Travels In The United States Of America; Commencing In The Year 1793, And Ending In 1797. With The Author's Journals Of His Two Voyages Across The Atlantic By William Priest































































































































































 - 

Several of the public buildings are well worthy the attention of a
Traveller.

The New State House will, when finished - Page 52
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Several Of The Public Buildings Are Well Worthy The Attention Of A Traveller.

The New State House will, when finished, add considerably to the beauty of the town.

It is building on Beacon Hill, and commands a very extensive view of the bay of Massachusetts, and adjacent islands.

The long wharf is a bold design; it runs 1743 feet in a right line into the bay, where there is, at the lowest ebb, 17 feet of water. On this wharf are upwards of eighty large stores, containing merchandize to a great amount. I could never view these buildings without astonishment at the infatuation of the proprietors: they are, without a single exception, of _wood_, and the roofs covered with cedar shingles; were a fire to commence at either extremity with a brisk wind in the same direction, the whole must infallibly be consumed.

The new[Footnote: The _old_ theatre has not been erected five years. Our opposition rages with great violence. Much ink has already been shed. One third of the public papers are crammed with what is called _Theatrical Critique_; but is in fact either the barefaced puff direct in favour of _one_ theatre, or a string of abusive epithets against the _other_, equally void of truth and decency.

The dispute has lately taken _political_ turn. It seems ours is the _aristocratic_ theatre. The _democrats_ at the New Theatre are commanded by the _Moral Lecture_ manager. _Mr. Powell informs his fellow-citizens, that on Monday evening will be performed the tragedy of the Battle of Bunker's Hill_. - The English in this town affect to laugh at the eagerness with which the Bostonians swallow certain passages of this play. I laugh too, but _justice_ obliges me to confess, that _John Bull_ can swallow a fulsome clap trap as voraciously at any _Yankee_ of them all.] theatre is a stupendous wooden building, that will contain one tenth of the inhabitants of the whole town.

The favourite promenade of the Bostonians, is the Mall, which has trees on each side, as in St. James's Park, London. This walk commands some beautiful prospects of the adjacent continent.

Immediately opposite is the village and university of Cambridge.

To open an immediate communication between Boston and the university, the New Bridge was built on the plan of Mr. Cox during his absence in Ireland; a great undertaking, including the causeways, which are covered in the same manner as the water. This bridge is within a few feet of a _mile_ in length, by means of which, the bridge at Charleston, and the neck of the peninsula, our communication with the continent is so complete, that we feel but few inconveniences from our insular situation. - We have a plentiful supply of provision. Our fish-market is an excellent one: the following species are larger than I remember seeing them in Europe; viz. hallibut, cod, mackarel, smelts, and lobsters. The first is often brought to market weighing two hundred pounds. Dr. Belknap, in his History of New Hampshire, says, that when full grown, they often exceed five hundred pounds weight.

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