I
Stayed Two Days There On Purpose To Become Acquainted With The
Different Branches Of Their Economy, And Their Manner Of Living In
This Singular Retreat.
The clams, the oysters of the shores, with
the addition of Indian Dumplings, [Footnote:
Indian Dumplings are a
peculiar preparation of Indian meal, boiled in large lumps.]
constituted their daily and most substantial food. Larger fish were
often caught on the neighbouring rip; these afforded them their
greatest dainties; they had likewise plenty of smoked bacon. The
noise of the wheels announced the industry of the mother and
daughters; one of them had been bred a weaver, and having a loom in
the house, found means of clothing the whole family; they were
perfectly at ease, and seemed to want for nothing. I found very few
books among these people, who have very little time for reading; the
Bible and a few school tracts, both in the Nattick and English
languages, constituted their most numerous libraries. I saw indeed
several copies of Hudibras, and Josephus; but no one knows who first
imported them. It is something extraordinary to see this people,
professedly so grave, and strangers to every branch of literature,
reading with pleasure the former work, which should seem to require
some degree of taste, and antecedent historical knowledge. They all
read it much, and can by memory repeat many passages; which yet I
could not discover that they understood the beauties of. Is it not a
little singular to see these books in the hands of fishermen, who
are perfect strangers almost to any other? Josephus's history is
indeed intelligible, and much fitter for their modes of education
and taste; as it describes the history of a people from whom we have
received the prophecies which we believe, and the religious laws
which we follow.
Learned travellers, returned from seeing the paintings and
antiquities of Rome and Italy, still filled with the admiration and
reverence they inspire, would hardly be persuaded that so
contemptible a spot, which contains nothing remarkable but the
genius and the industry of its inhabitants, could ever be an object
worthy attention. But I, having never seen the beauties which Europe
contains, cheerfully satisfy myself with attentively examining what
my native country exhibits: if we have neither ancient
amphitheatres, gilded palaces, nor elevated spires; we enjoy in our
woods a substantial happiness which the wonders of art cannot
communicate. None among us suffer oppression either from government
or religion; there are very few poor except the idle, and
fortunately the force of example, and the most ample encouragement,
soon create a new principle of activity, which had been extinguished
perhaps in their native country, for want of those opportunities
which so often compel honest Europeans to seek shelter among us. The
means of procuring subsistence in Europe are limited; the army may
be full, the navy may abound with seamen, the land perhaps wants no
additional labourers, the manufacturer is overcharged with
supernumerary hands; what then must become of the unemployed? Here,
on the contrary, human industry has acquired a boundless field to
exert itself in - a field which will not be fully cultivated in many
ages!
LETTER IX
DESCRIPTION OF CHARLES-TOWN; THOUGHTS ON SLAVERY; ON PHYSICAL EVIL;
A MELANCHOLY SCENE
Charles-town is, in the north, what Lima is in the south; both are
Capitals of the richest provinces of their respective hemispheres:
you may therefore conjecture, that both cities must exhibit the
appearances necessarily resulting from riches. Peru abounding in
gold, Lima is filled with inhabitants who enjoy all those gradations
of pleasure, refinement, and luxury, which proceed from wealth.
Carolina produces commodities, more valuable perhaps than gold,
because they are gained by greater industry; it exhibits also on our
northern stage, a display of riches and luxury, inferior indeed to
the former, but far superior to what are to be seen in our northern
towns. Its situation is admirable, being built at the confluence of
two large rivers, which receive in their course a great number of
inferior streams; all navigable in the spring, for flat boats. Here
the produce of this extensive territory concentres; here therefore
is the seat of the most valuable exportation; their wharfs, their
docks, their magazines, are extremely convenient to facilitate this
great commercial business. The inhabitants are the gayest in
America; it is called the centre of our beau monde, and is always
filled with the richest planters of the province, who resort hither
in quest of health and pleasure. Here are always to be seen a great
number of valetudinarians from the West Indies, seeking for the
renovation of health, exhausted by the debilitating nature of their
sun, air, and modes of living. Many of these West Indians have I
seen, at thirty, loaded with the infirmities of old age; for nothing
is more common in those countries of wealth, than for persons to
lose the abilities of enjoying the comforts of life, at a time when
we northern men just begin to taste the fruits of our labour and
prudence. The round of pleasure, and the expenses of those citizens'
tables, are much superior to what you would imagine: indeed the
growth of this town and province has been astonishingly rapid. It is
pity that the narrowness of the neck on which it stands prevents it
from increasing; and which is the reason why houses are so dear. The
heat of the climate, which is sometimes very great in the interior
parts of the country, is always temperate in Charles-Town; though
sometimes when they have no sea breezes the sun is too powerful. The
climate renders excesses of all kinds very dangerous, particularly
those of the table; and yet, insensible or fearless of danger, they
live on, and enjoy a short and a merry life: the rays of their sun
seem to urge them irresistibly to dissipation and pleasure: on the
contrary, the women, from being abstemious, reach to a longer period
of life, and seldom die without having had several husbands.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 55 of 79
Words from 54980 to 55986
of 79752
