A Virginian in New England Thirty-Five Years Ago: Iv

“ Thursday, July 3d. NORTHAMPTON.

“ A CANAL, for boats drawn by A horses, with locks and tow-path, is nearly completed from New Haven to a point 1S miles above this place, where it is to lock into the Conn. River. All except the 20 miles, from Westfield to that point, is already done ; and in a month this little remainder will be completed. It is designed to be continued hereafter, into Canada ; i. e. to Lake Memphremagog, and thence to the River St. Francis: all by an incorporated company, — the State no share in it. Stock worth only 20 or 30 per cent. Lumber, and other bulky articles, are chiefly expected to be carried on the canal. Before breakfast, I walked along the tow-path, to Its meeting with the river—1½, miles. Locks, 70 feet long, boats. 60 or 65 feet. Width of canal, 20 feet. Returned, — went into a barber’s stall to be shaved. A white barber. Talkative, like all his tribe, but curiously conceited. I asked him the time o’ day. 'I guess it ’s half past six — but I don’t wear a watch — I ’m no fop.’ The old reply, about ' the greater pride of Diogenes,’ would have been perfectly put.

“To breakfast with Mrs. and Miss S.

“Afterwards, walked out with the latter. Ascended Round Hill, an eminence overlooking the village, and the valley for many miles around. It is a prospect unrivalled, in my experience. Man and Nature have vied together, in crowding it with beauties. Villages, and spires, and scattered buildings, orchards, gardens, and crop-fields ; the winding and majestic River, hills, woods, gorges, and mountains — these last forming an enclosure, fantastic yet magnificent, of the beauteous and vast amphitheatre comprising all the rest; — are swept by a slight turn of the eye. Mount Holyoke fronts the view, due eastward from Round Hill. On its top stands a house, reduced by distance to the size of a hut — with a flag waving over it. Down the side, between us and the house, seemed a flight of steps, made to climb the mountain by. I afterwards found it to be only a naked rocky steep, down which stones had been rolled by visitors, or tumbled by frost and storms, till trees and shrubbery were swept away. Northward from Mt. Holyoke stretched a chain of mountains, whose top seems curled like a snow-wreath. Near the foot of Round Hill, is the house of a Mr. Bowles, made (as are the stable, and other outhouses) in the Gothic style — all of wood. His handsome garden is cultivated in a great degree by his own hands. — Round Hill has some fine buildings, once occupied by an Academy of great renown, under the care of Messrs. Cogswell and Bancroft, two eminent scholars. They had once, several hundred pupils. It has now gone down.

“ Returned by the Court House. Its interior was shown us by an elderly gentleman, Mr. Stebbins, the County Treasurer. Its conveniencies surpass all that I have before met with, in such a building. Mr. S.’s office is in one room. He had quite a collection of curiosities: and producing a pile of Agricultural Addresses delivered in past years by different persons at meetings of the Hampshire A. Society, he would have made me take them all; but I got off with only five. An old bachelor, I warrant him.

“ My landlord is a sulky scrub : and though I complained of his dining room maid’s officiousness, there is in general a plentiful lack of proper attentions to a guest at his house.

“ After an early and loathed dinner, having directed that my trunk be sent by tomorrow’s stage to Hartford, I set out on foot, westward, into the country; with no baggage but an umbrella. Crossed the canal. Poor lands — pine and hemlock hills. Hay growing, or ‘ being mowed,’ in three fourths of the fields. Roads ridged up in the middle, like turnpikes. Met two young ladies, driving unattended in a chaise, going to N. Hampton. Called in at a right large but shabby looking farm house, for a draught of water. The owner looked intemperate: yet he asked if strong drink was not the cause of the late riot and murder among the Irish on the Rl. Road near Baltimore.— A school house, where a good-looking young woman taught. Longed to go in, and see how it was managed: but could not frame an excuse, or muster boldness enough. Westhampton meeting-house, 9 miles from N. Hampton. There I meant to stay all night; and asked quarters of a decent man, who kept a sort of store near the meeting house — his wife, to whom I first applied, referring me to him — Mr. Jordan, or Mr. Judd, — uncertain which. After saying there was a tavern but a mile off, and being told by me that I was tired, and wanted to see the ways of private houses, he consented to my stay. I asked him to sell me a sheet of paper. He offered to give it. Wrote a letter for the mail: and then my host and I ascended the church steeple to see the prospect. It was sunset; and he had but a dim spy glass. However, the view was extensive, and fine if not compared with that at Round Hill. It reached to East, and South-hampton — six or 8 miles off. Just above the church rose a mountain, offering a far wider prospect. Before writing my letter, I had joined them in their evening meal; taken, in the sensible New England manner, at six o’clock, instead of near bedtime. It consisted of tea, with brown sugar, currant tart, and warm rolls, leavened with salæratus. The master prefaced it with a grace, which showed him evangelical. Another, giving thanks, when we had done.

“ He has much to esteem. Was a student at Williams College, among the mountains of Berkshire, in the extreme N. W. of Massachusetts. There, Dr. Justin Edwards, the great Temperance champion, was also a student — used to walk thither from his home near this place where he was born — and back again.

“ After our descent from the steeple, my host went out to milk the cow for his wife. He filled one pail brimming, and called for another—18 quarts a day ! — Rich butter.

“Temperance and Colonization, he says, flourish hereabouts. When he attended me up stairs to bed, (intending to set out very early in the morning,) I offered him the usual compensation, for my entertainment. He would not touch a doit. ‘He had always heard much of Virginia hospitality; and if he should ever visit Va., perhaps I might show him some of it.’ — After I got into bed, 1 heard him at family prayers.

“ Friday, July 4th.

“ It was not 4 o’clock when I rose, dressed, and left the house —no one else being awake, that I could perceive.

“ Took the road to Southhampton. At Sunrise, heard cannon, at Northhampton or Springfield, welcoming the FOURTH. — Country hilly, and wooded — barren. Much of the fern, which I saw the day before yesterday. Hemlock too, and white pine. Approaching a cabin, where an old man and his family were at breakfast, I plucked a sprig of fern, and asked him what it was? ‘Why, that’s sweet farn,' said he, rather testily. No invitation to breakfast, or to come in. — Hay fields; and cattle grazing.

“Reached S. Hampton (6 miles) at 7 o’clock ; and asked for breakfast at the Tavern. It was soon ready,—a good breakfast. Price, 17 cents! Tipplers there. Landlady.

“ Off towards Springfield — eastwardly. Come again to yesterday’s canal. At it, met an erect old man, of 75 ; 6½ feet high, and very well proportioned ; who with alacrity entered into conversation, though he had seemed in a hurry, driving some oxen. He ‘ was out agin Burgyne,’ in ’77. Inveighed against the canal, and its Company. It was useless, and an imposition. For lands taken to dig it, the damages assessed were paid in canal-stock ! Can it be so ?

“ Presently a man overtook me, who was in a Jersey wagon, collecting rags to make paper. He invited me to ride with him. Accepted, of course. He was chatty to a degree ! and quite intelligent— the very man I needed. The tall, fine looking malecontent I had just parted with was old Squire Judd. My new Palinurus and Automedon (both in one) explained to me a simple and admirable system of mutual insurance against fire, which is concurred in by almost every householder hereabouts. Example — On a valuation of S 1000, the insured pays a premium of $ 12 for 7 years, and gives bond for $ 25 more, to answer quotas, should losses require them. Thus, for $ 37 at the utmost, he is insured 7 years to the amount of S 1000. — Cost of painting a house 40 feet by 30, $ 60. Renewed every 5 or 6 years. — Passed a natural mole, or mound, dividing the 2 Springfield Ponds. They are a mile long ; ¼wide. — Here my new friend and I parted.

“Passed through W. Springfield, along the stage road of day before yesterday. Got a man to ferry me over Connecticut River in a canoe. It was 80 rods (440 yards) wide, and swollen with rain ; yet he asked only 6¼ cents. A by-path carried me through fields into a public road. Some fine oxen grazing. — Stood half an hour to see a man cutting shingles out of white-pine blocks, with a circular saw. It made I forget how many hundred, or thousand, revolutions in a minute. The machinery was turned by the water of Chickopee River ; and just beyond was a cotton factory, in the Lower Chickopee Village. The factory was not at work, as it was the 4 of July.

“ Being informed that the famous Paper-Mills, nominally of Springfield, were at the Upper Chickopee Village, 2 or 3 miles up the River, I proceeded thence, guided a little way by a strapping fellow in a round jacket, and of the surliest manners that I had yet encountered. He strode on so far before, regardless of my briefer stride and jaded limbs, that I let him go his ways, with a muttered curse upon his rudeness; and trusted to my own sharpness in finding the road, — which was quite plain.

“The Paper Mills were shown me thoroughly by an obliging man who belonged to them. Luckily, they were not stopped, in honor of the day : and all stages of the curious and interesting process were for the first time presented to my view. Perhaps the greatest curiosity was a newly invented cylinder (hollow, and filled with steam) for drying the paper which passed under it. —'T was near 2, p. m. I was then 4 miles from Springfield. The sun had been, all day, and still continued, absolutely torrid : feet sore, and somewhat blistered. Signs of drinking, rife as I walked. Between Lower and Upper Chickopee, a man staggered on before me, and after many diverting tacks and gyrations in his course, losing his hat by the way, he tripped ana tumbled into a ditch by the roadside. I 'left him alone in his glory.’ Rum is here the popular drink ; not whiskey.

“ Proceeded to Springfield, along a fine turnpike road, thickly planted with sorry-looking refectories, or grog shops, and now and then, sumptuous dwelling houses. Bought a bottle of spruce beer, and drank it. Approaching Springfield, heard cannon. Presently, saw a group, who were firing it. Went to them. Close by was an extempore enclosure, boarded over at top, whence waved a flag. I n it, I was told, a dinner was ‘ being eaten ' by a large company, in honor of the Fourth. The toasts began. A man near the flag waved it when a toast was announced ; and immediately the cannon was fired. Then followed loud cheers from within. This was the Jacksonian celebration, and was near the U. S. barracks, and arsenal, where a body of troops are stationed. The cannon had its name, ‘ La Perilleuse,’ stamped upon it—a brass 6 or 9 pounder. A bystander said, it was one of those taken from Burgoyne. I stood by, till 18 or 20 discharges had been made ; a silent spectator and listener : then went on into the town — but not the thickest, or genteelest part of it. Entered a 3d. or 4th. rate tavern, where people (rustics, evidently) were crowded to get refreshments. Ate a poor dinner, and then sat, to rest, and hear, and talk, in the portico.

“The glass, manifestly, had circulated and was yet circulating very freely. The buzz of voices was incessant ; equal to what I am used to on a Louisa Court day. — Specimens of Yankee speech abounded ; guessings were numberless.—A decent young man (perhaps of my own age, or older — i. e. 32), in blue broad-cloth, with metal buttons — reminding me of the South—and with head perhaps half as gray as mine, entered into conversation with me. He was communicative and right sensible, though no scholar. His reverent demeanor towards me, whether for my gray-hairs, or for my being a stranger, was marked, and amusing. ‘ Legis’s-latúre,’ was his pronunciation of that word; with a strong accent upon the 2d. syllable. He says that breeds of horses are not much thought of. The serviceable ones are sought. — Racing almost unknown. — Not a race-course in Massachusetts, or (as he supposes) in New England. Does not know whether colonization is popular or not.

“Two orations were delivered in town today ; one to the Jackson party, by Mr. Eldridge, editor of the Hampden Whig; one to the National Republicans,¹ by Wm. B. Calhoun, speaker of the Mass. H. of Representatives. The latter seems to fill a large space here, in the public eye.

“ At 4 or 5, p. m., I walked down the hill, towards the dense part of the town — a mile from my first hostelrie. A company of volunteers, in uniform, enlivened the walk by their music, and marching with me. The arsenal was closed, so that its interior could not be seen. — Entered, and explored an extensive Brewery, and drank a glass of the porter made there — pretty good. It makes 1700 barrels a year, each containing 144 bottle-fuls, i. e. a gross. Worth $ 23 a gross, including bottles. Barley sells for 90 to 100 cents a bushel. It is malted, then dried, then cracked, between rollers. After malting, it is sweet, because the saccharine principle is retained, while others pass off.

“Chose for mine inn a Temperance Tavern, kept, as the sign said, by B. Fuller Jr. very churlish, and unaccommodating— Either every body is put out of mood by the festivities of the Fourth, or this is a house whose doors ought never to be darkened by another traveller. However, my beard was long, and I must have looked very shabby.

“Heard conversation about Temperance, between Mr. Fuller and Mr. Morris, a lawyer, who said he had been out into the country today, to make a Temperance address.

“ Paid my bill before going to bed. For supper and lodging, it is only 42 cents ! — Distances today, — to Southampton 6 miles, to Lower Chickopee 3o, to Upper do. 2, to Springfield 4 — Total 22, of which 4 were performed in the carryall of my friend the paper-mill -agent.

“ Saturday, July 5.

“ Up at 4. Legs and feet very sore, and aching. Off at ¼ past 4. Nobody up, as I walked the street, except a man 2 or 3 hundred yards before me. — Met an old woman going to market, and asked her which was the road to Enfield. ‘ Well, you keep straight ahead, and you ’ll come to it in time. Ah, you slept too late this morning!’ — What or whom could she take me for ? — Not far out of town, along the bank of the Connecticut, met sundry laughing lads and lasses, in curricles ; returning, probably, front-some place of pleasure, where they had spent ‘ Independence,’ as the 4th. is called here. From a curve in the river and its bank, 2 miles below Springfield, is a view of the town &c. which would that I could spread upon canvas. The graceful bend of the stream— its glassy smoothness, reflecting houses, trees, church, and spire, clouds and blue sky — The adjacent hills, with some shagginess of woods and rocks— made the whole scene, soon after sunrise, one of rare beauty. •—Two or 3 miles yet lower down was the State line, between Mass, and Conn. On the boundary stone I sat 20 or 30 minutes, writing the notes from which this paragraph is penned. ' LongMeadow,’ a neat village, is not far above—-Several handsome houses.

“Having walked 8 miles, — the heat waxing tropical, again — my lower limbs began to feel much worried. The Enfield Hotel, said to be near the meeting house, which of course was near the centre of that village, was to be my breakfasting place. Asking a rough fellow in a carter’s frock, how far to Enfield ? in my civilest manner, — he replied, in a tone of curdling surliness, and without looking at me, ‘Little more ’n a mile to th’ meetin’ house ” — not stopping — his voice coarse and illnatured in the extreme.

“ Enfield (Conn.) — Meachum’s Hotel, at 7 — shaved — breakfasted — and walked on. The village extends 5 or 6 miles, at least, along the road. Handsome and populous. While my breakfast was getting ready, I took a short nap on a bench in Ihe bar room. Landlord’s razor passing dull, and all his appointments for shaving no better than would be met with at a country tavern in Va.

“In ten or 15 minutes after leaving the Hotel, reached the village Meeting house. Large — with a cupola, and spire of immense height. — Presently, not far to my right, and down upon the River Bank, appeared Thompsonville, a manufacturing village, — tho’ I did not hear of any but a carpet-factory. The shuttles are thrown by hand, without steam, or water power. Warehouse point was another village. Canal. Windsor, township and village.

“ Saw a bluff, fat, and extremely stupid old man at his own door, churning cream with a paddle, in an earthen pot. I could not, by any cross-examination, extract from him an intelligible account of how the churches are built here. From his house-door, on a beautifully swelling knoll, was a prospect more extensive and hardly less beautiful than that of the early morning, just below Springfield. It commanded E. and W. Suffield, 7 or 8 miles up the river, Warehouse point, and Windsor, — with a large extent of farm-land, meadows, hills, woods, and water, agreeably diversified. —The low grounds near Warehouse Point contained much tobacco ; 100 acres of it, in one body. A long shed there for curing it. It looks nearly or quite as well as ours usually does at this season. The corn very thickly planted, and luxuriant — knee high, and more.

“ Just before reaching the stupid old man’s house, I lay down for an hour under a walnut - tree, on some deliciously soft grass ; napping, part of the time. While there, heard the churchclock at Warehouse Pt., nearly a mile off, strike 10 and II.

“ Stept into a tinner’s shop by the road side. Process of wiring tin pans. Saw much of the ware making, which in childhood used so to dazzle me, when displayed by the pedlers. — East Windsor — West Windsor.

“Two carryalls drove by me. No invitation to ride. But one seemed in a prodigious hurry ; and ’t other carried a fat man, of 250, at least, with a horse poor and small.

“ Many good rye and hay crops — fed away on the farm, or sold in Hartford, or at some neighboring tavern.

“ About 3 miles from Hartford, overtook a low, weather beaten, badly dressed man, walking with apparent difficulty, in darned and ragged socks and no shoes, with an especially shabby old Leghorn hat, half brimless, and no coat. He greeted me with much frankness, and proposed having my company to H.— We were forthwith hail fellow &c. to each other. He presently told me that he was an English seaman, just 2 months from Plymouth, in the brig of war Falcon, of 18 guns, commanded by Capt. Auplin, a great tyrant, from whom he had deserted at Halifax. Had walked all the way from Bath, Maine ; was moneyless, shoeless — feet blistered and sore — now suffering under a fever and ague. Evidently (as he self-complacently said he was) a right well informed man. Spoke far better English than many of our gentry — said he knew something of navign, could write a good hand, &c. Had begged his way,—and never asked for food or lodging in vain, among these Yankees. Going to Elizabeth Town, N. J., where he has an uncle. His name, Robt. Johnsonemdash;Was once given to drink; and is now, if appearances do not deceive me. On being paid off once, he had L 123, 5, 6 — It was all gone in 3 weeks ! — Expressed great surprise at my asking for a glass of water, by the wayside : a gentleman of my appearance, he said. He thought I should have called for wine, ale, or cider. No Temperance reform in the British Navy, that he ever heard of. The grog-ration (half a pint daily) still drawn, and drunk. Is quite sure that sailors never can be cured of drinking. A good deal staggered at hearing of the reform in our service. — Said he had been at the Battle of Navarino, and received 2 wounds. Sir E. Codrington was promoted only from, the Asia, a 2 decker, to the Caledonia, a 3 decker [quære?]. Thought, or pretended to think, that I was beyond all doubt a naval officer, — from some of my phrases and demeanor. —

“ As he said a Doctor had prescribed flannel for him, I took him to a clothing store in the suburbs of Hartford, near the river, and gave him a flannel shirt and drawers, a new hat, jacket, &c. He begged earnestly to know my name, but I childishly refused— and we parted. He said he should embark in a small steamboat, which goes hence to New York.

“ Bought a summer frock-coat, (of faded green bombazette), pantaloons, and waistcoat as a walking suit for myself: directing the bundle to be sent to the City Hotel.

“On my way thither, called at the storehouse and counting room of Mr. Charles Sigourney, husband of the poetess, and delivered to him a letter of introduction from Mr. Cresson to her. — He will do himself the pleasure to wait on me at the Hotel in the morning ; and engages me to call and see Mrs. S. tomorrow afternoon.

“ Found my trunk at the Hotel ; brought by the stage from N. hampton. Peeped into Miss Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie, lent me by Miss H. S.

“ I have walked 26 miles today. The Thermometer has been at 91 or ’2. — I am overdoing the matter. Such fatigue takes away much of the pleasure, and profit, of travel. — To bed at 9½.

“Mem. The factory at Thompsonville, Enfield, makes 800 yards of carpeting a day. 200 hands employed. The fly shuttle not used, because it cannot be changed readily enough, for the different colors. The highest priced made there, $ 1.75 per yard.

“Sunday, July 6th. HARTFORD.

“ Rose at half past 5 — stiff, sore, and feverish—with a headache. Lounged in the Barroom, conversing with several gentlemen ; especially a young Mr. Horace Barber, a native of Connecticut, who seems to have lived in Louisville, Kentucky — a lawyer, I take him to be — intelligent, clever, accessible. He confirms, that N. England contains not a race ground ; nor any race horses, proper.

“Judges in Conn chosen by Legislature : judges of county courts, for one year ; of Supr courts, during good behavior, or till 70 years of age, when they are disqualified by the Constitution. This provision sometimes deprives the state of matured and most valuable minds ; but perhaps oftener, saves the Bench from being incumbered by dotage or its cousin german. Clerks, appointed by the respective courts.

“After 10, Mr. Sigourney called to take me with him to Church (Episcopal). A grand, solemnly elegant structure. Nothing could better suit its reverend nature and imposing ceremonials, than the dark, yellowish brown sandstone of which it is built, from the Chatham quarry, 14 miles down the river. The material has an appropriate gravity, which, connected with the great height and bulk of the building, is absolutely awe-striking. The steeple is not a “ taper spire,” but has a tower-like top. It surpasses in beauty and grandeur any church that I have ever seen. Cost $ 70,000 ! — We sat in Mr. Sigourney’s pew — Mrs. S. not being there this morning. The organ seemed to me the best-sounding I had ever heard. Mr. S. read the Bible passages of the Service in a copy of the Greek, Septuagint Bible, and a Greek Testament of 1592, “ Coloniæ ”—Cologne. (?) I read with him — never having seen the Septuagint before. The chapter we read (in Exodus) was very easy. I marked some strange freedoms which either the Greek version, or the common English one read by the preacher, had taken with the original : for they differed from each other in a startling manner. The New Testament chapter (Acts) was in the contracted letter, hardly decipherable to me. Short, and indifferent sermon : a preparation for the Lord’s Supper — finished soon after 12. Mr. S. invites me again to his pew in the afternoon, and then to his house, to see Mrs. S. — Agreed.

“ P. M. To Church again at 3. Took my seat in Mr. S.’s pew, alone. Survey of the church, inside. Four very large, Gothic arched windows, on each side — sashes divided into small panes of the rhombus, or diamond form — catercornered squares — about 6 or 7 inches long and wide. Galleries and pews, painted of a sort of jalap color — rest of the interior, white — some gilding about the orchestra and pulpit Presently, Mrs. and Mr. Sigourney entered the pew. A bow, as courteous as might beseem the Synagogue,—an appearance of conjectural recognition, — met me from Mrs. S. — I sat by her during the service and sermon — she putting her own prayer book into my heathenish hand, and pointing out the several places to be read. The heat was still oppressive : and she lent me her fan. She looked not over 40, if so much. Her cheeks bloom like 18. With bonnet on, countenance very pleasing. Mr. S. seems 55 or 60.

“ Sermon by the morning preacher — Mr. Wheaton, of Rh. Island — rather better. His cousin (a Mr. Wheaton too) is pastor of this church, and read the services, hymns, &c. The latter is of decided ability. He announced a Colonization Meeting for next Saturday, and his own design to enter at length then into the Abolition question, — which, he said, he regarded as a most delicate one ; doing, or threatening, great mischief to the community. His few words betokened power ; and a justness of thinking on that topic, highly grateful to me.

“ Mrs. Sigourney accepted my arm — her husband politely affording me the opportunity: and we chatted all the way to their house, a beautiful retreat, 100 rods or more (5 or 600 yards) from church, and just out of town. Among her inquiries, was ' Do you enjoy many religious privileges in Virginia ? ’ My answer, blundering out something about our Act of Religious Freedom, and the perfect unrestraint upon conscience which we enjoy (for I was dunce enough not to see at first, that she used the word privileges, evangelically) plainly showed her what a pagan I was.

“ Common - schools, and the fund ($2000000) in a great degree useless, because people did not pay out of their own pockets for their schools. A plan like that of Massachusetts is talked of; where the State gives a sum towards a school in a district, only upon condition that its people raise an equal sum. This makes them feel an interest in the school ; and send their children punctually, to get the worth of their money. Female Academy. Female education much attended to in Connecticut. Girls not seldom taught the learned languages. Infant schools discontinued in Hartford, because the Doctor said they injured the brains, and nervous systems of children, by over-excitement. The mental effect not good, either learn like parrots, by sound, by rote, alone — without exercise of thought. Domestic education now preferred, for young children. Infant schools perhaps still useful, for children of very poor parents, who else would have to leave them at home alone, at working hours. College here, of which Mr, Wheaton the Episc’ pastor, is President. Mr. S. had asked him to tea with me, but he was pre-engaged. Some wine produced, which my host said was genuine Samian.

“ Mrs. Griffin, wife to an eminent lawyer of N. Y. was with us. After Tea (which was at 6) Mr. S. proposed to attend me to the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and introduce me to the principal, that I might more conveniently find access tomorrow. Went. It is not above a hundred yards or so from Mr, S.’s. Miss Peazlee, the matron,-— whom I called Miss Beazley, — and Mr. Weld, the principal —I called him Mr. Wells. Julia Brace, deaf, dumb, and blind. Her clothing, mostly made by herself. Laurent Clerc, a polite Frenchman, (a teacher) deaf and dumb, and so is his wife : yet their children not. One of them a blooming, beautiful daughter of 16. “ This,”said Mr. S., “solves an interesting problem in physics.”

“ On our return, rambled thro’ Mr. S.’s grounds — garden — corn — truck patch—grove, on a rather steep hill side. I verily thought there were 50 acres at least, astonished to learn that there were but 5 ! Between it and town was a moderate stream, called Mill River. A flour manufacturing Mill on it, makes 8 or 10000 barrels a year. Flour is worth 5 or 6 $ a barrel. &c. &c. &c. Went to my lodging at ½ past 8. Read half and more of the 1st volume of Hope Leslie.

“Monday, July 7. HARTFORD.

“ Up at 6. After breakfast, Mr. Barber offered me his guidance about the city ; with expressions which showed a delicate sense of a stranger’s wants and embarrassments. Thankfully accepted. The State House — Senate Chamber, and Representatives’ Hall. Portrait of Washington by Stuart in Senate chamber. Top of Cupola. View of city, and surrounding country. Obligingness of Mr. Huntington, comptroller, and Mr. Butler, keeper of the keys. Compensation “ out of the question,” — said Mr. Barber.

“ To Deaf and Dumb Asylum again. Miss Peazlee and Mr. Weld. Prayers about to be held, in the chapel — we were invited in. A text explained, and prayer uttered, entirely by signs of the hands, fingers, and eyes. Asked Mr. Weld if in his exposition and prayer, he had spelled words on his fingers ? “ Oh, no ! ” (with a look of some chagrin at my supposition.) “I did not make a single letter. The signs express ideas, only.” He then ran over some of them to me. The Asylum has 133 pupils, or patients — 57 girls. 127 were at prayers.

“ Witnessed the morning’s instruction given to two classes — 1st Mr. Clerc’s, and 2d Mr. Turner’s, in whose absence Mr. Weld has it in charge. Examination on Saturday’s lesson. During these exercises, and at the prayer, the pupils’ faces indicated wonderful depth and fixedness of attention. There was legible, too, in their looks, the highest love and respect for Mr. Weld. Many, very intelligent countenances. Those aged from 12 to 16 learn the best. Adults, usually with difficulty — exception, one young woman of 25 or 26, from Wethersfield. Their writing, extremely plain and exact. Term of stay, 4 years. Deafmuteness sometimes superinduced by disease and hardship : not always from birth. Alms-box for Julia Brace.

“ Back to town. With my new friend Mr. Barber, who seems to think he cannot do enough for my entertainment,— visited two of the belles of Hartford — Miss Woodbridges. One of them handsome — both tall, clever, and agreeable. No dancing parties in Hartford — no ball for the last 6 years. No theatrical amusements in N. England, except in Boston.

“ Called at the law-office of Messrs. H——and C——, leading lawyers here. Alany particulars concerning Law-practice in Connecticut — fees — income of lawyers. No special pleading. Chancery and law jurisdiction blended in same judges. Superior Courts held by judges of supreme court. Salary Only $ 1000, and no mileage. — No Rhode Isld lawyers come into Conn., unless perhaps some borderer. Mr. H—— says that Mr. Burges is not eminent as a lawyer. C-is a young man, of 22 or 25. AM. H—— about 50Has a singular and unpleasant twitch upwards, of his nose and upper lip, — two or 3 times a minute. Articulation, and delivery in general, not good — ideas, not original, or striking, or well-clothed. Yet he is near the head of the Bar here. Concentration of faculties is the secret, (no doubt) of his success. — Roger M. Sherman lives at Fairfield — practises in the Supreme court here. Best mind in Connecticut, Mr. Barber says. [Supreme Ct. sits once a year, in each of the 8 counties].

“Call at Mr. Sigourney’s counting room. He gave me a copy of the last Report of the Deaf and D. asylum — and an engraved view of his residence. He had a selfish aim, he said, in wishing me to take, and exhibit that engraving : as, he regretted to tell me, embarrassments in his fortune obliged him to offer the place for sale. Worth $ 20,000 ; but he expects it to bring less. — Offered me letters of introduction to Mr. Perdicaris, a native Greek, now teaching and lecturing at New Haven ; and to Mr. Richmond, a great Greek scholar at Salem, Mass. He tells me, too, of one Demetrius * * * * * a native Greek, engaged in teaching, 25 miles from Hartford ; who, as himself and Mr. Sigourney think, has the right, ancient pronunciation of ancient Greek. Homer is not musical, as read by him. He disregards quantity, and goes by accent altogether. [Such is Mr. S.’s account.]

“To dinner at City Hotel. At the bar, found a parcel containing two books from Mrs. Sigourney (author) — “Letters to Young Ladies,” and “ Sketches by Mrs. Sigourney.” Also, letters from Mr. S. not only to Mr. Perdicaris and Mr. Richmond, but to "Hon. Nathan Smith, U. S. Senator,” New Haven.

“ At ½ past 2 p. m., set off in stage for New Haven, by a route lying some miles W. of that by which I came up thence on the 1st instant. Wethersfield on our left — also Rocky Hill, in the same Township. New-Britain on our right. Through Worthington (once Berlin). Kensington on the right. Meriden. Chinipiack River. Wallingford. Hampden on the right. Saltmeadow. Farmington Canal, and basin. New Haven. Put up at the Tontine Coffee House, reputed to be equal to any other Hotel in the city. While on the road, having no stagecompanions who seemed to promise interest, and rendered listless by the heat as well as by remains of last week’s fatigue, I read through the 1st vol. of Hope Leslie ; and the Report of the Deaf and D. Asylum.

“ At the Tontine, met in the parlor, with a young N. Ca. lawyer named Huske, whom I remembered to have seen on board the steamboat between Baltimore and Philadelphia. There, we were shy and unsocial towards each other: but here, so far from our homes, we seem near neighbors, and coalesce in a moment. He seems, like me, to be travelling for curiosity. Agreed to walk over the town with him before breakfast tomorrow: and then, to bed at 10½.

“ The Heat has been extreme, today. A gentleman at Hartford told me it was 97°. of Fahrenheit. But this was doubtless an exaggeration — from not having the instrument fairly secluded.”