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"most valuable information with which it is full," the following passages.

"No species of correction is allowed in the American schools; children even at home are perfectly independent. (p. 39.) A cold, uniform bigotry seems to pervade all religious sects. (p. 48.) Cleanliness is scarcely known on this side of the Atlantic. (p. 80.) The tradesmen here (Philadelphia) are less intelligent than men following the like occupations in England. (p. 161.) The Americans are most remarkable for complete and general coldness of character and disposition—a cold blooded callousness of disposition. (p. 166.) Whatever degree of religious intelligence exists is confined to the clergy. (p. 167.) The colour of the young females of Philadelphia is produced by art: the junior branches of the Society of Friends there, are not at all deficient in the practice of rougeing. (p. 168.) The dirk is the inseparable companion of all classes in the state of Illinois. (p 262.)—The United States are cursed with a population undeserving of their exuberant soil and free government. (p. 273.) The American lawyers are at least thirty-three and a third per cent. lower than their brethren in England. (p. 317.) The Americans, neglecting to encourage any pursuits, either individually or collectively, which may be called mental, they appear, as a nation, to have sunk into habits of indolence and indifference: they are neither lively in their tempers nor generous in their dispositions, &c.* (p. 362.) We do not meet in America with even an approach to simplicity and honesty of mind. (p. 363.) The nation at large dislike England, and yet, both individually and collectively, would be offended, should a hint be expressed that they were of Irish or of Dutch, and not of English descent. (p. 368.) No people are so vain as the Americans; their self-estimation and coolheaded bombast, when speaking of themselves or of their country, are quite ludicrous. (p. 368.) Every man in America thinks he has arrived at perfection. (p. 368.) Every American considers that it is impossible for a foreigner to teach him any thing, and that his head contains a perfect encyclopædia. (p. 369.) A non-intercourse act seems to have passed against the sciences, morals, and literature, in America. (p. 371.) The sexes seem ranked as distinct races of beings, between whom social converse is rarely to be held. A universal neglect of either mental or domestic knowledge appears to exist among the females here, as compared with those of England. (p. 377.) Such is the habitual indolence of the American people, and their indifference with regard to public affairs, that occurrences

* So Lieutenant Hall, in his book of Travels in America, says. "The Americans are habitually serious and silent; their spirits are seldom elevated!!" Apathy, taciturnity, are traits which we did not suspect to exist in our cha

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of first rate importance are known but by few individuals. (p. 385.) There would appear to be placed in the very stamina of the people a coldness, a selfishness, and a spirit of conceit, which form strong barriers against improvement." (p. 391.)

Every particular assertion in this medley is in the nature of antiphrasis; and the general allegations are slanderous. The extravagance of several of them betrays not only a libellous disposition, but an utter want of judgment, in the writer. I will illustrate further "that fairness and impartiality," which Earl Grey ascribes to him in the superlative degree. He states (p. 46,) that in New York all the churches (forty-five in number) are well filled on the Sunday. The fact being rather creditable to that community, it was necessary to give it another direction; and this is done by the following arbitrary, ridiculous, and malevolent interpretation. "The great proportion of attendants at any particular church appear to select it, either because they are acquainted with the preacher, or that it is frequented by fashionable company, or their great-grandmother went there, before the revolution, or because their interests will be promoted by so doing." We are not told the particular indication or circumstance by which this appeared. Wherever the religious worship and spirit of this country are brought into view, it is in the same strain that they are celebrated; and ignorance of the scriptures is perpetually charged upon the whole body of a people by whom the bible is, doubtless, more generally possessed and read, in family, than by any other on earth.*

Our traveller, when he cannot venture to affirm an opprobrious fact, as of his own knowledge, has recourse to this form of speech, "I have reason to believe”—a convenient mode of calumniating, when, as uniformly happens with him, the reason is not assigned. Thus, he says (p. 171), in relation to Philadelphia,—a city as remarkable for domestic neatness, order, morality, and

* It is used in all the schools in the interior, and these receive nearly every native white.

VOL. I.-D*

happiness as any which has ever existed,-" Although the eyes and ears of a stranger are not insulted, in the openness of noonday, with evidence of hardened profligacy, I have, nevertheless, reason to believe in its existence to a very great extent. The habits of the people are marked by caution and secresy. There is here a lamentable want of cleanliness, in such matters as are removed from the public eye; an ignorance of order and neatness in domestic life." Again, when in Kentucky, "I have not seen the practice of gouging occur, though I have good reason to believe in its existence;" and, when at New Orleans, "At a tavern opposite, I witnessed a personal conflict, in which I suppose one of the parties. was dirked." Admirably "fair and impartial!"

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According to this "enquiring, observing and intelligent, gentleman" (p. 46, 373,) "conversation in American society, that even of the ladies, turns entirely upon the capture of the Guerriere, and the battle of New Orleans; the price of flour and cotton, and the bad conduct and inferior nature of niggars."" He dialogues much as he goes along, and all his American interlocutors, of whatever degree, talk in the same cant phrases of the most vulgar cacophony. Their language, on all occasions, is provincial and plebeian. This circumstance alone might have excited in the mind of Lord Grey a distrust of his gentleman's candour, or of the cast of his associations, both in this country and at home. The dramatic style of narrative, whether in an historian or traveller, is, at best, open to suspicion.

Mr. Fearon insists earnestly upon "the jealousy and dislike of foreigners rooted in the breasts of all the native Americans." He returns often to this topic, and will have it that, "throughout the states, there is a strong line of distinction drawn between citizens of native and of foreign birth.” (P. 347.) The ample portion which is enjoyed by persons of the last description, of whatever means of comfort, power, distinction this country affordsthe manner in which we are consubstantiated and evened throughout the body politic and social, render it unneces

sary for me to deny the absurd allegation; but I mention it, and the earnestness with which it is made, as striking particulars of the evidence which the sketches themselves offered to the British earl, of their being mainly designed to discourage emigration to the United States. The distinct, elaborate attempt which is made in them, to refute and disgrace the publications of Mr. Birbeck, is additional proof of this drift, which we can hardly believe could have escaped the observation of his lordship, though • we should admit that he overlooked the sweeping calumnies and sinistrous interpretations with which the work abounds, and the constant solicitude of the author to qualify what favourable testimony he is compelled to bear, in such a way as to defeat its allurement.

But, it is not only of flippancy and rancour that we could convict this traveller, throughout: in several instances he might be shown to be guilty of deliberate, circumstantial falsehood. I will select one which may represent his whole book, and in which the Quarterly Review is implicated. In his report from Philadelphia, dated October 12, 1817, he writes thus:

"Seeing the following advertisement in the newspapers, put in by the captain and owners of the vessel referred to, I visited the ship, in company with a bootmaker of this city.

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THE PASSENGERS

'On board the brig Bubona, from Amsterdam, and who are willing to engage themselves for a limited time, to defray the expenses of their passage, consist of, &c. Apply on board of the Bubona, opposite Callowhill street, in the river Delaware, or to W. 'ODLIN & Co. No. 38, South Wharves.'

"As we ascended the side of this hulk, a most revolting scene of want and misery presented itself. The eye involuntarily turned for some relief from the horrible picture of human suffering, which this living sepulchre afforded. Mr. enquired if there were

any shoemakers on board. The captain advanced: his appearance bespoke his office; he is an American, tall, determined, and with an eye that flashes with Algerine cruelty. He called in the Dutch language for shoemakers, and never can I forget the scene that followed. The The poor fellows came running up with unspeakable delight, no doubt anticipating a relief from their loathsome dungeon. Their

clothes, if rags deserve that denomination, actually perfumed the air. Some were without shirts, others had this article of dress, but of a quality as coarse as the worst packing cloth. I enquired of several if they could speak English. They smiled, and gabbled, 'No Engly, no Engly, one Engly talk ship.' The deck was filthy. The cooking, washing, and necessary department, were close together. Such is the mercenary barbarity of the Americans who are engaged in this trade, that they crammed into one of those vessels 500 passengers, 80 of whom died on the passage."

This account is quoted with evident satisfaction, in the Quarterly Review, for May, 1819, and the reviewer adds. from himself-"The infamous traffic is confined, exclusively, to American vessels."

I have thought it worth while to ascertain the facts of the case, and they are as follows:-The Brig Buboną in question was a British vessel, from Sunderland, in England; she was British property, and navigated on British account; her crew was British, and her captain an Englishman, by the name of William Garterell. On arriving in the port of Philadelphia, he selected as his factors, the Messrs. Odlin and Co. merchants of that city, whom Fearon falsely represents as the owners of the vessel. The captain was not "tall," but about the middle size, or rather below it, and his countenance had an open, agreeable expression. What is more: of the vessels that entered the port of Philadelphia in the years 1816, and 1817, laden with redemptioners from the continent of Europe, the greater number was foreign; these amounted to ten, of which five were British in British employment; namely, the Brig Bubona, above mentioned; the ship Zenophon, captain Goodwin; the brig Constantia, captain Janson; the brig William, captain Arrowsmith, and brig William, captain Danton.* The condition of the redemptioners on board the British vessels was no better than in the others of whatever nation, engaged in the "infamous traffic."

I derive these particulars from unquestionable sources;

The other foreign vessels (Prussian and Haneseatic) were, ship Vrow Cathrina, captain John Van Dyle; brig Bonifacias, captain Leitman; brig Concordia, captain Diedrickson; ship Vrow Elizabeth, captain Blankman, &c.

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