pleasing object of its brilliancy, to diminish the pleasure which it might convey, and to make every painful one still more painful. The unhappiness, which springs from this source, will awaken the sympathy, and the character of the sufferer will command the esteem, of every generous mind.

If these remarks are allowed to be just, they will certainly go far towards explaining a considerable part of the errors, with which your travellers in America certainly abound. Some others are undoubtedly attributable to personal character. The number and nature of these are such, that, if British travellers have represented other countries with as little skill and correctness as they have done ours, the world will derive little advantage from their writings.

I am, Sir, &c.

LETTER VII.

Modes of Living. Amusements. People of New-England fond of acquiring Knowledge. Happy Effects of this

Trait of Character.

The Sabbath observed with Sobriety and Reverence. Marriages. Funerals.

DEAR SIR;

THE means of comfortable living are in New-England so abundant, and so easily obtained, as to be within the reach of every man who has health, industry, common honesty, and common sense. Labour commands such a price, that every labourer of this character may earn from one hundred and twenty-five to two hundred and fifty dollars a year*. Hence every one may, within a moderate period, purchase himself a farm of considerable extent in the recent settlements, and a small one in those which are older. Even those, who are somewhat below the common level in these attributes, may and do acquire small houses and gardens, where they usually live comfortably.

The food of the inhabitants at large, even of the poor, is principally flesh and fish; one or other of which is eaten by a greater part of the inhabitants twice and three times a day. A breakfast, in the large towns, is chiefly bread and butter; the bread in the cool season generally toasted. In the country almost universally this is accompanied with smoke-dried beef, cheese, or some species of fish or flesh broiled, or otherwise fitted to the taste of the family. So universal is this custom, that a breakfast without such an addition is considered as scarcely worth eating. At dinner, the vegetables, which I formerly mentioned, continually succeed each other in their varieties. Fruits also, which you will remember are here very numerous and various, as well as very rich and luscious,

* 1812.

are brought upon the dinner-table, or are eaten in other parts of the day, throughout most of the year. Supper, in most parts of the country, is like the breakfast, except that it is made up partially of preserved fruits, different kinds of cake, pies, tarts, &c. The meats, used at breakfast and supper, are generally intended to be dainties.

Puddings, formed of rice, flour, maize, and sometimes of buck-wheat, very frequently constitute a part of the dinner.

Pork, except the hams, shoulders, and cheeks, is never converted into bacon. I do not know that I ever saw a flitch of bacon cured in New-England in my life. The sides of the hog are here always pickled, and by the New-England people are esteemed much superior to bacon. The pork of NewEngland is fatted upon maize, a sweeter and richer food for cattle of all kinds than any other, is more skilfully cured, and is, therefore, better than that of any other country. It is also a favourite food with most of the inhabitants.

Tea and coffee constitute a part of the breakfast and supper of every class, and of almost every individual. The principal drink of the inhabitants is cyder. Wine, which is here very cheap, is extensively used; so in the mild season is punch. Porter, also, is drunk by fashionable people; and, in small quantities, ale. In the large towns, particularly in Boston, dinners are given without number, but much more unfrequently in the smaller ones. The favourite entertainment in them is the supper. For this there are two potent reasons. One is, every body is here employed in business through the day. The evening, being the only season of leisure, furnishes the best opportunity for that agreeable intercourse, which is the primary object of all entertainments. The other is, the want of a sufficient number of servants to take the burthen of superintending the preparation of dinners from the mistress of the family. I have been present at a very great multitude of entertainments of both kinds, and am compelled to say, that those of the evening are much the most pleasant and rational. There is less excess, and more leisure; the mind is more cheerful; and the conversation almost of course more sprightly, interesting, and useful.

The hours of breakfast vary in the country from six to eight in the summer, and from seven to nine in the winter; those of

dinner from twelve to two; those of supper from five to eight. In the large towns all these hours vary still more. The most fashionable people breakfast late, and dine from three to four. The food of such people is principally taken at a single meal, In the summer many of the labouring people make their principal meal at supper.

The proportion of animal food, eaten in this country, is, I think, excessive.

At entertainments, the dining-table is loaded with a much greater variety of dishes than good sense will justify. A fashion, which it is difficult to resist, prevails, in this respect, over every rational consideration.

The quantity of ardent spirits, consumed chiefly by the middle and lower classes of people, is scandalous to its character, although much less in its amount than that drank by the same number of people in Great Britain.

The dress of the inhabitants is chiefly formed of the manufactures, and made up in the fashions of Europe, particularly of Great Britain.

The principal amusements of the inhabitants are visiting, dancing, music, conversation, walking, riding, sailing, shooting at a mark, draughts, chess, and unhappily, in some of the larger towns, cards, and dramatic exhibitions. A considerable amusement is also furnished in many places by the examination and exhibitions of the superior schools; and a more considerable one by the public exhibitions of colleges.

Our countrymen also fish and hunt.

Journies taken for pleasure are very numerous, and are a very favourite object.

Boys and young men play at foot-ball, cricket, quoits, and at many other sports of an athletic cast, and in the winter are peculiarly fond of skating. Riding in a sleigh, or sledge, is also a favourite diversion in New-England.

People of wealth, and many in moderate circumstances, have their children taught music, particularly on the pianoforte; and many of the young men play on the German flute, violin, clarionet, &c. Serenading is not unfrequent.

Visiting, on the plan of sociality and friendship, is here among all classes of people, especially among those who are intelligent and refined, a very agreeable and very rational

source of enjoyment; and is usually free from the crowds and confusion, the ceremony and frivolity, which so often render scenes of this nature wearisome in great cities, and force the hours, devoted to them, to drag heavily; while

"The heart, distrusting, asks if this be joy."

Visits are here formed for the purposes of interchanging thought, affection, hospitality, and pleasure. With far less parade, less inconvenience to the family visited, and less trouble to the visitors, they are fraught with more cordiality, more good sense, more sprightliness, and incomparably more pleasure, The themes of conversation are of a superior class; the affections and sentiments are set upon a higher key; and the company part, not with eagerness, but with regret.

Reading also is a favourite employment with persons in almost all conditions of life. A considerable collection of books, throughout a great part of this country, is furnished to the inhabitants by the social libraries heretofore mentioned. Private libraries are undoubtedly much more limited than in Great Britain. Many of them are, however, sufficient collections to extend much useful information, and to supply not a small fund of pleasure to their proprietors and others. By these means a great number of persons are enabled to read as extensively as their other avocations will permit; and all, who love reading, will find or make opportunities for pursuing it, which in the aggregate will constitute a considerable, as well as valuable and delightful part of their lives. Accordingly this employment is pursued by men and women in almost every sphere of life*.

The reading of newspapers in this country is undoubtedly excessive, as is also the number of such papers annually published. Yet it cannot be denied, that newspapers, conducted with moderation, integrity, and skill, are capable of being useful to a community; or that the reading of them to some extent is a pleasant, rational, and profitable employment. Several newspapers in this country are conducted by men of education and talents.

The following account of gazettes, formerly published in the British colonies, for which I am indebted to the researches of the Rev. Dr. Stiles, president of Yale college, cannot fail of gratifying the reader.

There were printed, in 1765, in the British colonies,

Quebec Gazette; Brown and Gilman, August 22, No. 62.
Halifax Gazette.

New-Hampshire Gazette; Daniel and Robert Fowl, Sept. 23, No. 468.