that as much has been done as in the circumstances could be reasonably expected. From what I have said in a former part of these Letters, you will not consider it a small thing to convert an American forest, not merely into a habitable country, but into a pleasant residence. In New-England, according to an estimate heretofore made, there are probably at the present time (1812) more than 220,000 dwelling-houses. A great part of these are convenient, almost all are comfortable, a great multitude are neat, and not a small number handsome. The inhabitants probably enjoy more of the comforts, and suffer fewer of the evils of life, than the same number of people in any other part of the world. To accomplish this, amid all the difficulties and dangers, which attended the colonization of the country, has involved a mass of labour, resolution, and fortitude, which in any other case would have claimed respect. To these things was added, necessarily, the establishment of a government, a religion, a system of education, and universally a state of society, by means of which the descendants of those on whom the burthen rested might, so far as their circumstances would permit, be free, enlightened, virtuous, and happy. Occupied in this spacious and various field, the inhabitants have in few instances had either leisure or inclination to write books, and most of those which have been written were prompted by some particular occasion.

Let me request you to remember how long your own nation existed before it could boast of a single well-written book. In the eighth century you had only the Venerable Bede, in the ninth only Alfred, in the tenth and eleventh none, in the twelfth William of Malmesbury is entitled to respect. Roger Bacon adorned the thirteenth. From that time till the sixteenth you had no writer of any distinction, except Fortescue, Chaucer, and Gower. In the sixteenth century you number only five or six writers of respectability. The seventeenth and eighteenth have filled your hemisphere with constellations. Before Hume and Robertson, you had no historian superior to several of ours. The reviewer is disposed to speak contemptuously of Marshall's Life of Washington. Yet there is no piece of biography, written in Great Britain, if we except those of Johnson, which would not suffer by a comparison with it. The last volume is almost singularly ex

cellent. It ought here to be added, that the ministers, sent out to Europe by Washington, have holden at least as high a rank in European estimation as those who were their companions from any of the European courts. Of Mr. Jay, Lord Grenville has given a character in the British parliament, which should have made the reviewers hesitate before they published the following declaration: "We have dwelt longer upon this article than its merits justify, not so much for the sake of the work, as for stating and exemplifying a most curious and unaccountable fact, the scarcity of all but agricultural and mercantile talents in the New World." There are the best reasons for believing, that no foreign minister was holden in higher estimation by the British government than Mr. King.

I will dismiss the subject with one more remark concerning my countrymen. The speeches of Ames, and several other members of the American congress, have been rarely excelled in eloquence by British orators.

I am, Sir, &c.

VOL. IV.

Y

LETTER V.

Manners and Morals of the People of New-England. Executions during the Revolutionary War. Capital Punishments in the County of New-Haven in one hundred and seventy-five Years. Duels in New-England since its Settlement. Inhabitants all required to be in the possession of Arms. The Poor supported and educated. Public and Private Charities.

DEAR SIR;

THE manners of the people of New-England claim next a place in these observations. In the Quarterly Review of November, 1809, article Dr. Holmes' Annals, the writer says, "There is, however, both in the physical and intellectual features of the Americans, a trace of savage character, not produced by crossing the breed, but by the circumstances of society, and of external nature." The following facts will show how far this remark is applicable to the people of NewEngland. During the eight years of the revolutionary war there was one man put to death by the hand of violence, and one by the hand of civil justice, within the limits of this country. It contained at that time 800,000 inhabitants. These were then contending pro aris et focis;" and the spirit of party ran as high as it can easily be supposed to rise in such a state of society. One party seriously considered the other as engaged in a rebellion against their lawful sovereign; and was considered by the other as endeavouring to accomplish the ruin of their country. The man, who fell by violence, was put to death by three others, on the border of Byram river, between the lines of the American and British armies. His murderers were part of a banditti, living without any control upon the plunder of the poor inhabitants,

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who inhabited this exposed ground. Yet it is fairly questionable whether they designed to take away his life. The man, who fell a victim to law, was executed at Hartford after a regular conviction of treason.

This fact has been mentioned in a former part of these observations. Let me recal to your recollection two or three others. From half to two-thirds of the inhabitants sleep round the year without bolting or locking their doors. This, you will observe, is not done by the tenants of cottages merely; for of these we have very few; but much more numerously by the owners of good houses, well stored with the property which naturally invites plunderers.

I have lived in New-Haven during the last sixteen years*. This town contains 750 houses, and about 6,000 people. It employs, also, a trading capital, amounting to 2,500,000 dollars. No house, within my knowledge, has been broken open here during this period.

Of

New-Haven is the shire town of the county of New-Haven, in a state distinguished for the rigid execution of its laws. Of course all the capital punishments in the county have been inflicted here. The whole number of these in one hundred and seventy-five years has been thirteen. Of these, five were whites, five were Indians, and three were blacks. the whites, one was a stranger taken up as a spy, as he was passing through this town, and executed, pursuant to a sentence of a court martial. Three of the remaining four were natives of England. It does not appear, that any inhabitant of this town or county ever suffered death by the hand of law. There is no reason to conclude, that the people of this county are more distinguished for their morals than most of the other settlements, which have been established for any length of time. In this respect (the paucity of capital punishments), New-England may be compared with Scotland and Switzerland, and will suffer no disadvantage by the comparison. I have observed, that since the settlement of New-England five duels have been fought within its boundaries. The first was between two servants, belonging to the Plymouth colonists, within a year after their arrival. The second, by two officers of the revolutionary army, in the state of Rhode

* 1811.

Island; the third, by two West-Indian youths, who were at school in Stratford; the fourth, by two young gentlemen, inhabitants of Boston; the fifth, by two gentlemen from NewYork, who crossed Byram river, that they might fight without exposing themselves to a prosecution in that state. Two only, therefore, of the five, were fought by inhabitants of New-England.

1

Perhaps a still stronger example, at least one which appears to me stronger, is presented by a combined view of the government and state of society in Connecticut. There is not a spot on the globe, where so little is done to govern the inhabitants; nor a spot, where the inhabitants are so well governed; or perhaps, in more appropriate terms, where the state of society is so peaceable, orderly, and happy. A recurrence to the manner, in which elections are carried on here, as described in a former part of these Letters, will enable you to compare them with your own. Those in your country have been described to me on various occasions, by authority which cannot be questioned. They are scenes of riot, tumult, and violence. Ours are scarcely less decent than religious assemblies.

I have also observed heretofore, that, within a time specified, I have travelled not far from twelve thousand miles, principally in New-England and New-York. I may now add two thousand more (1811); and in this extensive progress have never seen two men employed in fighting. I also added at that time, what is still true, that I remember no more than one instance of this nature, which has fallen under my eye during my life. As I have been extensively occupied in the busy haunts of men, this fact must be considered as proof, that such controversies are here extremely rare. Now permit me to call your eye to your own newspapers; and observe how often their columns are ornamented with the feats of Humphries and Mendoza, Crib and Molineux. What a grave aspect is given to the accounts, which describe the brutal contests of these bullies! Observe also, that not the mob only, not the middle ranks of life only, but gentlemen, noblemen, and even princes of the blood*, have been present

"A horse-race, a fox-chase, or a boxing-match, is never without its train of reverend attendants."-Lelters to the Rt. Hon. Mr. Perceval.