|
William Priest - Travels in the United States of America
rich to manure your barren hills; and as to the climate, there is no comparison: this cursed cold
north-west wind loses all it's severity before it reaches us; our winters are so mild, that our cattle requite
no fodder, but range the woods all winter; and our summers are more moderate than on your side the
Allegany; and as to - - " Here the stage-driver put an end to his oration, by informing us, all was ready to
proceed on our journey.
We must not be surprised, that numbers, who cultivate an ungrateful soil in this cold climate, should be
induced, by such descriptions as the above, to emigrate to our orator's land of promise, I am informed ten
thousand persons emigrated from these states to Kentucky alone, in one year. I have lately seen a
flattering description of this country, published in London: that the accounts are exaggerated, I have no
doubt, as it is said to be written by a speculator; deeply interested in the sale of lands in the new
settlements. I had a strong suspicion our fellow traveller was of this description, and took every
opportunity to cross-examine him on this subject; he stuck true to his text, insisted that all he advanced
was literally true, but acknowledged he was going to receive a sum of money for land he had sold to
some emigrants from the province of Main, and that he expected to sell a considerable tract before his
return. I arrived at Boston the 23d instant, four hundred and seventy-four miles from Baltimore.
Yours, &c.
P.S. I find we are to have a most vigorous theatrical opposition. A sort of dramatic mania has
lately seiz'd the inhabitants. The primitive Bostonians would as soon have admitted the plague as
a company of players; but the present inhabitants having more liberal sentiments, a company of
comedians came to this town about four years ago, and ventured to exhibit dramatic pieces, under the
title of Moral Lectures. At length a bill passed the General Assembly of Massachusetts to licence
theatrical performances; and as it is natural for mankind to run from one extreme to another, they have
this year two theatres, both of which are attended with a prodigious expence. Some of the
performers are engaged at upwards of 20_l. english per week; and Mrs. Whitlocke (sister to Mrs.
Siddons, whom you may perhaps recollect at the Haymarket) is to have 180_l. sterling for six nights.
This opposition will in all probability end in the ruin of the managers, or rather of the subscribers,
who are bound for the payments.
* * * * *
Boston, October 3d, 1796.
DEAR SIR,
The first leisure day after my arrival here, I went to Bunker's Hill, attended by two persons, who were
spectators of the engagement, and were kind enough to point out and explain a number of particulars I
wished to be acquainted with, for the purpose of enabling me to form a tolerable idea of this famous
action. If general Howe meant only to give the Yankies a specimen of british valour, and his
contempt of them and their intrenchment, he succeeded in both. - His enemies on this side the water say,
"they gave him a Rowland for his Oliver; that he paid too dear for this
victory; that a more prudent general would have found a better place to land the troops, and a
safer mode of attack; that the price he paid for this little redoubt ought to have convinced
him, he could not afford even to bid for Dorchester heights, if once the Americans got possession
of those hills; that he should therefore have fortified them himself; that - - " But
as nothing is easier than to see all these thats when it is too late, I shall plague you with
|
