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.
