Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/59

 A JOURNEY FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE TO PHILADELPHIA. 45

right in the open air, some asleep and some awake, and all mixed up like a flock of cattle. They were the most miserable and motley looking set I ever saw. I understood from the captain that they were emigrants, late from Amsterdam, but I could not understand them any more than I could a flock of blackbirds. We however got along very well and arrived at Philadelphia about nine o'clock. Here is a beautiful city, the streets are wide and strait and cut each other at right angles, and consist of 13 or 14 streets from north to south, I do not know how long, but probably two miles, and a great many streets from east to west, extending from the Delaware river to the Schoolkill ; the market extends this way t.irough ihe center of the city, and consists of a low, regular hne of buildings, with vacancies for the transverse streets. But it will not do for me to undertake here to give a minute description of the city, as I am incompetent to the task. Therefore, suflice it to say, the public buildings are numerous and elegant, fresh water is conveyed to almost every house, which is drawn from the Schoolkill river above the tide water, which is a great con- venience. The city is level, and has an extensive range of shipping lying at the wharves on the Delaware side. I took lodgings at the Mansion House Hotel, and spent the remainder of the day in walking about the city and reading newspapers.

Saturday, October 11, 1828. Became acquainted with William Badger, Esq., attorney-at-law, with whom 1 had business, and I also made myself acquainted with Rev. Mr. Fisk, a Universalist minister, formerly belonging at Wilton, N. H., and now settled in Philadelphia.

Sunday, October 12. Spent chief of the day at my lodgings, but exercised myself some walking the streets. Just before night 1 called on Mr. Fisk, at his boarding house, and after spending some time with him, he informed me that he had a meeting that evening, and invited me to attend. I accepted his invitation and went with him ; the meeting-house was very full, and they had what they called excellent singing, part of which I liked very well, and a part not. The preaching was to me singular, but the speaker displayed considera- ble oratory and an extensive acquaintance with the scriptures, but he tore it aU to pieces by exposing apparent contradictions, and making out that it never was the intention of a just and a merciful God to condemn his own created creatures to an everlasting punishment for a few short years of disobedience. Because he said the punishment would be altogether disproportionate with the crime, and never could be inflicted by a just judge, &c.

Monday, October ij, 1828. Attended the Linked States District Court most of this day. judge Washington held the court solus.

Tuesday, October 14. Went with my friend Fisk to a Quaker funeral. No parade, no noise, the hearse was brought before the door, and the coffin was brought out of the house and placed into it. The old people, relatives of the deceased, came out and got into a carriage that was prepared for them, and proceeded on after the hearse, and the younger relatives came out and formed procession with friends and spectators behind, and proceed directly to the burying ground. When the -hearse arrived opposite the gate it stopped, the cofhn was taken out and carried into the yard and set down beside the grave. The procession gathered up around it and stood there for some space of time All silent. The old ladies were seated in chairs previously placed there for them. After some time, the coffin was let down into the grave, and then again all was still and silent. By and by the relatives move up to the grave and stand there sometime looking down into it, and then turn about and walk out of the yard, not a word said during the whole time. 1 and Mr. Fisk left the company at the gate and went to see the United States Mint. There they were, striking oft' half dollars in one room, and cents in another. The other part of the works were

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