Virginia
nightingale, and another top-knotted bird of a reddish
brown, with a long tail. The shrill cry of the whip-
poor-will is often heard ; and still more often, the
melodious and ever-varying note of the mocking
bird. I purchased one of these elegant creatures for
fourteen dollars ; a price far less than that which they
bear in Philadelphia or New York. Vain were my
attempts to sleep, while this little creature was lodging
in my chamber — his cage being fixed in the opening
of the window — for the notes of some of his own
companions, at a distance, were constantly exciting
him to loud response. Happily, I have succeeded in
bringing him safely to my own home, where he finds
an atmosphere to his liking in a large kitchen, and
continues to sing (a rare circumstance I believe) with
all his pristine vigour.
Savannah contains upwards of 7500 people, of
whom more than half are slaves. We had made our
arrangements for a public meeting, to be held at eight
o'clock one evening, and were just about to insert

savannah. 373
our notice in the newspaper. But our purpose was,
at that time, frustrated by the sudden diffusion of a
report, that I had come thither from the West Indies,
as an " anti-slavery spy." It produced no small ex
citement, and we were assured, that the meeting
could not be held without endangering the peace of
the town, and possibly our own lives. We had been
previously warned by a missionary from Jamaica,
who came from these parts, that we could not visit
Savannah with any degree of safety, and his prophecy
seemed now likely to be verified. But all turned out
well at last. The nature of our gospel mission was
explained ; the report gradually subsided ; and two
large public meetings were held in succession — the
latter on the First day of the week, with nearly 2000
people. It was a solemn and satisfactory occasion ;
and the next morning, we left the place, under feel
ings of sincere regard and affection towards many of
its inhabitants. Certainly we are bound to acknow
ledge that they treated us with great civility and
kindness. We embarked on board the steamer, William Sea-
brook, which conveyed us to Charleston, by what is
called the inland route, in thirty hours. Our voyage
was partly along arms of the sea, running into the
land and separating it into various islands ; and partly
along artificial cuts through low meadows or marshes.
In one part our navigation was rendered very difficult
by the shallowness of the water ; and for several hours
we were fairly stuck in the mud. But we made our
escape when the tide rose. The islands by which we
passed are well wooded, but low, and in the summer,

374 VOYAGE
unhealthy. Here is grown the celebrated Sea Island
cotton, which is of a much longer and finer web than
that produced on the uplands. It sells for three or
four times the price of the common cotton, being
used for the finer laces and muslins.
We called at the pretty town of Beaufort, on the
sea coast, where many of the rich planters of the
neighbourhood reside during the summer. But our
most interesting stopping place was the fertile and
well-wooded island of Edisto, where we visited a
pleasant residence in the midst of live oaks and roses,
and a large cotton plantation. The negroes were at
the jennies, which are used for separating the cotton
from its hard black seed. This, in the case of the
Sea Island cotton, is a most oppressive labour, and I
could only compare it to the tread-wheel. Both the
feet and hands of the poor slaves were in perpetual
motion, and the sweat was running down their faces
like rain. They looked sombre and sorrowful — the
overseer was sitting near, watching them, with the
cow-hide by his side. This cow-hide is a long stout
whip, formed of dried thongs of cow-skin, twisted
spirally, and leaving a cutting edge at each circle. It
is an abominable instrument of torture. No human
frame could sustain the continuance of this work
during the labouring hours of a whole day, for
many days in succession ; but we were assured that
the task of the negroes could be finished by industry
early in the afternoon. The overseer nevertheless
acknowledged that his people grew thin in jenning
time. The alligators abound in the rivers and marshes of

TO CHARLESTON. 375
South Carolina. I observed one of them about four
feet long, with his green head and back out of the
water. Much more ornamental are the white cranes,
resembling our herons in size and gait, which we saw
in little flocks upon the meadows. At one place at
which we touched, a negro had just caught a very stout
fish, with a large head and glittering scales. It is
called the drum, and is cooked like the sturgeon, in
steaks. Our captain bought the creature for half a
dollar, and we found him excellent fare at the supper
table. The approach to Charleston by the inland navi
gation is very peculiar. From a long winding cut
through a green marsh, you suddenly come into a
noble bay, formed by the junction of the rivers Ash
ley and Cooper. An extensive headland, on which
the city is built, divides the mouths of these two
rivers. At the point of this headland is a fine open
space called the battery ; opposite to which is the
entrance through two bars of sand, from the sea
into the harbour. The spires of the churches, and
other public buildings of the respectable old city
(for such it is by comparison) have an imposing
appearance, and numerous ships waiting for cotton
were anchored near the shore. The whole scene was
one not easily to be forgotten.
Charleston contains rather less than 30,000 inha
bitants, and is built with almost as much regularity
as Philadelphia itself. The population has somewhat
decreased during the last ten years. A large part of
the town had been destroyed by fire a year or two
before our visit, and is at present only partially re-

376 CHARLESTON.
built. It did not appear to us that the place wore
the aspect of much vigour or prosperity. There can
be no doubt that many of its respectable citizens
have long since discovered that slavery is an expen
sive, and in the end ruinous system. A friend of
mine who here conducts a large manufacturing es
tablishment, has been trying the experiment of free
labour versus slavery, and finds the vast advantage
of it. His black people make surprising efforts under
the happy influence of a legitimate stimulus ; and he
is rapidly growing rich in the midst of surrounding
decay. Slavery in Charleston is far indeed from being sa
tisfactory in its aspect. At the sound of a bell or
drum,, coloured people (whether bond or free) are
compelled to quit the streets and retire to their homes,
at nine o'clock p. m. in the winter, and ten o'clock in
the summer. A strong military guard is constantly
kept up in the city ; and there is a negro prison to
which any person may send his slaves, whether male
or female, for punishment. That which is here in
flicted is either the tread-wheel, or flogging on the
bare back, not exceeding nineteen lashes. In such
cases there is no magisterial interference whatsoever;
and no authority is required for the purpose, but the
simple order of the slave-holder, given on an accom
panying ticket. There are several places in the streets
where slaves are publicly sold, particularly an open
space on one side of the exchange ; but a regular mar
ket-place for the purpose has lately been fitted up in
connection with the negro prison. We did not hap
pen to witness one of the slave-auctions, common as

CHARLESTON. 377
they are ; but nothing can be more distressing or re
volting than the scenes which often take place on
these occasions, as each slave, male or female, young
or old, is knocked down to the highest bidder. Thus
the dearest family ties are rent asunder without
mercy; under the sanction of human law, but in utter
defiance of the law of God. We were told that the
negroes are more severely treated on the estates than
they are in the city. With regard to the estates them
selves, many of them are gradually returning like those
of Virginia, to a wilderness condition, and I received
distinct information from persons who well understood
the subject, that the slaves in South Carolina are now
becoming the marketable produce of the country, and
are beginning to be exported to less exhausted regions
to the south and south-west.
We obtained excellent accommodation at the
Charlestou hotel, a new establishment of a vast ex
tent, and pretty well regulated. Here we took up our
abode for several days, during which time we were
introduced to many of the leading persons of the
city; and notwithstanding the somewhat unpleasant
repetition of the reports which had troubled us at
Savannah, we found our way opened by degrees, for
repeated meetings for worship with the inhabitants.
The first of these was held one evening in a large
Methodist chapel, and was much thronged by the
people. This was on one of the week days. On the
following First day we sat down, in the morning, at
the private dwelling of an aged Friend, with a few
individuals who still profess the principles of our So
ciety. In the afternoon, the chapel of the Orphan

378 CHARLESTON.
asylum was kindly opened for us, when our meeting
was attended by the children, about 130 in number,
and by many of the gentry of the town. This valu
able institution is pretty well endowed ; and is under
the care of twelve commissioners who appear to be
able and benevolent men. The children are all whites,
and seem to be fairly taught. Nevertheless there is a
certain want of finish and order in the place, which
plainly denotes that it is in the midst of slavery. In
the evening about 2000 people met us in the Indepen
dent Presbyterian church. It was a formidable occa
sion to us in prospect, especially as some very exciting
reports continued to be in circulation. But happily
it passed off in much order and quietness; and great
was the attention prevailing among the people, while
some of the essential doctrines and principles of the
Christian religion were plainly unfolded. Solemn
prayer concluded the meeting.
On the following morning, with the leave of Henry
L. Pinckney, the mayor of the city, who treated us
with much Christian kindness, we visited both the
common district jail, and the negro prison already
alluded to ; and in both, our attention was forcibly
directed to the deep sufferings of the African race.
In the common jail we saw a poor negro, lying in his
cell, who had been severely flogged that very morning,
for striking a white man. This punishment was (as I
am told) the lenient substitute for that which the law
of the state enacts for this offence — namely, the cutting
off of the right arm of the black or coloured striker,
whether he is bond or free. In the mean time the
white man who strikes a black one, enjoys a perfect

CHARLESTON. 379
impunity. Two wretched slaves were also pointed
out to us, who had been condemned to death for a
simple robbery, committed on the island of Edisto,
and were then awaiting the day of their execution.
The poor creatures had every appearance of ignorance,
and the expression of their countenances was a mix
ture of stupidity and sorrow. In the negro prison
we found a large number of slaves who had been
sent there for punishment. The treadwheel is placed
in the middle of the yard, but no one was then upon
it, and we saw no cruelty actually inflicted. Some of
the masters of these poor creatures came in while we
were there, to look after their " property." They
seemed much annoyed by our presence ; and one of
them gave us a frightful scowl, which seemed to in
dicate his wish that we also might have our share of
the whip or of the tread-wheel.
Not much more satisfactory was our visit to the
pauper workhouse, where the lunatics are confined
in wretched solitary cells, as if they were wild beasts
rather than human beings. But I am happy to ac
knowledge that we met with a happy contrast in the
seaman's hospital, which is cleanly, comfortable, and
well conducted. One of these institutions is to be
found in each of the principal ports of the Union,
being supported by a very small tax levied on the
sailors themselves. Thus the inmates of these asylums
are indebted to no man. They keep up their American
independence, even in times of affliction and sickness.
The words of Christian counsel and sympathy appear
ed to be cordially accepted, as we passed from ward
to ward. On our return to the hotel we received an

380 CHARLESTON.
obliging call from one of the principal judges of this
state. We pressed upon his attention (as we after
wards did on that of the mayor) the case of the two
negro robbers who were left for execution. In the
course of our conversation he gave us an affecting
account of the character of criminal law in this state.
About thirty different crimes (as mentioned in a for
mer letter) are punishable with death ; and while an
instance seldom occurs of the actual execution of the
law in the case of the whites, the awful punishment
ensues, as a matter of course, when the offender is a
negro. Thus the Draconic code of South Carolina
is in fact nothing more than an appendage of slavery.
It may be worth remarking that when a slave is ex
ecuted, the master loses nothing ; he receives the value
of his " chattel " from the treasury of the state !
We suggested to the mayor that it might serve
some good purpose, if he would privately convene a
few of the principal persons of the city, to hear our
story of the favourable working of freedom in the
West Indies ; but he assured us that such an attempt
could not be made with prudence. We therefore left
a written statement, on the subject, with one of the
most active and respectable of the citizens, who kindly
undertook to diffuse the information in a quiet man
ner. We had now finished our work at Charleston,
where we had certainly been received with much more
kindness and polite attention, than we had ventured
to expect. In the afternoon, we took the Governor
Dudley steamer for a sea voyage, by night, to North
Carolina. I have before observed that the American
steam-boats are not fully adequate to voyages by the

WILMINGTON. 381
open sea. Some of our friends who had taken the
same route a few nights before, had been exposed,
during a violent gale, to considerable danger ; and we
could not forget that it was in this part of the seas
that the Pulaski was blown up, to the destruction of
nearly 200 persons. But our voyage was attended
by no accidents. At break of day we found ourselves
in the Cape Fear river ; and soon afterwards arrived
at the pleasant-looking town of Wilmington, a port
of considerable traffic in timber, tar, and turpentine.
Here we took the rail-car, which conveyed us
through the whole length of North Carolina, and
part of Virginia, until we arrived at Fredericksburg,
a distance of 300 miles. We passed through the
towns of Petersburgh and Richmond, which I have
already described, and in which, having already done
my work there, I had no longer any wish to tarry.
Most of the country through which we travelled,
was poor — clothed in many parts with a second growth
of pines, and presenting the obvious indications of
the usual process of exhaustion by slave-labour. The
woods and plains by the road-side were beautifully
adorned with flowers, particularly the magnolia glauca,
in rich profusion, and the yellow, green, or red trum
pet plant, a large blossomed meadow flower which
assumes all these colours ; also the scarlet honey
suckle, and white azalia. The enamelling of some
of the wild grass plots was charming. We found an
interesting travelling companion in Isaac E. Holmes,
M. C. for Charleston, a gentleman of much kindliness
of disposition, as well as talent and information. He
afterwards favoured us with introductions to some

382 SOUTHERN STATES.
of the principal public men at Washington, including
his friend John C. Calhoun, with whom he is in strict
political unison. At Fredericksburg we took the
stage-coach for a few rough miles to the Potomac.
There we once more got on board a steamer, and
reached Washington in safety on the evening of the
second day after leaving Charleston — a distance of
650 miles.
Before I conclude this letter, I wish to make a few
remarks on a subject of great notoriety as it regards
the southern states — I mean Lynch-law. It is so
called from a certain judge of that name, who, in
some wild region of the west, where no legal juris
diction existed, ordered an offender to be flogged, on
the mere decision of the squatters of the neighbour
hood. It is in fact the lawless assumption of the
executive power by the people themselves, when they
happen to consider any one within their grasp, worthy
of stripes or of death. On such occasions there is
often a mock trial by judge and jury ; but at other
times, only the act of violence without even the show
of justice. The friends of the slave have met with
this outrageous treatment on various occasions. One
of the American missionaries, now in Jamaica, had
suffered from Lynch-law to the extent (if my memory
serves me right) of 100 stripes. The desperate attack
made upon Dr. Lovejoy, who had established an
anti-slavery press in Alton, (Illinois) and its fatal
issue, are matters of public notoriety. This event
took place while I was in America ; and I well re
member hearing a slave-holder, in the south, argue
stoutly, at a tea party, in defence of the crime. But

SOUTHERN STATES. 383
these lawless outrages have by no means been con
fined to matters connected with slavery. Sometimes
they are better directed. Fifteen gamblers at Vicks-
burgh, in Mississippi, were seized, a few years since,
by the indignant populace, and hung up without the
slightest ceremony.
Of the same nature, though not exactly ranging
under lynch-law, is the frequent use of the bowie
knife, in the slave states of the union. To stab a
person to death, who has happened to affront the
slayer, whether that affront be given by word or blow,
is a practice of no uncommon occurrence in this part
of the union, and one which I have also heard perti
naciously defended in casual conversation. Nor is
this the whole of the case. Instances sometimes
occur, in which the murder of revenge is perpetrated
in cold blood, and yet with impunity. On one occa
sion, a judge in Virginia, as he sat upon the bench,
shot a person who was standing in court, for which
he suffered no punishment but the loss of his office.
Another case was that of a gentleman, in the same
state, whose wife had been defamed by one of his
fellow-citizens. Soon afterwards, he revenged him
self by shooting the defamer in the streets, and the
local court decided, that the offence justified the act.
Both these circumstances were publicly reported while
I was in America, and 1 never heard them contradict
ed. To me they seemed so strange and preposterous,
that I hardly knew how to admit their truth. But
there can be no doubt, that many similar acts of
lawless violence have been perpetrated of late years,

384 SOUTHERN STATES.
both by individuals and bodies of men, in the slave
states of the Union.
The general inference which I draw from these
facts, is this — that democratic institutions are never so
liable to abuse, as when they are in juxta-position
with slavery. In the connection between two condi
tions of society, which spring from such opposite
principles, and produce such opposite effects, there is
a frightful anomaly, which leads to every description
of licentiousness and crime. The very sources of
true liberty are poisoned. The grand distinctions of
morality are confused and forgotten. Not only are
the children of bondage exposed to a constant course
of injury and oppression ; but those who hold them
in slavery become, in their turns, the bondsmen of
violent passions which are utterly at variance with
the peace and happiness of mankind. I do not of
course mean, that this is the effect produced on every
individual slave-holder — far otherwise ; but I am fully
justified in asserting that it is the constant and in
evitable tendency of the system.

I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XXVII.

Earlham, 3rd month, 30th, 1841.
My dear Friend,
We arrived at Washington on the 6th of the
5th month (May). Vast numbers of gentlemen had
come that day to the city, after attending a great
Whig, convention at Baltimore ; so that had it not
been for the timely care of some friends of ours, who
preceded us, we could have found beds at none of
the hotels. As it was, chambers were ready for our
party at Gadsby's, the great hotel of the place — one
of those vast establishments for lodging and boarding,
which are now common in that land of perpetual
movement, but of which in England we know almost
nothing. The Friend who accompanied me iu my
West Indian tour, was here met by his wife and son ;
and two young men were also of our party. The
next morning we went up to the capital, and spent
some time in the senate, where I was glad of a friendly
greeting with Henry Clay, of Kentucky. We were
introduced to the floor of the house, by the leave of
the Vice-president, who here occupies the seat cor
responding to our " woolsack." After being once
introduced, we were permitted free ingress during
our whole stay in Washington — seats in a circular
gallery round the room, and in immediate contact
2 C

386 WASHINGTON.
with the senators, being provided for such strangers
as are able to obtain the privilege. There was a
debate, that morning, on the state of the finances;
and we heard a speech or two on each side. But
being much fatigued, we left the house too soon, and
lost the opportunity of witnessing a display of ora
tory from Southard, Clay, and Webster.
Our proper business at Washington, however, was
to find quiet opportunities of telling our story of
West Indian freedom to the great thinkers and lead
ers of the land. We began the next morning with
Daniel Webster — that intellectual giant— and had
much satisfaction in the interview. We then paid
our respects to the President, at his morning levy,
and obtained his permission for a private audience
on a future day. The Whigs who had come from
Baltimore, were waiting on their mighty opponent in
great numbers ; and he seemed to receive every body
with equal ease and politeness. We then repaired to
the legislative hall, and listened to a speech, full of
information, from John Quincy Adams. Aged as he
is, he may be regarded as the first debater in the
house. It was a question of commercial law, and the.
old gentleman displayed, on this occasion, an extra
ordinary measure of erudition respecting the laws of
Old England. In the senate we were introduced to
John C. Calhoun, the celebrated " nullifier." When
I use that word, I refer to the fact, that it was he
who persuaded the legislature of South Carolina to
nullify the law imposing the tariff on British manu
factured goods, which Congress had previously enact
ed. Thus it became a political question between the

WASHINGTON. 387
nation and the state ; and after a great deal of fierce
squabbling, was settled by a compromise. Calhoun
is deeply fraught with metaphysics, and is said to be
the profoundest thinker in America. Perhaps, how
ever, he affords one evidence, amongst many others,
that elaborate reasoning is not always the surest
road to practical truth. His manners are perfectly
gentlemanlike ; and he kindly allowed us to arrange
an interview with him at his lodgings, for the follow
ing morning.
We dined that day at the house of some intelligent
ladies with whom we had become acquainted — not
wishing to lose any opportunity of pursuing our great
object. There we met two individuals whom it was
interesting to know. The first was General Miller,
an Englishman in the service of Peru. He is well
acquainted with many of the new republics of South
America, and is a person whose simplicity and frank
ness of demeanour afford a warrant for his veracity.
He gave us an excellent account, both of the working
of the freedom of the blacks, and of the good charac
ter for talent and conduct which many of them are
now sustaining. In several of these states, their
emancipation is now complete. In others, the period
previously fixed for it is nearly at hand. This is the
case with Peru, where there are sugar estates peopled
with numerous negroes. The general has also been
resident in the Sandwich islands, and is deeply in
terested in the moral and religious condition of the
inhabitants. The other person alluded to, was John Forsyth,
who was then Secretary of State. He is a highly
2 C 2

388 WASHINGTON.
agreeable elderly gentleman, with every appearance
about him of talent and thought, and deeply fraught
with the politics of the day. He treated us with
great kindness ; and allowed us, in the course of the
evening, to put him in full possession of the case of
West Indian freedom, so far as it had come under
our notice.
At ten o'clock on the following morning, we called
on our friend Holmes, who conducted us to his fa
vourite and leader, John C. Calhoun, from whom
we received a polite and friendly reception. His
appearance is very striking. I should suppose him
to be upwards of fifty years old. He is of middle
stature ; pale countenance ; prominent forehead ;
expressive nose, lips, and chin ; and eyes deep and
penetrating. After some preparatory talk on cli
mate, health, &c. &c, we came to the " fight of
liberty." I told him that we had been passing the
winter in the West Indies, and wished for an opportu
nity of laying before him the results of our calm obser
vation of the state of the British colonies there. He
said he had nothing in view but truth, and should like
to hear us. We then entered succinctly into the detail ;
and gave him evidence upon evidence, on five grand
points : first, that the liberated negroes are working
well on the estates of their old masters, under which
head we explained the grounds of the difficulty which
had taken place in Jamaica ; secondly, that the staple
articles, with proper management, are produced at less
expense, under freedom, than they had formerly been
under slavery ; thirdly, that landed and other real
property, has risen, and continues to rise, in value ;

WASHINGTON. 389
fourthly, that there is a corresponding improvement
in the comforts of the labouring people, which is
plainly evinced, among other circumstances, by the
vast increase of the imports ; and lastly, that there
is an equal progress in the morals of the community,
both black and white. He fixed his dark eye upon
us, and listened with the greatest attention. After
our statement was concluded, we had the satisfaction
of hearing him admit the whole truth of our case ;
and confess, without reserve, the superiority of free
dom to slavery, even in a pecuniary point of view.
He then opened his fire upon us, as it regards the
political aspects of the question, and entered on a
rapid declamatory argument — vivid, acute, and to all
appearance closely reasoned. He cross-questioned us
as to the probable political ascendancy of the blacks
in the West Indies ; ascribed the safety of the ex
periment there, to the controlling power of Great
Britain, considered as a third party ; then turned to
his own countrv, dwelt on the absence of such a
controlling power in America ; and endeavoured to
show that the whites and blacks were so distinct as
races — so incapable in the nature of things of being
amicably mixed— that no peace could be maintained
between them, on any other terms than on those
which already subsisted, viz. that the whites should
hold the blacks in slavery. Clay, of Alabama, and
several other southerners, were present on the occa
sion, and seemed much delighted with the eloquent
argument of their leader. For ourselves, we felt well
satisfied with his admissions ; and notwithstanding
his strong views on the politics of the case, con-

390 WASHINGTON.
tinued to feel quite sure that the continuance of the
present system involved an infinitely greater danger
of confusion, bloodshed, and ruin, than would be
likely to arise from its immediate extinction. We
just hinted that the gospel of Christ, in its practical
operation, was the true bulwark against all such dan
gers ; and so our conference broke up in mutual good
humour. We next called on R. M. T. Hunter, of Virginia,
the speaker of the house of representatives, whom
we found in his private apartment in the capitol. He
is a sensible gentleman, in early life, very unassum
ing in his manners, and seemed to lend a willing
ear to so much of our statement as we had time to
give. Our call upon him was afterwards repeated,
and although he took a low view of the free blacks
in his own state, he displayed an absence of prejudice
on the subject, which left a favourable impression on
our minds. We then proceeded by appointment to
the lodgings of our friend Henry Clay, who gave us
a cordial reception, notwithstanding the strictures on
his great pro-slavery speech, which he knew that I
had published. He looks rather older than Calhoun ;
and his intelligent countenance has the expression at
once of humour and benevolence. He talked freely
and kindly about the pamphlet which I had written,
and poured forth an encomium upon Friends, which
was followed by a still more fervent tirade against
the northern abolitionists. He then permitted us to
enter on our West Indian statement, and gave us
a close uninterrupted attention while we went calmly
through the particulars of the subject. The real

WASHINGTON. 391
pleasure which he appeared to derive from the in
formation afforded him, was an evidence that his
heart and best judgment are still in favour of eman
cipation. It was with true cordiality that he advised
me to publish the account which we had now given
him ; nor had he the least hesitation in allowing
my letters on the subject to be addressed to him
self. To us it was a highly interesting interview;
and we parted from our friend under the feelings of
sincere regard. Fervently is it to be desired that the
pro-slavery votes and speeches which have marked his
course of later years — opposed as they have been to his
original views in favour of universal freedom — may
now give place to a noble support of unreserved and
immediate emancipation.
This was certainly an important day to us ; for we
had next to make our private call on the President.
He had himself appointed the hour, and was ready to
receive us — Governor Carroll of Tennessee and one
other gentleman being with him on the occasion.
He understood the object of our visit, and kindly
allowed us a quiet opportunity of telling him our own
story. We endeavoured to make it as succinct and
perspicuous as possible ; and after going through the
several particulars of evidence, we ended with a brief
but full recapitulation. He gave us his entire atten
tion, confessed that the subject was one of great
iuterest, and freely acknowledged his satisfaction in
the statement which we had made. He then pro
mised us another opportunity of conversing with him
on the subject of Cuba, and the foreign slave-trade.
After taking a respectful leave of this kind and well

392 WASHINGTON.
mannered personage, we returned to our hotel, where
we were glad to spend a quiet afternoon. In the even
ing we went to the capitol to attend the national con
vention on education. Dr. Bache, the president of
Girard College, Philadelphia, was in the chair; and
several members of Congress, from different parts of
the Union, gave an interesting account of the state of
education in their respective states. Large supplies
from the public purse are appropriated to the purpose
in most of the states, in aid of local school rates ; but
it appeared that some parts of the country were much
in advance of others in reference to this subject. The
support of popular education from the public purse, is
rendered easy, in America, by the absence of a church
establishment, and the political equality of all the
sects. We were confirmed however in our former
conviction, that the great defect in the common
schools of that country, is the want of a daily use
of the Holy Scriptures. Being called upon by the
chairman, I thought it right to make a few remarks
in the meeting on this important and even vital topic;
and thus a week of great interest was brought to its
close. The sabbath day which followed was a very quiet
one. There are no Friends in Washington or the
neighbourhood. We therefore held our morning
meeting in one of our own chambers, in company
with some of our shipmates from the West Indies,
who were now at Washington. It is in such times
of retirement before the Lord of heaven and earth,
that the mind is stayed from its restlessness ; and the
Christian prepared by an influence, far superior to all

WASHINGTON. 393
his own powers, for the duties, however arduous, to
which he may be called. In the evening, we met
a large circle of ladies and gentlemen at the lodgings
of our friend Joseph L. Tillinghast, M.C. for Provi
dence. Part of the epistle to the Philippians was
read to them, and they were afterwards addressed on
a variety of topics suggested by its contents — I hope
with Christian plainness. When our religious meet
ing had been brought to its conclusion, we found an
opportunity of a full conversation with one of the
most pleasing and sensible public men to be met with
in America — 1 mean John Serjeant, M.C. for Phila
delphia. He is a lawyer of first-rate reputation both
for talent and integrity; and the simplicity and plain
ness of his manners are such as to remind one of
the circumstance, that he was born a member of our
own religious society. I have no doubt that he is
a man of peace ; and he has a warm heart in favour
of emancipation. It must certainly be regarded as a
circumstance very favourable to the cause of justice
and humanity, as well as to the tranquil relations of
the two countries, that he is now appointed to act as
minister plenipotentiary at the court of Great Britain.
In order to place thee in possession of some of the
interesting circumstances of the next few days, I will
now give thee a few memorandums from my diary.
5th month (May) 11th. This morning we again
called on the Speaker, at his private apartment in the
capitol, and finished our West Indian story with him.
We took the liberty of inquiring of him whether it
would be possible for us to have the use of the hall
of representatives one evening for the purpose of

394 WASHINGTON.
giving our narrative in public; but such is the sen
sitiveness which prevails on the subject of slavery,
that the arrangement could not be made with pru
dence, and we were recommended to continue our
course of private conversations, as the most desirable
method of proceeding. Afterwards, we spent some
time in the lower house, to the floor of which we
were kindly admitted, and I was quietly seated among
these patriot debaters as if I had been one of their
number. These gentlemen are pugnacious enough ;
for a regular fisting conflict, between two of the
members, had taken place in the house a few days
before ; and one of the parties was said to have even
drawn a bowie knife. But this legislative assembly
of 242 members — each representing 47,700 citizens,
and elected for only two years — is by no means to
be appreciated by such an efflorescence of licentious
democracy. It is a much better house of commons
than I had imagined, and in general more orderly
than our own. The great difficulty which is here
experienced, arises from the fact that every member
is expected to be a speaker, in consequence of which
the debates are diffuse and long continued. Often
does it happen that whole days are spent in oratory,
or rather in talking, with very little practical result.
Every member is stationed at his own desk ; and from
this position conveniently addresses the Speaker,
whose chair is placed in front of the semicircle.
The Senate, which consists of two members from
each state, without any reference to comparative popu
lation, is elected every six years. It is arranged in
the same way as the house of representatives. On

WASHINGTON. 395
leaving the lower house, we walked into the Senate
chamber, and listened to a lively debate respecting
the granting of a pension to the widow (now aged
94) of the first American officer who fell in the
revolutionary war. Two admirable speeches were
made on the occasion ; the one by John J. Crit
tenden, senator from Kentucky, who is considered one
of the most accomplished debaters in the house ;
the other, by our kind friend Col. Preston of South
Carolina, who spoke with a degree of pathos and ele
gance, which I have seldom heard equalled. Never
theless this debate occupied much more time than
would be considered proper for so small a subject,
in the British parliament.
In the evening, in company with one of my young
friends, I called on the ladies with whom we had
dined a few days before, and accompanied them to
the house of Joel R. Poinsett, the secretary at war.
There we spent an agreeable hour or two in a select
company, and were much pleased with our host, who
is a person of extensive literary acquirement, and a
great traveller. We agreed to call upon him at his
office on a future day, to talk over the subject of
West Indian emancipation.
5th month (May) 12th. This morning we called
on N. P. Tallmadge, senator from New York, and
one of the citizens of Pokeepsie. He received out-
information with a pleasure and cordiality which
evinced his sincere interest in the cause of justice
and humanity. In the evening, we passed a highly
interesting hour with John Quincy Adams — that
vivacious old gentleman, who surprises every one

396 WASHINGTON.
with the extent and accuracy of his information,
and the undying fires of his zeal. Although the
traces of age are very perceptible in his personal
appearance, he is still witty and entertaining, and is
capable of wearing a pleasant smile. His feelings
were evidently much touched by our narrative ; and
we afterwards entered into a useful discussion with
him, on the subject of Cuba and the slave trade.
5th month (May) 13th. We had much enjoy
ment this morning, in the company of our friend
General Miller who came to breakfast with us. He
is an intelligent and kind-hearted man, and his ac
count of the state of society, both in South America
and the Sandwich Islands, was full of instruction and
interest. After breakfast, we again called on Daniel
Webster, who spent some time, with his amiable lady,
in examining our sketches of some of those sceues
in Jamaica, which mark the substantial prosperity of
the black people in their state of freedom. We then
conversed with him on the affecting subject of Ame
rican participation in the African slave-trade. His
intelligence and amiability attracted us greatly, and
his views on this subject appear to be at once correct
and strong. We next proceeded to the office of the
secretary at war, who although he was born and edu
cated in the midst of slavery, received our story of
West Indian freedom with real pleasure. We can
not doubt his sincere desire to promote the cause
of freedom in his own country, Webster and Poinsett
belong to directly opposite sides in politics ; but ours
was a subject which had no connection with party,
and we were received with equal kindness and open-

WASHINGTON. 397
ness by whigs and democrats. From the office of
the secretary at war, we went forward to that of the
secretary of state, where we were received with fa
miliar civility by our friend John Forsyth, so well
known in the political world. We had already
conversed with him on the subject of the British
West Indies; and were now anxious to talk with
him respecting the African slave-trade, and the part
which America is taking in reference to that vital
topic. He seemed much inclined to complain of
the inconsistency of Englishmen who manufacture
the articles employed in that traffic. We had no
disposition to defend such unworthy citizens of the
British empire. But we endeavoured to persuade
our friend that whatsoever might be the guilt of
individuals, on either side of the Atlantic, in pro
moting the traffic, it was the bounden duty of the
two governments to unite in a heartv endeavour to
effect its extinction. The secretary assured us that
had the mutual right of search, when allowed by
America under the presidency of Monroe, been con
fined to certain limits of the ocean, near the coast of
Africa, it might have been continued without diffi
culty; but he gave us little hope that the pride of
America could now be induced to surrender the point
in question.
The rest of the morning was spent in the senate,
where we heard an excellent speech from John Crit
tenden, and a few plain well delivered sentences from
Webster — both on the bankrupt laws. The question
in debate was whether these laws should or should
not extend to the state banks — the whigs being in

398 WASHINGTON.
favour of those institutions, and the Van Burenites
opposed to them. The debate was afterwards re
newed, and continued for several days ; but I never
heard the issue of it. When the house adjourned,
we availed ourselves of a kind invitation from Henry
Clay with whom we dined at his lodgings. There
is so much kindness and good humour about him,
with large infusions of talent and wit, that we could
not do otherwise than enjoy ourselves in his com
pany. Among the persons present, were L. Salton-
stall, M. C. for Salem, and J. Henderson, senator
from Mississippi. I had met the former gentleman
when I was in Massachusetts, where he is much re
spected for his character and talents. A circle of
ladies and gentlemen gathered round us in the even
ing, who seemed well pleased to listen to our account
of the West Indies.
5th month (May) 14th. We spent an hour or two
this morning, with John Davis, the senator for Mas
sachusetts, a gentleman of eminent talent and liberality,
who was about to introduce into the house a bill for
the further prevention of the participation of American
citizens in the African slave-trade. He allowed us to
read to him the notes which we had made at Havana;
and was so obliging as to communicate to us the in
tended provisions of his bill, of which he placed a copy
in our hands. It was aimed, first, against the building
of slave ships in the ports of the Union, and secondly,
against all facilitation of the traffic at the American
consulate in Cuba, and other foreign parts. I under
stand that it has since passed the house ; but it is
extremely difficult, even by the most stringent laws,

WASHINGTON. 399
to prevent a mischief to which avarice is always
tempting. Afterwards we proceeded to the "white
house," where we obtained an opportunity of a confer
ence with the President on the same subject. The
only persons present with him, besides ourselves,
were Levi Woodbury, secretary of the treasury, and
J. K. Paulding, secretary of the navy. The conver
sation was to us one of deep interest. We plainly
stated the circumstances which we had learnt in Cuba,
respecting the citizens of the Union, who were then
taking part in the abominations of this lawless traf
fic; talked over the provisions of Davis's bill; and
suggested that a mutual right of search, with restric
tion to the coast of Africa, might be granted, without
derogating from the high feelings of the Americans,
and without injury to their legitimate commerce.
The well-known case of the Amistad was also pressed
on the President's attention. It could not be expected
that he should commit himself on these important
topics ; but we felt grateful for the attention with
which our remarks were listened to, as well as for the
personal kindness bestowed upon ourselves. I cannot
refrain from saying that, notwithstanding all differ
ences between us, I shall always feel a warm regard
for this eminent person.
We spent most of the evening of that day with
two of the leading whigs — Samuel Southard, senator
from New Jersey, and his son-in-law, Ogden B.Hoff
man, M. C. for New York city. The former is a
veteran politician, of high character and talent, much
listened to in the senate ; and the latter is said to be
the most eloquent orator of the lower house. The

400 WASHINGTON.
time which we passed in their company is worthy of
being remembered. They seemed to be heartily inter
ested in the subjects which were then occupying so
much of our attention ; and both of them conversed
in a lively and instructive manner. I must freely
acknowledge that the more I saw of the lords and
commons of America — I mean in their private capa
city — the higher my estimate rose of the true standing
of many of them, in point both of just opinions and
superior abilities. Let Christianity still further infuse
its influence amongst them, and let the odious blot of
slavery be removed — and they will not fail to rise into
almost unrivalled eminence among the legislators of
the world.
5th month, (May) 15th. On entering the senate
chamber this morning, we were kindly accosted by
Dr. Bates, a presbyterian minister, the chaplain of the
house. Entirely of his own accord he proposed to
give us his usual place in the speaker's chair, on the
following First day morning, that we might hold a
public meeting, after the manner of the Society of
Friends. The proposal corresponded with an impres
sion of duty, which had already been made on our own
minds. The speaker gave his consent without the
least hesitation; the proposal was agreed to, and notices
were inserted in the newspapers, with a special invita
tion to the officers of Government, and the members of
congress. Such is the open door for religious service,
to be found, even amongst public men, on the free and
equal arena of the United States.
In the afternoon we paid a visit, by appointment, to
Henry Fox, the British Ambassador, who lives at

WASHINGTON. 401
Georgetown. He is a gentleman of somewhat singu
lar habits, being much accustomed to reverse the
order of night and day— so that I had often called at his
house before, without being able to see him. But our
present interview repaid us for our trouble. We
were pleased with his ready talent, and evident bene
volence. His former residence in the Brazils has given
him a thorough knowledge of the slave-trade, and his
feelings on the subject are deep and lively. Nothing
could be more spirited, or more to the point, than his
appeals to the American government, on the subject
of the right of search, and on the case of the Amistad.
We spent some time in interchanging information and
sentiments, on these and similar topics ; and we left
him under the impression that be is little likely to
turn his back upon the cause. Our friend is the
nephew of the late Charles James Fox, and we could
not but give him credit for a large share of that good
sense and kindness of heart, which so eminently dis
tinguished his uncle.
5th month, (May) 6th. We again waited on sena
tor Davis, and suggested some little alterations in his
bill, which, on the whole, we greatly approved. He
promised to take our remarks into consideration; and
seemed heartily desirous of rendering the measure as
complete and effective as the intangibility of the evil
would allow. Afterwards, we called at the navy office,
and spent some time with J. K. Paulding, the secretary
of that department, to whom we showed a few sketches,
in order to illustrate our account of the favourable
condition of the black people in the West Indies. We
afterwards conversed with him, respecting the trans-
2 D

402 WASHINGTON.
actions of Americans, on the coast of Africa, which was
a point more immediately within his province. He
is a man of letters, and well known in America, as a
humorous descriptive writer. There is much of acute-
ness, as well as kindness, in the expression of his
countenance. Like our friend Forsyth, he seemed
very prone to dwell on the inconsistencies of the
English ; and we again endeavoured to show the folly
of mutual jealousy between the two nations, and the
importance of their cordial co-operation in their ef
forts to extinguish the slave-trade. As we were going
out of the navy office, we met our friend Henry Clay,
who pleasantly asked me what I had been doing with
the book under my arm. I answered, that I had been
showing the secretary of the navy a picture of the
prosperity of Jamaica. "Yes," he replied; "that is
your method — you come and make your impressions,
and then von leave us to draw our conclusions."
ml
Nothing could be more just than this remark ; for this
had been precisely our plan of action during the
whole of this visit to Washington. We knew the
American character too well to attempt to instruct
these gentlemen in forming their conclusions. But we
felt no small confidence, that if they were properly fur
nished with the facts of the case, they would draw
those conclusions correctly.
Our business with the " intellectual nobility" of
Washington was now concluded. On our return to
the hotel, I accompanied my young companions, by
way of recreation, to the gallery of King and Sully's
pictures. I thought many of them excellent ; and was
glad to observe that the rising artists of America are

WASHINGTON. 403
beginning to rival those of our own country. In a
comparatively young nation, like the United States, it
is pleasant to observe the progress both of art and
science; for the polishing touches of such pursuits,
when kept under right control, have a favourable in
fluence on the condition of society. The weather,
which for some days had been cold and stormy, was
now perfectly summer-like ; and a quiet ramble over
the green fields of the neighbourhood was to us an
acceptable conclusion of another laborious and inter
esting week.
With no small fear and diffidence did we mount
the steps of the capitol on the following morning.
When we entered the hall of representatives, we once
more found it well filled with the members of Congress,
their ladies, and many other persons. Amongst others
we observed Clay of Kentucky, Clay of Alabama,
Forsyth, Adams, Wise, and Hoffman. Profound si
lence overspread the assembly; and after we had been
quietly seated for some little time, I felt constrained
to rise and ask the question which our Saviour ad
dressed to the Jews, "What think ye of Christ?"
These words formed a natural introduction to a view
of the great scheme of redemption in its several parts.
Afterwards, that unbending righteousness which is its
practical result, was earnestly pressed on the attention
of all present, especially of those on whom devolved
the responsibility of legislation and government. I
think I have never seen a more orderly or attentive
assembly than on that occassion. A solemn pause of
silence again ensued. The meeting then separated ;
and, after having given and received many a warm
2 D 2

404 WASHINGTON.
and cordial farewell, we returned to our hotel, and
soon afterwards, I took my last leave of Washington.
A public meeting had been previously appointed for
that evening at Baltimore. Under such circumstances,
we could not hesitate to avail ourselves of the after
noon rail-car. A respectable assembly was collected
at the Baptist chapel, in the latter city, to unite with us
in our worship ; and thus a second occasion of rather
peculiar religious solemnity brought this sabbath day
to its close.
I am, &c. &c.

LETTER XXVIII.

Earlham, 4th month, 1st, 1841.
My dear Friend,
We were glad to learn that, on the day
after we left Washington, a strong memorial from a
standing committee of the New York yearly meet
ing of Friends, respecting the African slave-trade
and slavery, was presented to the house of represent
atives, and referred to a committee — notwithstand
ing a former decision of that house, that no petitions
on the latter subject should be received at all. Such
a circumstance seemed to evince that the legislators
were, in some degree, mollified on the subject, or, at
any rate, that they were disposed to mark their respect
for the religious body on whose behalf the memorial
was presented. It was evident to us, that plain
Christian appeals, offered in the spirit of kindness,
have a much better effect on these gentlemen than
" railing accusation." The remark might indeed apply
to persons of every description, and in all parts of
the world. But it bears with a peculiar force on
the Americans, who are, in general, little disposed
to brook any violent interference with their own sen
timents.

406 BALTIMORE.
It was a source of unfeigned pleasure once more
to find ourselves at Baltimore. In company with our
kind host, we called, in the course of the morning,
on Roger B. Taney, chief-justice of the United States,
and successor of the celebrated John Marshall. He
is a Roman Catholic, and bears a high reputation as
an experienced and elaborate lawyer. As far as I
could judge from a single conversation with him, he
is much on a par, in point of talent and high respect
ability, with most of our own judges. Few persons
seemed to take a livelier interest than he, in our
accounts of the result of West Indian emancipation ;
and he spoke very decidedly of the determination
which prevails in the American courts of justice, to
punish any illegal acts committed by the citizens of
the Union, in aid of the African slave-trade. He
took leave of us with great kindness, and warmly
expressed his satisfaction in the interview. In the
evening, a very large circle of Friends and others
assembled in a spacious private drawing-room ; when
we related the history of our winter's tour. It was
pleasant to us to observe the warmth of generous
feeling towards the African race, which was excited,
among them, by a very simple narrative.
The yearly meeting of New York was now about
to be held in that city ; and after paying a short but
pleasant visit to our friends at Philadelphia and
Burlington, my companion and I went forward to
attend it. After our long journey in the West
Indies, where there are no members of our society,
we felt it to be a high privilege again to unite with a
large body of Friends, in transacting the affairs of

NEW YORK. 407
the church, and in the worship of that Holy Being
who had brought us back in safety to our beloved
brethren and sisters. One circumstance, however,
was, at this time, the occasion of much sorrow and
anxiety. It was the dangerous illness of our friend
Daniel Wheeler, from England, which soon afterwards
terminated in his death. He had long been zealously
devoted to the best of masters ; and although he was
far separated from his family, his death-bed was one
of unruffled quietness and peace. The watchful ten
derness with which he was nursed in the house of an
excellent family at New York, could not be exceeded ;
and when he died, they mourned for him, as if he had
always been one of their own fire-side circle. I would
again remark, in passing, that, in no part of the
world, as I believe, can be found livelier traits of
warm and persevering affection than among the
people of the United States. It is right that the
citizens of Great Britain should know this fact,
from which, not a few of their number, myself in
cluded, have derived both pleasure and benefit.
After the conclusion of the yearly meeting, I spent
ten days in retirement at Flushing, during which
time, I was busily occupied in writing "Familiar
Letters to Henry Clay, of Kentucky, describing a
Winter in the West Indies." But before it was
possible to finish the work, a new call of religious
duty arose. The yearly meeting for New England
was about to commence its sittings. Joined by my
beloved companion, who had travelled With me for
so long a time, during the two preceding years, and
in company with many other friends, I once more

408 NEWPORT.
took the steam-boat for a night's voyage up Long
Island sound, and returned to our old quarters by
the sea-side at Newport in Rhode Island. It was
indeed a memorable occasion. Friends from many
distant parts, as well as the immediate neighbour
hood, were assembled in large numbers ; and very
precious were the Christian love and fellowship, the
unity of mind and purpose, which bound us toge
ther during the successive sittings of the assembly.
The meetings for worship, according to custom, were
much thronged by the people at large. Seldom have
I known an occasion, in which divine truth, both in
its essential doctrines and practical influence, appear
ed to arise into greater predominance. The time
of my return home was now drawing near; and I
considered it to be a cause for reverent thankfulness
to the Author of all good, that an occasion of so
much solemnity should mark the approaching close
of my long pilgrimage in America.
But my work on the West Indies was scarcely more
than half written; and where could I finish it with
greater ease and comfort to myself, than under the
hospitable roof of my long-loved friends at Provi
dence ? There I enjoyed that profound quietness,
during the morning hours, which was necessary for
the purpose ; in the evenings, I found abundant recre
ation either in the society of many agreeable friends
and acquaintances, or in riding on horseback over a
charming well-wooded country, then covered with
verdure, and enlivened with the perpetual chirping of
the birds. The weather was warm and clear; and I
was glad to have so full a taste of the charms of the

PROVIDENCE. 409
American summer-evening, before I left the country.
The manuscript was finished in ten days ; after which
followed one of those interesting sabbaths which
leave an impression on the mind not easily erased.
We held a public meeting in the morning, at a
country village called Lower Smithfield ; and in the
evening, the Independent meeting-house in Provi
dence — a large and remarkably handsome building
(far superior to the generality of dissenting chapels
in England) — was well filled with a promiscuous but
most respectable assembly. We were reminded on
that occasion of the words of the apostle James,
" Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and
continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in
his deed." We were led to contemplate the true
nature both of law and liberty, on the right balance
of which depends the welfare of every human com
munity. Both are wonderfully united in the gospel —
that "law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus," (as
another apostle calls it) which makes free "from the
law of sin and death." Its doctrines proclaim a
blessed immunity from condemnation, through Him
who died for us and rose again ; and its precepts are
not only written in the page of scripture, but are
engraven on the heart of every true believer, by the
immediate operation of the Holy Spirit. I was re
joiced in being permitted once more to declare
amongst a people who disclaim all sectarian inequa
lities, those grand conservative principles which are
infinitely stronger than any human contrivance — I
mean the cardinal principles of our common Chris-

410 PHILADELPHIA.
tianity. These are faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,
as the Saviour of the world ; obedience to all his
commandments ; and especially love to God and man.
The next morning I bade my many friends at Pro
vidence the last farewell, and took the steam-boat for
New York, on my way to Philadelphia. I arrived
at the former city on the 7th of the 7th month (July)
1840, when I secured a state room in that splendid
ship, the Roscius, which was appointed to sail for
Liverpool on the 25th of the month. Very interest
ing to myself, and I hope not unsatisfactory to my
friends, were the two weeks which I then spent in
Philadelphia. I always considered that city my head
quarters in America. My home there was one of
peculiar peacefulness ; and the Friends who bestowed
it on me, could not have treated me with greater
kindness if I had been their own son. They are
persons in somewhat advanced life, of much religious
experience, and well esteemed by their fellow-citizens.
For my own part, I always regarded them, in America,
as my parents. I cannot refrain from taking this
opportunity of mentioning an individual, somewhat
younger than myself, who frequented the house, and
whom, with equal truth, I could call my brother. I
have no wish to mention his name ; but I may de
scribe him as a person of superior intellect, large
information, and settled piety. Our tite-a-tite walks
and intimate conversations, will not soon be forgotten
by either of us ; and although we are now far separated,
we feel that there is a bond of union between us,
which neither time nor distance can destroy.

BURLINGTON. 411
It was a satisfaction to me to have a full opportu
nity before I left the country, of again attending the
several meetings of Friends in this city ; and on our
concluding First day, a joint assembly of all the
four meetings was once more convened at the great
meeting house in Arch-street. It was a large and
solemn assembly ; and to myself at least, a very affect
ing occasion. After we had sat together for some
time in silence, the words of our Saviour to the apostle
Peter were unexpectedly impressed upon my own
mind — " If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with
me." It was evident to my apprehension, that the
washing here alluded to, is no ceremonial or outward
performance, but the cleansing of the soul from the
guilt of past sin in the atoning blood of Jesus ; and
from the pollution of present sin, in the pure fountain
of God's Holy Spirit. We were now about to part
from one another, and might probably never meet
again in this world of change ; but if we were favoured
to experience this washing, we might entertain a hum
ble hope that we should meet again in the world of
spirits, where sorrow, sin, and death, are known no
more. On the following afternoon I left Philadelphia for
Burlington, where two days of happiness, not unmixed
with sorrow, were spent with our mutual friend Ste
phen Grellet and his most amiable wife and daughter,
and many other individuals who were greatly endeared
to me. Amongst them was that aged Christian gen
tleman to whom I have before alluded, and whose
solemn parting words will not soon be forgotten ; also

412 NEW YORK.
a "mother" in our little church, whose warm and
steady friendship had long been one of my privileges,
and who has lately finished her course, in peace. I
then returned to New York where the abounding
kindness of my many friends awaited me as usual.
Here I corrected the remaining sheets of the little
work on the West Indies, and concluded my last
whole day in America, with a farewell assembly for
worship in the large new meeting-house. It was an
occasion of peculiar weight and solemnity — a remark
applying with especial force to that part of the meet
ing which was held in silence.
On the following day — the 25th, according to ap
pointment — a large circle of long-loved friends were
assembled at the Battery ; and most of them went
with me in the steamer, which was prepared to con
vey the passengers of the Roscius to the place where
she was anchored. This was at the narrows, about
fifteen miles from New York. The time of our part
ing soon arrived ; and certainly our last leave-taking
was as warm and hearty as any one could desire. In
company with a young friend who kindly undertook
to attend me on my voyage, I exchanged the steam
boat for the ship, and soon afterwards set sail for
England. Never, I trust, shall I forget the deep and
hallowed interest of that afternoon. It was the very
first day on which it would have been possible for me,
consistently with my apprehensions of duty, to quit
the scene of my late engagements. But the work
assigned me was now finished ; my mind was left at
ease and liberty ; and I knew of nothing to prevent
an immediate return to my family and home.

RETURN HOME. 413
No sooner had we got out to sea, than the wind
though light became directly favourable, and continued
either to breathe or blow from the west without in
terruption. Our voyage lasted 22 days ; and we never
once furled our main-top gallant sail, till we took a
pilot in the neighbourhood of Liverpool. The ac
commodation afforded us in the vessel approached to
the convenience of a private house. She moved so
steadily over the waters, that not one of our 35 cabin
passengers was sea-sick during any part of the time ;
and yet she out-sailed every vessel which happened
to be moving near us, in the same direction.
A voyage by sea can never fail to be interesting to
those who are well and diligent enough to watch the
ever-varying aspects of the ocean, and the constantly
occurring wonders of the deep. Such was the case
with most of our agreeable company on the present
occasion. No accident befell us by the way, — no
violent gales assailed us ; but within a few hours
after our landing at Liverpool, a fearful hurricane
took place, which, had we then been among the sand
banks otthe Mersey, in our deep-laden vessel, would
probably have exposed us to extreme danger.
Thus at the end of my long pilgrimage, I was
favoured with one more token of that ever watchful
and most merciful providence of God, which had
followed and protected me through a vast variety of
scenes, and in the midst of not a few perils. My
return home to the society of a beloved son and
daughter, and of a large circle of friends and connec
tions, was unalloyed happiness. It is a remarkable
circumstance, that not one of my near relatives had

414 RETURN HOME.
died during the three years of my absence. In con
clusion I have only to remark, that no person could
be more unworthy than the writer of these letters,
either of the service in which I had been so long en
gaged, or of the peaceful reward which followed it.

I am, &c. &c.

THE END.

YALE UNIVERSITY

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