CHAPTER XXXI.

MORALS.

A PERSON who after travelling in New England makes his way into Maryland and Virginia, may soon perceive that he is in a district less moral in several particulars than that he has left. How much of this difference is attributable to slavery, I shall not now enquire; but the fact should be remembered. The New Englanders, though very circumspect in their general deportment, are taxed by their southern neighbours with duplicity manifesting itself in low cunning. There may perhaps be good ground for a partial charge of this nature, but I am of opinion that the natives of the southern States, instead of railing against the ambidextrous New Englanders, ought rather to charge themselves with a want of perspicacity, since if they are often duped, the fault is mainly their own. The cause of those of the south entertaining a bad opinion of their northern neighbours, is, that nearly all the pedlers amongst them are from New England; and pedlers being men who in all countries thrive by meanness and trickery, they have been the means

of raising suspicions respecting the character of the natives of New England generally. As far as my observations went, the people of the north taken collectively may vie with those of the other districts; for if it be admitted that they have amongst them a more than medium portion of persons prone to base artifice, the people of the midland and southern States, may be accused of drunkenness and some other vices to an extent beyond that perceptible in New England.

Drunkenness has been said to be the great vice of the Americans. It must however be confined very much to the labouring classes. The upper class appeared to me to be very temperate, the middle bibacious more than health requires, and the lower only, justly chargeable with ebriety. As a people, the Americans are certainly not so sober as the French or Germans, but perhaps are about on a level with the Irish. However a tradesman at Georgetown, who was I believe a druggist though styled a doctor, man of intelligence and respectability, assured me that it had been ascertained past doubt, that in the District of Columbia there are more pints of whiskey consumed than pounds of flour! If this be the fact, and he told me that I might rely on it, it implies a still lower state of mora

lity in this particular than I have assigned to them.

Profanity of language prevails to a most shocking extent in all parts. As I was walking in Providence, my attention was arrested by the horrid expressions used by the children at play in the streets. They were as voluble in oaths and curses as hoary sinners; a lamentable degradation, for not correcting which I must think the schoolmasters and clergy are to be blamed. The educated in many places seem as prone to profanity as the ignorant. The Americans want some man amongst them with the energy and zeal of Whitfield, whose abhorrence of such language was so great, that he once, it is said, began a sermon by uttering imprecations on the congregation to convince them of its offensive and impious nature, and then changing his tone

after the manner of Sterne's sermon on the house

of mourning, thundered denunciations on those who were guilty of it.

I have been surprised to find in some of the publications respecting America, a charge, or at least an insinuation, that honesty is a virtue so little respected amongst the natives, that few of them, even of the upper rank, were to be impli

citly confided in. How this unworthy idea originated I cannot say; but it appeared to me not substantiated by any thing I saw or heard. The facility of obtaining a livelihood by honest industry is so great, that temptations to petty thefts are not so strong as in countries more populous; and I saw no reason to believe that the rich are more suspicious of their poor neighbours than the people of England, though I must confess that I believe the American poor are not so generally clear of an addiction to pilfering as the French. On the other hand, candour requires me to state, that during my abode in the country, I never, whether in public or private houses, was in the habit of fastening my bed room door, having no fear of losing any thing. The upper class seemed to have that frank confidence in each other, which is the best proof of general good character. The great hospitality which they so often manifest to entire strangers, is another proof corroborative of it, since they must become suspicious, if their kindness were often infringed on by unprincipled men.

Amongst the upper class however, gambling is very prevalent, more especially amongst those of the southern States. The same may be said of duelling, which has unfortunately been in fa

shion to a much greater degree than in any country in Europe. That so disgraceful a remnant of semi-barbarity should be continued amongst civilized men, may justly excite our wonder and pity. I know indeed, that some persons think that the practice may as well be continued, as it occasionally rids society of a few, whose fiery spirits not being under the restraint of reason, are as well removed. Yet surely when we consider how much distress it occasions in families, and how greatly it tends to prevent an amicable adjustment of differences, it is better to convince men of its uselessness, impolicy and wickedness, than to attempt to uphold it on some supposed grounds of its benefit to society. If a man receives a real injury from his neighbour, the laws are competent to his redress, or at least, are more competent to it than duelling. If he subjects himself to an insult for which no legal remedy is obtainable, it is better, in spite of what is urged to the contrary by men of pretended acute honour, for him to submit to it, and trust to his general past and future conduct as a security for the approbation of his associates, rather than to hazard his life and that of a fellow being. Nor would such tame, inglorious submission be detrimental to the best interests of society. A spirit would be manifested in favour of an aggriev