The dealers in the western parts, resort to the cities on the coast twice in the year, to lay in a stock of manufactured goods. Accordingly for two or three weeks every spring and autumn, New York and Philadelphia exhibit a very bustling scene, though not equal to that at the fairs of Leipsic and Frankfort. It is at such times that strangers should if possible contrive to visit those cities, as they are then in the way of meeting with persons from a very great distance inland, of whom they may learn much valuable information. These half-yearly assemblages are the chief I believe that occur in the country; as there are neither fairs nor corn-markets. would surely be advantageous for the farmers in a neighbourhood to meet together once a week, as they might diffuse information amongst each other to their common benefit. It seems therefore extraordinary that they should omit to establish markets. At present, if a farmer wishes to dispose of his produce, he must take a sample from house to house till he finds a purchaser; this cannot be so convenient to either party as a general meeting in open market.

It

Much of the traffic in the newly settled parts is transacted by bårter owing to the want of specie. The whole circulating medium in those

parts is bank-paper, silver and gold being as rare as in England they are plentiful. Even in parts more populous silver is far from plentiful. How indeed should it, when the banks issue notes as low as a dollar each. In Virginia, the Assembly has prohibited notes of a lower denomination than five dollars, the good effects of which may be easily conceived. But the most surprising thing connected with the currency is, that there are scarcely any copper coins. The poor must I should think often feel the want of them. The reason why the government has been so remiss in neglecting to provide a sufficiency, I cannot tell, unless it be owing to its poverty; for the metal may be had in abundance from England, Russia, and other countries.

The coasting trade is very great. The northern and southern States vary so much in climate, and of course in natural productions, that an interchange of commodities is mutually essential to their prosperity; and there being no duties of any kind on the goods of one State when carried into another, all the evils arising from fluctuations are remedied, as well as jealousies and contentions prevented. Some idea may be formed of the extent of traffic between the different parts of the Union, from the circumstance of

there being a regular steam-packet between New York and New Orleans, notwithstanding the prodigious distance of those cities from each other. This packet touches at Charleston and the Havannah, to lay in a fresh stock of fuel; and the trade with Cuba being considerable, many persons take passage to and from the latter place.

It is very remarkable, that a people so active and enterprising as the Americans, should not attempt to cultivate and bring to perfection many of those productions for which they are now indebted to foreign countries. The vine indeed has been tried in Pennsylvania by Germans competent to its proper culture, but without success. But surely many parts of the southern States must be adapted to it both as it respects soil and climate: yet France and Madeira supply the whole country with wine. The olive would I apprehend flourish equally with the vine. I should suppose that the coffee tree would thrive in the southern parts of East Florida, and that the tea tree would grow in any of those parts which are south of thirty-five degrees of latitude. And why should it be necessary for them to resort to the Levant for a supply of currants and figs? There cannot be a doubt I think, that

some important changes in these respects will ere long take place; changes which may be beneficial to England as well as America, for the greater the intercourse between the two countries, the better it will I trust be for both. It would in particular be advantageous to England to be able to obtain a supply of tea from America, the trade with China, owing to the restrictions of the imperial government, being less profitable than that with countries adopting a liberal policy.

CHAPTER XXX.

THE FINE ARTS.

THE reader may smile at the mention of the fine arts in America; yet I cannot properly pass them over without a slight notice. The Americans hitherto have had so much to do in necessary works, that they have had but little leisure to attend to the merely ornamental. They have had so many roads to form, so many bridges to build, so much land to clear, that it would have been wonderful indeed, if they had become eminent as sculptors and painters. I have not heard of a single American sculptor, but West long since became famous as a painter, and within these few years several American artists have delighted Europe. The most remarkable thing connected with them is, that their own country offers so little encouragement to them, that nearly all of them are obliged to settle in a foreign land. When I was at New York, endeavours were used to persuade persons to purchase tickets, to view a painting which was then exhibiting for the benefit of the artist, that a sufficient sum might be raised to enable him to pro