^aieUni'ied^iLibiail

HODE ISLAND

" ILIIBI^^IElf "

J 90^

PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND
IN THE PAST.

by the same author
The East India Trade of
Providence 17S7 to 1807

Pictures of Rpiode Island
IN the Past
I 642-1 833

BY
TRAVELLERS AND OBSERVERS

edited by
GERTRUDE SELWYN KIMBALL

PROVIDENCE R. I.
PRESTON AND ROUNDS CO.
1900

Copyright 1899
by
Gertrude Selwyn Kimball

ry

f \ -1 - -

The New Era piiiKiixG Ci
Lancaster, P.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

1642. Thomas Lechford, Plain Dealing. . . 1
1660. Samuel Maverick, Description of New England. 2
1665. Nicolls, Carr, Cartwright and Maverick, Report
to the King. . , , . , . . 3
1668. Roger Williams, Letter to the Town of Provi
dence. . . . , ,5
1680. Peleg Sanford, Answer to the Board of Trade. 6
1685. Edward Randolph, Articles of Misdemeanor. 11
1690, N, N., Short Account of the Present State of
New England. . . ... 13
1699. Earl of Bellomont, Report on Rhode Island. . 15
1702. Joseph Dudley, Letter to the Lords of Trade. . 18
1702. Cotton Mather, Magnalia. , , ,21
1704. Sarah Knight, Journal. . . 23
1708. Samuel Cranston, Answer to the Lords of Trade. 27
1708. Robert Quary, Letter to the Lords of Trade. . 29
1708. Samuel Cranston, Letter to the Lords of Trade. 30
1729. George Berkeley, Letter to a Friend. . 34
1732. George Berkeley, Sermon before the Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel. . , 36
1739. John Callender, Historical Discourse. 38
1739. The Modern History. ... .40
1741. William Chandler, Boundary Commissioners'
Journal. ......... 41
1741. John Checkley, Notitia Parochialis. . . 46
1747. Daniel Neal, History of New England. . 48
1753. James MacSparran, America Dissected. . . 49
1754. Jacob Bailey, Memoir. . . .55
1759. Andrew Burnaby, Travels. . . . .56
1765. Robert Eogers, Concise Account of North
America. ... ... 60

VI

T.VBLE OF C'OXTfeNTS.

1769. Benjamin West, New England Town and Coun
try Almanack. .....
1770. A. Cluny, American Traveller. .
1771. Morgan Edwards, Materials for a History ofthe
Baptists in Rhode Island.
1771, Ezra Stiles, Diary. . , , .
1772. James Manning, Letter.
1773. Daniel Horsmanden, Letter.
1773, Hugh Finlay, Journal.
1775. Elkanah Watson, Memories,
1780. Claude Blanchard, Journal.
1780. Count Axel de Fersen, Letters.
1780. Marquis de Chastellux, Travels.
1780. Samuel Hopkins, Autobiography.
1781. Samuel Hopkins, Letter.
1781. Count Cromot du Bourg, Journal.
1781. Abbe Robin, Xew Travels 
1782. Prince de Broglie, Journal,
1782. Count Mathieu Dumas, Memoirs.
1783. Samuel Davis, Journal.
1787. Hector St. JohnCreveca?ur, Letters of an Ameri
can Farmer.
1787. Manasseh Cutler, Diary.
1788. J. P. Brissot de Warville, New Travels.
1792. Jedidiah Morse, American Geography.
1793. James Freeman, Remarks on the American Uni
versal Geography. . . . . .
1794. John Drayton, Travels.
1795. "Citoyen Adoptif de Pennsylvanie," Reponse.
1795. John Pierce, Diary.
1795. W. Winterbotham, Historical, Geographical,
etc.. View. .... . . .
1795. Duke de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, Travels.
1801. Josiah Q.uincy, Journal.
1806. John Melish, Travels.
1807. Edward Augustus Kendall, Travels. .

6364 66727374 757880
858789 91
91 95
100
105106 108
112113 116120
121
124 125 127
131148153
156

TABLE OF CONTENTS. Vll
1810. Henry A. Howland, Reminiscences. . . 159
1812. Henry C. Knight, Reminiscences. , 162
1818, Henry Fearon, Narrative of a Journey, , , 164
1821, Timothy Dwight, Travels. , , 166
1822. Benjamin Waterhouse, Letter to Jefferson, . 169
1826. Anne Royall, Sketches of Life and Manners, , 170
1838, Thomas Hamilton, Men and jManners, 173

INTRODUCTION.

Nothing is more characteristic of American life, in
the present or iu the past, than the rapidity with which
the face of the country is transformed by the hand of
man. Wheatfields and orchards stand nmv where ten
years ago were only the prairie or the forest. The
mission of American mankind (a mi.ssion more inspir
ing and more ideal than we are apt to suspect) has been
" to go up against the land and possess it," and trans
form it. And yet, especially here in New England,
how much remains from decade to decade unchanged !
That strain of conservatism in the American blood,
which jostles so oddly with its audacious energy and
enterprise, has preserved for us, in these older com
munities, many of our material landmarks and still
more of our traits of character. Very likely it is thi.s
mingling of change and of permanence which appeals
to us with so constant a charm in old descriptions of
New England or any of its regions. When we come
across them in our reading, we are quickly interested
to see how much, in the scenes which are familiar to
us, is the product of change, how much has come down
to us unaltered from earlier days. Most of us readers
of books who dwell in Rhode Island have had the
pleasure of encountering a few such descriptions of its
former appearance and character. Miss Kimball has
had the happy thought of extending and giving per-

s; ixTE<.)i)rcTiox.
manence to our pleasure by making a comprelieusive
collection of such descrij^tions. It is not unlikely that
even tlie expert student of Rhode Island history M'ill
be siu'prised that she has found so many. Certainly
they are from sources most varied in character, and
show us Rhode Island, or Providence, or Newport, at
many periods and from many points of view. Some of
their writers are genuine lihode Lslanders, governors
perhajis, like Sandford and Cranston, giving the home
government information, not uncolored Avith patriotic
purpose, respecting the colony. Some, though at the
time of writing residents of Rhode Island, look upon
it A\ith the eyes of strangers — the kindly eyes of good
Dean Berkeley, or the indignant orbs of the virtuous
MacSparran. Some of our witnesses are clergymen,
some soldiers. Some are geographer.s, like Dr. .Jedidiah
Morse. Some come upon official business;, governors
like Bellomont and Dudley striving to maintain order
and the rights of the Crown ; Capt. Chandler survey
ing boundaries, Hugh Finlay inspecting post-offices,
Chief-Justice Horsmanden seeking the destroyers of
the Gn.^pce. Mather the Puritan, Alorgan Edwards
the Baptist statistician, Robin the Catholic abb6, all
have here their place and their right to be heard. An
especially interesting group is that of the French
ofiicers who came with Rochambeau, and whose ami
able views of republican America were not without
their influeuce in a later Revolution. Most interesting-
and instructive of all, perhaps, are those who travelled
through Rhode Island simply for the sake df travel
ling, from ]\Iadam Sarah Knight, the Boston school-

INTRODUCTION. . XI
mistress, to President Dwight and the Duke of La-
Roch efoucauld-Liancourt.
Miss Kimball has made no effort to suppress criti
cisms of Rhode Island. To see ourselves as others see
us is recommended to us all as salutary, and certainly is
always entertaining. At this distance of time we can
listen with equal complacency and equal interest to the
admirer of Rhode Island, to her detractor, and even to
her " candid friend." Doubtless many readers will
think the expressions of opinion respecting the in
habitants of Rhode Island quite as good reading as
those passages wliich show us the ancient aspects of
country and town.
The plan pursued by Miss Kimball has been to re
print the texts exactly, copying, in cases where there
are several editions of a book, from the earliest acces
sible edition in which her extract is contained. The
extracts are arranged in a chronological order, the date
assigned to each being that of the year in which it was
written rather than that in which it ^'^'as published, if
the two are known to differ. To each piece she has
prefixed a short heading, intended to show who the
author was, what was the point of view from which he
looked at Rhode Island, or under what circumstances
he wrote. The source whence tlie text is derived is
scrupulously stated, for Miss Kimball has desired that
the book should be, as I am sure it will be, of use and
value to careful historical students, as well as a source
of entertainment to those who love to read Rhode
Island history " with their feet on the fender."
J. Franklin Jameson.

PREFACE.

Many of the volumes examined in the work of pre
paring this little book have, necessarily, been somewhat
scattered and difficult of access, and it gives me pleas
ure to take advantage of this opportunity to thank
those to whom I am indebted for assistance in this
work of preparation. Much valuable material was
found in the John Carter Brown Library, in this city,
and the kind courtesy ofthe librarian, Mr. G. P. Win-
ship, calls for a grateful acknowledgment. The late
Mr. Amos Perry, Mr. William E. Foster, and Mr.
Sidney S. Rider, of Providence, have furnished valu
able information respecting biographical material.
To Professor W. Whitman Bailey and to Mr. Al
bert V. Jencks I am indebted for the loan of rare
books, while to the kind advice and assistance of Dr.
J. F. Jameson, of Brown University, the volume owes
no small amount of whatever merit it may possess.
Gertrude Selwyn Kijiball.

pictures of RHODE ISLAND
IN THE PAST.

1642. Thomas Lechford.
Thomas Lechford describes himself as "a student
or practiser at law." In 1637 he fell under the ban
of Archbishop Laud, and, he tells us, "suffered im
prisonment and a kind of banishment." The next
year he came to Boston, where he was regarded with
distrust by those in authority, on account of both his
profession and his doctrine. In 1G41 he left New
England and returned to London, where his book was
written and published. Cotton, in his " Way Cleared,"
says that he " put out his Book (such as it is) and soon
after dyed." The extract given is taken from this book
— Plain Dealing: or, Neios from New-England, ed.
1867, pp. 9.3-97.

At the Island called Aquedney, are about two hun
dred families, there was a Church, where one master
Clark was Elder : The place where the Church was,
is called Newport, but that Church, I heare, is now
dissolved ; as also divers Churches in the Country have
been broken up and dissolved through dissention. At
the other end of the Island there is another towne
called Porhmonth, but no Church : there is a meeting
1

2 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
of some men, who there teach one another, and call it
Prophesie. These of the Island have a pretended
civill government of their owne erection, without the
Kings Patent.
At Providence, -which is twenty miles from the said
Island, lives master Willlain.'i, and his comjmny of divers
opinions ; most ai'e Anabaptists ; they hold there is no
true visible Church in the Bay, nor in the world, nor
any true Ministerie. This is within no Patent, as they
say ; but they have of late a kind of government also
of their owne erection.
One master Blakeston, went from Boston, having
lived there nine or ten yeares, because he would not
joyne with the Cliurch ; he lives neere master Wil/iam.^,
but is far from his opinions.

1660. Samuel Maverick.
Samuel jNIaverick (1602-c, 1668) came to America
iu 1624, and settled on Boston Bay where Chelsea now
is. He was a man of good family, well educated, in
telligent, and justly celebrated for his hospitality " to
all Comers gratis." After the Restoration, Maverick
returned to England, and -was appointed one of the
four members of the Commission of 1664. The path
of the Commission, in New England, was not one of
peace. Maverick bore his part in the struggle with
the contumacious colony, but made New York his per
manent residence. This extract is taken from his ac
count of New England, recently discovered, and printed
in the Proceed iugs of the Jf((.-<.'<aeJtusetts Historirid ,S'o-
eiety, 2d Series, I. 243.

COLONEL RICHARD NRjOLLS AND OTHERS. 3
Rhode Island. This island is about ffouerteen miles
Long, in some places 3 or 4 miles Broad, in other lesse.
It is full of people haveing been a receptacle for people
of severall Sorts and Opinions. There was a Patent
granted to one Coddington for the Government of this
Island, and Warwick and Providence two Townes
which lye on the maine, and I think they still keepe a
seeming forme of Goverment but to litle purpose, none
submitting to Supream Authority but as they please.

1665. Colonel Richard Nicolls and
Others.
Richard Nicolls (1624-1672) was the first English
governor of New York. An adherent of the Stuart
cause, he followed his King into exile, and obtained
substantial preferment in England, after the Restora
tion. In 1664 he was appointed military commander
of an expedition to inquire into the condition of New
England — and incidentally to acquire the Dutch terri
tory along the Atlantic seaboard.
As a matter of fact, the other members of the Com
mission (Sir Robert Carr, George Cartwright and
Samuel Maverick) carried out the regulation of New
England, while Nicolls was chiefly concerned with the
reorganization of the province of New York. This
description of Rhode Island is an extract from the Re
port of the King's Commissioners concerning the New
England Colonies, made December, 1665, and is found
in Bartlett's Records of the Colony of Rhode f'iland^
II. 127, 129.

4 PICTURES OF EHODE ISLAND.
The Colony of Road Island and Providence Planta
tions returned their humble thanks to his Majestie for
sending Commissioners, and made great demonstrations
of their loyalty and obedience.
They approved as most reasonable that appeales
should be made to his Majesties Commissioners, who
having heard and determined some causes among them,
referred other, some in civility to their generall Court,
and some to the Governour, and others, some of which
causes they againe remitted to the Commissioners to be
determined. All proceedings in justice are in his Majesties name.
They admitt all to be freemen who desire it.
They allow liberty of conscience and worship to all
who live civilly.
And if any can informe them of any thing in their
lawes or practice, derogatory to his Majesties honour,
they will amend it.
The Nanyhygansett Bay is the largest and safest port
in New England, nearest the sea, and fittest for trade.
This Colony hath two scattered tounes upon Road
Island, two upou the maine land, and four small vil
lages. Here only yet is Limestone found, and here only the
Governour and magistrates serve the publick at their
own charges. In this Colony is the greatest number
of Indians, yet they never had anything allowed to
wards the civilizing and converting of the Indians.
And in this Colony they have the greatest plaines, but
uo place of strength fortifyed, though many places
capable of fortification.
In this Province, also, is the best English grasse,
and most sheepe, the ground very fruitfull, ewes bring
ordinarily two lambs ; corn yields eighty for one, and
in some places, they have had corne twenty sixe yeares
together without manuring.
In this Province only they have not any places set

ROGER WILLIAMS. 5
.apart for the worship of God, there being so many
.subdivided sects, they cannot agree to meet togeather
in one place, but according to their severall judgments,
they sometimes associate in one house, sometimes in
another.

1668. Roger Williams.
The life and work of Roger Williams are too well
known to need elucidation here. The letter cited may
serve as an illustration of the kindliness and public
spirit for which he was no less noted than for his love
of liberty and his undaunted pugnacity in theological
controversy. This letter is taken from Vol. VL of
the Publications of the Narragansett Club, Letters of
Roger William.^, pp. 324, 325.
To my much respected the Inhabitants of the Town of
Providence. Providence, 10th February, 1667-8.
Loving Friends and Neighbors, — Unto tbis day, it
pleased the town to adjourn for the answering of the
bill for the bridge and others. I have conferred with
Shadrach Manton and Nathaniel Waterman, about
their proposal, and their result is, that they cannot
obtain such a number as will join with them, to under
take the bridge upou the hopes of meadow. I am,
therefore, bold, after so many anchors come home, and
so much trouble aud long debates and deliberations, to
offer, that if you please, I will, with God's help, take
this bridge unto my care, by that moderate toll of
strangers of all sorts, which hath been mentioned ; will
maintain it so long that it pleaseth God that I live in
-this town.

6 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
1. The town shall be free from all toll, only I desire
one day's work of one man in a year from every family,
but from those that have teams, and have much use of
the bridge, one day's work of a man and team, and of
those that have less use, half a day.
3. I shall join with any of the town, more or few,
who will venture their labor with me for the gaining
of meadow.
4. I promise, if it please God, that I gain meadow
in equal value to the town's yearly help, I shall then
release that.
5. I desire if it please God to be with me, to go
through such a charge and trouble as will be to bring
this to a settled way, and then suddenly to take me
from hence, I desire that before another, my wife and
children, ifthey desire it, may engage in my stead to
tliese conditions.
6. If the town pilease to consent, I desire that one
of yourselves be nominated, to join with the clerk to
draw up the writing.
Roger Williams.*

i68o. Governor Peleg Sanford.

Peleg Sanford (1632-c. 1700) was prominent in
various official positions. He was general treasurer
of the colony under the Royal Charter, from 1678—
1681, and upon the death of the governor, was elected
¦*The Providence town meeting, on May 9, 1662, passed the fol
lowing vote : " Ordred that .\ bridge be made over Moshosick Eiver
by Tho: Olney jun' his Dwelling howse ; John Browne, Edward
Smith, Thomas Harris jun', John Steere, Epenetus Olney, Tho.
Arnold, Tho: Olney jun', and George palmer, are appointed to git
the Timber ofthe said Bridge, and to fframe it, and then to give no-

GOVERNOR PELEG SANPORD. 7
by the General Assembly to fill the vacant place, in
1680. He was governor of Rhode Island until 1683.
He also served his colony as agent to England, and
served the mother-country in the capacity of judge of
the Admiralty.
The following " Answer of Rhode Island to the In
quiries of the Board of Trade," the original of which is
in the British Public Record Office, is here reprinted
from Arnold's History of Rhode Island, I. 488.

Whereas wee the Governor and Councill of his
Majesties Colloney of Rhoade Island and Providence
Plantations reeeaved from your Lordships the Right
Honorable, the Lords of his Majesties most Honorable
Privy Councill, appointed a committee for Trade and
Forreign Plantations certain heads of inquiery, sub
scribed by the honorable secretary William Blathwayt,
in obedience to your Lordships commands requiring an
answer thereunto ; wee the Governor and Councill
aforesaid accordinge to the best of our understandinge
make answer as followeth, viz'.
To the first wee humbly answer that the Councells
and Assemblies are stated accordinge to his ^lajesties
appointment in his gratious letters Patients, and our
Courts of judicature are two in the yeare certain ap
pointed accordinge to Charter, and are carried on by
Judges and Jurors, accordinge to Law and Charter.
To the second, concerninge the court of Admiralty
wee answer that wee have made provision to act ac
cordinge to the Lawes of England as neare as the con-
tice unto the Surveiors, to warn the inhabetantes together to mend
the high wayes, and then to rear the said bridge ; and this bridge
to be done before the next hay tyme". Primitive as all this sounds,
the skill to build a bridge over our river between May and "hay
tyme" would have been appreciated by many of us in 1898.
An inkstand made from one of the timbers of the old Weybosset
bridge is in the Museum ofthe Rhode Island Historical Society.

8 PICTURES OP RHODE ISL.AND.
stitution of our place will beare havinge but little
occasion thereofe.
To the third wee answer that accordinge to our
Charter the Legislative power is seated in our Generall
Assemblies, and the executive power of the government
is in our Courts of Trialls settled accordinge to Charter.
To the fourth wee answer that our Lawes are made
accordinge to the Charter not repugnant but agreeable
to the Lawes of England.
To the fifth wee answer, that as for Horse wee have
but few, but the chief of our Militia consists of ten
companys of foote, being Trayned Bands under one
Generall Commander, and their arms are firelockes.
To the sixth, wee answer that in the late Indian
warres wee fortified ourselves against the Indians as
necessity required, but as for fortification against a
Forreign enemie, as yet wee have had no occasion but
have made as good provision as at present wee are
capacitated to doe.
To the seventh wee ansvver, that our coast is little
frequented and not at all at this time with privateers
or pirates.
To the eighth wee answer, as ^vith respect to other
Nations, that the French being seated at Canada and
up the Bay of Funde are a very considerable number,
as wee judge about two thousand, but as for the In
dians, they are generally cut off by the late warr, that
were inhabitinge our Colloney.
To the 9th wee answer, that as for Forreighners and
Indians, we have no commerce Avith, but as for our
neighbouringe English, wee have and shall endeavour
to keepe a good correspondency with them.
To the 10th we answer as to the Boundaryes of our
Land within our Patent that our Charter doth declare
the same viz — [extracts the bounds from the charter,
and adds, " the greatest part of it uncultivated, and is
about a degree as we conceave."]

GOVERNOR PELEG SANPORD. 9
To the llth wee answer that the principal town for
trade in our Colloney is the Towne of Newport, that
the generality of our buildinge is of timber and gen
erally small.
To the 12th, That wee have nine towns or divisions
within our Colloney.
To the 13th, That wee have several good Harbors
in the Colloney of very good depth and soundinge,
navigable for any shippinge.
To the 14th, That the principall matters that are
exported amongst us, is Horses and provisions, and
the goods chiefly imported is a small quantity of Bar
badoes goods for supply of our familyes.
To the 15th, That as for Salt Peter we know of none
in this Colloney.
To the 1 6th, Wee answer that wee have severall men
that deale in buyinge and sellinge although they can
not properly be called Merchants, and for Planters wee
conceave there are about five hundred and about five
hundred men besides.
To the 17th, that we have had few or none either
of English, Scots, Irish or Forreighners, onely a few
blakes imported.
To the 18th, That there may be of Whites and
Blakes about two hundred borne in a yeare.
To the 1 9th, That for marriages we have about fifty
in a yeare.
To the 20th, That for burrials this seven yeares last
past accordinge to computation amounts to foure hun
dred fifty and five.
To the 21st, That as for Merchants wee have none,
but the most of our Colloney live comfortably by im
proving the wildernesse.
To the 22d, That wee have no shippinge belonginge
to our Colloney but ouly a few sloopes.
To the 23d, that the great obstruction concerninge

10 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
trade is the want of Merchants and Men of consider
able Estates amongst us.
To the 24th, wee answer that a fishinge trade might
prove very beneficiall provided accordinge to the former
artickle there were meu of considerable Estates amongst
us and willing to propagate it.
To the 25th, That as for goodes exported and im
ported, which is very little, there is no Custome im
posed. To the 26th, wee answer that those people tbat goe
under the denomination of Baptists and Quakers are
the most that publiquely congregate together, but there
are others of divers persuasions and principles all which
together with them injoy their liberties accordinge to
his Majesties gratious Charter to them granted, wherein
all people in our Colloney are to enjoy their liberty of
conscience provided their liberty extend not to licenti-
ousnesse, but as for Papists, wee know of none amongst
us. To the 27th, That we leave every ]\Ian to walke as
God shall persuade their hartes, and doe actively and
passively yield obedience to the Civill Magistrate and
doe not actively disturb the Civill peace and live peace
ably in the Corporation as our Charter requires, and
have liberty to frequent any meetings of worship for
their better Instruction and information, but as for
beggars and vagal)onds wee have none amongst us ;
and as for lame and impotent persons there is a due
course taken. This may further humbly informe your
Lordships that our predecessors about forty years since
left their native countrey and comfortable settlements
there because they could not in their private opinions
conform to the Lithurge, formes and ceremonies of the
Church of England, and transported themselves and
familyes over the Ocean seas to dwell in this remote
wildernesse, that they might injoy their liberty in their
opinions, which upon application to his gratious Majesty

ED'WARD RANDOLPH. 11
after his happy restouration did of his bountifuU good-
nesse graunt us a Charter full of liberty of conscience,
provided that the pretence of liberty extend not to
licentiousnesse, iu whicii said Charter there is liberty
for any person that will at their charges build Churches
and maintaine such as are called Ministers without the
least molestation as well as others.
In behalf and with the consent of the Councill, signed
Peleg Sanford, Governor.
Dated Newport on Road Island
the eighth of May 1680.

1685. Edward Randolph.
Randolph (c. 1640-c. 1700) was the famous agent sent
to New England by the home government iu 1676, with
instructions to obtain information as to the resources of,
and state of feeling in, the colonies. In 1678 he was
appointed collector and surveyor of customs in New
England, and, in 1685, was made secretary and regis
trar of the province of New England. He also held
office for the Crown in New York, and, it is stated, in
Maryland and Pennsylvania. Cotton INIather says, in
his Parentator (1724) that Randolph died in Virginia
ih great poverty. The paper quoted is taken from
Bartlett's Records of fhe Colony of Rhode Isleund, IIL
175, 176.
Articles of Misdemeanor againat Rhode Island.
To the Right Honorable the Lords of the Committee
for Trade and Foreign Plantations.

12 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
Articles of high misdemeanors exhibited against the
Governor and Company of the Collony of Rhode
Island and Providence Plantations, by Edward Ran
dolph. 1. They raise great sums of money upon the inhabi
tants of that Collony, and others by fines, taxes and
arbitrary imprisonment, contrary to law, and deny ap
peals to his Majesty.
2. They make and execute laws contrary to the laws
of England.
;]. They deny. his IMajesty's subjects the benefits of
the laws of England, and will not suffer them to be
pleaded in their Courts.
4. They keep uo authentick Records of their laws,
neither will they suffer the inhabitants to have copys
of them.
5. They raise and cancel their laws as they please,
without the consent of the General Assembly.
6. Their Governor, Deputy Governor, Assistants,
Deputys and other officers for the administration of
justice, as well as juries and witnesses, are uuder no
legal oaths.
7. They violate the acts of Trade, and have taken
from Francis Brinley, Esq'r, his late Majesty's Com
mission, appointing the said Brinley and others to ad
minister an oath to the Governor of that Collony, for
his duly putting in execution the act of Trade and
Navigation, made in the twelfth year of his late Ma
jesty's reign ; the Governor of that Collony not having
taken the said oath these three or four years last past,
as is required in the said act.
All of whicii is humbly submitted, &c.

"S. N." 13
1690. N. N.
The pamphlet from which this extract is taken was
published anonymously, and has but recently come to
light. It is not known who was the author. The
work is entitled A Short Account of the Present State of
New England.
The Names of the several Colonies and Provinces,
are these that follow, Road-Island, Plymoidh, Neirra-
ganset Country, Connectieut, Nev:-Hamp,'ihire, Province
ot Maine, & the 2IaK.<<achii,sett' s-Colony.
Road-Island is of a considerable bigness, and justly
called the Garden of New-England, for its Fertility and
Pleasantness. It abounds with all things necessary for
the life of Man, is excellent for Sheep, Kine and
Horses ; and being environed by the Sea, it is free'd
from the dangers of Bears, Wolves aud Foxes, which
much molest and damnifie those that live on the Con
tinent. The People for .some tract of time had a Charter to
themselves, lived under a Governour of their own
choosing, and Laws of their own making : But in
year 1686, upon serving the Quo Warranto, they freely
resigned up their Charter to His Majesty, and con
tinue so well satisfied with the surrender, that they do
not so much as petition for their Charter again. Here
is a medley of most Perswasion.s, but neither Church
nor Meeting-hou.se, except one built for the use of the
Quakers, who are here very numerous, and have an
nually a General Meeting from all Quarters.
Many of the others regard neither Time, nor Place,
nor W^orship ; and even some very sober men have
lived so long without it, that they think all instituted
Religion useless.

14 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
The People live in great plenty, send Horses and
Provisions to Barbaeloes, and the Leewctrd-Islands, and
sell great numbers of fat Oxen and Sheep to the
Butchers of Boston.
The settlement of this Colony, was in this manner ;
The People of Boston, who always had a perfect hatred
against all those who differed m Opinion from them,
had some Queikei-,-< in the Land ; and how to rid them
selves fairly of these, they had many Consultations,
which at last ended in this result ; They would banish
them to some place or other, from whence they might
be sure to be never troubled with them again : so they
banish'd the Quaker.'^ to this Island, where in all prob
ability they must have perLsh'd with hunger, or else
been destroyed by the Heathens ; hither these poor
people being come, dig themselves Caves iu the earth,
and by the kindness of the Indians, outlive the severity
of a long and sharp Winter. The Spring coming on,
they obtain'd leave from the Sachem to manure the
ground, and in a little time wrought themselves into
good Estates, M'hich some even of the first sellers enjoy
¦to this day. Being thus happily settled, they petitioned
King Charles II. that they might have a Charter to
themselves, fearing least they should fall under the
lash ofthe Bostoners again, who had been so Inhumane
and Barbarous to them in their banishment.
The Narragansett Countrey is a large tract of
Ground, little inhabited, but the greatest part of the
Country is taken up by several Persons. Some of the
Bostoners claim a propriety for several miles together,
hut never take care to make the least Improvement.
Churches here are none, and but a few Houses ; I can
not say there is one English Town in the whole Prov
ince. What is most considerable in the Narragansett
Country, is the settlement of the French Protestants :
who, on the violence of the Persecution, left their
Country, came over to New-England, and took up their

LORD BELLOMONT. 15
habitation in this Wilderness ; where they have made
good improvement, live comfortably, and have planted
great numbers of Vines, which they say thrive well,
and it is hoped will be very beneficial to them.

1699. Lord Bellomont.
Richard Coote, first Earl of Bellomont (1636-1701),
-vvas in 1695 appointed governor of New England, with
a special mission to put down piracy and unlawful
trading. The notorious Captain Kidd engaged his
energies in the first-named sphere of duty, and Rhode
Island seems to have claimed no sraall share of the
Governor' s attention so far as the regulation of unlaw
ful trade was concerned. He visited Rhode Island in
1699, was most unfavorably impressed with the colony
and its people, and in his Report his views are ex
pressed in terms of unflinching sincerity. This " Re
port of the Earl of Bellomont on the Irregularities of
Rhode Island " is taken from Bartlett's Records of the
Colony of Rhode Island, III. 385-387.
Boston, November the 27th, 1699.
My Lords : In obedience to his Majesty's commands,
contained in his Royall commission and instructions,
authorizing and requiring me to inquire and take the
examination of persons and witnesses relating to the
the disorders and irregularities countenanced and prac
tised by the government of the English Collony of
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New
England, in America.

16 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
In the month of September, in this present year
1699, 1 repaired unto the said Collony, and have made
inquiry and examined into the disorders, irregularities
and maladministrations committed and practised by
and within the said government. ^\.nd in further pur
suance of his Majesty's commands, crave leave to ob
serve unto your Lordships wherein (as I apprehend)
the government of the said Collony have deviated from,
and gone contrary to the rules prescribed by their
Charter of incorporation, and the powers and authori
ties which they have usurped and exercised, beyond the
powers therein conferred upon them.
1. They seem wholly to have neglected the Royall
intention, and their own professed declaration recited in
the Letters Patents of their incorporation, " of Godly
edifying themselves and one another in the holy Chris
tian faith and worship, and for the gaining over and
conversion of the poor ignorant Indian natives to the
sincere profession and observance of the same faith and
worship." Upon which grounds, they were granted to
have and enjoy their judgments and conscience in
matters of religious concernments, they behaving them
selves peacably and quietly, and not using this liberty
to licentiousness and profaneness. In that they have
never erected nor encouraged any schools of learning,
or had the means of instruction by a learned orthodox
ministry. The government being elective, has been
kept in the hands of such \\'ho have strenuously op
posed the same ; and the generality of the people are
shamefully ignorant, and all manner of licentiousness
and profaneness does greatly abound, and is indulged
within that government.
15. Their Courts of Justice are held by the Gover
nor and Assistants, who sit as judges therein, more for
the constituting of the Court, than for searching out

LORD BELLOMONT. 17
the right of the causes coming before them, or deliver
ing their opinion in points of law (whereof it's said
they know very little). They give no directions to the
jury, nor sum up the evidences to them, pointing unto
the issue which they are to try. Their proceedings are
very immethodical, no ways agreeable to the course
and practice of the Courts in England, and many times
very arbitrary, and contrary to the laws of the place ;
as is affirmed by the attornies at law, that have some
times practised in their Courts.
16. Their Generall Attorney is a poor illiterate me-
chanick, very ignorant, on whom they rely for his
opinion and knowledge of the law ; and allow of judg
ments against criminal offenders, drawn in his own
name, viz.: I, John Pocock, do indict, &c.
17. The Assistants, or Councillors, who are also
Justices of the Peace, and Judges of their Courts, are
generally Quakers, and sectaries, elected by the pre
vailing factions among them ; illiterate, and of little or
no capacity, severall of them not able to write their
names, or at least so as to be read, unqualified to exer
cise their respective offices, not having taken the oaths
or subscribed the test and Association appointed by
Act of Parliament. John Greene, a brutish man, of
very corrupt or no principles in religion, and generally
known so to be by the people, is notwithstanding from
year to year anew elected and continued in the place
of Deputy Governor, and second Magistrate in the
Collony ; whilst severall gentlemen most sufficient for
estate, best capacitated and disposed for his Majesty's
service, are neglected and no ways employed in any
office or place in the government, but on the contrary
maligned for their good affection to his JNIajesty's ser
vice. 18. The aforesaid Deputy Governor Greene, during
the time of the late war, granted severall sea commis
sions under the publick Seal of the Collony unto private

18 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
men of war (otherwise pirates), expressly contrary to
the will of the Go%'ernor, then in the actual exercise of
the Government ; and notwithstanding his forbidding
the same, took no security of the persons to whom the
same were granted, nor could he tell by the contents of
them, who was to execute the same, being directed in
an unusuall manner to the Captain, his assignee or
assignees ; and otherwise full of tautologies, and non
sense. And all the vessels whereof the Commanders
were so commissionated went to Madagascar and the
seas of India, and were employed to commit piracy.
The said Greene is likewise complained of for exer
cising divers other exorbitant and arbitrary acts of
power, under color of his office.
19. The government is notoriously faulty in coun
tenancing and harboring of pirates, who have openly
brought in and disposed of their effects there ; whereby
the place has been greatly enriched. And not only
plain breaches of the Acts of Trade and Navigation
have been connived at, but also manifest and known
piracies, and all that has been done by them on pretence
of seizing and taking up of known pirates, has been so
slender, weak and not pursued to effect, as plainly de
monstrates it was more in show, than out of any hearty
zeal or desire to suppress and bring such notorious
criminalls to Justice, and their care has been so little
therein, that when they had some of the greatest of
those villians in their power, they have suffered them to
escape.

1702. Governor Joseph Dudley.
Joseph Dudley (1647— 1720) was said to be a "phi
losopher and a scholar, a divine aud a lawyer, all com-

GOVERNOR JOSEPH DUDLEY. 19
bined," but is best known to us as governor of Alassa
chusetts. He held this office from 1702 to 1715. It
was in his capacity of captain-general (by virtue of
which he was empowered to exercise military authority
in Connecticut and Rhode Island in case of necessity)
that he made the journey to Rhode Island which is
below described. The extract is taken from Bartlett's
Records of the Colony of RJiode Mand, III. 462, 463.
Governor Dudley to the Board op Trade.
Boston, 17th Septeniber, 1702.
My Lords :
About twenty days ago, in obedience to her Majes
ties instructions, I took with me some gentlemen of the
Councill here, and a troop of horse to attend me, and
came to Rhode Island, and there in presence of Mr.
Cranston, Governor, and seven of their Councill, most
of them Quakers, and a great assembly of people, I
published her Majesty's Letters Patents for the gov
ernment of the forces and fortifications of that Collony
in the time of war, and the commission for the Vice
Admiralty, at which the Quakers raged indecently,
saying that they were ensnared and injured.
I refused to enter into any conference Arith them
untill I had taken the oaths of allegiance, etc., and had
signed the Test, which I told them I would do in the
presence of the Councill I brought with me ; but had
rather do it before them, and then I should account
myself qualified and secure in my proceedings with
them, which obtained, so far as that some of them
withdrawing, INIr. Cranston administered the oaths, and
the next day at a conference mth them, I told them I
should proceed to review and settle the defects of their
militia, and desired the names of their officers ; but

20 pictures op RHODE ISLAND.
could obtain nothing of them but stubborn refusall,
saying they Avould lose all at once, and not by pieces.
The next day I gave out warrants to the town Major
to muster the two Companies in Newport, that I might
see them, intending to have given the oaths and spoken
kindly to the people ; but the Governor and his Coun
cill would admit of no such thing, but have called their
Generall Assembly,' which is now sitting ; and, as they
say, intend to send home some application to her
Majesty. The day after, I proceeded into the Narraganset
country, and came to the town of Rochester, to which
I had the honor to give that name sixteen years since,
when I was President there, who are now grown to one
hundred and twenty men, who with their officers all
met me at the sea-side, and attended the publication
of the commission, and cheerfully and unanimously,
officers and soldiers, took the oaths. I treated them
as well as the place and time would allow, and the next
day proceeded in my journey. But the Governor and
Councill of Rhode Islaud came near to Rochester the
next day, sent for the officers, and were greatly dis
pleased with their attendance and submission ; and since
have used all methods to bring back the people to con
fusion .
And upon the whole of this article, my Lords, I am
humbly of opinion, that I do my duty to acquaint your
Lordshijjs, that the government of Rhode Island in the
present hands, is a scandal to her Majesty's govern
ment. It is a very good settlement, with about two
thousand armed men in it. And no man in the gov
ernment, of any estate or educaton, though in the
Province there be meu of very good estates, ability and
loyalty ; but the Quakers will by no means admit them
to any trust, nor would they now accept it, in hopes of
a dissolution of that misrule, and that they may be
brought under her Majesty's immediate government in

COTTON MATHER. 21
all things which the major part by much of the whole
people, would pray for, but dare not, for fear of the
oppression and affront of the Quakers party making a
noise of their Charter.
My Lords, I am your Lordships' most obedient and
most faithfull humble servant,
J. Dudley.

1702. Cotton Mather,
The reputation of Cotton Mather (1662-1728) as a
repository of erudition is well known. He was a Har
vard graduate of the class of 1678, studied for the
ministry, and at the age of seventeen preached his first
sermon. In 1685 he was ordained as his father's
colleague in the pastorate of the North Church in
Boston, and his connection with this church only ceased
with his death. His writings were extremely numerous.
The best known is probably that from which this extract
is taken, — Magnafiei Christi Americana : Or,the Eccle-
siastieed History of New-England, from Its First Plant
ing ill tlie Year 1620, unto fhe year of our Lord, 1698.
London, 1702. Book VII. pp. 20, 21.

I believe there never was held such a variety of reli
gions together on so small a spot of ground as have
been in that colony. It has been a oolluvies of Antino-
mians, Familists, Anabaptists, Anti.sabbafarians, Ar-
minians, Socinians, Quaker,s, Remters, every thing in

22 PICTURES OF RHODE LSLAND.
the Avorld but Roman Catholics, and reed Christians,
tho' of the Icdter, I hope, there have been more than of
the former among them ; so fhcd if a man had lost his
religion, he -migld find if cd the geitcred muster of opin-
ionists !
I may venture to say, that Rhode Island has usually
been the Gerizzim of New-England. The Island is
indeed, for the fertility of the .soil, the temperatures of
the air, the commodiousness of .scituation, the best
garden of all the colonies ; and were it free from .ser
pents, I would have called it tlie paradixe of New-Eng
land : but the number of sensible and ingenious gentle
men, whereof there are some upou the Island, will find
it hard enough to rescue it from an extream danger of
that character. Bona Terra, Mala Gens. The condition
of the rising gote ration upon that Island, is indeed ex
ceedingly lamentable !
The former genercdion of Rhode Islanders is now
generally gone off the stage ; and all the messengers
which the churches oi Jla.s.sadtu.set colony, whereto any
of them did belong, sent with admonitions after them,
could reclaim very few of them : the ri.sing goieredion,
confounded by the conf rudicfion.s in religion among their
parents, and under many horrible temptcdions, and under
some unhappy tendencies, to be of no religion cd cdl:
and Avhen the ministers of this province have several
times, at their own united expences, employ'd certain
mini.sfers oi the gospel, to make a churgeless tender of
preaching the Avord among them, this charitable offer of
ministers has been refu.sed : tho' it seems they are now
beginning to embrace it ; the indefatigable, and evangel
ical, and very laudable industry of Mr. .Iohn Danforth,
the minister of Dorchester, has, Aviththe blessing of our
Lord thereupon, overcome a number of them, not only
to hear the gospel from a worthy young preacher, Mr.
Nedhanael Clap, sent thither, but also to build a meet
ing-house for that purpose : yea, and the liberal

SARAH KEAIBLE KNIGHT. 23
merchants of Boston have in this present year 1695,
been exemplary, by their bearing the expences of the
7nini.stei-s Avhich Ave have sent forth to make tenders of
the gospel unto other Paganizing plantations on the
Main belonging to that colony ; albeit s(mie of those
tenders also have been scandalously rejected by the
inhabitants. If I should now launch forth into a nar
rative of the marvellous leird things Avhich have been
said and done by the giddy sectaries of this Island, I
confess the mafter Avould be agreeable enough to the
nature and the design of a church history, and for a
warning unto all to take heed, hoAV they forsake the
icord of God and his ordinances in the societies of the
faithful, and follow the conduct of the new lights, that
are no more than so mauy fools-fires in the issue ; but
the merriment arising from the ridiculous and extraA'a-
gant occurrences therein, Avould not be agreeable to the
gravity of such a history.

1704. Sarah Kemble Knight.
Madam Knight (1666-1727) Avas the daughter of
Thomas Kemble, a merchant of Charlestown and of
Boston. She married Richard Knight of Boston.
Madam Knight's later years were passed in Nor-
Avich, and she figures Avith considerable effect in the
title-deeds of the real estate transactions of that town,
and of New London. " She stood high in the social
rank, and was respected both in the church and in mer
cantile affairs."
In the year 1704 she journeyed alone from Boston
to Ncav York, on horseback, apparently for the purpose

24 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
of attending to the distribution of an estate, and her
journal kept during the pilgrimage is one of the most
entertaining bits of description Avhich have come doAvn
to us from the eighteenth century.
The quotation is taken from her Journal, New York,
1825.

Tuesday, October y" third, . . . About Three
afternoon AA'cnt on Avith my Third Guide, Avho Rode
A'ery hard ; and having crossed Providence Ferry,
we came to a RiA'cr av''' they Generally Ride thro.'
But I dare not venture ; so the Post got a Ladd and
Cannoo to carry me to tother side, and hee rid thro'
and Led my hors. The Cannoo Avas A'ery small and
shalloAv, so that A\'hen avc Avere iu she seem'd redy to
take in Avater, which greatly terrified mee, aud caused
me to be very circumspect, sitting Avith my hands fast
on each side, my eyes stedy, not daring so much as to
lodg my tongue a hair's breadth more on one side of
my mouth then tother, nor so much as think on Lott's
Avife, for a Avry thought Avould have OA'ersett our wherey :
But Avas soon put out of this pain, by feeling the Can
noo on shore, w"'' I as soon almost saluted Avith my
feet ; and Rewarding my sculler, again mounted and
made the best of our Avay forAvards. The Rode here
Avas very CA'en and y" day pleasant, it being uoav near
Sunsett. But the Post told mee avc had neer 14 miles
to Ride to the next Stage, (Avhere sve were to Lodg.)
I askt him of the rest of the Rode, foreseeing wee must
travail in the night. Hee told mee there was a bad
River Ave Avere to Ride thro', av°'' Avas so very firee a
hors could sometimes hardly stem it ; But it Avas but
narrow, and Avee should soon be OA'er. I cannot ex
press The concern of mind this relation sett me in ;
we entred a Thickett of Trees and Shrubbs,

SARAH KEJIBLE KNIGHT. 25
and I perceived by the Hors's going, avc were ou the
descent of a Hill, w"''' as wee come nearer the bottom,
^twas totaly dark av"' the Trees that surrounded it.
But I kncAV by the Going of the Hors wee had entred
the water, av"'' my Guide told mee Avas the hazzardos
River he had told me off ; and hee. Riding up close to
my Side, Bid me not fear — Ave should be over Imedi-
atly. . . . So, as the Post bid me, I gave Reins to
my Nagg ; and sitting as Stedy as Just before in the
Cannoo, in a few minutes got safe to the other side,
which hee told mee was the Narragansett country.
Here AVe found great difficulty in TraA'ailing, the
way being very narrow, and on each side the Trees
and bushes gave us very pleasant Avelcomes av''' their
Branches and boAv's, w""" Avee could not avoid, it being
so exceeding dark. . . . I on a suden was Rous'd
by the Pest's sounding his horn, Avhicli as
sured mee hee was arrived at the Stage, where we Avere
to Lodg : . . .
Being come to mr. Havens', I Avas very civilly Re
ceived, and courteously entertained, in clean comforta
ble House ; and the Good Avoman Avas A'ery active in
helping off my Riding clothes, and then askt Avhat I
Avould eat. I told her I had some Chocolett, if shee
would prepare it ; which Avith the help of some Milk,
and a little clean brass kettle, she soon effected to ray
satisfaction. I then betook me to niy Apartment, av"''
was a little Room parted from the Kitchen by a single
bord partition ; Avhere, after I had noted the Occur-
rances of the past day, I went to bed, which, tho' jjretty
hard. Yet neet and handsome. But I could get no sleep,
because of the Clamor of some of the Town tope-ers in
next Room, Who Avere entred into a strong debate con
cerning y" Signifycation of the name of their Country,
(viz.) Narraganxet. One said it was named so by y"
Indians, because there grew a Brier there, of a pro
digious Highth and bigness, the like hardly ever knoAVU,

26 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
called by the Indians Narragansett ; And quotes an lu-
dian of so Barberous a name for his Author, that I
could not Avrite it. His Antagonist Replyed no — It
was from a Spring it had its name, w''' hee well knew
where it was, Avhieh was extreem cold in summer, and
as Hott as could be imagined in the winter, Avhich Avas
much resorted too by the natives, and by thera called
Narragansett, (Hott and Cold,) and that Avas the
originall of their places narae — with a thousand Im-
pertinances not worth notice, av"'' He utter'd Avith such
a Roreins- A'oice and Thunderina; blows with the fist of
Avickeduess on the Table, that it peirced my A'ery head.
I heartily fretted, and Avish't 'um tongue tyed ; . . .
I set my Candle on a Chest by the bed side, and setting
up, fell to my old way of composing my Resentments,
in the following manner :
I ask thy Aid, O Potent Rum !
To Charm these wrangling Topers Dum.
Thou hast their G-iddy Brains possest —
The mau confounded w* the Beast —
And 1, poor I, can get no rest.
Intoxicate them with thy fumes :
O still their Tongues till morning comes !
^^"ednesday, Octob' 4th. About four in the morning,.
.Ave set out for Kingston (for so was the Town called)
. This Rode Avas poorly furnished w"' accommo
dations for Travellers, so that avc Avere forced to ride
22 miles by the post's account, but neerer thirty by
mine, before Avee could bait so much as our Horses,
av"'' I exceedingly complained of. . . . From hence
Ave proceeded . . . through the Narragansett coun
try pretty Leisurely ; and about one afternoon come to
Paukataug Liver.

GOVERNOR SAMUEL CRAN.STON. 27
1705. Governor Samuel Cranston.
Samuel Cranston (1659-1727) was that goA'ernor of
Rhode Island under Avhom, it is said, " the regime of
the Quaker Avas succeeded by that of the Avorld."
Arnold says of him, in his History of Rhode Island,
" He held his position [as governor] probably, longer
than any other man who had been subjected to the test
of an annual popular election. . . . Thirty times
successively chosen to the highest office, he preserved
his popularity amidst political convulsions that had
swept aAvay every other official in the colony." The
foUoAving document, C!ranston's "AnsAver to a Circular
letter from the Board of Trade to the Governors of the
English Colonies, relative to Negro Slaves," is taken
from Bartlett's Records of the Colony of Rhode Island,
IV. 54, 55.
May it please your Lordships : In obedience to your
Lordships' commands of the loth of April last, to the
trade of Africa.
We, haA'ing inspected into the books of Her INIajesty's
custom, and informed ourselves from the proper officers
thereof, by strict inquiry, can lay before your Lordships
no other account of that trade than the folloAving, A'iz.:
1. That from the 24th of June, 1698, to the 26th
of December, 1707, we have not had any negroes im
ported into this colony from the coast of Africa, neither
on the account of the Royal African Company, or by
any of the separate traders.
2. That on the 30th of May, 1696, arrived at this
port from the coast of Africa, the brigantine SeafloAver,
Thomas Windsor, master, having on board her, forty-

2<S PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
seven negroes, fourteen of Avhich he disposed of in this
colony, for betwixt i-'iO and 4:.') 5 per head ; the rest he
transported bv land for Boston, where his owners lived.
3, That on the 10th of August, the 19th and 2.Stii
of October, in the year 1700, .sailed from this port
three vessels, directly for the coast of Africa; the two
former were sloops, the one commanded by Nicho's
Hillgroue, the ottier by Jacob Bill ; the last a ship,
commanded by Edwin Carter, who Avas part owner
of the said three A'cssels, in corapany Avi1;h Thomas
Bruster, and .Iohn Bates, merchants, of Barbadoes, and
separate traders from thence to the coast of Africa ; the
said three vessels arriving safe to Barbadoes frora the
coast of Africa, Avhere they made the dispo.-^ition of
their negroes.
4. That Ave have never had any vessels from the
coast of Africa to this colony, nor any trade there, thc
brigantine above mentioned, excepted.
5. That the Avhole and only supply of negroes to
this colony, is from the island of Barbadoes ; frora
Avhence is imported one year with another, betwixt
tAventy and thirty ; and if those arriA'c Avell and sound,
the general price is from £30 to £40 per head.
According to your Lordships' desire, avc haA'e ad
vised Avith the chiefest of our planters, and find but
small encouragement for that trade to this colony ; siiK'c
by the best computation aa'c can raake, there would not
be disposed in this colony above tAventy or thirty at
the most, annually ; the reasons of Avhich are cliiefly to
be attributed to the general dislike our planters haA'e
for them, by reason of their turbulent and unruly
tempers. And that most of our planters that are able and will
ing to purchase any of thera, are supplied liy the off
spring of those they have already, AA'hich increase daily ;
and that the inclination of our people in general, is to
employ Avhite .serA'ants before negroes.

COLONEL ROBERT QUARY. 29
Thus Ave have given your Lordships a true and
faithlul account of Avhat hath occurred, relating to the
trade of Africa from this colony ; and if, for the future,
our trade should be extended to those parts, Ave shall
not fail transmitting accounts thereof to your Lord
ships' orders, and that at all times be ready to shoAV
o'.irselA'es, Your Lordships' obedient servant,
Samuel Cran.ston, Governor.
NcAvport, on Rhode Island, December 5, 1708.

1708. Colonel Robert Quary.
Colonel Robert Quary (d. about 1712) Avas gover
nor of South Carolina for a short period in 1684.
The encouragement Avliich he gaA'e to piracy induced
the proprietor to dismiss him from office in 1685. He
Avas theu made secretary of the proA'ince, and became
governor for the second time about the year 1690.
He Avas afterAvards judge of the admiralty in Ncav
York and Pennsylvania, and a sort of government spy
in this country. The following extract is taken from a
" Letter to the Lords of Trade," found in New Yoi-k
Colonial Documents, V. 31.
I Avent hence to Rhode Island, Avhich is a distinct
GoA'ernment, not so populous as Connecticut, but have
been more ready in assisting their neighbours against
the publick enemy it is scituated betwixt Connecticut
Province and that of New England, the scituation of
this place is very happy for Trade, haA'ing a very good

30 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
harbour, with an easy & quick inlet from the sea, their
chief Trade is to the ^A'est Indies but more especially
they have a great Trade to Curacoa and Surinam, the
Chief town of Trade is NcAvport, Avhich is groAvn in
few years to be a great Town, mainly by illegal Trade
to those places, nor is it possible to prcA'ent it Avhile
the Government is in the Proprietors hands.

1708. Governor Samuel Cranston.
For an account of Cranston, see above, p. 27. The
folloAving official reply to the Board of Trade in Eng
land is derived from Bartlett's Recordb- of the Colony
of Rhoele Island, IV. 56-58.

In ansAver to the scA'eral particular matters set fortli
and contained in your said letter, in ol)edience to your
Lordship's command, and in compliance to said As
sembly's order, I shall here give, you the most exact
and impartial account as I am capable of relating the
said particulars.
1. As to the state and condition of Her Majesty's
colony, since the present Avar. It has pleased the
Almighty through his infinite mercy and goodness
(upon our endeaA'ors) to protect and preserve us from
the assaults of the common enemy, though not Avithout
great charge and expense, in keeping and maintaining
Avatches and Avards upon the sea coast of this colony,
and scouts upon the land side into the country. Our
lying so open to the assaults and attempts of the enemy
by sea, doth also occasion often and frequent alarms,
Avhich doth also create great charge and expense ; this

GOA'ERNOR SAMUEL CRANSTON. 31
colony are also at considerable charge and trouble in
maintaining (during the sumraer season) a quota of
men at Block Island, for the defence and safety thereof
2. As to the strength and defence of this colon)', it
chiefly consists (under the ProA'idence of God) in our
good look-outs, our expeditions by sea, as aforesaid,
and in our militia ; the which consists of all males,
from sixteen to sixty years of age, Avho are obliged, at
their oavu charge, to be alAA'ays provided and fitted
with a good firelock musket or fusee, a sword or bayo
net, cartouch-box Avith one pound of good powder, and
four pounds of bullets, Avho are to be ready upon any
alarum or other expedition or .serA'ice, to repair to their
ensigns at their respective places of rendezvous, to at-
teud such orders as they shall receive from their supe
rior officers, &c., the Avhich obligations and orders are
upon all occasions, very cheerfully and readily obeyed
and complied with ; ... In our railitia, consists the
strength of this colony, it being impossible for us to
fortify ourselves so as to keep an enemy from entering
into our bay and rivers, or to obstruct their landing, in
most places in the colony ; though Ave haA'e a small fort
upon an island that covers the harbor of NeAvport,
Avhich is mounted with fifteen pieces of ordnance, from
six to nine pound ball, and is a security to our iiaA'i-
gation, and the aforesaid toAvn, against any sraall force.
3. As to the administration of justice in this colony,
we ha\'e t\A'o general courts of trials, Avhichare held on
the last Tuesday in March, and the first Tuesday in
September, annually ; at which courts are tried all
actional and criminal causes happening Avithin said col
ony ; Avhere the laws of England are approA'ed of, and
pleaded to aU intents and purposes, without it be in
some particular acts for the prudential affairs of the
colony, and not repugnant to the laws of England.
4. As to the number of inhabitants and servants,

¦j'S PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
Avith the nuraber of militia, &c., I have herewith en
closed a list of the same in as true and exact a manner
as I could procure it from the several towns in the col
ony to Avhich I refer your Lordships for a full infor
mation. 5. As to the trade and commerce of this colony, to
and from Avhat places, Avith the number of ships' or ves
sels that have been built here, and noAv belontrins: to
the same, and the number of seafaring men, Ac, I
haA'e herewith enclosed another list, relating to those
particulars for your Lordships further inforraation.
6. As to Avhat commodities [are] exported from this
colony to England, and hoAv said colony is uoav sup
plied Avith any manufactories that it Avas Avont to be
supplied Avith frora England.
This colony never had any iraraediate or direct trade
to or from England, nor any supply directly frora thence,
but what commodities any of the inhabitants have had to
export for England, hath been exported by Avay of Bos
ton, where their returns are also made, and from Avhence
we haA'e and are chiefly and for the most part, supplied
Avith the manufactory of England ; and it is coraputed,
that not less than £20,000 in cash hath been annually,
for some years past, remitted from this colony to Bos
ton upon that account.
7. As to the methods taken to prevent illegal trade,
Ave have a collector and controller of Her Majestv's
customs settled by the honorable the commissioners in
this colony, and a naval officer by the Governor, Avho
take all due methods and care they can, by searching
and inspecting the several cargoes imported, and putting
the several masters or commanders upon their oaths, &q.
We have had no trade to any place but Corrico, that
could give us any suspicion of illegal trade ; but that
trade is at present wholly laid aside by our traders, so
that I knoAV of no other place that they have any trade

GOVERNOR SAAIUEL CRANSTON. 33
to or from, that can giA'e us grounds to suspect any
fraud. Your Lordships may assure yourseh'es, that all due
methods Avill be taken, as there may be occasion, to
prevent and suppress any illegal trade, that may here
after be managed or carried on by any of our traders;
and that what orders or directions we shall at any tirae
receiA-e from your Lordships, or the honorable the
commissioners, relating to trade, shall and will be
punctually and duly observed and complied Avith in the
best manner and method we are capable of
8. As to the number of vessels built in this colony,
Ave are not capable to inform your Lordships, by reason
there hath been no list or meraorandura CA'er kept till
since the act for registering hath beeu in force, from
which time you haA'e an exact account in the enclosed
list. 9. As to the increase or decay of the trade of this
colony, of late years, etc., it doth appear that, about
twenty years past, Ave had not above four or five ves
sels that did belong to this colony, Avhich hath since
gradually increased to the number of tAventy-nine, as is
set forth in the list.
The reason of Avhich increase (as I apprehend) is
chiefly to be attributed to the inclination the youth on
Rhode Island have to the sea. The land on said
island, being all taken up and improved in small
farms, so that the farraers, as their families increase,
are compelled to put or place their children to trades
or callings ; but their inclinations being mostly to
navigation, the greater part betake themselves to that
emplovment, so that such as are industrious and
thrifty, as they get a small stock before hand, im
prove it in getting part of a vessel, as raany of the
tradesmen in the toAvn of NeAvport also doth, for the
benefit of their children that are bred to navigation, in
which town consists the chiefest of our navigation ; not

34 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
above Iavo or three vessels belong to all the colony
besides. One other cause of the increase of our trade is, that
it has pleased God to protect thera frora the hands of
the enemy, so that they have not lost above Iavo or
three A'essels taken this Avar, they being light and sharp
for runners; so that A'ery fcAV of the enemy's priA'ateers,
in a gale of Avind, Avill run or outsail one of our vessels.

1729. Bishop Berkeley.
George Berkeley (1684-1753), afterAvard Bishop of
Cloyne, Avas, at the time Avhen he Avrote the folloAving
letter. Dean of Derry. It Avas perhaps characteristic
of Berkeley's philosophizing temperament that he should
look upon the AA'astes of Araerica as a fitting eiiA'iron-
ment for the dcA'clopment of his educational and re
ligious ideals. He obtained a charter and subscriptions
for the foundation of a college, Avliich he hoped CA'cntu-
ally to found at Bermuda. In January, 1729, he came
to NeAA'port, and remained until the autumn of 1731.
He bought a farm of ninety-six acres and built a small
house, which he called Whitehall. Here he read and
meditated, and, naturally, left his impress upon the
minds of the intelligent and educated people of Ncav-
port. The letter cited, Avritten to his friend Thomas
Prior, founder of the Dublin Society, is taken from
Eraser's edition, of his Works, YV. 160.

BISHOP BERKELEY. 35
Newport, in Rhode Island,
April 24, 1729.
Dear Tom,
I can by this time say something to you, from my
OAvn experience, of this place and people.
The inhabitants are of a mixed kind, consisting of
many sorts and subdivisions of sects. Here are four
sorts of Anabaptists, besides Presbyterians, Quakers,
Independents, and many of no profession at all. Not
Avithstanding so many differences, here are fewer quar
rels about religion than elscAvhere, the people living
peaceably Avith their neighbours, of AvhatCA'er profession.
They all agree in one point, that the Church of Eng
land is the second best. The cliraate is like that of
Italy, and not at all colder in the Avinter than I have
knoAvn it every where north of Rome. The Spring is
late ; but, to make amends, they assure me the autumns
are the finest and longest in the Avorld, and the sum
mers are much pleasanter than those of Italy by all ac
counts, fora.srauch as the grass continues green, Avhich
it doth not there. This island is pleasantly laid out in
hills and vales aud rising grounds ; hath plenty of ex
cellent springs and fine rivulets, and raany delightful
landscaj)es of rocks and promontories and adjacent
islands. The proA'isions are very good ; so are the
fruits, which are quite neglected, tho' A'ines sprout up
of themselA'es to an extraordinary size, and seera as
natural to this soil as to any I ever saAV. The toAvn of
NcAvport contains about six thousand souls, and is the
mo.st thriving flourishing place in all America for its
bigness. It is very pretty and pleasantly situated. I
was never more agreeably surprised than at the sight
of the town and its harbour. I could give you some
hints that may be of use to you if you Avere disposed to
take adA'ice ; but of all men in the Avorld, I neA'er found
encouragement to giA'e you any.

36 PICTURES OP RHODE LSLAND.
1732. Bishop Berkeley.
The folloAving passage is quoted from a sermon
preached by Berkeley before the Society for the Propa
gation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts ; Works, ed.
Fra.ser, III. 242-244.

Rhode Island, Avith a portion of the adjacent Conti
nent under the sarae government, is inhabited by an
English Colony, consisting chiefly of sectaries of raany
different denominations, AA'ho .seem to have Avorn off
part of that prejudice Avhich they inherited from their
ancestors against the national Church of this land ;
though it must be acknoAvledged at the same time, that
too raany of them have Avorn off a serious sense of all
religion. Several indeed of the better .sort are accus
tomed to assemble themseh'es regularly on the Lord's
day for the performance of divine Avorship ; but most
of those Avho are dispersed throughout this colony seem
to rival some AA'ell-bred people of other countries in a
thorough indifference for all that is sacred, being
equally careless of outAvard Avorship, and of inward
principles, Avhether of faith or practice. Of the bulk
of them it raay certainly be said that they Ha'c Avithout
the sacraments, not being so rauch as baptized : and as
for their morals, I apprehend there is nothing to be
found in them that should tempt others to make an
experiment of their principles, either in religion or
government. But it must be OAvned, the general beha
viour of the inhabitants in those toAvns Avhere churches
and meetings haA'e been long settled and regularly at
tended seems so much better as sufficiently to show the
difference which a solemn regular AVorship of God

BISHOP BERKELEY. 37
makes between persons of the same blood, temper, and
natural faculties.
The natiA'e Indians, AA'ho are said to have been for
merly many thousands, Avithin the compass of this
colony, do not at present amount to one thousand, in
cluding every age and sex. And these are either all
serA'ants and laborers for the English, who haA'e con
tributed more to destroy their bodies by the use of
strong liquors than by any nieans to improve their
minds or saA'e their souls. This .sIoav poison, jointly
operating Avith the sraall-pox, and their Avars (but rauch
more destructive than both), have consumed the In
dians, not only in our Colonies, but also far and wide
upon our confines. And, having made havoc of them,
is noAV doing the same thing by those Avho taught them
that odious vice.
The negroes in the government of Rhode Island are
about half as raany more than the Indians ; and both
together scarce amount to a seventh part of the Avhole
Colony. The religion of these people, as is natural to
suppose, takes after that of their masters. Some fcAV
are baptized ; seA'eral frequent the different assemblies :
and far the greater part none at all. An ancient antip
athy to the Indians — AA'hom, it seems, our first planters
(therein as in certain other particulars affecting to imi
tate JcAVS rather than Christians) imagined they had a
right to treat on the foot of Canaanites or Amalekites
— together Avith an irrational contempt of the blacks,
as creatures of another species, Avho had no right to
be instructed or admitted to the sacraments — -haA'e
proved a main obstacle to the conversion of these poor
people. To this may be added, an erronious notion that the
being baptized is inconsistent Avith a state of slavery.
To undeceive them in this particular, Avhicli had too
much Aveight, it seemed a proper step, if the opinion of

38 PICTURES OP RHODE LSLAND.
his Majesty's Attorney and Solicitor-General could be
procured. This opinion they charitably sent over,
signed Avith their oavu hands ; Avhich Avas accordingly
printed in Rhode Island, and dispersed throughout the
Plantations. I heartily wish it may produce the in
tended effect.

1739. Rev. John Callender.
The Rev. John Callender (1706-1740) became, in
1728, the pastor of the Baptist Church in SAvansey,
and, in 1731 , Avas called to the Baptist Church in New
port, where he reniained uutil his death. In 1739, he
published An Histor icd Discour.se on the Civil and Re
ligious Affairs ofthe Colony of Rhode-Island and Provi-
elence Planfcdions^ in Nen--England, in America, From
the First Settlement, lO.JS, to tlie End of the First Cen
tury. This is usually knoAA'u as his " Centennial Dis
course." The folio Aving extract is from p. 19 of the
Discourse.

In 1730 the Inhabitants of the whole Island Avere
Five Tiiousand four Hundred and Fifty Eight, and of
this Town [NcAvport] Four Thousand six Hundred and
Forty, Avho are no doubt by this Time increased to Five
Thou.sand Souls.
The Trade and Business of the Toavu at the first,
Avas but very little, and inconsiderable, consisting only
of a little Corn and Pork aud Tobacco, sent to Boston,
for a few European and other Goods, they could not

REV. JOHN CALLENDER. 39
subsist Avithout, and all at the Mercy of the Traders
there too.*
At present there are above one Himdred Sail of
Vessels belonging to this Town, besides Avhat belong to
the rest of the Colony. God grant, that as Ave increase
in Numbers and Riches, Ave may not increase in Sin
and Wickedness ; but that Ave may rather be lead, by
the diA'ine Goodness, to reform Avhatever may have
been amiss or wanting in us.
there are at this Time, seven ivorshipping Assemblies,
Churches of Societies, in this Town, besides a large one
of the People called Quakers, at Portsmouth, the other
Part of the Island. . . .
There are in the --idne Toums on the main Land eight
Churches of the People called Baptists, one in every
ToAvn, except Greenwich, Avhere there is however a
Meeting House in Avhich there is a Meeting once a
Month. Of the People called Quakers there are seveii Meet
ing Houses on the main Land, and one at James- Town
on Conanicut Island ; and a constant Meeting at West
erly, tho' no Meeting House yet erected.
There are four episooped Churches on tlie Mean, one
at Providence, . . . and one at North- Kingston,
. besides one at Westerly, and one on the Edge
of Warwick, adjoining to East-GreeuAvich, Avhich are oc
casionally supply'd bythe Missionaries at other Toavus.
There are three Presbyterian or Congregcdioncd
Churches at Providence, Soutli-Kingston & Westerly.
* Perhaps it may be agreable to some Persons, to observe, that
about 1660, and many Years after, Provisicm Pay was 100 per Cent.
beneath Sterti-ng Money. In 1687 the Prices of Goods set to pay
Taxes in, were, 'Wool 8d. per Pound, Butter 4d. Indian Corn Is. 6d,
per Bushel. If the Tax was paid in Money, then there was to be an
Allowance or Abatement of one sixth Part, and that perhaps will
nearly give the true current Price, of those kinds of Provisions, at
that Time,

40 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
1739. Modern History.
The book frora Avhich this quotation is taken is the
tAventy-sixth A'olume ofa series entitled Modern History :
or the Present Htute of All Nations. It was published
at Dublin, in 1739, by Herman Moll, a noted English
geographer of the eighteenth century. The extract is
found on p. 307.

As to the state of religion in Rhode-Island colony, a
gentleman of considerable interest there giA'es me this
account of it. He says, they are a very free people in
that respect. They consist of episcopalians, presby-
terians, anabaptists and quakers, but the quakers are
iiOAV the most considerable, their present gOA'crnor, John
Wanton, esq ; being a quaker, as are also scA'cral ofthe
council and house of representatives ; and as they are
principled for a free ministry of the gospel, so conse
quently there is no forced maintenance in the colony for
the ministry of any persuasion, but every different
society that are for maintaining a preacher do it A'olun-
tarily by contribution or subscription. .
There is a stage A\'agon Avliich goes from Boston to
Newport iu Rhode-Island, being seventy miles. Gen
tleraen also have coaches and chaises, but they travel
most comraonly on horseback. And there are inns on
the roads as Avell proA'ided for the entertainment of
travellers as those of Old-England.

CAPTAIN AVILLIAAI CHANDLER. 41
1 74 1. Captain William Chandler.
Captain William Chandler (d. 1754) AA'as au inhabi
tant of Woodstock, of Killingly, and of Thompson,
Connecticut, a surveyor, and a justice of the peace.
He AA'as the father of the Rev. Dr. Thonias Bradbury
Chandler, the Avell-knoAA'u Episcopalian and Tory con
troversialist, of Elizabeth, Ncav Jersey, bishop-desig
nate of Nova Scotia. Captain Chandler's effusion is
here copied from a rare broadside in the possession of
the Rhode Island Historical Society, entitled " A Jour
nal of a Survey of Narragansett Bay, made in jNIay and
June, 1741, by Order of Royal Commissioners, by One
of the Surveyors." It has been reprinted in the Nar
ragansett Historical Register, IV. 1.

These Lines belou-, describe ajust Survey
Of edi the Coa.sfs, cdong the 'Gansett Bay ;
Therefore edtend, and epuckly you shall knou-
J]'here if begins, and how far it doth go.
From Pawodnck, we steer'd our Course away.
And to Watch Hill Ave Avent Avithout delay ;
Which gave a Prospect of the Neighboring Shore
And distant Isles, Avhere foaming billoAvs roar.
Here Fisher's Isle ajjpears, and looks just by
And Montauk Point Ave plainly could descry ;
Block Island also near us did appear,
We took our Course, and how each Place did bear.
From hence our Course did lead us on the Sands.
The utmost Bounds the BilloAvs here Commands,
Whose raging Waves caress the Beach and Shore
With endless ^lotion and a murmuring Roar :

42 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
Then passing o'er the Breaches in our Avay
Made by the Surges of the raging Sea.
Where in the Land Calra Ponds Ave here espy'd
Which rise and fall exactly Avith the Tide.
Within these Ponds are Fish of various Kind,
Which rauch delight and please both Taste aud ]\Iind.
And many FoavIs the Industrious Archer gains,
Which amply doth RcAvard his Time and Pains,
(Here in a Pond, our Caution to oppose
A Horse did launch and Avet his Owners Cloaths
The frightened jade soon tacked himself about
Which made us laugh as soon as he came out.)
Then round Point Juelith Avhich Avas in our Avay
The Courses there, and Length Ave did Survey,
Then Boston Neck along that pleasant Shore
We next survey'd, and found Iioav each part bore ;
[Conneinicutt avc also vicAA'cd full aa'cII,
And other Parts too tedious here to tell.)
Went on this shore, round points of Lands and Coves
Thro' various Fields and raost delightful Groves,
From hence along unto North King.ston shore
Crossing the Meads, Avhich Verdant Greens noAV Avore.
And then for Greemrich next, Ave shap'd our AA'ay,
(Passing more Islands Avhich lie in the Bay,
As Hojye and Prudence that most pleasant Isle
And Patience also, a most fruitful Soil.)
Crossing a Harbour, avc came to the ToAvn
Which seems to be a Place of great Rcuoaa'ii,
For Liberty of Conscience they take
Here's Church and Baptist, also those that Quake.
From hence avc Avent along Avith our Survey
By A'arious Turns and carae to Wai-wick Bay
And in that Toavu did of their Dainties eat
And in soft slurabers pass'd the Night Avith Sleep.
Here neighbouring Orchards in their A'erdant Blooms
The s;entle Air SAveetens Avith their Perfumes ;

CAPTAIN AVILLIAM CHANDLER. 43
Which pleasing Prospect did attract our sight
And charm'd our Sense of smelling Avith Delight.
From hence Ave Aveut on our Survey again
By fertile Meads Avhich join the Avat'ry Main.
Turning more Points, and passing on our Avay
Came to a Place on Avhich a Dead Man lay,
A dreadful sight it was, our Blood run chill
It damp't our joys and made our Spirits thrill,
Ah ! Avhat is jMan ? Avhen he by Nature's Laws
Is fallen a Prey to Death's relentless Paws
But vanity ? His mortal Part I mean
But stop ray Muse and quit this raournful Theme.
From hence by Fields, and iioav and then a Ridge
We came at length unto Pawtuxett Bridge,
The Southern Bounds Avhich Providence does claim
And does diA'ide fine Waru;ick from the same.
Passing along still by the floAving Tide
The famous town of Providence we spy'd.
To Avhich Ave came, vieAA'ing hoAV Nature raade
(With Art allied) this for a Place of Trade.
This Pleasant Toavu does border on the Flood
Here's neighbouring Orchards, & more back the Wood,
Here's full supply to chear our hungry Souls
Sr. Richeird (strong) as Avell as Wine in BoavIs.
Here Men may soon any Religion find
Which quickly brought brave Holland to my Mind.
For here like them, one Avith the greatest ease
May suit himself, or quit all if He please.
Our haste in Business call'd us from this Town
By Seaeonk shore, aAvay to Barrington
Passing that Ferry, something did accrue
Which the next Lines, shall give unto your vicAV,
Here jumping out our Horses from the Boat
One blundering sprang Avhich rais'd up each Man's note
And tumbling o'er the Horse fell on his Back
Into the Deep and wet his Master's Pack.

44 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
For Bristol ToAvn Ave shap'd our Course aAvay
And Poppassejuasli Ave quickly did surA'cy,
But on i:his shore Ave turn'd a Avhile to rove,
And Avent to Yied's and Avalk'd thro' his Grove.
This charraing Place Avas neat aud clean, a Breese
Attend the shade made by black cherry Trees,
On either side a Roav of large extent
And nicely shading every step We Avent :
Methinks young Lovers here with open Arms
Need no young Cupids to iuspire their Charms,
For Avhat can raise the Nymphs or SAvains to love
In SAA'cet Caresses, sooner than this Grove.
From hence (Avith Air) Ave pass thro' Bristol streets
AVhere Generous Hearts did give their liberal Treats,
Yet soon aa'c found one of another Mould
For here a Crabbed jade did at us Scold,
Her grcA'cl'd Notes yet made some of us smile
Whose impeous Talk Avas near to Predfle Isle,
Which Place Ave named to memorise this Scold
And for her sake this story I haA'e told.
Noav next we took our Course to Caxfle Isle
And pass'd away soon from this pleasant Soil
Finding exactly how Hog-Island bore
With Course and Distance to uiquefnett shore.
Mount Hope from hence Ave plainly noAV esjiy'd
AVhich Avas hard by, or near the floAving Tide,
To Avhich Ave carae taking the Courses here
To neighbouring shores, and Islands that are near.
Turning aside aac saAv the Royal Spring
Which once belong'd unto an Indian King,
To chear our Hearts aac drank the cooling stream
In memory of Philip and his Queen.
Next Ave ascended Philip's Royal Seat
Where he Avas slain, and all his Armies beat
We saw the Place AA'here quartered he did hang.
Where joyful notes of Praise those Victors sang.

CAPTAIN AVILLIAM CHANDLER. 45
Upon this Mount the Avandering Eye may gaze
On distant Floods, as avcU as neighbouring Bays
Where Avith one Glance appears Ten Thousand charms
With fruitful Islands, and most fertile Farms.
Now from this JNIount Ave Avent (like Men aa'cII skill' d)
By Flocks and Herds Avhich verdant Pastures fill'd,
Unto Assorit took the Distance here
And turn'd about new Courses now to steer.
From hence Ave Avent by various Towns in haste,
And by Rhode- Island shore we also past
Where CA'cry Turn and Coa'C We noted doAvn
Shaping our Courses unto Seconet Toavu,
When Ave came near that pleasant place and soil
I heard a story Avhich Avill make you sraile.
A AVorthy Friend Avho lately had great Losses
Amongst his stock, but chiefly in his Horses,
By evil Alen, Avho haunts his Fields by night
When he's from home and kills them out of spight,
This Friend relates (aa'Iiosc Daughter Avas before me)
AVith chearful Air the folloAving Famous Story :
" One EA'ening clear (said he) she took up Arms
" Laying aside a Avhile her Virgin Charms.
" And walk'd abroad some of my Fields to vieAV,
" The Flocks and Herds, to see Avhat Avould ensue
" Then instantly Avith Courage being inspir'd
" She at an Armed Rogue her Pistol fir'd
" Crying aloud you AY retch begone from hence,
" Or stand and fight me in your oavu Defence.
" But guilty Creature, he took to his Heels
" And left this Maiden in the Conquer'd Fields
" Who joy'd awhile for this brave Action done,
" And then return'd unto her Peaceful Home."
From hence aa'c passed along Seconet Shore,
LTnto its Point Avhere Dreadful BIIIoaa'S roar,
AA'^hose rolling Agaves come tumbling from the main
And kiss the Shore and then retire again.

46 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
Here may the Eye survey the tossing Sea
And sport the sight with Ships that sailing be
Upon this Coast, Avhich corae from distant Lands ;
And then may turn and vieAv the Beach and Sands,
True Gratitude forbids I should be mute,
AA^here Generous Souls, our Spirits do Recruit.
Now sure, this Toavu deserves our best of Praise,
Since none more stri\'ed our Spirits soon to raise.
But stop my Muse, let's haste ou our Survey
And stretch our coast along the EastAvard Bay.
So then from thence we measur'd by the Sands
An EastAvard Course along those Pleasant Lands,
And came to Dartmouth a most liberal Toaa'ii
Whose liquid Treats their generous Actions croAvn,
Here is the place where Ave did end our AVorks
Here avc left off, (and did it with a jirk)
And then retir'd our Field Book for to scan.
And of this large Survey to make a Plan.
W. C.

1 74 1. Rev. John Checkley.
The Rev. John Checkley (1680-1754), born in
Boston, and celebrated for his violent controversies
Avith the Congregational clergy of that town and his
persecution, or at least prosecution, on that account,
AA'as from 1739 rector of King's Church, in Providence,
noAV St. John's. He had traA'elled extensively in
Europe, and Avas fond of collecting paintings, rare
books and manuscripts. He is spoken of by AA'riters in
the early part of the present century as one of the wits
of his time, and his bon-mots and Avitticisms were cur-

REA'. JOHN CHECKLEY. 47
rent for a whole generation after his death. He Avas
universally beloved by his parishioners and by his fel-
low-toAvnsmen. The extract given here is taken from
Checkley's " Notitia Parochialis," appended to the
second volume of Dr. E. F. Slafter's life of him, A"'ol.
XNIV. of the Prince Society Publications, pp. 197,
198. Notitia Parochialis.
1. Number of Inhabitants,
In the toAvns out of which my Parishioners come
(I mean those Avho frequent my church) about four
teen thousand people.
2. No. of the Baptized.
Impossible to tell. But I conjecture that in
ProA'idence not One in Ten, and in three ToAvns
above Providence not one in thirty.
3. No. of adult persons baptized this half year.
One.
4. No. of actual Communicants of the Ch. of England.
Thirty-seven.
5. No. of those Avho profess themselves of the Ch. of
England.
About two hundred.
6. No. of Dissenters of all sorts, particularly papists.
About eight Thousand, & much to be feared one
half of them Infidels. Some fcAv papists, Avho I be
lieve harbour many others in Disguize.
7. No. of Heathens & Infidels.
About six Thousand, and a round number of them
Atheists, as far as Avretched man can be such.
8. No. of Converts from a prophane, disorderly and
unchristian Course of Life, to a Life of Christian
purity, meekness and Charity.
Two.

48 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
1720. Rev. Daniel Neal.
Neal (1678—1743) is best knoAvu as the historian of
the Puritans. The History of New Englanel — his first
Avork — AA'as ])ublished in London, in 1720, and had a
Avarmly faA'orable reception in America. Harvard con
ferred the honorary degree of ]M. A. upon the author.
It w(uild .seem to be a conscientious and painstaking
Avork. The extract given is taken from the second
edition, London, 1747, IL 233.

Providence and Warwick, Iavo large Toavus in the
Narrhagan.set County upon the Continent, are under
this GoA'ernment [Rhode Island] and have the least
Appearance of Order of any Toavus in New-England.
The Inhabitants of these Places are likeAA'ise the
Descendants of thase Sectaries Avho AA'ere banished the
M(tn.se(chusetts Jurisdiction between the year 1630 and
1640, . . . , but they uoav live in great Amity Avith
their Neighbours, and though ever}' Man does Avhat he
thinks right in his oavu Eyes, it is rare that any notor
ious Criraes are committed by them, wliich may be
attributed in some Measure to their great Veneration
for the Holy Scriptures, Avhich they read from the least
to the greatest, though they have neither jNIinisters nor
Magistrates to recommend it to them. They have an
Aversion to all Sorts of Taxes, as the Inventions of
]\Ieu to sujjport Hirelings, as they call all such Magis
trates and Ministers as Avon't serve them for nothing.
They are A'ery hospitable to Strangers ; a Traveller
passing through these Toavus may call at any House
Avith the sarae Liberty as if he Avere in an Inn, and be
kindly entertained Avith the best they haA'e for nothing.

REV. DR. J.AMES M.ACSPARRAN. 49
The raising of Cattle, and making Butter and Cheese
is their chief Employ, by Avhich they have very much
enriched themselves. The Society fdr propagating the
Gospel after the Manner of the Church of England
have lately planted a Missionary in these Parts {viz.)
the Reverend Air. Guy, to whom they alloAV 70 /. per
Annum.
the Inhabitants [of Newport] begin now to be more
civilized, since there have been Iavo Churches in the
Island, one according to the Neiv-English Model, the
other according to the Church of England ; of Avhich
latter the Rev. Mr. Honeyman is the present Incum
bent, to Avhom the Society for propagating the Gospel
in foreign Parts allow 55 I. per Annum.

1752. Rev. Dr. James MacSparran.
Dr. MacSparran (d. 1 757) AA'as an out-spoken, but
extremely diverting missionary of the Church of Eng
land, Avho officiated as clergyman at St. Paul's Church,
Narragansett, from 1721 until his death.
At one time his parish contained Bristol, FreetoAvn,
Swansey, and Little Compton. He Avas much inter
ested in the establishment of St. John's (then King's)
Church, in Providence. His zeal for his mission work,
his laudable endeavors to improve his OAvn Avorldly con
dition, and his keen appreciation of his own merits and
his neighbors' deficiencies, form a most attractiA'e com
bination. This quotation is from his America Dissected
(Avritten in 1752, published in 1753), pp. 27 et seq.,
reprinted in Updike's Narragansett Church. His letter-
book, 174.3—1751, has just been printed.

50 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
The next Region that ri.ses to VicAV is the little Col
ony of Rli ode- Island, &c. Avhere Providence has fixed
me, and Avhere I haA'e resided in Quality of Missionary
thirty-one Years last April. . . . This little District
. contains about 1,024,000 Acres, and is peopled
Avith about 30,000 Inhabitants, young and old, Avhite
and black. . . .In Connecticut I observed to you
that Independency AA'as the Religion of the State; but
in Rhode-Bland no Religion is established. There a
Alan raay, Avith Impunity, be of any Societ}', or of none
at all ; but the Quakers are, for the most part, the Peo
ple in PoAver. . . .no sooner did their Preachers ap
pear in Rhode-Island ,h\it they found many ofthe Pos-
terit}' of the first Planters too Avell prepared for the
Reception of pestilent Heresy. The tAventy-four Years
that had run out from their first Reminded from Englanel,
and the seventeen that had elapsed from their second
Settlement at Rhode-Island, had carried off the Stage of
Life most of those Avho received the first Rudiments of
Religion in the Alother Country. Their Descendants
and Successors, AA'ithout Schools, Avithout a regular
Clergy, became necessarily rude and illiterate ; and, as
Quakerism jirevailed, Learning Avas decried, Ignorance
and Heresy so increased, that neither EpipJianius's, nor
Sir Richard Illarkmore's Catalogues, contain more het
erodox and different Opinions in Religion than Avere to
be found in this little Corner. . . . In 1 700, after
Quakerism and other Heresies had, in their Turns,
ruled OA'er and tinged all the Inhabitants for the Space
of forty-six Years, the Cliurch of England, that had
been lost here through the Neglect of the C'roAvn, en
tered as it AA'ere, unobserA'cd and unseen, and yet not
Avithout some Success. A little Church Avas built in
Newport, the Metropolis of the Colony, in 1702, and
that iu Avhich I officiate in Narragansett, iu 1707.
There have beeu Iaa'o Incumbents before me ; but

REV. DR. JAMES MACSPARRAN. 51
neither of them had resolution euough to grapple Avith
the Difficulties of this Alission, above a Year a-piece.
I entered upon this Mission in 1721 ; and found the
people, not a Tabula rasa, or clean Sheet of Paper,
upon Avhich I might make any Impressions I pleased ;
but a Field full of Briars and Thorns, and noxious
Aveeds, that were all to be eradicated, before I could
implant in them the Simplicity of Truth. HoAVCA'er,
by God's Blessing, I have brought over to tlie Church
some Hundreds, and, among the Hundreds I have
baptized, there are at least 150 Avho receiA'ed the Sac
rament at my Hands, from tAventy years old, to seA'enty
or eighty. Ex Pede Herculem. By this, you may
guess in hoAV uncultiA'ated a Country my Lot fell. By
my Excursions, and Out-Labours, a Chureh is built 25
Miles to the A¥estAvard of me, but not iioav under my
Care; another 16 Allies to the Northward of me,
where I officiate once a Alontli ; aud, at a Place six
Allies farther off, on the Saturday before that monthly
Sunday. I gathered a Congregation at a Place called
New-Bristol, where iioav officiates a Alissionary from
the Society ; and I was the first Episcopal Alini.ster
that ever preached at Providence, Avhere, for a long
Time, I u.sed to go four tiraes a Year ; but that Church
has noAV a fixed Alissionary of its oavu. I took Notice
before of my Labours at New-Londan in ('ounecticnt,
and would to God I could boast of raore Success! but
Toil and Travel has put me beyond my Best ; and, if
I am not rewarded Avith a little Rest in Europe, Avhere
my Desires are, I haA'e strong Hopes of infinitely more
desirable Rest from my Labours, in those celestial
Mansions prepared by my dear Redeemer. Besides the
Members of our Church, Avho, I raay boast, are the
best of the People, being Converts, not from Con
venience or civil Encouragement, but Conscience and
Conviction ; there are Quakers, Anabaptists of four

52 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
sorts. Independents, Avith a still larger Number than
all those, of the Descendants of European Parents,
devoid of all Religion, and AA'ho attend no Kind of
Public AVor-ship. In all the other Colonies, the LaAv
lays an Obligation to go to some Sort of AVorship ou
Suuday ; but here, Liberty of Conscience is carried to
an irreligious Extreme. The Produce of this Colony is
principally Butter and Cheese, fat C'attle, AVool, and
fine Horses, that are exported to all Parts of the
Engli.sh America. They are remarkable for Fleetness
and swift Pacing ; and I have seen some of them pace
a Alilc in little more than tivo Alinutes, a good deal
less thau three.
There are aboA'e 300 Vessels, such as Sloops, Scooners,
SnoAvs, Brigantines, and Ships, from 60 Tons and up-
Avards, that belong to this Colony ; but, as they are
rather C-arriers for other Colonies, than furnished here
Avitli their Cargoes, you Avill go near to conclude that
Ave are lazy and greedy of Gain, since, instead of culti-
A'ating the Lancls, avc improA'c too many Hands in
Trade. This indeed is the Case. There are here,
AA'hich is no good Symptom, a A'ast many LaAV-Suits ;
raore in one Year than the County of Derry has iu
twenty ; and Billy M'Evcis has been so long your
Father's, and your Honour's Constable, that he Avould
make a A'ery good Figure on the Bench of our Courts
of .Assize and General Goal Delivery. The Novanglians
in general, the Rhode-Islanders in particular, are per
haps the only People on Earth who haA'e hit on the
Art of enriching themselves by running in Debt, This
Avill remain no longer a Mystery, than I have related
to your Honour, that Ave have no Money araong us,
but a depreciating Paper Currency ; and this, in the
Current of 30 Years, has dAvindled doAvn from 6s. 8d.
to about 41. per Ounce. He aa'Iio disposes of his Goods
on long Credit, and another Avho lends his Aloney at

REV. DR. JAMES MACSPARRAN. 53
101. 12J, or CA'en 151. per Cent, the first loses his
Profits, and the last some of his Principal, besides all
the Interest. Indeed, a new Act of the British Parlia
ment, ill-penned, passed last AVinter, to restrain us :
But such Things are only Bruta Fulmina ; and we shall
go on, I doubt, in our old Way of Paper Emissions,
unless the Lord, in Mercy to us, should dispose the
soA'ereign Power to vacate our Patent, and prevent our
Destruction by taking us out of our own Hands. I
mentioned Wool as one of the Productions of this
Colony ; but, altho' it is pretty plenty Avhere I live, yet
if you throAV the English America into one Point of
VieAV, there is not half enough to make Stockings for
the Inhabitants. AVe are a A'ast AdA'antage to England,
in the Consumption of her Manufactures ; for Avhich
Ave make Returns, in New Ships, Whale Oil, and Bone,
(Avhich groAvs in the AVhale's Mouth) and dry Fish, to
the Ports oi Portuged, Spain, and Italy, AA'hich are paid
for by Draughts on London and Bri.stol Merchants. I
Avish Ireland were at Liberty to ship us their AVooUens,
which Ave shall ahvays Avant, instead of her Linens,
Avhich will soon cease to be in demand here. Before I
leave this Colony, give me Leave to observe to your
Honour, that the Lord Marquis of Hamilton, Prede
cessor to the late Dukes of that Title, bought of the
aforesaid Council of Plymouth (JO ]\Iiles square of Laud,
which comprehends most of this Colony, and Part of
Connecticut, with 10,000 Acres at Sagadahock; and
only Length of Time, Neglect, and some Misfortunes
that befel that Family, have deprived them of the
Benefit of that great Estate. The last Duke put a
Copy of his Patent into my Hands, Avhen I Avas in
England, in 1737 ; and from that, and Avhat he told
me, it appeared to my Understanding, that his Title
was good, and might, were the Times favourable to
that Family, be recovered again. At an easy Quit-

54 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
Rent of 5s. Sterling per 100 Acres, it Avould amount
to more than 57601. per Annuui, and might be im
proved to a much greater Sum. .
I've said nothing of the cliraate. You are to know
then, that, . . . In general, the Air is infinitely more
clear and serene than in England or Ireland ; and our
Nearness to the Sun occasions raore frequent and loud
Claps of Thunder, and sharper Lightning, than you
have. It is no unusual Thing for Houses, and Stacks
of Hay, and Grain, to be burnt ; aud Alen and Cattle
are often killed by the sharp Lightning. In New-
England, the Transitions from Heat to Cold are short
and sudden, and the Extreme of both A'ery sensible :
AVe are sometimes frying, and at others freezing ; and
as Meu often die at their Labour in the Field by Heai,
so sorae in AVinter are froze to Death Avith thi' Cold.
Last AVinter, in Fehru.ary, Avhich begins the Spring
with you, I rode 30 Allies upon one continued Glaze of
Ice upon the Land, to assist a neighbouring Clergy
man, Avho Avas sick. AVith a Horse well caiilk'd and
frosted, 'tis fine Travelling for one that cau soraetiraes
'light and run, to bring the Blood into his Feet, and in
crease the checked Circulation. As from ray Lands I
can see the Atlantic Ocean, I have seen it froze as far
as the huraan Eye could reach ; and 'tis coraraon, in a
beautiful Lake of salt Water that fronts my Farm, to
have the Ice three Feet thick every AVinter. .
As the ShadoAv lengthens as the Sun groAvs Ioav, so,
as the Years increase, ray Longings after Europe in
crease also. My Labours and Toils are inexpressible,
and Age makes them still more intolerable.
A^agrant, illiterate Preachers SAvarm Avhere I am ;
and the native Novanglian Clergy of our Church,
against the Opinion of the European Alissionaries, have
introduced a Custora of young Scholars going about and
reading Prayers, itc. Avhere there are Vacancies, on

REV. JACOB BAILEY. 55
purpose that they may step iuto them Avhen they cau
get Orders ; yea, they have so represented the Necessity
and Advantage of the Thing, that the A'cry Society
connive at, if not encourage it. This occasioned my
preaching, and afterAvards printing, the inclosed Dis
course, on Avhich I shall be glad to have your Senti
ments.

1754. Rev. Jacob Bailey.
Jacob Bailey (1731-1808) AAas a clergyman of the
Church of England, Avho Avas born iu Massachusetts,
and graduated at Harvard. He visited England, and
Avas ordained in that country, and later becarae a rais
sionary in PoAvnalborough, uoav AViscasset, Alaine.
During the Eevolutionai'y Avar he Avas a loyalist, and,
in 1779, left the United States for Nova Scotia, Avhere
he becarae rector of St. Luke's Church iu Annapolis.
The folio Aving extract is taken from his journal,
published in The Frontier Missionary, A Memoii- ofthe
life of the Rev. Jacob Bcdiey, by AV. S.. Bartlett, New
York, 1853, pp. 16 e^ seq.

ProA'idence is a most beautiful place, lying on both
sides of a fine river, in the north-Avesterly part of Rhode
Lsland government. The north-east side is built Avith
tAVO streets of painted houses, aboA'C Avliich lies a most
delightful hill, gradually ascending to a great distance,
all cut into gardens, orchards, pleasant fields, and
beautiful enclosures, Avhicli strike the eye with agree
able surprise. Here is a fine harbor for shipping, and

56 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
a Avell-built bridge across the river. The toAVU on the
south-Avest side, is less elegant than on the north
east, but contains Iavo or three streets of Avell-built
houses. Providence is a very groAving and flourishing
place, and the finest in Ncav England. Here is one
meeting-house, one church, one Quaker and one Xcav-
Liglit house for divine Avorship. The inhabitants of
the place, in general, are A'ery immoral, licentious and
profane, and exceeding faraous for contempt of the
Sabbath. Gaming, gunning, horse-racing and the like,
are as common on that day as on any other. Persons
of all professions countenance such practices. From
ProA'idence Ave rode OA'er a fine plain to Patuxet.
Patuxet
Is a pretty corapact place, built upon a small river,
over Avhich is a A'ery good bridge. Frora Patuxet Ave
rode thrcjugli a long desert country, in which Ave saw
but a A'ery fcAV people, and they almost as rough as the
trees.

AVarwick.
A poor, but old-settled toAvn, something populous,
on the borders of Greenwich ; the inhabitants very
profane and impolite.

1759. Rev. Andrew Burnaby.
Burnaby (1734 C.-1812) Avas an English clergyman,
Avho made extended journeys in Araerica, chiefly in the
Middle States, in 1759 and 1760.

REV. ANDREAA' BURNABY. 57
His observations shoAV good judgraent and are inter
esting. He is careful to avoid any allusion to the po
litical events of the time. The extract given is taken
from his Travels through the Middle Settlements in North
America, p. 67 et seq. London, 1775.
NcAvport. Rhode Island.
This toAvn is situated upon a small island, about
twelve miles in length, and five or six in breadth, called
Rhode Island, from Avhence the province takes its
name. It is the capital city, and contains about 800,
or 1000 houses, chiefly built of Avood ; and 6 or 7000
inhabitants. There are fcAV buildings in it worthy of
notice. The court-house is indeed handsorae, and of
brick ; and there is a public library, built in the form
of a Grecian temple, by no means inelegant. It is of
the Doric order, and has a portico in front Avith four
pillars, supporting a pediment ; but the Avhole is spoilt
by tAVO sraall AA'ings, Avhich are annexed to it. .
The places of public Avorship, except the -Jcavs syna
gogue, are all of wood ; and not one of thera is Avorth
looking at. They consist chiefly of a church, Iavo pres
byterian meeting-houses, one quakers ditto, three ana
baptists ditto, one Moravian ditto, and the synagogue
above-mentioned. This building Avas designed, as in
deed Avere several of the others, by a Air. Harrison, an
ingenious English gentleman Avho lives here. It Avill
be extremely elegant Avithin when completed : but the
outside is totally spoilt by a school, Avhich the Jcavs in
sisted on having annexed to it for the education of
their children. Upon a small island, before the toAvn,
is part of a flne fortification, designed to consist of a
pentagon-fort, and an upper and loAver battery. Only
tAVO of the curtains, and a ravelin, are yet finished ;
and it is doubted Avhether the Avhole ever Avill be.

58 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
There are uoav raounted upon it tAventy-six cannon ;
but the Avorks, Avlien complete, Avill require above 150.
At the entrance of the harbour there is likeAvLse an ex
ceeding good light-house. These are the chief public
buildings. About three miles from town is an indifferent wooden
house, built by dean Berkeley, when he Avas in these
parts : the situation is low, but commands a fine view
of the ocean, and of some Avild rugged rocks that are
on the left hand of it. . . . The province of Rhode
Island is situated . . .in the most healthy climate
of North-America. The Avinters are severe, though not
equally so Avith those of the other provinces ; but the
summers are delightful, especially in the islaud ; the
violent and excessive heats whicii America is iu general
subject to, being allayed by the cool and temperate
breezes that corae from the sea. The soil is upon the
Avhole tolerably good, though rather too stony ; its
natural produce is maize or Indian corn, Avith a variety
of shrubs and trees. It produces in particular the
button-tree ; the spruce-pine, of the young tAvigs of
Avhich is made excellent beer ; and the pseudo-acacia,
or locust-tree ; but none of those fine floAvering trees,
Avliich are such an ornament to the AVoods in Carolina
and Virginia. It enjoys many advantages, has seA'eral
large rivers, and one of the finest harbours in the Avorld.
Fish are in the greatest plenty and perfection, particu
larly the tataag or black-fish, lobsters, and sea-bass.
In its cultivated state, it produces very little, except
sheep and horned cattle ; the Avhole province being laid
out into pasture or grazing ground. The horses are
bony and strong, and the oxen rauch the largest in
America; scA-eral of them weighing from 16 to 1800
weight. . . . The goA'ernraent of this proA'ince is en
tirely deraocratical ; every officer, except the collector
of the customs, being appointed, I believe, either im-

REV. ANDREAV BURNABY. 59
mediately by the people, or by the general assembly.
. There is no established form of religion here ;
but church of England men, independents, quakers,
anabaptists, AIoraA'ians, Jcavs, and all other sects AA'hat-
CA'er, haA'e liberty to exercise their several professions.
The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel sends
only four missionaries.
Arts and sciences are almost unknoAvn, except to
some few indiA'iduals ; and there are no public semina
ries of learning ; nor do the Rhode Islanders in general
seem to regret the Avant of them. .
The character of the Rhode-Islanders is by no
means engaging, or amiable ; a circumstance princi
pally oAving to their form of gOA'crnment. Their men
in poAver, from the highest to the loAvest, are depend
ent upon the people, and frequently act Avithout that
strict regard to probity and honour, Avhich ever ought
invariably to influence and direct mankind. The pri
A'ate people are cunning, deceitful, and selfish ; they
live almost entirely by unfair and illicit trading. Their
magistrates are partial and corrupt ; and it is folly to
expect justice in their courts of judicature ; for he,
Avho has the greatest influence, is generally found
to haA'e the fairest cause. . . .In short, to
giA'e an idea of the Avretched state of this colony, it
has happened more than once, that a person has had
sufficient influence to procure a fresh emission of paper-
money, solely to defraud his creditors ; ... It
is needless, after this, to observe that it is in a very
declining state ; for it is impossible that it should
prosper under such abuses. Its AVest Indian trade
has diminished ; . . .it has lost during the Avar,
by the enemy, above 150 vessels; ... it has
been loaded with taxes, and many of the people have
been oppressed by the mode of collecting them : . . .
After having said so much to the disadvantage of this

60 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
oolony, I should be guilty of injustice and ingratitude,
Avere I not to declare that there are many worthy gen
tlemen in it, who see the misfortunes of their country
and lament them ; . . . Avho are courteous and po
lite ; kind and hospitable to strangers ; and capable of
great acts of generosity and goodness, as I myself ex
perienced during a A'ery severe fit of illness Avhicli I
lay under at this place.

1765. Colonel Robert Rogers.
Robert Rogers (1727-1800) Avas celebrated as the
commander of the " Rough Riders " of the French and
Indian Avars of 1755-1760. His troop Avas knoAvn as
Rogers' Rangers, and the name of Rogers' Rock, on
Lake George, corameniorates his feat of sliding doAvn
the precipice to escape from the Indians. At one time
he AA'as royal gOA'ernor of Mackinaw, Alichigan. In the
ReA'olutionary Avar he held the rank of colonel iu the
British army, and commanded the " Queen's Rangers."
He Avas the author of several books.
This quotation is taken from his Concise Account of
Nejrth America, 1765, pp. 55—59.

This colony comprehends Avhat Avere originally the
oolouies or plantations of Rhode Island and Providence,
being incorporated into one, by a ucav charter, about tiie
same time as the colony of Connecticut ; and, like that,
they still retain the rights and privileges that Avere at
first granted them in their separate state, keeping up
likcAvise Iavo seats of government, viz. NcAA'port and

COLONEL ROBERT ROGERS. 61
Providence, at which places their general court is held
alternately. This colony has but a small territory, lying nearly in
the figure of an heart, and is bounded north and east by
the Massachuset's Bay, southerly by the ocean, and
Avesterly by Connecticut.
The principal towns in it are those already mentioned
of NeAvport, situated on the Island called Rhode Island,
pleasantly enough, and has a safe and good harbour for
ordinary shipping ; and Providence, situated not less
pleasantly upon Providence RiA'er, is a A'ery thriving
toAvn, and has a considerable trade.
The number of inhabitants in this colony is com
puted to be about 70,000.
The soil is generally Ioav, and inclined to rocks and
stones ; hoAvever, when properly improved, produces
Indian corn, rye, oats, pease, hemp, flax, and sorae
Avheat, and most kinds of fruit common to the climate,
in great perfection, especially on Rhode Island itself,
Avhich, for beauty and fertility, is the garden of the
colony, and is exceeded perhaps by no spot in New
England. They raise cattle, sheep, and horses in
abundance, and the latter the best on the continent.
They likeAvise make considerable quantities of butter
and cheese in this country.
The principal commodities exported from hence are,
horses, sheep, cheese, and the produce they procure
from the neighboring provinces, such as fish and
lumber from the Massachuset's and Ncav Hampshire ;
flour, beef, and pork, from Philadelphia, Ncav York,
and Connecticut, Avhich they commonly pay for in rum,
sugar, molasses, imported from the West Indies, in tea
from Holland, or in slaves from the coasts of Africa.
The form of government here is in all respects the
same as in the colony of Connecticut. They are not,
hoAvever, so scrupulous in keeping up to the terms of

62 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
their charter, often dispensing Avith it in some pretty
essential points, and taking liberties, not only detri
mental to the other provinces, but even to the nation,
especially in times of Avar, by carrying on an illicit
trade Avith the enemy, and suppl}'ing them Avith the
most material articles. This they have repeatedly
clone Avith impunity, to my certain knoAA'ledge, in the
course of the late Avar, Avhen many scores of A'cssels
Avent loaded Avith beef, pork, flour, &c. under the pre
text of flags, Avhieh, for a certain consideration, could at
any time be procured from their Governor, Avlien at the
same tirae perhaps they carried not more than one or
tAVO French prisoners, diA'iding the crcAV of one French
merchantman they had taken, araong a Avhole fleet of
flags of truce, laden Avith articles more Avelcome to the
enemy than all the prisoners, Avith the ship and cargo,
they took from them. Nor can it be greatly wondered
at that their Governor should fall in with so clandes
tine a method for the procurement of a livelihood,
when it is considered that they alloAV him but fifty or
sixty dollars per annum for his raaintenance ; besides,
as he is annually elected, so there are ahvays tAvo or
more that are competitors for the government ; and
generally he that distributes the most cash, and gives
the best entertainments, let him be merchant, farmer,
tradesman, or Avhat he Avill, is the man who obtains a
majority of A'otes, AA'hich fixes him in the chair (death
only excepted) for that year. These election-expences
generally run high, as each candidate endeavours to
excel his competitor (and, if all put together, Avould
araount to a reasonable maintenance) and must be re
funded some Avay or other during his reign AA'ho hap
pens to be elected, and provision made to act the same
part OA'er again the next year.
There are in this colony men of almost every relig
ious persuasion in the Avorld. The greatest nuinber are

BENJAMIN AVE,ST. 63
Quakers, and many haA'e no religion at all, br at least
profess none ; ou Avhich account no questions are here
asked, CA'ery man being left pretty much to think and
act for himself, of which neither the laAvs nor his
neighbours take much cognizance, so greatly is their lib
erty degenerated into licentiousness. This province is
infested Avith a rascally set of Jcavs, Avho fail not to
take adA'antage of the great liberty here giveii to men
of all professions and religions, and are a pest not only
to this, but the neighboring provinces.
There is not one free-school in the Avhole colony, and
the education of children, generally, shamefully neg
lected.

1769. Benjamin West.
Benjamin AVest (1730-1813) was a native of Reho
both, Massachusetts. For some years he was a book
seller in Providence, Rhode Island, but finally turned
his attention to mathematics and astronomy. From
1786 to 1799 he Avas professor of mathematics and
natural philosophy at BroAvn University. In 1812—
1813 he Avas postmaster of Providence. He published
a series of almanacs for the years 1763—1793. The
folio Aving quotation is copied from the New England
Almanack, for 1769.
Stage-Coaches, Passage-Boats and the ]\Iails,
to and prom providence, r. i., in 1759.
The Providence coaches, kept by Mr. Thomas Sabin
and Knight Dexter, Esq., go twice a Aveek from Provi-

64 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
dence to Boston, performing their respective stages in
a day. The NorAvich coach comes once a AA'eek from Air.
Azariah Lathrop's, in NorAvich, to Dr. Samuel CareAA''s,
on the Avest side of the Great Bridge, in Providence,
Avhere traA'cllers Avill meet Avith the best entertainment.
The stage performed in a day.
The Providence Passage-boats, kept by Mr. Joshua
Hacker and Messieurs Thonias and Benjamin Lindsey,
ply cA'cry day frora ' Providence to NeAvport, and per
form the passage, Avind and Aveather permitting, iu
three hours.
Mr. Peter Mumford, Post Rider, leaves NcAvport,
Avith the AA^estern and Southern Alails, on Friday morn
ing, arrives at ProA'idence the same night, sets out for
Boston on Saturday raorning, Avhich he reaches at night,
and returns Avitli the Boston Alail on Monday, perform
ing his stage once a Aveek.

1770. Alexander Cluny.
Alexander Cluny Avas an English, or Scotch, mer
chant and traveller, avIio published his observations upon
the A merican colonies in the form of a series of letters
addressed to the " Right Honourable Earl of . . . "¦
In the second letter the " traveller " says, " I have the
Honour to inform your Lord.ship of the DiscoA'cries I
made in the Year 1744 ; as also that since that Time I
haA'e traversed the Avhole Coast of America, from Lat.
68, North, to Cape Florida, and penetrating some thou
sands of Allies AA'estward, into the Wilderness, many

ALEXANDER CLUNY. 65
Parts of Avhich Avere never trodden before by European
feet." He also says that he has been a colonial mer
chant for more than thirty years. Dibdin's " Library
Companion" says that he was the " first to give accu
rate intelligence of Hudson's Bay, and to institute an
inquiry about a more successful commerce with the
Americans." The extract given is taken from The
American Traveller (2d ed. London, 1770), p. 51.
Commodities exported from Greed Britain to Con
necticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
Wrought-Iron, Steel, Copper, Brass, Pewter and
Lead — AVoolen Cloths — Stuffs — Flannels — Colchester
Bays — Long-Ells — British, Irish, and Foreign-Linens
— Silks — Gold and Silver Lace — Millenary, Haber
dashery, and Hosiery- Wares — Hats — Gloves — Man
chester Goods — Birmingham and Sheffield W^ares —
Hemp — ^Sail-Cloth — Cordage — Upholstery and Sad
dlery AVares — Cabinet-Maker's Goods — Painter's Col
ours — Ship-Chandlery AVares — Earthen AVare — India
Goods — Grindstones — Fishing Tackle — Cheese — Pick
les — Toys — Seeds — Tobacco-pipes — Strong Beer —
Wines — .Spirits — Medicinial Drugs — all Avhich cost at
an Average of three Years, £12,000.
Commodities exported from Connecticut, Rhode
Island and New Hampshire.
Masts, Boards, Joists, Staves, &c  £30,000
Salted Beef — Pork — Hams — -Butter — Cheese
Callivances — and Flax Seed,  15,000
Whale and other Fish-Oil, 1500 Tons— at
£15—  22,500
Pickled Mackarel, Shads, and other Fish, . . 7,000
Horses and Live Stock,  25,000
Potash— 6000 Barrels— at 50s  15,000
£114,500

66 PICTURES OF RHODE ISL.VND.
1 77 1 Rev. Morgan Edwards.
Morgan EdAvards (1722-1795), was born in AVales,
educated in England, and ordained to the Baptist min
istry in Ireland. He came to America in 1761, and
became pastor of the Baptist church in Philadelphia.
In 1770 he resigned his position, and took up the life
of a travelling preacher and lecturer. He took a
prominent part in founding Rhode Island college, now
BroAivu University, and spent rauch time in collecting
materials for a history of the Baptist denoraination
in America. During the Revolution his sympathies
Avere Loyalist. The extract given is taken from his
" Materials for a history of the Baptists in Rhode
Island," as published in Vol. VI. of the Collections
of the Rhode Island Historical Society, pp. 313—355,
passim. Providence.
This church is usually distinguished by the aboA'e
name, Avhich is the name of the toAvii Avhere the meet
ing-house is, ill the toAvnship of Providence and county
of the same. The house is 41 feet by 35, and pretty
Avell finished, Avith pcAvs and galleries. It Avas erected
about the year 1722, 1726, ou a lot of 112 feet by 77,
partly the gift of Rev. Pardon Tillinghast and partly
the purchase of the congregation. It is situated toAvards
the north end of the toAvn, having the raain street to
the front and the river to the back. No estate belongs
to it, for which reason the salary of the minister (Rev.
Jaraes Manning) is reputed no more than 50 £ a year.
The character of it is that of General Baptist, holding

REV. MORGAN EDAVARDS. 67
the six points, though the minister and several of the
congregation are calvanistic in sentiments, and slack
about laying on of hands. The families belonging to
them are about 250, Avhereof 118 * persons are bap
tized and in communion, Avhich is here celebrated every
S. in the month.
From Providence avc shall pass to the next church
in point of seniority, viz. — NcAvport — I distinguish
this church by the name of the toAvn ; but the other
churches in town (Avhich are the offspring of this) I
will distinguish by the names of the streets Avhere the
meeting-houses are. NcAvport is on Rhode Island, in
a toAvnship and county of the same name, 32 miles
S. b. E. from Providence, and 348 miles N. E. b. E.
h. E. from Philadelphia. The meeting-house belong
ing to NeAvport church is in Bull street, built in 1738,
and Avell finished, with pews and galleries. Its dimen
sions are 40 feet by 30. t The lot on which it stands
is 73 feet by 64, the gift of Messrs. Colonels Hezekiah
Carpenter and Josias Lyndon. The temporalities of
the church are, 1. Hundred and fifty pounds, the gift
of John Holmes. 2. A farm of 166 acres (Avith house
and out-houses thereon, noAV rented out for 50/.), the
gift of Rev. John Clark. The issues and profits Avere
chiefly intended for the minister, though not so ex
pressed in the Avill for a reason which Mr. Clark com
municated to particular friends. 3. A garden in town,
the gift of said Mr. Clark.
With these helps, and the rates of the pcAVS, the
living is reputed Avorth 90/. a year to the present min
ister. Rev. Erasmus Kelley. The families belonging
to the congregation are about 50, whereof 37 persons
are baptized and in the communion, which is here cele
brated the last Sunday in the month. The character
¦""This was their state in 1771,
t About 60 feet, — (Note by another hand. )

68 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
of this church for some years past has been that of
General Baptist, but as the minister and several of the
merabers are of the sentiments of the Particular Bap
tists it is supposed it will return to AA'hat it Avas at first.
They also have re-admitted psalmody, and laying on
of hands. This Avas their state in the year 1771.
The second church of NcAvport is in FarcAvell Street.
And I Avould distinguish this chureh by the name of
the street Avhere the meeting-house is, because it Avill be
better than to distinguish it by the name of its minister
(for the time being) as has been the case hitherto. The
house is 76 feet by 52, and stands on a lot of about a
hundred feet square AA'ith a school-house and stablings.*
The lot Avas purchased by the congregation at several
times, and is a part of the estate of the famous William
Coddington . The house at first Avas Aery small ; in
1725 it AA'as enlarged to 52 feet by 34 ; in 1749 it
Avas enlarged again, to 62 feet by 52 ; and in 1768, to
its present dimensions. It is pretty Avell finished, with
pews and galleries, but too large for the speaker. The
temporalities of this church are : 1. 37£ 10s., the gift
ofDaniel Sanford, (O. T. 1000£). 2. ll£3s., (O.
T. 300£), the gift of Jos(jph Sanford. 3. 28£ 4s.
(O. T. 750£), the gift of the same person, for the use
of the poor. AVith the aboA'e helps and perquisites,.
the living is reputed AA'orth 10()£ a year to the present
minister, Rca'. Gardner Thurston.
The farailies belonging to the congregation are about
250, Avhereof 230 . . . are baptized and in the com
munion, AA'hich is here celebrated the first Sunday iu
the month. The denoraination of this church is that
of General Baptist, (aa'IiIi exception of raany indiA'id
uals), holding the six points, and using psalmody.
The third church of NcAvport is in Sabbath Street.
¦* 32 miles S. by E. from Providence, and 348 from Philadelphia.
— (Note by another hand. )

REA''. MORGAN EDAVARDS. 69
The place of Avorship is 38 feet by 26, and Avell finished
with peAvs, galleries, and a clock. It AA'as erected in
1730, on a lot of 85 feet by 40, purchased by the con
gregation.* The temporalities are, 1. A dwelling-
house, let for 10/. 10s. a year, the gift partly of the
Hon. Richard AA^ard, partly of Capt. Joshua Sanders,
partly of Sarah Arnold. 2. Six pounds 3s. the gift of
Joseph Sanford. AVith these helps and perquisites the
liA'ing is reputed Avorth 40/. a year to the present min
ister, RcA'. John Max.son. The families belonging to
the congregation are about 39, Avhereof 54 persons
are baptized and in the communion, Avhich is here cele
brated thelast Saturday inthe month. The distinction
of this church is that of Seventh day baptist, holding
general redemjjtion, laying on of hands, using psalmody,
&c. This Avas their state in 1771.
These are all the baptist churches in the toAvn of
Newport, or in Rhode Island. There is something like
a church AA'ho meet in the house that Avas built by the
Moravians, about  years ago. This society of
the fpieer ones Avas gathered March 4, 1770, but in less
than a year broke to pieces, their number was 17. On
the 14th of April last eight of thera were gathered to
gether again, and (Avith a fcAv more Avhich DaAvson
baptised), reconstituted, but are not likely to hold to
gether long. This Henry Dawson arrived from Dr.
Gifford's church in London, to Ncav York, iu 1767,
and offered himself to our association, but being under
the censure of his church, was rejected again and again,
so that he stands alone railing at associations and regu
lar ministry.
The next church Ave shall raention is that of AVarren.
It is so distinguished from the village Avhere the meet
ing-house is, in a toAA'nship of the .same name, and
'* It is distant 32 miles S. by E. from Providence, and 348 from
Philadelphia. — [ Note by another hand. )

70 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
county of Bristol, 11 miles S. by E. from Providence
and 328 miles from Philadelphia. The house was
erected in 1763, on a lot of 50 rods square, purchased
by the congregation. Its dimensions are 52 feet by 44,
Avith pcAvs, galleries, and a little turret, Avherein is a
bell, but the galleries are not finished. On the same
lot is a handsome parsonage house, valued at 14/. a year,
which is all the estate belonging to the church. The
living including this is reputed Avorth 74/. to the present
minister. Rev. Charles Thomson. The families belong
ing to the congregation are about  , Avhereof
fifty-six persons are baptised and in coramunion, Avhich
is here celebrated the  Sunday in the month.
The character of this church is Particular Baptist, hold
ing laying on of hands no bar to coramunion, and using
psalmody. This is their present .state, (1771).
From this we pass over the bay to GreeuAvich.
This is usually distinguished as above from the town
ship, but should rather be called NcAvtoAvn, Avhich is the
narae of the A'illage Avhere the raeeting-house is, in the
county of Kent, 15 miles S. S. AV. frora Providence and
 railes frora Philadelphia. The house is 30 feet
square, erected in 1729, on a lot of 30 rods by 5, the
gift of Clement Weaver. The situation is beautiful,
being rising ground comraanding a prospect of the
town and harbor and a fine country. This Avas one
reason urged why the college should be placed here.
The character of this church is that of General Bap
tist, holding the .six points ; of late they have admitted
psalmody, and are groAvn more moderate in sentiments.
No estate belongs to this church ; nor any fixed salary
for the minister, though they could easily raise him
40/. a year. The families belonging to the congrega
tion are about  . Avhereof 52 persons are baptized
and in the communion, which is here celebrated every
 Sabbath in a month.

REV. MORGAN EDAVARDS. 71
The next church Ave shall mention is Cranston. It
is usually distinguished as above from the name of
the tOAvnship Avhere the place of Avorship is, in the
couuty of ProA'idence, about 6 miles S. AV. from the
toAvn, and 312 miles from Philadelphia. The place of
Avorship AA'as originally a dAvelling house purchased by
the church in 1770, and made commodious for divine
service. The character of the church is that of Par
ticular Baptists, using psalmody and laying on of hands.
Temporalities they haA'e not ; nor any fixed salary for
their minister, but are able to raise him about 30/. if
they Avere Avilling. The families belonging to them
are about  , AA'hereof 40 persons are baptized and
in communion of the church, Avhich is here celebrated
the  Sunday in each month 
This college is allowed to be a neat pile of building
and mo.st pleasantly situated. The building is of
brick, 150 feet by 46, four stories high, exclusive
of the cellar, Avhich is partly above ground. In
the middle on each side is a projection of fifteen
feet, making the Avhole resemble a cross. In one
of these projections is the Chapel, in the opposite
the dining room ; above is the library, the appa
ratus room, etc. The chambers are 52 in number,
opening to large isles, running the Avhole length
of the building. Upwards of a 100 scholars may
be here accommodated. The situation of the college
is remarkably airy, healthful and pleasant, being the
sumrait of a hill pretty easy of ascent, and command
ing a prospect of the town of Providence below, of
the Narragansett Bay and the islands, and of an ex
tensive country variegated with hills and dales, woods
and plains, &c. Surely, this spot Avas made for a seat
of the muses.

72 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
1 77 1, 1772, President Ezra Stiles,
Ezra Stiles (1727-1795) was born in North Haven,
Connecticut, Avhere his father Avas pastor, and AA-as
graduated at Yale. In 1756 he was induced to become
pastor of the Second Church in NeAvport. In 1778
he became president of Yale College, and held that
position until his death. His reputation as a scholar
and writer Avas great both in this country and in
Europe. This quotation is taken from his Diary, as
quoted by President Barnas Sears, in his Centennial
Discour.se at Brown Univer.sity, pp. 100, 101. The
Diary, a very extensiA'e and interesting manuscript,
noAV preserved at Yale University, is to be printed by
that institution in coraraeraoration of its two-hundredth
annlA'crsarv.

Nov. 17, 1771. The toAvn of Providence is 50n
dAvelling-houses and about 4000 inhabitants, or half
as big as NcAvport. .
Aug. 25, 1772. The toAA'u of Providence is now,
1772, about 400 houses, 500 families. I estimate 100
families real Baptists ; 140 political Baptists and noth
ingarians ; 140 Mr. SnoAv's Congregation, | Baptists,
¦J- Presbyterians ; 60 Pedobaptist Congregationalists ;
40 Episcopalians ; 20 families Quakers, a fcAv Sande-
manians, and perhaps 20 or 40 persons Deists.

PRESIDENT JAAIES MANNING. 73
1772. President James Manning.
James Manning (1738-1791), a Baptist minister,
born iu Elizabeth, New Jersey, Avas chosen by the
Philadelphia As.sociation as a leader in the attempt to
establish a Baptist college in Rhode Island, became in
1765 the first president of Rhode Island College, and
held the office until his death. He Avas also pastor of
the First Baptist Church of Providence, to Avhich
position he Avas called shortly after the removal of the
college to Providence, in 1770. The present church
Avas built during his ministry, in 1774. The folloAv-
ing letter is quoted from The Life, Times and Corre-
.spondence of James Planning, avd the Early History cf
Broum University, by Dr. Reuben A. Guild, p. 194.

The college edifice is erected ou a most beautiful
¦eminence, in the neighborhood of Providence, com
manding a most charming and variegated prospect ; a
large, neat brick building, and so far completed as to
receive the students, Avho uoav reside there, the whole
number of whom is tAventy-tAvo-. AVe haA'e the pros
pect of further additions; yet our numbers Avill probably
be small until Ave are better furnished with a library
and philosophical apparatus. At present we have about
tAVO hundred and fifty volumes, and these not Avell
chosen, being such as our friends could best spare.
Our apparatus consists of a pair of globes, Iavo micro
scopes, and an electrical machine ; to this we are de
sirous of making the addition of an air pump, if one
reputable can be purchased for £22 10s. sterling ; a
.sum which two young men informed me they intended

(4 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
to glA'C tOAvards an apparatus or libraiy. If, therefore,
it Avould not be too rauch trouble to inforra me Avhether
or not that sum is sufficient, I shall receive it as a par
ticular faA'or ; for if not, Ave shall appropriate it to
some other use.
Our AA'hole college fund consists of about £900 sterl
ing, being the Avhole sum collected abroad ; for no
money collected Avithout the colony is raade use of in
the building, but solely applied to endoAving it, Avith
the strictest regard to the donor's intent. The interest
of this sura is quite insufficient to provide for tuition,
as two of us are iioav employed, and Ave stand in need
of further help.

1773. Daniel Horsmanden.
Horsmanden (1691—1778) Avas an erainent colonial
laAvyer, Avho Avas appointed Recorder and Chief Justice
of New York in 1763. He Avas one of the corarais
sioners appointed to inquire into the burning of the
" Gaspee," and the folloAving quotation is taken frora a
letter of his of February 21, 1773, to the Earl of Dart
raouth, relating to that affair, in New York Colonial
Documents, VIII. 351.

My Lord, as to the Govern' (if it deserA'cs that name)
it is a doAvnright Deraocracy ; the Gov' is a mere nom
inal one, and therefore a Cypher, Avithout poAver or au
thority, entirely controuled by the populace elected an
nually, as all other Magistrates A officers Avhatsoever.
The Governor treated the Commissioners Avith great

HUGH FINLAY. 75
decency and respect, and to do that Gentleman justice,
behaved Avith great propriety as a Coraraissioner, ex
cepting his communicating your Lordi^'s letter to the
Corporation, Avhich indeed he seeraed constrained to do
under the aboA'c circumstances.
To sheAv that the Gov'' has not the least PoAver or Au
thority he could not command the Sheriff or a Con
stable to attend us ; he prevailed Avith them indeed, but
in expectation of being paid their daily Avages by the
Commissioners, so that they Avere hired for this service
at our expenee, and even for expresses sent to summon
Avitnesses tlie Commiss" found it necessary to adA'ance
their OAvn money ; also for the very fire Avood expended
for our accomraodation in the Council Chamber on this
occasion ; this. My Lord, we readily disbursed and all
other contingencies relying upon the honor of Govern'.

1773, Hugh Finlay.
Hugh Finlay Avas surveyor of post-roads, for the
crown, in North America. Shortly before the out
break of the Revolutionary AAar he made an inspection
of the post offices betAveeu Falmouth, Massachusetts
[Portland, Maine] and Casco Bay, and Savannah,
Georgia. The folloAving account of his experiences is taken
from his Journal, which extends from September 13,
1773, to June 26, 1774. Published in Brooklyn, in
1867, pp. 28-32.
Peter Mumford rides between Boston and Ncav Port
in Rhode Island ; he has never given bond nor did he

76 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
ever take a Post rider's oath. He avers that he is an
expeditious rider and faithful to the office ; publick re
port is against him ; it is said that he carries more let
ters for his own private profit than are sent from all
the offices he stops at, to the office at Boston. He
transacts a great deal of business on the road, loads
his carriage Avith bundles, buys aud sells on commis
sion, aud in short but carries the mail by the by
as it helps to defray his expences. Peter Mum-
fords ride from Boston to New Port is <S0 miles passing
thro' Providence, AVarren and Bristol for which ser
vice he is obliged to keeji three horses and is fiaid £40
Str. per ann.
He should leaA'e Boston at three o'clock Alonday
afternoon, but I am told that it is 5 or 6 ere he takes
horse, he arriA'cs at Providence, 45 miles, at 9 o'clock
next morning and at Ncav Port, 35 miles farther, at 5
o'clock in the evening of Tuesday. On his return
from New Port with the western mails he leaves that
office on Friday, half past tAvo P. M., passing thro'
Bristol and AVarren he arrives at Providence betAveen
7 and 8 o'clock on Saturday morning, he leaA'es it at
9 and arrives at Boston at six in the evening in fine
Aveather. Thus 26 hours are requir'd to ride 80 miles. The
reason of this is, the rider sleeps by the AA'ay. If this
ride is too much for one man to perform let the ride be
divided in tAvo, and let there be no sleeping. There's
three ferrys betAveen ProA'idence and Ncav Port, one
near to Providence half a mile Avide, another at AVar
ren a skoAV ferry, and one from the Alain to Rhode
Island a mile OA'er, they are all well attended. Peter
Mumford lives at Ncav Port, Avere his ride curtailed
one half he Avould stop at Providence. New Port has
but little connection Avith Providence but their inter
course Avith Boston is great — -by having tAvo riders it

HUGH PINLAY. 77
Avou'd be found difficult to transact business by means
of the couriers betAveen these tAvo places.
Left Boston the 25th and rode 45 railes to
Providence.
The road is good tho' a little rocky in some places.
John Carter is Deputy here, he is a printer, seemingly
au active sensible man : he has had charge of the office
tAVO years.
26th. — At the Post-office — or rather the printing
office ; for there's no apartment appropriated for the
rece't and deliA'cry of letters, tho' they are kept lock'd
up. I find that Mr. Carter has neA'er return'd his
accounts. He has been in dayly expectation to receive
the books of the office, the instructions and the forms
from one Cole, the forrner deputy, but he has put him
off with excuses from day to day. This Cole's uoav in
the country attending a county Court, Avheii he returns,
Air. Carter expects the books etc. aa'IU be deliver'd up
to him, and he promises to transmit his accounts and
remit Avhatever may be due, to the Comptroller in
three Aveeks from this clay.
Mr. Carter represents " that the mails from the
westAvard by a late alteration in the Post route now
cross five ferry's betAveen Naraganset and ProA'idence,
whereas by the old route there's not so much as one
ferry to cross."
For the mails to cross fiA'e ferrys, in the small dis
tance of 50 miles (tAvo of them dangerous in winter)
cannot be for the Kings service. As an addition to
this representation, he begs leave to observe, that after
the mails from the WestAvard arrive at Ncav London,
the printer there extracts all advices from neAvspapers,
Avhich requires considerable time ; the New London
paper is afterwards printed containing these extracts,

78 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
and it is sent to him by a private conveyance by Avay
of NorAvich, by Avhich the Ncav York paper is also sent
to him, both Avliich he receives 12 soraetiraes 14 hours
before the arriA'al of the Post."
Left Providence the 27th and the 28th arriv'd at
New Port, Thomas Vei-non, Depy. He [Mr. Vernon]
is of opinion that raucli tirae is lost by Peter Alumford
bet\\'een Ncav Port and Boston. He says that theres
two Post offices in Ncav Port, the King's and Alum-
fords, and that the rcA'cnue of the last is greatest. It
is the same in Bo.ston, both Mumford and the rider of
the upper Stages (Hyde) receive rauch postage for
Avliich they do not account. It is comraon for people
Avho e.xpect letters by Post finding none at the Post
Office to say " irell there mud be letters, n-e'll find them
ed Mumfords." It is next to irapossible to put a stop
to this practice in the present uniA'ersal opposition to
eA'ery thing connected AA'ith Great Britain. AVere any
Deputy Post Master to do his duty, and raake a stir in
such matter, he Avould draAV on himself the odium of
his neighbours and be mark'd as the friend of SlaA'ery
and oppression and a declar'd enemy to America.
The two ferrys from Rhode Island over to Nara
ganset are each three miles aud a half over ; in Avinter
when the wind is ahead, Avith floating ice, it is both
A'ery difficult, and exceedingly dangerous to pass, and
sometimes tho' but seldom the course of the Post is
stop'd for a Aveek, this does not happen above twice or
thrice in a year.

1775. Elkanah Watson.
Elkanah AVatson (1758-1842), passed his youth in
Rhode Island. AVhen fifteen, he Avas apprenticed to

ELKANAH AVATSON. 79
John BroAvn, the Providence merchant, frora Avhom, as
he tells us in his Memoirs, he received a father's kind
ness. He Avas one of a volunteer expedition to rescue
Air. Brown, Avho Avas captured by the British AA'hen
sailing from NeAvport to Providence, and " sent to
Boston in irons, charged with heading a party in 1772,
disguised as Indians, Avhich burnt his Alajesty's schooner
Gaspee in Providence river. The charge was true,
although the British government could never obtain
any evidence of the fact." (Memoirs, 20, 21). Mr.
Brown's release was obtained through the efforts of his
brother Moses. In 1789, Mr. Watson removed frora
Providence to Albany. He did much to encourage the
establishment of the canal systera in New York. This
extract is taken frora his Memoirs, ed. 1856, p. 67.

After all my Avanderings and observation of other
parts of the Confederacy, I still look upon Rhode
Island as one of the most delightful and interesting of
the States. The year before the Revolution, it con
tained nearly sixty thousand souls. It produced but
ter, beef, lumber, horses, pot and pearl ashes, and two
hundred thousand pounds of inferior tobacco.
Narraganset Bay, formed by Rhode Island on one
side, and the fertile shores of Narraganset upon the
other, and studded Avith numerous lovely islands, pre
sents the most delightful scenery.
Newport is beautifully situated, and Avas a favorite
resort of Southern people, on account of its cool and
salubrious position. It had been one of the most com
mercial places in America, but Avas then falling into
decay. Its fortunes Avere waning before the superior
activity and enterprise of its rival. Providence.

80 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
This city had, Avithin forty years, emerged from the
obscurity of an inconsiderable A'illage into a great
trading mart, that embraced a body of perhaps the most
intelligent merchants on the continent. It contained
at this time, about fiA'e thousand inhabitants.

1780. Claude Blanchard.
Blanchard (1742-1802) AA'as a member of the AVar
Department in France, and Commissary-in-chief Avith
Rochambeau in his American campaign, during Avhich
the ".Journal" AAas Avritten. AI. Blanchard held the
position of chairman of the various military coraraittees
of the French Revolutionary Asserably. He fell under
the ban of the Committee of Public Safety, but after
that body's disappearance, he became Commissary
again, and serA'cd his country in that capacity until his
death, in 1802. The extract given is taken from his
Journal as translated by AV^. Duane, and edited by T.
Balch, Albany 1876, pp. 41-44, 46, 55, 63-6.5, 7], 72,
78-80.

On the 1 2th of July, 1780, the day after our arrival
. I placed my foot upon the earth at NcAvport.
This city is small, but handsorae ; the streets are
straight and the houses, although mostly of wood,
of agreeable shape. In the evening there was an il
lumination. I entered the house of an inhabitant, avIio
received me very Avell ; I took tea there, Avhich was
served by a young lady.

CLAUDE BLANCHARD. 81
On the 13th, I was at Papisquash on the main land,
tAventy leagues from NeAvport, to examine an establish
ment Avhich M. de Corny had arranged for our sick. I
stopped at Bristol, a village not far from Papisqua.sh,
and looked for an inn Avhere I might dine ; but I found
nothing there but coffee and badly-raised bread ; Ave
Avere obliged to have it toasted to be able to eat it. .
AVe Avere obliged to pay 12 livres for the passage ofa
ferry-boat : they asked 30 of us : Ave found on our Avay
some pretty houses ; but the country is generally barren
in the part Avhich we traversed ; there are fcAv trees
and they not very hardy. .
On the 17tli, in the morning, I chanced to enter a
school. The master seemed to me a A'cry Avorthy man ;
he AA'as teaching some children of both sexes ; all Avere
neatly clad, the room in Avhich the school Avas kept Avas
also A'ery clean. I saAV the Avriting of these children,
it appeared to me to be handsome, among others, that
ofa young girl 9 or 10 years old, A'cry pretty and very
modest and such as I Avould like my oaau daughter to
be, Avhen she is as old ; she Avas called Abigail Earl, as
I perceived upon her copy-book, on Avhich her name
was written, I wrote it myself, adding to it " very
pretty." This school had really interested me, and the
master had not the air of a missionary but the tone of
the father of a family.
On the 18th, I visited in company Avith M. de
Rochambeau, an Anabaptist temple, Avhere Ave estab
lished a hospital.
On the 19tli, I was at Papisquash, Avhere there Avere
already 280 sick persons ; but they were far from being
provided Avith everything that was necessary for them ;
fortunately, they Avere in a pretty good air. Papisquash
forms a kind of landscape surrounded by trees. The
commonest are acacias, pear-trees and cherry-trees ;
the ground is sown with flax and maize, with a little
barley and rye. .

82 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
We lived on good terms Avith the inhabitants of this
neighborhood. They are affable, Avell clad, A'ery cleanly,
and all tall. The women enjoy the same advantages,
have fair skins and are generally pretty. They all
have oxen aud cows, at least as handsome as those of
our Poitou ; their coavs are not stabled and pass the
night in the fields ; they give much milk. .
The air of Rhode Island is good ; it is hot there, but
only in the raiddle of the day ; for the raornings and
evenings are cool without being damp. .
On Thursday I went to Providence Avith M. Demars.
I haA'e already spoken of this city Avhicli I prefer to
NcAvport ; it seeras more liA'ely, more addicted to com
merce, more supplies are to be found there. AVe there
established a A'ery considerable hospital in a very hand
some house, forraerly occupied as a college. .
In the afternoon, avc observed a plant Avhich is A'cry
common iu the country. The botanists callit Raccmus
Americana ; in France, it is found only in the gardens
of the botanists. AVe saAv uo other peculiar plant
anywhere else, but much Avild chickory and sorrel
thorn. .
To-day I AA'alked much through the city ; I especially
visited the temple Avhich is pretty large, although built
of Avood ; it is A'ery clean. I alsri ascended the steeple,
which, like all of them in Araerica, is over-loaded Avitli
carvings and ornaments, painted Avith different colors ;
it is likcAvise entirely of Avood.
Ou the 14th, AA'C had rain uutil nine in the raorning ;
the reraainder of the day Avas clear. I profited by it
to walk alone in the Avoods and upon the hills Avith
which the city of Providence is surrounded ; these
solitary Avalks haA'e alvA'ays been agreeable to rae. .
[On] the 15th, I Avas inA'ited to a party in the coun
try, to Avhich I Avent. It Avas a sort of pic-nic given
by a score of men to a company of ladies. The pur-

CLAUDE BLANCHARD. 83
pose of this party AA'as to eat a turtle, Aveighing three
or four hundred pounds, which an American A'cssel had
just brought from one of our islands. This meat did
not seem to me to be A'ery palatable ; it is true that it
Avas badly cooked. There were sorae quite handsome
Avomen ; before dinner the}' kept themselves in a differ
ent roora frora the men, they also placed themselves at
table all on the same side, and the men, on the other.
They danced after dinner to the rausic of sorae instru
ments of Lauzun's legion, Avhich had been brought
there expressly. Neither the raen nor the Avomen
dance Avell ; all stretch out and lengthen their arms in
a way far from agreeable. .
Americans are sIoav and do not decide promptly in
matters of business. They love money and heird
money ; it is thus that they designate specie to distin
guish it from paper money, which loses prodigiously.
This loss A'aries according to circumstances and accord
ing to the provinces. AVhilst I am Avriting, at Provi
dence and NcAvport it loses sixty for one. ... I
speak of this paper money because we are beginning to
make use of it in our array to pay some daily expenses,
but only to the people of the country ; . . . On the
24th, I dined at Providence Avith Dr. BoAven, a physi
cian and a respectable old raan. . . . They do not
eat soups and do not serve up ragouts at these dinners ;
but boiled and roast and much vegetables. They drink
nothinof but cider and Madeira Avine Avith water. The
dessert is composed of preserved quinces or pickled
sorrel. The Americans eat the latter Avith the meat.
They do not take coffee immediately after dinner, but
it is served three or four hours afterAvards Avith tea ;
. this use of tea and coffee is universal in America.
Breakfast is an important affair Avith thera. Besides
tea and coffee, they put on table roasted meats Avith
butter, pies and ham ; nevertheless they sup and in

84 PICTURES OF RHODE LSLAND.
the afternoon they again take tea. Thus the Amer
icans are alraost always at the table ; and as they have
little to occupy thera, as they go out little in Avinter and
spend Avhole days along side of their fires and their
wives, Avithout reading and Avithout doing anything,
going so often to table is a relief and a preventiA'e of
ennui. Yet they are not great eaters.
They are A'ery choice in cups and A'ases for holding
tea and coffee, in glasses, decanters and other raatters
of this kind and in habitual use. They make use of
Avall-papers Avhich serA'C for tapestry ; they have them
very handsome. In many of the houses there are car
pets also, CA'en upon their stairs. In general, the
houses are very pleasant and kept Avith extreme neat
ness, Avith the mechanic and the countryman as Avell as
Avith the merchant and the general. Their education
is A'ery nearly the same ; so that a raechanic is often
called to their asserablies, Avhere there is no distinction,
no separate order. I have already mentioned that the
inhabitants of the entire country are proprietors. They
till the earth and dri\'e their oxen themseh'es. .
Burning a great quantity of AA'ood is one of their luxu
ries, it is common. . . . Yet Avood is A'ery dear OAving
to the difficulty of transporting it. It costs us for a
league about 15 livres a cord. .
I proceeded to Coventry, tAvo leagues from Green-
Avich. General Greene's residence is there. My object
Avas to pay a visit to the wife of General Greene, Avhom
I happened to see at NcAvport and ProA'idence. IMrs.
Greene received us very kindly. She is amiable,
genteel and rather pretty. As there Avas no bread in
her house, some was hastily made ; it Avas of raeal and
Avater mixed together ; which Avas then toasted at the
fire ; sraall slices of it Avere serA'ed up to us. It is not
much for a Frenchman. As for the Americans, they
eat very little bread. . . . Another country-house is

COUNT AXEL DE FERSEN. 85
pretty near, inhabited by two ladies, Avho compose all
the society that Mrs. Greene has ; in the evening she
invited them to her house, and Ave danced.

1780. Count Axel de Fersen.
Count Fersen (1755-1810) was a SAA'cdish soldier in
the French service, and colonel of the body-guard of
Louis NVI. He came to the United States as a mem
ber of Rocharabeau's staff, and wrote interesting letters
to his father in Europe, describing the raen and man
ners of the time. On his return to France, Count
Fersen attached himself to the royal family, and planned
their escape from Paris (the " flight to Varennes ").
On their capture, he escaped, and returned to Sweden,
where he Avas killed in a riot. The extract giveii is
taken from the Magazine of American History, II. 303.
You know the French, my dear father, and what are
called the Court people {e/ens de la cour), sufficiently to
understand their despair at being obliged to pass the
winter quietly at Newport, far from their mistresses
and the pleasures of Paris ; no suppers, no theatres, no
balls ; they are in despair ; only an order to march on
the enemy Avill console them. We had some extreme
heat here during August ; I haA'e never felt anything
like it in Italy. Noav the air is cooler, the climate
suberp and the country charming. AVe were on the
mainland about eight days ago with the General. I
Avas the only one of his aids Avho accompanied him. We
remained ten days, aud saAV the finest country iniagin-

86 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
able, the inhabitants Avell-to-do, but without luxury or
display ; they are content Avith the simple necessaries
of life which, in other countries are left to the loAver
class ; their clothing is simple but good, and their
habits have not yet been spoiled by European luxury.
This country Avill be happy if it enjoy a long peace, and
if the tAVO parties Avhich at present divide it do not bring
it to the fate of Poland and of so raany other republics.
These tAvo parties are called the whigs and the tories.
The first is Avholly for liberty and independence ; it is
made up of people of the lowest birth and no property ;
the greater part of those Avho live in the interior of the
country belong to it. The toriex are for the English,
or it is more correct to say for peace, not caring rauch
Avhether they are free or dependent ; they belong to a
higher class, and alone possess any property in the
country. Sorae have relatiA'es and lands in England ;
others, to preserve those which they had in the country,
erabraced the English cause, Avhich Avas the stronger.
AVhen the Avhigs are the stronger they pillage the others
to the best of their ability. This is nursing a hatred
and aniraosity betAveeu them Avhich Avill be extinguished
with difficulty, and reraain the source of a thousand
troubles. .
You see, my dear father, by this showing, which is
very exact, the reasons Avhich stand in the Avay of the
forraation of an army, AA'hich can only be raised and
kept up by means of money ; add to this that the spirit
of patriotism only exists in the chief and principal men
in the country, Avho are raaking very great sacrifices ;
the rest who make up the great mass think only of
their personal interests. Aloney is the controlling idea
in all their actions, they only think of hoAV it may be
gained ; every one is for himself, no one for the general
good. The inhabitants of the coast, even the best
Whigs, carry to the English fleet anchored in Gardner

MARQUIS DE CHASTELLUX. 87
bay provisions of all kinds, and this because they are
Avell paid ; they overcharge us mercilessly ; everything
is enormously dear ; iu all the dealings Ave have had
with them they have treated us more like enemies than
friends. Their greed is unequalled, money is their
God ; virtue, honor, all count for nothing to them com
pared Avith the precious metal. I do not mean that
there are no estimable people of noble and generous
character ; there are many, but I speak of the nation
in general ; I believe they are raore like the Dutch
than the English.

1780. Marquis de Chastellux.
Fran9ois Jean, Marquis de Chastellux (1734-1788),
Avas a French soldier and author Avho served in Amer
ica under Rochambeau. He Avrote several Avorks rela
ting to America. His Yoyage enl'Ameriqne Septentrio-
ncde elans les Annees 1780-2 (Paris, 1786 ; English
translation by G.eorge GrieA'e, London, 1787), includes
his journal Avritteu Avhen traveling from NcAvport to
Philadelphia and A''irginia.
Chastellux Avas a member of the order of the Cincin
nati. The extract given is taken from his Yoyage en
I'Amerique, p. 6 et seq. [November, 1780.]
The 12th I set out at half-past eight for Provi
dence [from AVarren] , Avhere I arrived at noon. I
alighted at the College, that is to say, at our Hospital,
which I examined, and dined Avith Air. Blanchard,
Commissary of war. At half past four I went to Col-

88 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
onel Bowen's, Avhere I had lodged in ray first journey ;
I drank tea there Avitli several ladies, one of Avhom,
rather handsorae, Avas called Miss Angel. I Avas then
conducted to Mrs. Varnura's, Avhere I again found
corapanv, and from thence to Governor Bowen's, AA'ho
gave me a bed.
The 13th I breakfasted Avith Colonel Peck; Heis
an araiable and polite young raan, Avho passed the last
sumraer Avith General Heath at NcAvport. He received
me in a charming small house, where he lived Avith his
Avife, Avho is young also, and has a pleasing counte
nance, but Avithout anything striking. This little estab
lishment, Avhere comfort and simplicity reign, gave
an idea of that SAveet and serene state of happiness,
Avhich appears to haA'e taken refuge in the Ncav World,
after compounding it Avith pleasure, to Avhich it has left
the Old.
The toAvn of ProA'idence is built on the bank of a
river only six miles long, and which disembogues itself
in the Gulph Avherein are Rhode Island, Connecticut,
Providence, &c. It has only one street, which is A'ery
long ; the suburb, Avhich is considerable, is on the other
side of the river. This toAvn is handsome, the houses
are not spacious, but Avcll-built, and properly arranged
within. It is pent in between tAvo chains of moun
tains, one to the north, and the other to the soutliAvest,
Avhich causes an insujjportable heat in summer ; but it
is exposed to the north-west wind, which rakes it from
one end to the other, and renders it extreraely cold in
winter. Its situation is very advantageous for cora
merce ; Avhich accordingly is very considerable in times
of peace. Merchant ships raay load and unload their
cargoes in the tOAVii itself, and ships of Avar cannot
approach the harbour. Their commerce is the same
with that of Rhode Island and Boston ; they export
slaves, and salt provisions, and bring back salt, and a

REA'. DR. .SAMUEL HOPKINS. 89
great quantity of melasses, sugar, and other articles
from the West Indies ; they fit out vessels also for the
cod and Avhale fishery. The latter is carried on suc
cessfully between Cape Cod and Long Island ; but
they go often as far as Baffin's Streights, and Falk
land's Island. The inhabitants of Providence, like
those of NeAvport, also carry on the Guinea trade ;
they buy slaves there and carry them to the AVest-
Indies, Avhere they take bills of exchange on Old Eng
land, for which they receive Avoollens, stuffs, and other
merchandize.*

1780. Rev. Dr. Samuel Hopkins.
Samuel Hopkins (1721-1803), the eminent theolo
gian, Avas at tAVO separate times pastor of one of the
NcAvport churches. He Avas much interested in the
emancipation of negro slaves. He freed his oaa'u, and
originated the idea of sending the liberated slaA'es to
Africa. He Avas an exceedingly modest and devout
man, and the founder of a school of raodified Calvinism
known as Hopkinsianism. He is said to haA'e been
the original of one of the principal characters in Mrs.
StoAve's " Minister's Wooing." This quotation is taken
from Sketches of the Life of the late Rev. Samuel Hop-
•Icins, D.D., written by himself, Hartford, 1805, pp. 78, Sl.
¦*Here are several places of public worship, an iinivei-sity, and
other public buildings ; and a very brisk trade was carried on even
at the worst period of the war for American commerce, viz. in 1782.
Mr. Welcome Arnold, a great plumber, and Delegate to Congress
from this state, has changed his name by act of Assemoly, since the
detection of Benedict Arnold. (Tkansi.atob. )

90 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
My church and congregation Avere greatly dimin
ished. Some had died, Avhile the British Avere here,
and many had removed into the country, Avho had not
yet returned, and numbers Avere so settled in the coun
trv, that they Avere not likely to return soon, if ever.
And those Avho reraained in tOAvn Avere so reduced in
their Avorldly circumstances, and dejection of their
minds, by living so long under the tyrarny of the Brit
ish, that, excepting a very fcAV, they had not courage
enough to thiuk or do much to preserve the congrega
tion from coming to nothing, by supporting the preach
ing of the gospel. And it Avas a particular discour
agement that the ineeting house Avas so damaged, by
being made a barrack for soldiers, that Ave could not
raeet in it. The bell was taken aAvay by the British,
Avhen they left the town ; and the pulpit and most of
the inside AVork Avas demolished or taken aAvay. And
the fcAV Avho Avere here had not courage or ability to re
pair it. I continued more than a year among them,
Avhile in this situation, haA'ing no support, but Avhat
Avas giveii by a fcAv generous friends ; the congregation
doing nothing, as a congregation, not having courage
to attempt to have so much as a public contribution for
a considerable tirae.
A better, though precarious, settleraent was soon
raade. The church and congregation haA'e beeu enabled, by
divine providence, in some good measure to repair the
meeting house ; and do yet subsist. But they are so
dirainished by deaths and remoA'als ; that the appear
ance UOAV is, that Avheu death shall reraove me from
them, Avhich may be expected to be soon, they Avill be
dissolved as a church and congregation, unless there
should be an unexpected reA'olution in their disposi
tions and circumstances. But this I Avould leave Avith
hira, Avho knoAvs Avhat to do Avith me, Avith them, and
with all things else.

BARON CROMOT DUBOURG. 91
1781, Rev. Dr. Samuel Hopkins.
See above, p. 89. The letter is quoted from Dr.
Stiles's Diary (upon Avhich see p. 72), in Dr. EcLvards
A. Parks's Menioir of Hopkins, Boston, 1854, p. 107.
"Ncav Haven, 1781. Received a letter from Rev.
Mr. Hopkins, dated NcAvport, January 26 ; AA'herein he
says, speaking of the state of religion there, ' Every
thing is dark and discouraging here, Avith respect to the
all-important interest. The people in general are going
from bad to worse, and I now see no Avay for my contin
uing here longer than till spring. Neither your people
nor raine are disposed to attend public worship con
stantly, except a feAV individuals. There is but little
encourageraent to preach, Avhere there is so little atten
tion, and so very little concern about any thing in-
A'isible.' "

1 78 1. Baron Cromot Dubourg.
Cromot Dubourg (1756-1836), entered the French
army Avhen tAvelve, and upon Rocharabeau's departure
for America A\'as perraitted to join the expedition as
aid-de-camp. He Avon some distinction before York-
toAvn, but upon his return to France devoted his for
tunes to those of Royalty, and joined the ranks of the
emigres. He Avas so fortunate as to be reraerabered
by the restored Bourbons, and Avas made honorary
marechai de camjj.- Balch says, in his " French in

'92 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
America" (1895), II. 91, that Dubourg left an un
published diary of his first campaign in America, in
17.S], of Avhich the original has been lost or mislaid.
This extract is taken from a text in the Magazine of
American History, IV. 209, entitled " Diary of a
French Officer, 1781 (presumed to be that of Baron
Cromot du Bourg, Aid to Rochambeau), from an un
published Manuscript in the possession of C. Fiske
Harris, of ProA'idence, R. I."

May 9, In the morning I left my renting place for
NcAvport at a A'ery early hour. The country seemed to
me less Avooded but as little improved as the toAA'u ; as
a AA'hole it is not inhabited. The villages are immense.
They are some four or five miles iu extent and even
more and the houses scattered. I passed through
Bristol Avhich Avas forraerly quite a commercial toAvn ;
that Avas before the war, for it has felt this scourge
severely. AVhen the English AvithdrcAV they burned
more than three-fourths of the houses and they have
not yet been rebuilt. I at last crossed Bristol Ferry
which separates Rhode Island from the Continent.
The arm of the sea is about a mile' wide. I am now
arrived at NcAvport and propo.se to examine the coun
try with a little more care.
(Side Note). Some of the villages appear to me to be
from 15 to 20 railes lono:.
I arrived at Newport the 9th May, 1781, as I have
just said, and my first care, after having performed the
duties Avhich my service required, Avas to study the
country in AA'hich I found myself.
Rhode Island is in its extreme length at most fifteen
miles, and the Avidest part of the Islaud five.
It must haA'e been one of the most pleasing spots iu

BARON CROMOT DUBOURG. 93
the Avorld before the Avar, since notwithstanding the
disasters it has suffered, some of its houses destroyed,
and all its Avoods cut down, the Island is still a charm
ing residence.
The Island is A'ery much cut up, that is all the land
belonging to the different proprietors is enclosed by
Avails of stone piled one upon another or by Avooden
fences. There are some farms in Avhich barley and
other grains groAV adrairably. Great quantities of Tur
key grain, otherAvise called raaize, are groAvn here.
There are, as in Normandy, extensiA'e orchards and the
country bears about the same fruits as those of France.
If it Avere cultivated as our proA'inces are the produc
tions Avould be much greater, the soil being A'ery good
and the grass superb. It is cut by numerous small
streams. The inhabitants are inactive and consequently
not laborious.
(Side Note). The measure is here as Avell as on the-
Continent by miles as iu England — three miles make
a league. There is very little garae on the Island, sorae par
tridge rather larger than our oavu, some sea foAvl and
birds of passage, but there are neither hare nor rabbits
nor AA'ild beasts. The birds differ a little from our oAvn
— part of the Avings of the black bird is red. There is a
kind of heron the plumage of Avhich is tinged Avith
A'arious blue — a bird Avhich is called the AVidoAV, the
body of Avhich as Avell as the breast is black, but the
head of a A'erv' handsorae yelloAV and a part of the Avings
of the same color. There are Cardinal birds of the
same size as tlie black bird but almost entirely red.
The croAvs are of a smaller kind than ours.
There are coavs, pigs aud sheep precisely as in
France. There are also numbers of geese and turkeys
of the same kind as our own ; the horses are generally
quite good although in less variety than I had sup-

94 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
posed, the English haA'ing introduced their breed here
as Avell as on the main land. They are extremely dear,
a horse Avhich Avould be AA'orth 20 lois in France, Avill
here bring 40 or 50 at least. Their great merit is in
being excellent leapers, being early trained. They
have all the gait which avc term the arable, of Avhich it
is extreraely difficult to break them.
The coast of the Island abounds in fish. The cod is
very abundant, some sturgeon, great quantities of mack
erel, shad, black fish and many A'arieties of shell fish.
I found the army iu the best possible condition, very
fcAv sick and the troops in splendid order.
The Island seemed to me to be so fortified that a
landing Avas no Avay to be feared, at least if one should
be made no ill result need be feared frora it.
Newport is the only town on the Island, there being
besides but a fcAV scattered buildings to which the narae
of farm houses is given. Three-fourths of these houses
are small farms.
There are but tAvo streets of any con.sec|uence in the
toAA'u. It is AA'cU built and quite pretty; it must be
quite commercial and therefore much more prosperous
before the Avar.
The Fort is to the south Avest of the town and of con
siderable size. The troops encaraped last year in front
of the toAvn to the south Avest ; the carap extends from
the soutii east of the Town alraost to the north of it.
In front of the port to the south Avest of the toAvn, a
half a mile distant, is Goat Island, upon which there is
a battery of eight pieces of twenty-four, Avhich defend
the entrance to the Harbor ; to the south Avest of Goat
Island the Brenton battery of tAveh'e pieces of tAventy-
four and four tAvelve inch mortars, the fire of Avhich
crosses that of the vessels in the harbor. The Brenton
battery is a half mile from Goat Island.
About three quarters of a mile to the north Avest of

ABB6 CLAUDE C. ROBIN. 95
Goat Island is the Battery of Rose Island of tAventy
pieces of thirty-six and four mortars of tAA'clve inches
upon which the right of the vessels rests ; it defends
not only the entrance of the Harbor but reaches every
thing that might pass it.
The battery of Brenton's Point, of which I have just
spoken, is about one and a quarter miles by sea to the
south west of the town ; all along the coast to the south
west of Brenton's point there are several guard posts
and some redoubts Avliich also defend the entrance to
the Harbor. To the nortii Avest of the toAvn is Coasters
Island Avhere there is a battery of three pieces of can
non. It is about three quarters of a mile from the toAvn
and a quarter from the coast. This battery commands
that part of the entrenched carap Avhich lies to the north
of its position.
There are several Guard posts scattered along the
coasts with Redoubts at the places where it Avould be
possible for an enemy to land, so that should a descent
be effected the smallness of the Island would alloAV of
the troops being moved in a very short time to its cen
tre, there to defend themselA'es, and they Avould there
have the advantage of the entrenched camp, from
Avhich it Avould be, by reason of its situation, extremely
difficult to dislodge them.
As for the Harbor, it seemed to rae from the posi
tion of the batteries and the range of fire of our Ves
sels that if they were attacked it Avould be absolutely
impossible for the eneray to force an entrance.

1 78 1. Abbe Claude C. Robin.
The Abbe Robin was a chaplain in Rocharabeau's
army. He was among the most entertaining of the

96 PICTURES OF RHODE LSLAND.
French commentators aa'Iio AA'ere " araang us, takin'
notes" at that time. His Nonve((n Yoyage dans
I'Amerique Sepfenfrionale en I' Annee 1781, consists of
thirteen letters, first published in Paris in 1782. An
English edition appeared at Philadelphia in 1783, en
titled Neu- Travels through North .bnerica. The quo
tation given is taken from this book, p. 22, et seq.
Camp at Philipsburg, July 30, 1781.
Sir, I found the army at ProA'idence, encamped on a
rising ground [Rochambeau AA'enue] . This is a con
siderable toAA'u, and pretty Avell peopled ; some of the
houses are built of brick and others of Avood ; it is
situated at the mouth of the riA'er Patuxit, at the
bottom of a bay betAvixt the States of Alassachusetts,
Connecticut, and Rhode-Island : This situation affords
it a gainful comnierce in corn, raaize, lumber, and salt
provisions for the islands ; there are also many A'essels
built here. . . .
AVhen, at length, arrived at thc place destined for
our encarapraent, Ave haA'e still to AA'ait during the hot
test part of the day for the baggage Avaggons, before Ave
can take any repose. . . . Our young Generals, AA'ho
have been bred in ease and delicacy, bear up under
these fatigues Avith a degree of resolution that makes
rae blush for ray Aveakness. . . . they encourage the
soldiery under the severity of duty by marching before
them on foot.*
*The difficulty of providing sufficiency of carriages, and finding
provision to support the horses or oxen, obliged Count Eochambeau
to order, that no officer should carry with him more than one hun
dred and tifty pounds weight, including tents, beds, &c and thus it
happened in our long march, in a country where there are so few
resources, that almost all of us were in want of some one necessary
or another.

ABBjfi CLAUDE C. ROBIN. 97

The Americans, AA'hom curiosity brings by thousands
to our camp, are constantly received AA'ith good humour
and festivity : and our military music, of Avhich they
are extravagantly fond, is then played for their diver
sion. At such times officers, soldiers, Americans, of
both sexes, all intermingle and dance together ; — it is
the feast of equality ; and these are the first fruits of the
alliance Avhich is, Ave hope, to subsist perpetually be
tween the two nations. . . . The familiar appellation
of brother, given some of them by the IMarquis,* ex
cited their curiosity and respect to a great degree ; and
the young American Ladies have ahvays considered it
as one of their greatest honours, to have danced with
that nobleman. .
Before I arrived here, I had no expectations of
discoA'ering the traces of the French modes and fash
ions, in the midst of the Avilds and forests of Araer
ica. The head dresses of all the Avoraen, except
Quakers, are high, spreading and decked profusely
Avith our gauzes : and here I cannot but reflect on the
oddness of their taste, Avlien I find, through the Avhole
state of Connecticut [?], so prevailing an inclination
for dress, (I raay say to a degree of extravagance) Avith
manners at the same time so siraple and so pure, as to
resemble those of the ancient patriarchal age. Pulse,
Indian corn, and railk are their most common kinds of
food ; they also use much tea, and this sober infusion
constitutes the chief pleasure of their lives ; there is
not a single person to be found, who does not drink it
out of china cups and saucers, and, upon your entering
a house, the greatest mark of civility and Avelcome they
can shoAV you, is to invite you to drink it Avith them.
In countries where the inhabitants live upon foods and

* M. le Marquis de la Fayette is universally known to the Amer
icans, by his title of Marquis.

98 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
drinks of the most substantial kind, it may be useful to
the health, but I believe it is prejudicial in those AA'here
they subsist mostly on vegetables and railk, especially
AA'hen the soil, yet too rauch shaded by the AA'oods,
makes thera the less nourishing ; and perhaps this may
be one of the causes, that Avith a robust and healthy
constitution, their lives here are rauch shorter than
those of the inhabitants of other countries. The loss
of their teeth is also attributed to the too frequent use
of tea ; the AA'omen, Avho are coramonly very handsome,
are often, at eighteen or tAventy years of age, entirely
deprived of this most precious ornament ; though, I
am of opinion, this premature decay raay be rather the
effect of AA'arra bread : for the English, the Fleraish,
and the Dutch, who are great tea drinkers, preserve
their teeth sound a long time.
Scattered about among the forests, the inhabitants
haA'e little intercourse Avith each other, except Avhen
thev go to church. Their dvA'clling-houses are spacious,
proper, airy, and built of Avood, and are at least oue
story in height, and herein they keep all their furniture
and substance. In all of them that I have seen, I
never failed to discoA'cr traces of their actiA'e and in
ventive genius. They all knoAV Iioav to read, and the
greatest part of them take the Gazette, printed in their
village, Avhich they often dignify Avith the name of toivn
or city. I do not remeraber CA'cr to ha.A'c entered a
single house, AA'ithout seeing a huge family bible, out of
Avhich they read on evenings and Sundays to their
household. They are of a cold, sIoav and indolent dis
position, and aA'crse to labour ; the soil, with a mode
rate tillage, supplying thera Avith considerably more
than they can consume : they go and return from their
fields on horseback, and in all this country you Avill
scarcely see a traveller on foot : the mildness of their

ABB6 CLAUDE C. ROBIN. 99
character is as much oAving to cliraate as to their cus
toms and manners, for you find the same softness of
disposition CA'en in the animals of the country. The
horses are of excellent breed, and it is common for
them to go long journeys at the rate of fifty or sixty
miles a-day : they are A'cry teachable, and it is a rare
thing to find any of them stubborn or skittish ; the dog
is here of a faAvning, timid nature, and the strangest
figure of a raan need not fear any violence from him.
I have observed, too, by the Avay, that his A'oice is
rather broken and hoarse, as Avell as that of the cock.
The Americans of these parts are very hospitable ;
. There is such a confidence in the public virtue
that, from Boston to ProA'idence, I have often met
young Avomen traA'cUing alone on horseback ; or in
small riding chairs, through the Avoods, ca'cu Avhen the
day was far upon the decline.
These American husbandmeu, more simple in their
manners than our peasants, haA'e also less of their rough
ness, and rusticity ; more enlightened, they have neither
their Ioav cunning nor dissimulation ; farther removed
from luxurious arts, and less laborious, they are not so
much attached to ancient usages, but are far more dex
terous in inventing and perfecting Avhatever tends to
the conveniency and comfort of life.
The whole country, from Boston to Providence, is
level ; and I have in this extent met with brooks,
Avhich Ave Avould call rivers ; their beds, in those places
where I passed, looked as if they had been hoUoAved
out of a soil of soft and spungy stone, of a grey and
red complexion.

100 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
1772. Prince de Broglie.
Claude Victor Marie, Prince de Broglie (1757—
1794), a French soldier and volunteer in the AVar for
American Independence, came to this country in 1782,
in the frigate AA'hich brought tAVO million five hundred
thousand livi-es for Congress. After his return he joined
the French RcA'olutionary array, and lost his life,
finally, duriug the Reign of Terror.
The followiug extract is taken frora the " Narrative
of the Prince de Broglie," translated by E. AV. Balch,
frora an unpublished IMS., and published iu the Jlaga
zinc of American History, I. 375.

The day's journey from New London to NeAvport is
heavy work. It is about fifty-five miles of bad road,
besides which there are tAvo ferries to pass. The first
is of no consecj[uence.
The second, called Conanicut Ferry, separates the
raainland from the island of NcAvport. It is a good
league AA'ide and not ahvays safe. AVe arrived there at
night. The business of embarking the horses, and the
anxiety of fear of some of the passengers as the bark
rolled to and fro, Avas not at all amusing, especially at
at night. AVe passed about .an hour in this critical
fashion, and at last the " pilot " finished by striking a
sand bank about tAvo hundred steps from the place Avhere
Ave should have landed. All the passengers, masters
and servants Avere corapelled to Avork so as to disen
gage us. AVe jumped into the Avater Avhere it Avas
about tAVO feet deep, and thus it Avas that Ave made our
entrance into Newport ; that charming place, regret-

PRINCE DE BROGLIE. 101
ted by the Avhole array, for that is the Avay in Avhich
everybody speaks of it.
As my companions and myself entered this toAvn
Avith all these agreeable impressions, we immediately set
ourselves to work to make acquaintance Avith its society.
That same evening M. Vauban introduced us at the
house of Mr. Champlain, well enough known to us for
his AA'ealth, but much more knoAA'u in the array for the
loA'cly face of his daughter. She was not in the draw-
ing-roora at the raoraent of our arrival, but she ap
peared an instant after. It is useless to say that Ave
examined her Avith attention, Avhich was to treat her
handsomely, for the result of our observation Avas to
find that she had beautiful eyes and an agreeable mouth,
a lovely face, a fine figure, a pretty foot, and the gen
eral effect altogether attractiA'e. She added to all these
advantages that of being dressed and coiffee Avith taste,
that is to say in the french fashion, besides which she
spoke and understood our language.
We rendered to her charms the tribute of adrairation
and polite ciA'ility due to them, and then Ave hastened
off for the purpose of saying just about the same thing
concerning the jNIisses Hunter, Avho Avere her rivals in
beauty and in reputation.
The elder, Avithout being regularly handsome, had
what one raight call a noble appearance and an air of
aristocratic birth. Her physiognomy is intellectual and
refined. There Avas grace in all her movements. Her
toilette Avas quite as finished as that of Mademoiselle
Champlain, but she is not altogether as fresh, in spite
of what Fersen said.
The younger sister, Nancy Hunter, is not quite so
stylish looking, but she is a perfect rosebud. Her
character is gay, a smile ahvays upon her countenance,
with loA'ely teeth, a thing seldom met Avith in America.
Enchanted with these first specimens of NcAvport, avc

102 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
returned home at an early hour. Vauban promised us
something even better for the next day, and he kept his
word. AVithout saying Avhere he was conducting us,
he took us to a house Avhere an old gentleman, A'ery
serious, very silent, received us Avithout taking off his
hat, bade us sit clown without compliments, and only
ansAvered in monosyllables to the observations Avhich Ave
addressed to him.
This first intervicAV seeraed to us very queer, and Ave
began to suspect that avc raust be in the house of a
Quaker. Just then the door open [ed] , and in carae the
very goddess of grace and beauty. It was ^Minerva
herself, who had exchanged her Avarlike A'estraents for
the charras of a siraple shepherdess. She AAas the
daughter of a Shaking (Quaker. Her name Avas Polly
LaAvton. According to the custom of her sect, Avhen
she spoke to us she used " thou," but with a grace and
simplicity only to be compared to that of her costume.
This Avas a, species of English gOAvn, pretty close to the
figure, Avhite as milk, an apron of the same A\'hiteness,
a fichu very full and firraly fastened. Her headdress
AA'as a simple little cap of A'ery fine muslin, jjlaited and
passed around the head, which allowed only half an
inch of hair to be A'isible, but Avhich had the effect of
giving to Polly the air of a Holy Virgin.
She seemed to be in no respect conscious of her
charms. She spoke with ease, and " thoued " like the
Quakers the raost unaffected and polite remarks. She
enchanted all of us, which she discovered, and did not
appear dissatisfied at pleasing those that she kindly
called her friends.
I acknoAvledge that this attractive Polly appeared to
me the most exquisite Avork of Nature, and that every
time her image occurs to rae I am terapted to Avrite a
big book against the dressing, the theatrical graces, and
the coquetishness of certain rich ladies rauch admired
in the avo rid of fashion.

PRINCE DE BROGLIE. 103
Polly had a sister dressed like herself, and of a very
agreeable appearance, but one had not the time to look
at her Avhile her elder sister Avas present.
Miss Brinley, Miss Sylvan and some other ladies to
Avhom I Avas introduced after having quitted the lovely
Quakeress, couA'inced me that NcAvport possessed more
than one rosebud.
All these young people appeared to regret very rauch
the absence of our army. They declared that since the
French had left there had been no more amusements
nor conversation parties. This little complaint decided
de Segur, de Vauban and myself, and some other young
gentlemen of our army, to give a ball to these discon
solate fair ones. j\L de Soteux took charge of the
preparations. AVe met neither reluctance nor , refusals Avhefl we
spoke of dancing. Our company Avas coraposed of
some tAventy young ladies, sorae of thera married, all
beautifully dressed, and all appearing to be pleased.
AVe toasted very gaily at supper, aud everything passed
off' satisfactorily.
The second day after this little entertainment Ave
left, so as to rejoin the army at Providence. We
c|uitted NcAvport Avith great regret, but not Avithout
first having kissed the hand of Polly LaAvton.
I do not mention the military Avorks Avhicli the French
array constructed around Newport, nor the defense of
the harbour, because I have treated those raatters very
carefully in another place.
To go from NcAvport to Providence one has to pass
tAVO ferries ; the first, called Tyverton, is sufficiently
formidable and rather dangerous in heavy winds. The
other, Bristol, is about a quarter of a league broad.
Except the ferries the road is very agreeable. The
distance from NcAvport to ProA'idence is about thirty
miles.

104 PICTURES OP RHODE ISL.VXD.
Providence is situated in a forest, and the riA'er Pau-
tucket or Narankas, Avhich passes through it, is Avide
and navigable. It seems to haA'e about eighteen hun
dred or tAVO thousand inhabitants, amongst whom are
some quite rich men, Avho have extensive commercial
transactions. The army was encaraped on the road to Boston about
a league frora Providence, in sorae fields Avhich it had
occupied the preceding year. The Aveather became
exceedingly rough and the troops suffered a great deal
from the almost continual rain and snoAV.
M. de Rochambeau, much vexed Avith the p)erpetual
delays of the fleet, nevertheless behaA'cd at Provi
dence like a thoroughly good French General ; that is
to say, in order to diA'crt his army and gratify the ladies
of the city, he gave some balls in a handsome and large
public apartment intended for such purposes.
It Avas at the first of these balls that I .saw for the
first time the Alisses BroAvn, sisters of the GoA'crnor of
the city. I do not give their portraits here because I
do not want to turn all the raen crazy and render all
the women jealous. I will content rayself raerely by
saying that Clarice is aAvkAvard in comparison Avitli the
elder of the tAvo, Nancy BroAvn ; and that Betsy, the
youngest sister, after a most agreeable couA'crsation,
one Avhich shoAved that she had been Avell educated,
appeared greatly surprised Avhen she Avas told that
amongst her many advantages not the least of them
Avas that of having great black eyes Avitli eye lashes so
long as to half hide them, a thing both rare and loA'cly.
She naiA'cly acknowledged that she had neA'er imagined
that this Avas a beauty, and it is quite certain that it
was for her a discoA'ery.

COUNT MATHIEU DUMAS. 105
1782. Count Mathieu Dumas.
Dumas (1753-1837), Avas another of Rocharabeau's
aids, and one A\'ho seems to have borne a moderately
conspicuous part in the siege of YorktoAvn. Dumas
held the position of chief-of-staff after Rocharabeau's
departure, and, later, travelled quite extensiA'ely through
this country and South America.
He becarae an emigre at the time of the French
Revolution, served under Napoleon, and helped to
bring about the RcA'olution of 18.30. The quotation
given is taken from the English translation of his Me
moirs of his Own Time, I. 71.

The little State of Rhode Island, animated by the
example of the Bostonians, and encouraged by their
success, displayed much energy from the beginning.
The enemy took possession of the capital, ravaged the
coasts, intercepted its maritime communications, and
ruined its commerce. Several Aveak citizens, attracted
by the advantages of prohibited coramerce, abandoned
the cause. The Quakers, indifferent in appearance, but
English in their hearts, inclined to the king's party.
The state, howcA'cr, Avas neither subdued by the arms
of the enemy nor shaken by these intestine quarrels :
in the end the Whigs persecuted and expelled, or re
duced to silence the Tories Avho Avere araong them. In
consequence ofthe small extent of this state, all the in
habitants are acquainted with each other. The dense
population, the love of agriculture, the active naviga
tion, the continual jobbing, have excited among them
the spirit of association, and Ave observe araong them.

106 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
raore tliau in any other state, a propensity to political
controversy. In fine, the ncAV republicans have noAvhere
been more haughty, more intolerant, more ardent iu the
defence of the national cause ; and though they have
been reduced by great losses to sacrifice every thing,
they are not less jealous in supporting the authority of
Congress, than in vigourously defending the privileges
of their oavu assemblies ; thus but a short time ago,
they formally refused to pay a duty of five per cent, on
iraported goods, to Avhich the other states had already
subraitted.

1773. Samuel Davis.
Sarauel Davis (1765-1829), the author of the Jour
nal Avhence the folloAving extract is taken, seeras to
have been blessed Avitli a peaceful and uneA'cntful life.
He Avas born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and died
unmarried. His epitaph is pronounced a just epitome
of his life and character. It is as folloAvs :
" From life on earth our pensive frieud retires.
His dust commingling Avith his pilgrim sires.
In thoughtful walk their every path he traced,
Their toils, their tombs, their faithful page embraced :
Peaceful and pure and innocent as they.
Like them to rise to everlasting day. ' '
The quotation given beloAV is taken from the Pro
ceedings ef the Massachusetts Hisforictd Society, 1869
70, pp. 28, 29.

SAMUEL DAVIS. 107

Scituate, R. I.

Manchester's ; thirteen miles from A'^oluntoAA'u.
Enter this State at Coventry, near a log bridge, three
miles from Voluntown. Also pass through a part of
Foster, a ncAV township. The militia of Scituate AA'ere
paraded on the border of a grove, into Avhicli they fired
by platoons. The reverberation of the sound was like
cannon, which I supposed it to be. All the matrons
and children of the country Avere assembled in their
best attire. This part of the State is thinly in
habited, and the buildings are ordinary. A Baptist
meeting-house in CoA'entry, and another in this place,
are Avithout gla.ss or doors. There is something sav
age and Avild in the appearance of everything in these
back toAvns. The road from Hartford to Providence
is in a direction nearly east and west. From Bolton,
fifty miles hence, it is a continuous tract of ridges of
very high ground. These ridges pervade the country,
Avhile the rivers and strearas, in A'arious directions, find
a passage to the Sound, or Narragansett Bay. Dine
at Scituate. A dispute or arguraent occured here be
tAveen a Connecticut raan and a Rhode Islander, on the
moral and religious character of their respectiA'C States.
The latter observed, that " there may be more religion
in Connecticut, but there Avas raore honest men iu
Rhode Island " !
Providence.
Dexter's ; twelve railes from Scituate. Arrived
here this afternoon. The last stage the road bounds
.Johnson on the north, and Cranston on the south, ex
cept the last four miles, being in Johnson. PaAvtuxet
River rises in Scituate, Coventry, and Foster, aud falls
into Narragansett Bay beloAV Providence. The ele
gant spire of the Baptist meeting house, in Providence,

108 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
is conspicuous many miles. The soil is light and
sandy in the Avestern suburbs of Providence. Lodge
at this place.
Srj)fembei- 25. — A'isit the stone-Avare manufactory.
The apparatus for moulding it is simple. Two wooden
Avheels, placed horizontally, and a fcAv Avooden tools, in
the raanner of a pottery, are all. The Avare Avas an
nealing in a kiln, in Avhich Lisbon salt Avas occasion
ally throAA'u. Two ranges of holes are on the top ; I
suppose for this purpese. The clay is procured from
Ncav Jersey. Leave this place in the forenoon, ))y the
loAver ferry on Seaeonk River, to Rehoboth, in Massa
chusetts. The riA'er is here seventy rods Avide. The
channel is crooked, but A'ery deep here, perhaps tAventy-
fiA'e feet. Pawtucket Falls are three or four miles
above. The general narae of the river is Narraganset.
It rises in AVorcester County, Massachusetts. Ships of
great burden, 800 tons, and more, are built at Provi
dence, thirty miles from the ocean.

1787. J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur.
A native of Normandy, Hector St. John (1731-
1809 ?) came to America in 1754, and settled on a
farm in Ncav York, where he lived until the turmoil
of the Revolution broke up his horae and drove hira
back to Europe. He introduced the cultivation of the
potato into Norraandy. His publications upon America
were so enthusiastically laudatory that many French
families Avere induced to settle on the Ohio, where the
greater part of them perished. The quotation giA'cn

HECTOR ST. .TOHN DE CREVECOEUR. 109
is from the third and complete edition of his Lettres
d'un Cultivedcur Americain, Paris, 1787, II. 54-59.
Cette Province [/a Colonie de I' Isle de Rhodes & eles
Planfcdiems de Providence, en y comprenant le district
de Narragansets], quoique la plus petite de toutes,
jouit de grands avantages. — Le liaA're de New-Port est
un des meilleurs de 1' Araerique a tous ^gards : les ter res
de cette Colonie produisent de I'herbe excellente et
des bestiaux de la plus grande taille, du lin, du mais,
du seigle, des moutons. Narragansets est le mcil
leur Canton de toute I'Amerique jjour les chevaux
d'allure. Le comraoditS que procure a cette Colonie la
grande Bale qui eu forme le centre, a donne a ses Hab
itans un gout & une aptitude singuliere pour les af
faires maritimes ; de tous les teras ils ont etc les plus
habiles Navigateurs : u'ayant que peu d'objects d'ex
portatlon, ils arment leurs vais.seaux pour le compte des
strangers ; ils entendent parfaltement toutes les res-
sources du cabotage & celles du commerce de specula
tion. Le Gouvernement est une democratie parfaite ; le
peuple chosit annuellement son Gouvemeur ct ses Mag
istrats. — Cette lie a quatorze milles de long sur quatre
de large ; les chemins dont elle est entre-coup6e, sont
plantes des deu.x cotes d'acacias & de platanes. — La
Nature a plac6 sur la cime de cette lie charmante, des
fontaines d'oii decoulent les ruisseaux les plus utiles ;
partout on y voit les champs converts de moissons, &
des prairies couvertes de I'herbage le plus abondant ;
les maisons y sont singulierement propres & commodes.
Providence leur fournit de la chaux excellente, &
leur Isle une espfece de sable dont ils enduisent les de
hors de leurs maisons : cette incrustation, a laquelle
ils donnent I'apparence de la pierre, preserve les bois
qui en sont revetus de toutes les attaques des vents, des

110 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
pluies & des gel^fe ; rien ne m'a paru plus leger, plus
propre, plus elegant tt plus durable. — Dans aucune
autre Colonic, on ne A'oit point de boeufs d'une si pro-
digieuse grandeur, ni de troupeaux de moutons si nom-
breux. C'est le pays le plus .sain que je connoisse ; aussi Nen:-
Port est-il dcA'cnu le rendez-vous de tous les infirraes
Auglois, Hollandois <.t Francois des Lsles occidentales.
— Ne pourroit-on pas appeler cette charraante Isle le
Montpellier de I'Amerique '.' Les chaleurs de I'ete y sont
reguliereraent teraperees par les brises de mer, & les
rigueurs de I'hiver, consid6rableraent diminuees par le
voisinage de I'Ocean. La tete de cette Isle, du cote de
la mer, offre un singulier melange de rochers pittor-
esques & de petits champs fertiles, de sterilite &
d'abondance, de sables A de riches sols, de bales donees
it c(.)mmodes, de proraont(jires escarpes. C'est ici la
partie de I'lsle qui inspira a I'Eveque Berkley le desir
d'y b.itir un College : on y peut, pour ainsi dire, cultiver
la terre avec une maiu it pecher avec I'autre ; jamais
rivages n'ont ^te plus abondans en poissons de toutes
especes, sur-tout en TcAvtags (blackfish). L'Isle de
Kananicut unit a rexcellence de son paturage, la fer-
tilite du sol labourable, la facilite des peches, la beaute
de la situation, it la plus grande saluln'ite de I'air. Je
desirerois pou vols finir mes jours sur I'une ou I'autre de
ces deux Isles. Toute cette Bale en est parsemee, &
aucune n'est sterile. — Ici on voit le plus beau sang
de r Araerique : la beaute des fiUe.s, I'hospitalite des
habitans, la douceur de leur soci6t6, la siraplicit6 de
leur amusemens, y ont toujours prolong^ raon s6jour, &
ra'y ont fait passer les moinens les plus heureux.
L'esprit d6niocratique du Gouvernement, anisi que
celui du commerce, auquel ils sont si adonnfe, a beaucoup
influx sur leurs moeurs. — lis sont actifs & remuans,
toujours occup^s de quelques speculations maritimes ;

HECTOR ST. JOHN DE CREVECOEUR. Ill
ils sont fins & riis6s : leurs Loix, quoique fond6es sur
l'6quite, ne procurent pas toujours a un etranger les
prompts secours qu' elles promettent : c'est peut-gtre un
vice dans leurs constitutions que le peuple ait le droit
de nomraer ses Juges. — Comme leurs principales rich-
esses viennent du comraerce, & d'une foule de specu
lations d'iraportation & d'exportatlon, ils ont besoin,
plus encore que les autres Colonies, de la liberty la plus
ample : c'est pourquoi ils se sont toujours opposes aux
r^glements comraerciels de I'Angleterre, & avec la plus
grande animosity. — Les plus foibles entraves renver-
seroient leurs fortunes & leur existence, qui n'est fon-
dee que sur la libert6 du commerce la plus illimit6e.
Toutes les Sectes sont venues s'6tabli ici : les Ana-
baptistes, les Quakers, les Anglicans, les Calvinistes &
les Juifs, dont il y en a un tres-grand nombre ; ces
derniers ont fait batir une magnifique Synagogue, oil
ils y adorent I'Etre Supreme dans I'antique langage
d' Abraham, & avec les anciens Rits de Moise.
Tous les aus on arme ici un tres-grand nombre de
vaisseaux pour la p^che de la baleine ; ils sont aussi
entreprenans, aussi hardis, aussi habiles que les Habi
tans de Ncmfucket dans ces expeditions. — On fabrique
k New-Port des chandelles de spermacetty , plus blanches
& plus belles que celles de cire ; elles ne donnent aucune
odeur ni aucune fum6e. — Dans les operations neces-
saires, & pour donner la consistance a la matiere dont
ces chandelles sont faites, ils ont trouve I'art d'extraire
une huile limpide, appelee aussi huile de spermacetty,
qui est trSs-utile pour les larapes des Studieux.
La Ville de Providence, au fond de la Bale, est
faraeuse pour la construction des vaisseaux & la grande
quantite de chaux qu'on y manufacture ; ils en expor-
tent dans presque toutes les Villes du Continent. —
Cette Province contient, k ce qu'on m'a assure, 59678
habitans. — L'importance de cette petite Colonie con-

112 pictures op RHODE ISLAND.
siste mollis dans les productions de son cru, que dans
I'activite, les conoissances it l'esprit entreprenant des
Colons, it dans la situation avantageuse pour le com
merce.

1787. Rev. Dr. Manasseh Cutler.
Dr. Cutler (1742-1823), a Yale graduate of the
the class of 1765, studied theology, and became pastor
of the church at IpsAvich Hamlet, Massachusetts, in
1771. He was distinguished for his scholarship in
astronomy, meteorology, and botany, and especially for
the part he had, as agent of the Ohio Corapany, in
persuading the Continental Congress to pass the famous
Ordinance for the Government of the Northwest Ter
ritory. The quotation frora his diary here glA'cn is
taken frora the Life, Journeds and. Correspondence of
the Rev. Manas.seh Cutler, by AVilliam P. and Julia P.
Cutler, Cincinnati, 1888, I. 32L

AVe arrived at NcAvport before dayliglit set in. The
passage not very agreeable, as Ave were obliged to
beat all the afternoon, and considerable sea. I took
lodgings at Mr. Benj. Olney's, a very good lodging--
liouse, the genteelest in the place.
Mon., Oct. 15. The Avind against us. AVaited on
Miss Polly Stiles, at Mrs. Channing's. Rev. Mr.
Channing, a young clergyraan, son of Mrs. Channing,
and UOAV settled at New London, Avalked with me over
the toAvn of NcAvport. AVe went up the steeple of the
Episcopal Church, and had a fine a'Icav of the tOAvn,

J. p. BRISSOT DE WARA'ILLE. 113
which is laid out in regular form ; the buildings old
and out of repair, but A'ery fcAV houses that make any
tolerable appearance. One street in front of the toAvn
is straight and about a mile in length, and makes a
tolerable appearance.
There are tAvo Congregational Churches, one Episco
pal, three Baptist, and one JeAvish Synagogue, which
we visited. I Avas rauch gratified Avith a vicAV of the
Synagogue. The reading-desk, the altar and ark of
the Covenant, the fiA'e books of Moses in parchraents,
rolled and covered Avith silk, the garments Avith the
fringes which all the people Avear, and the phylacteries,
are curious and ucav. Judah Avas the name of the Jcav
that attended us. Drank tea at Airs. Channing's, in
company Avith Governor Bowen and lady, Mr. Gibbs,
a principal merchant of this town, and scA'cral other
gentlemen, and a brilliant circle of ladies.
Tues., Oct. 16. Spent the day in listing ray raoney
for Congress. Governor Bowen, Mr. Channing, and
brother called on me and spent part of the evening.
Mr. Atkinson and I took a Avalk to see Malbone's
Gardens. The house Avas burnt a nuinber of years
ago, but the garden remains in tolerable order.

1788. J. P. Brissot de Warville.
Brissot (1754—1793) played a prominent part in the
early French Revolution as leader of the Girondists.
After the defeat of his party, he Avas throAvn into prison
and guillotined. His eloquence and literary ability
gave him great influence in French politics. In 1788
he visited America to inquire into the condition of the

114 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
negroes. AVhile here he became interested in the Scioto
Company, and Avrote the Commerce of America -with
Europe, to further the enterprise. The quotation given
here is from his Nw Travels (ed. 1792), p. 143, ef seq.

On the 12th of October, avc set out frora Boston at
half jiast seven in the morning, and arrived by six in
the evening at Providence. It is forty-nine miles ; the
road good, the soil stoney, gravelly and sandy, and, as
usual for such a soil, covered Avith pines. ' The country
bordering the road, appears neither fertile nor aa'cU
peopled : you may see houses in decay, and cliildren
covered Avith rags. They had, hoAvever, good health,
and good complexions. The silence Avhich reigns in
the other American to avus ou Sunda}', reigns at Provi
dence even on Monday. Everything here announces
the decline of business. Few vessels are to be seen in
the port. They were building, hoA\'cver, tvA'o distilleries ;
as if the manufactories of this poison Avere not already
sufficiently numerous in the United States. A\'hether
it be from prejudice or reality, I seemed to perceiA'c
everyAA'here the silence of death, the effect of paper
money. I seemed to see, in every face, the air of a
Jew, the result of a traffic founded on fraud and finesse.
I seemed to see, likcAA'ise, in CA'ery countenance, the
effects of the contempt Avliich the other States bear to
this, and the consciousness of meriting that contempt.
The paper-money at this time Avas at a discount of ten
to one.
I Avent frora Providence to Newport in a packet-
boat. This journey inight be made by land ; but I
preferred the water. AVe arrived in seven hours and
a half ; and during two hours we had contrary Avind.
This distance is thirty miles. AVe never lost sight of
land ; but it offers nothing picturesque or curious.

J. p. BRISSOT DE WARVILLE. 115
A feAV houses, some trees, and a sandy soil, are all that
appears to the eye. The port of NcAvport is considered
as one of the best in the United States. The bottom
is good, the harbour capable of receiving the largest
ships, and seems destined by nature to be of great con-
secpience. This place Avas one of the principal scenes
ofthe last A\'ar. The successive arrival of the Amer
ican, English, and French armies, left here a consider
able quantity of money.*
Since the peace, everything is changed. f The reign
of solitude is only interrupted by groups of idle men,
standing Avith folded arms at the corners of the streets ;
houses falling to ruin ; miserable shops, Avhich present
nothing but a few coarse stuffs, or baskets of apples, and
other articles of little A'alue ; grass groAving in the
public square, in front of the court of justice ; rags
stuffed in the AvindoAvs, or hung upon hideous Avoraen
and lean unquiet children. ...
Read again, my friend, the charming description
given of this toAvn and this State, by M. de Crevecoeur.
It is not exaggerated. Every American Avhom I haA'e
questioned on this subject, has described to rae its an
cient splendor, and its natural advantages, Avhether for
comnierce, agriculture, or the enjoyments of life.
The State of Rhode-Island Avill never again see those
happy days, till they take from circulation their paper-
money, and reform their government. The raagis
frates should be less dependent on the people than they
are at present, and the merabers of the legislature
should not be so often elected. It is" inconceivable
that so many honest people should groan under the
present anarchy ; that so many Quakers, who com-
* The English destroyed all the fine trees of ornament and fruit :
they took a pleasure in devastation.
t This town owed a part of its prosperity to the slave trade, which
is at present suppressed.

116 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
pose the basis of the population of the State, should
not combine together to introduce this reform.*
If this reform is not speedily executed, I doubt not
but the State will be unpeopled. A great part of the
emigration for the settlement at Aluskingum on the
Ohio, is from this State. General A^aruum is at their
head. A number of farailies are preparing to join
thera. Nearly aill the honest people of Newport Avould
quit the place, if they could sell their effects. I doubt
not, likcAvise, but the example of Rhode-Island will be
a proof, in the eyes of many people, that republican
gOA'crument is disastrous. . . . But in the midst
of these disorders, you hear nothing of robberies, of
murders, or of mendicity ; for the Araerican poor does
not degrade hiraself so far as to abjure all ideas of
equity, and all sharae. . . . The Rhode-Islander
does not beg, and he does not steal — the ancient
American blood still runs in his A'eins.

1792. Rev. Dr. Jedidiah Morse.
Dr. Morse (1761-1826) wasa promineut clergyman
of Ncav England, rainister at CharlestoAvn, Massachu
setts, frora 17.S7 to 1820. He A\'as araong the fore
most of the founders of the Andover Theological Serai-
nary, and helped to organize the Park Street Church in
Boston. He AA'as the first in this country to publish a
text-book of geography, and his A'arious Avorks on the
subject, sorae of Avhich Avere published also in England,
¦* The author is happy to find, that before the publication of this
letter, this State has acceded to the new federal government. This
fact proves, that good principles will predominate at last, and par
ticular abuses Avill disappear.

REV. DR. JEDIDIAH MORSE. 117
Scotland and Ireland, and translated into French and
German, gained for him the title of " The Father of
American Geography." The quotation given is taken
from the American Geography, ed. of 1792, pp. 204-
209.

Literature. The literature of this state is confined
principally to the toAvns of Newport and Providence.
There are men of learning and abilities scattered
through other toAvns, but they are rare. The bulk of
the inhabitants in other parts of the state, are involved
in greater ignorance perhaps than in any other part of
NcAV-England. At Providence, is Rhode-Island college. . . . This
institution was founded at Warren, in the county of
Bristol, and the first commencement was held there in
1769. ... In the year 1770, the college was removed
to Providence, Avhere a large, elegant building Avas
erected for its accommodation, by the generous dona
tions of individuals, mostly frora the town of Provi
dence. It is situated on a hill to the east of the toAA'n ;
and while its elevated situation renders it delightful,
by commanding an extensive, variegated prospect, it
furnishes it with a pure, salubrious air. The edifice is
of brick, four stories high, 150 feet long, and 46 wide,
Avith a projection of ten feet on each side. It has an
entry lengthAvays, Avith rooras on each side. There are
forty-eight rooras for the accommodation of students,
and eight larger ones for public uses. The roof is cov
ered Avith slate.
[The college] is now very flourishing, containing
upwards of sixty students. This institution is under

118 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
the instruction of a president, a professor of natural
and experiraental philosophy, a professor of mathe
matics and astronomy, a professor of natural ' history,
and three tutors. The several classes are instructed in
the learned languages, and the various arts and sciences.
The studies of the freshman year, are the Latin and
Greek languages, English grammar and rhetoric. Of
the sophomore, Guthrie's geography, AVard's arithmetic,
Hammond's algebra, Sheridan's rhetorical grammar,
and lectures on elocution, AVatt's logick, and Cicero de
Oratore. Of the junior, Horace, Kaim's eleraents of
criticisra, Euclid's eleraents, Atkinson's epitome, Love's
surveying, Alartin's grammar, Philosophia Britannica,
and Ferguson's astronomy. Of the senior, Lucian's
dialogues, Locke's essay on the hunian understanding,
Hutchinson's moral philosophy, Bolingbroke on history,
and a revicAv of all the studies of the several years.
Every year are frc(jueiit exercises in sjieaking, and the
various kinds of compo.sition. There are two examina
tions, several public exhibitions for sjieaking, and three
A'acatious annually. The institution has a library of
between tAvo and three thousand A'olumes, containing' a
valuable collection of ancient and modern authors.
Also a sraall, but A'crv A'aluable philosophical appa
ratus. Nearly all the funds of the college are at in
terest in the treasury of the state, and amount to almost
tAVO thousand pounds.
NcAvport contains about 1000 hou.ses, built chiefly of
wood, and 5530 inhabitants. It has nine houses for
public worship ; three for the baptists, two for congre
gationalists, one for episcopalians, one for Quakers, one
for Moravians, and a synagogue for the Jews. The
other public buildings are a state-house, and an edifice
for the public library. The situation, forra, and archi
tecture of the State-house, give it the preference to most
public buildings in Araerica. It stands sufficienth' ele-

REV. DR. JEDIDIAH MORSE. 119
A'ated, and a long wharf and paved parade lead up to it
frora the harbour.
The building for the library consists of one large
room, thirty-six feet long, twenty-six feet broad, and
nineteen feet high, Avhere the books are kejit, A\ith tAvo
small offices adjoining. The principal or Avest front is
a pediment and portico of four columns, of the Doric
order ; the AA'hole enfablatui-e oi Avhich, runs quite round
the building.
The tAVO offices are placed as wings, one on each side
the portico, and connected with the body of the build
ing so as to form tAVO half-pediments proceeding from
the loAver part of the entablature. The east-front con
sists of a plain Doric pediment, supported by a rustic
arcade of three arches, iu the recesses of Avhicli, are
placed three Venetian windoAvs, after the Dorick order.
The outside of the whole building is rustick Avork,
and stands on a base five feet from the ground, and the
entrance is by a flight of steps the whole AA'idth ofthe
portico. In the year 1747, Abraham RedAA'ood, Esq ; gave
1294 volumes, valued at £500 sterling, as the founda
tion of a library in NcAvport. Several other valuable
donations AA'ere afterwards given. These books Avere
deposited in the above-described edifice, Avhich AA'as
erected for the purpose of receiving them.
A uumber of gentlemen Avere incorporated into a
body politic by the narae of the " Company of the Red-
Avood Library,' with poAver to choose annually eight
directors, a treasurer, secretary and librarian. This
elegant building is uoav much out of repair, and one-
third of the books in the library were either carried off,
or destroyed by the British during the Avar.

120 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
1793. Rev. Dr. James Freeman.
Dr. Freeraan (1759-1835) AA'as a famous Unitarian
clergyman. He Avent to Boston in 1782, and became
a lay-reader in King's Chapel. He became a Uni
tarian, and, in 17.S5, induced the church to alter its
liturgy so as to conform to the vicAVS of the Unitarian
theology. As a consequence of his heresy, the bish
ops refused to ordain hira, Avhereupon, in 1787, the
Avardens and congregation ordained him in " a solemn
and appropriate form," as " Rector, Minister, Priest,
Pastor, teaching Elder, and public Teacher " of the
Society. Thus the first Episcopalian church in Ncav
England became the first Unitarian church in this
country, and Avas for many years the ouly Unita
rian society of any importance. The quotation here
given is taken from a criticism of Dr. Morse's Geo-
grxiphy (see the preceding extract) entitled Remarks on
the American Universid Gerx/raphy, p. 40. Boston,
1793.* — Under Rhode Island the author takes excep
tion to the commonly receiA'ed opinions respecting the
religious zeal and the aA'erage intelligence of the people.
Air. AI. does not appear to be pleased Avith -the state
of religion of Rhode Island. ... I assert . . .
that there are a fcAv only of the people of this state,
'"'The copy preserved in the .John Carter Brown Library, pre
sumably Dr. Morse's copy, contains a slip pasted on the fly-leaf bear
ing the words, in Dr. Morse's handwriting, " Dependence is not tobe
placed on all the corrections in this pamphlet — a number of them,
however, are worthy of notice." — J. Mouse.

GOA'ERNOR JOHN DUAYTON. 121
who do not class themselves AA'ith sorae religious sect ;
and that in fcAV of the toAvns, publick Avorship is neg
lected by the greater part of the inhabitants. In this
neglect Rhode Island is not peculiar ; for there are
some towns in Massachusetts (to say nothing of other
states) in Avhich a majority of the people do not attend
publick AA'orship. . . . The fact is that the relig
ious societies are numerous, in proportion to the jiopu-
lation ; there being aboA'e eighty of various denomina
tions. Of these, not more than eighteen are destitute
of ministers. There are, in proportion, as many
vacant churches in Massachusetts.
The literature of the state is not confined to NcAvport
and Providence ; and though there raay uot be as
many men of learning, as in the tAvo adjoining states,
yet the inhabitants are not involved in greater igno
rance, than the inhabitants of many other parts of Ncav
England.

1794. Governor John Drayton.
John Drayton (1766-1822) AA'as a laAvyer of Charles
ton, South Carolina. He Avas elected lieutenant-gov
ernor of that state in 1798, and in 1800 succeeded
GoA'ernor Rutiedge, Avho died in office. He also held
the same position at Iavo subsequent periods of his
career. The quotation given is taken from his Letters
vrritten during a Tour through the Northern and Ea.sfei-n
States, pp. 40 et .seq.
After a sail of twenty-six hours, Ave arrived at the
toAvn of NeAvport : situated on an island in Narragan-

122 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
sett Bay ; and having before it a quiet and deep har
bour, quite protected frora the Avinds by a small island
Avhich is before the town ; upon Avhich there has been
a large fort, for its protection. At present, nothing
gives it a military appearance, but the flag ; the fort,
having been entirely dismantled.
The toAvn, is .said to contain about seven thousand
inhabitants. And I ara afraid, is rather in decline,
thau in prosperity. The Avratli of kings, fell upon it
during the American Avar ; and it felt so severely the
scourge of their armies and fleets ; that it Avill be long
ere it shall recoA'er its former prosperity. Besides, it
has a more serious difficulty to contend with in being
rivalled of its commerce by the toAvn of ProA'idence ;
situated about ten leagues farther up the country.
The inhabitants haA'e lately fitted up a roora in the
form of a theatre, capable of containing about tAvo hun
dred persons ; much in the style oi what IRirmony-hall
Avas AA'ith us. They haA'e a rope-dancer attached to the
company, by the name of Placide. I saAV him and his
Avife, Avho is a handsorae AA'oraan, about tAA'cnty-tAvo
years of age, dance an allemande upon the stage ; in
which, their bodies AA'ere throAvn into a variety of
positions. At this place, is a library house ; I Avish I could say
a library. But that alas ! has been taken awaA', 1)}' the
pilfering hand of the British. AVho in this, as Avell as
in other instances, carried on war not only against men,
but against learning.
I took a ride through the extent of the island, Avhich
is tAA'clve miles long. It is parcelled out every AA'ay
into small farms, whicii are divided, and laid out iu all
directions, by stone Avails. There is not much A'ariety
in the scene. The eye, is throAvn around for trees ;
but in vain. The zephyrs, have no foliage here, upon
Avhich they may dance. For the troops of Britain,.

GOVERNOR JOHN DRAYTON. 123
like the locusts of Afric, have Avithered each tree upon
this once happy island : and when they departed, left
the inhabitants no shrubs, under Avhose shade, they
might rest themselves in peace. But their industry
begins to raise up sorae trees, to defend thera from the
summer sun : though at great expenee, as they have
them all to buy.
After staying at Newport two days, I took ray pas
sage on board of a packet for Providence : Avhere, I
arrived in three hours and a half. And never in a
Avorse time for observations as a traveller ; it being in
sufferably hot ; and the situation of the town rather
encreasing it, than otherwise. It is situated on each
shore of a narroAV river, along the side of the hills
down to the Avaters edge. Where, the suramer breezes
may bloAV over it iu vain : serving only to tantalize the
citizens, Avith Avliat they cannot enjoy. It is hoAvever a
flourishing town, and is the present seat of govern
ment ; having a baptist church Avith one of the tallest
and handsomest steeples in America. It is said to be
two hundred and tAventy feet high. The church is
built of Avood, aud is elegantly finished in the inside :
being illuminated at night by a superb glass chandelier.
The church has been lately repaired and painted at the
expenee of a Miss B  n ; whose fortune furnished
her Avith the means, Avhile her inclination prompted her
here to return a portion of those riches, which heaven
had given her. And sweet must her feelings be, Avhen
she reflects on this good appropriation of what is of no
value, but as it assists the pleasures of an honest and
well-spent life.
Each part of the toAvn, is connected by a bridge
throAvn across the river, the Avhole Avidth of the street.
There are foot Avays on each side of it, in which three
persons may walk abreast : and the carriage way is
wide enough for .as many carriages to pass at one time.
At night it is illuminated by three lamps on each side.

1 24 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
Upon an eminence Avithin the toAvn, and overlook
ing it, is an handsome and commodious brick college;
Avliere at present numbers of youth are educated. I
had uot tirae to go into it, or opportunities of making
any particular enquiries respecting it.
The toAvu is said to contain six thousand inhabitants :
four thousand less than Charleston. And yet it sends
three or four ships to India in eaeh year ! Avould to
heaA'cn, that avc were as much advanced in commerce.
In comparison Avitli the trading toAvns of the northern
and eastern states, pardon the expression Aviien I say,
those of the southern are but in leading strings.

1795- "Citoyen adoptif."
This quotation is taken from an anonymous Avork en
titled Rc.spou.se aux PrincijMles Questions qui peuvent
etre faites .sur les Efeds-Unis de I'Amerique, Par un cito
yen adoptif de la Pennsylvanie. Lausanne, 1795.
Vol. I., p. 292.
Rhodeisland. II est reconnu, par le denombrement de 1791, qu'il
En hommes libres, au dessus de seize ans — 16019
En gargons, au dessous de seize ans — 15799
En femmes & fiUes libres, de tout &ge — 32652
En autres personnes libres 3407
En esclaves 948
Total 68825

REV. JOHN PIERCE. 125
Ce nombre donne vingt-cinq habitans par mille
quarre, & chaque habitant a vingt-cinq acres and
demi. . . .
L'Etat comprend plusieurs iles dans son etendue,
dont la principale est Rhodeisland. Ye cliraat de cette
isle est serein et agreable ; Les femmes y sont si belles,
que les voyageurs s'accordent a I'appeler I'Eden de
I'Amerique. Ce petit Archipel procure a I'Etat I'avan
tage de six ports, qui sont : Newport, Providence,
Wickford, Pataxef, Warren & Bristol. . . .
Netvjjorf est renorarae pour les bourgies de Sperma
ceti : outre leur blancheur, qui les rend plus agreables
k la vue que la cire, elles ont I'aA'antage de ne donner
ni fumee, ni odeur desagreable.
Providence est encore une grand ville, dans I'Etat de
Rhodeisland: elle contient environ quatre mille habi
tans ; mais ce qui le distingue sur-tout, ce sont les
manufactures de drap, dont elle a un prodigieux debit.

1795. Rev. John Pierce.
•John Pierce (1773—1859) AA'as a Unitarian clergy
man, for fifty years pastor of the Brookline Church.
He was one of the institutions, not to say traditions, of
Harvard. He was present at sixty-three commence
ments and for fifty-four years led the singing ofthe tune
of " St. Martin's " at the coraraencement dinner. His
memoirs Avere left to the Massachusetts Historical So
ciety. The quotation here gi\'en is taken from his
manuscript journal as published in the Society's Pro
ceedings, 2d Series, III. 41-43.

126 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
AVednesday, 2 September, notAvithstanding the rain,
we proceeeded to Providence, and stopped at Tyler's
Hotel, near the Baptist Meetinghouse.
At X, Ave attended the Comraencement Exercises in
this House. President Maxey presided. Dr. Still
man, of Boston, offered the concluding prayer.
In the morning the audience Avas small.
P. M. the assembly Avas larger. TAventy-six Avere
graduated, the compositions of the students Avere ex
ceedingly florid. No figures AA'ere too bold to be used.
The students Avere much dressed. The speaking was
very declamatory. We dined Avith the College Officers
and invited guests in the College Hall. The Presi
dent asked the blessing. Dr. Hopkins, of NcAA'port,
Author of the Hopkinsian system, returned thanks.
He was then 74 years of age. He looked, as if he
Avere 100. President Maxey, at the close of the Exer
cises, made a solemn address to the Graduates. I saAV
Classmates Angier and Avery, & Professor, afterwards
President Webber.
I spent the- evening at the roora of Mr. AVIsaa'cH, one
of the graduates, in sacred niusic.
Thursday, 3 Septeutber visited various parts of the
Town of Providence. An elegant Meeting house, Avith
tAvo Towers, after the Model of the Church, in Hollis
Street, Bcston, was lately erected, in which Dr. Hitch
cock preaches.
I A'icAved the improvements of Mr. BroAA'u. He has
removed a Hill of about 83 feet in height into low
land, to raake a Avharf, &c. He has a large Distillery,
and fattens cattle frora the remains of the grains, Avhich
have undergone the process of fermentation. He owns
a large AVliarf, at Avhich lay an Indiaman of between
6 & 700 Tons.
P. M. Ave visited the Cemetery, tAA'o or three miles
from the centre of the Town. It contains handsome

AVILLIAM WINTERBOTHAM. 127
INIonuments, decent gravestones, and some elegant Epi
taphs. At A^, P. M., Ave passed through Johnston, and
arrived at Fish's, Scituate, AA'here we spent the night.
Providence stands at the junction of Providence &
Taunton rivers, and has the adA'antage over NcAvport
by the superiority of its market. The buildings in
general are indifferent, though some are elegant. The
Baptist Church is one of the most elegant and spacious
in the United States. It Avas built by blaid,: Sumner,
father of Thoraas AV. Sumner, who has been an Archi
tect. The College is a couA'enient brick edifice, com
manding an extensive a'Icav of the surrounding country.
They haA'e a Theatre nearly finished.

1795. Wilham Winterbotham.
AA^interbotham was a native of London, and assistant
minister of a Baptist congregation in Plymouth, Eng
land. On account of Iavo sermons preached there, in
which he commended the French ReA'olution and adA'o-
cated a reform of the British Parliament, he Avas tried for
sedition in 1793, and sentenced to pay fines amounting
to £200, and to undergo four years' imprisonment.
His work upon the United States, in four A'olumes,
was written in Newgate Prison, " Avith the Assistance
of Persons who have resided in and Avho are in the
constant Habit of extensive Correspondence Avith the
different States."
The extract given is taken from An Historiccd, Geo
graphical, Commercial, anel Philosophical Yiew of the
American United States, Nol. IL,p. 226. London, 1795.

128 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
General Description of Rhode-Island.
Soil, Productions, etc.
A country for pasture, and not for grain. ... It
hoAvever produces corn, rye, barley, oats, and in sorae
parts Avheat sufficient for home consumption ; and the
various kinds of grasses, fruits, culinary roots and
plants in great abundance, . . . and cyder is made for
exportation. . . . The tract of country lying be
tAveen South-Kingston and the Connecticut line, called
the Narraganset country, is excellent grazing land, and
is inhabited by a nuraber of Avealthy farraers, Avho raise
some of the finest neat cattle in NeAv-England, Aveigh
ing from sixteen to eighteen hundred Aveight. They
keep large dairies, and make both butter and cheese of
the best quality and in very large quantities for expor
tation. Narraganset has been faraed for an excellent
breed of pacing horses, reraarkable for their speed and
hardiness, and for enduring the fatigues of a journey ;
this breed of horses has, however, much depreciated of
late, the best mares having been purchased by the peo
ple from the AA'estAvard. The boAvels of the earth in
this State offer a large recompense to the industrious
adA'cnturer. Iron ore is found in great plenty in sev
eral parts of the State. The iron Avorks on Patuxet
river, twelve miles frora Providence, are supplied Avith
ore frora a bed four railes and a half distant, Avhicli lies
in a valley, through Avhich runs a brook.
At Diamond-Hill, in the county of Providence, Avhich
is so called from its sparkling and shining appearance,
there are a A'ariety of peculiar stones, raore curious than
at present they appear to be useful ; but not far frora
this hill, in the township of Curaberland, is a copper
mine, mixed Avith iron strongly irapregnated with load
stone. . . .
There are several mineral springs in this State, to one
of Avhich, near ProA'idence, many people resort to bathe

AA'ILLIAM WINTHERBOTHAM. 129
and drink the water. . . . Rhode-Island is considered
by travellers as the best fish market, not only in the
United States, but in the world.
Newport. . . .
The excellent accommodations and regulations of the
numerous packets Avhich belong to this port, and which
ply thence to Providence and New- York, ought not to
pass unnoticed; they are said to be superior to any
thing of the kind in Europe.
Providence. . . .
This town is divided into tAvo parts by the river, and
connected by a bridge, formerly called AVeybosset, from
a high hill of that name Avhich stood near the west end
of the bridge, but ..which is now remoA'ed, and its base
built upon ; this bridge Avhich is the only one of any
considerable note in this State, is one hundred and sixty
feet long and tAventy-tAvo feet wide, su|)ported by tAVO
wooden tressels and two stone pillars ; its situation
affording a prospect of all vessels leaving and entering
the harbour, renders it a pleasant place of resort in the
sumraer. Ships of almost any size sail up and down
the channel, Avhich is marked out by stakes, erected at
points, shoals, and beds lying in the river, so that
strangers may come up to the toAvn Avithout a pilot.
A ship of 950 tons, for the East-India trade, Avas
lately built in this town, and fitted for sea.
The public buildings, an elegant meeting-house for
the Baptists, eighty feet square, with a lofty and beau
tiful steeple and a, large bell, cast at the Furnace Hope
in Scituate — a meeting-house for Friends or Quakers,
two for Congregationalists, an episcopal church, a hand
some court-house, seventy-feet by forty, in which is
deposited a library for the use of the inhabitants of

130 pictures of RHODE ISLAND.
the toAvn and country — a Avork-house, a market-house
eighty feet long and forty feet Avide, and a brick school-
house, in Avhich four schools are kept. The houses in
this toAvn are generally built of AVOod, though there are
sorae brick buildings AA'hich are large and elegant.
At a convenient distance from the toAvn, au hospital
for the small-pox and other diseases has been erected.
There are tAA'o spermaceti Avorks, a number of distiller
ies, sugar houses, and other manufactures.
About four railes north-east of ProA'idence lies a small
A'illage called Pautucket, a place of some trade, and
famous for lamprey eels. . . .
Trade and INI anuf actures
Before the Avar, the merchants in Rhode-Island im
ported from Great-Britain dry goods ; from Africa
slaves ; from the AVest-Indics sugars, coffees, and mo
lasses, and from the neighbouring colonies lumber and
provisions. . . . But the Avar, and some other events,
have had a great, and in many respects, an injurious
effect upon the trade of this State. The slave trade,
Avhicli Avas a source of Avealth to many of the people in
NcAvport, and in other parts of the State, has happily
been abolished ; . . .
The present exports are flax seed, luraber, horses,
cattle, beef, pork, fish, poultry, onions, butter, cheese,
barley, grain, spirits, and cotton & linen goods. The
iraports consist chiefly of European and AA^est-India
goods, and logAvood from the Bay of Honduras.
UpAvards of 600 vessels enter and clear annually
at the different ports iii this State. ... A
cotton raanufactory has been erected at Providence,
Avhicli, from present prospects, avIU ansAA'cr the expec
tations of the proprietors. The Avarps are spun by
AA'ater Avith a machine, which is an improvement on Mr.

DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 131
ArliAvright's ; and strong, smooth and excellent yarn
is thus made both for Avarps and stockings. . . .
Jeans, fustians, denims, thicksets, velA'cts, &c. are here
manufactured and sent to the southern States. . . .
But the most considerable manufactures in this State
are those of iron, such as bar and sheet iron, steel, nail
rods and nails, implements of husbandry, stoves, pots,
and other household utensils, anchors, bells, &c. The
other manufactures of this State are rum, corn spirits,
chocolate, paper, avooI and cotton, cards, &c.

1795. The Duke of La Rochefoucauld-
Liancourt.
La Rochefoucauld (1749-1827), Avas a type of the
grand seigneur of the old regime. He had traA'elled
and lived in England, and endeavored to manage his
estates in France on the model of the English country
gentleman. During the Revolution he was proscribed,
but contrived to escape to England. In 1792 he came
to America, and travelled extensively. He describes
his journeys with care and candor, and seems to haA'e
managed to extract valuable information frora all sorts
and conditions of men. He returned to France in
1799, but in .spite of opportunities and solicitations,
refused to involve himself in political matters.
The extract given here is taken from his Travels
through the United States of North America in 1795,
1796 and 1797. Vol. II, p. 272, et seq. (Loudon,
1800.)

132 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
This island [Rhode-Island] exhibits a continued
succession of meadows and raaize. Barley is likcAvise
produced here in considerable abundance. The brcAV-
eries of Philadelphia and Ncav York furnish an ad
vantageous market for this last article. Fornierly this
island Avas extensiA'ely covered Avith fruit-trees and
other AA'ood. But these the English destroyed during
the Avar. The soil is light, sandy, and, in general, un
improved by manure or skilful tillage. The raedium
produce of the nieadoAvs is a ton of hay per acre ; the
ground under tillage yields, an acre, tAventy-five bush
els of maize, or one hundred bushels of potatoes.
There are instances of greater produce ; but these oc
cur only Avhere particular land-holders have cultiA'ated
their ground Avith unusual intelligence and care. . . .
The coraraon extent of the farms is seventy acres.
Sorae .sraall number of thera contain tAA'o hundred
acres ; and three or four, even four hundred acres.
The farm of Samuel Elem, to Avliom I had a letter
frora AVilliam Rush, is four hundred acres in extent.
He is the only farmer in the island avIio does not per
sonally labour upon his oavu ground. He is an English
man, from A^orkshire. He came hither as a merchant
before the revohition. The length of his necessary
stay gaA'e hira a fondness for the country, and inclined
hira to settle in it. He lives in a snug small house,
Aa'C miles from Newport, aud near to East Pa.ssage.
Agriculture is the only business that he iioav foUoAvs.
He does not boast of having found it, as yet, very profit
able. . . . The stone fences enclosing his fields are
higher and better than any I haA'e seen in Massachusetts.
His meadoAvs are in a state of improveraent and fer
tility, Avhieh is considerably profitable. But the diffi
culty of procuring laborers stands greatly in the Avay
of all agricultural iraprovements in these parts. Mr.
Elem . . . often meets Avitli a contradictory spirit

DUKE OP LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 133
in his Avorking-people, Avho are apt to thiuk, that their
toil must make them more skilful in husbandry than
their idle master.
The cheese of Rhode Island is famous throughout
all. America ; but the only cheese Avhich these parts now
furnish for exportation is from the isles of Connanicut
and Block, Avhich make part of this state.
The following reasons are assigned for the poverty
of the farmers of Rhode-Island. It is usual for the
young people, at the age of thirteen, to leave the family
of their parents, and go into the service of others.
The parents find it vain to endeavour to detain them ;
for, if not perraitted to do as others do, they Avill not
work at home. In consequence, other labourers are to
be hired ; and that accumulation of stock is materially
hindered Avhich might be best produced by the joint
labour of a whole family, without hired assistance. Be
sides, so many are disposed to become farmers for
themseh'es, even Avithout any adequate stock, that
labourers are not to be procured for any reasonable
hire, even in cases of the most urgent necessity. 2. It
is a disadA'antage also to the agriculture of this territory,
that it is everyAvhere adjacent to the sea. The young
people have, in consequence of this, been long accus
tomed to prefer a seafaring life to husbandry, because
the former affords higher wages in money, and is more
grateful to the roving spirit of inexperienced youth.
Even the resident farmers are tempted to join the fish
ing with the toils of husbandry, as the fishing affords,
at all times in the year, a very plentiful supply for the
nourishraent of their families. They, consequently,
take little care to improve the soil to its highest pitch'
of cultivation. The same thing may be said of the
inhabitants all along the sea-coast of America. 3.
There is a Avant of a regular and profitable market for

134 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
the superfluous produce of the isle. There is, indeed,
a market-place in the town of NcAvport ; but the farmers
rarely bring their grain hither for sale ; nor do those
who are in Avant of it resort to this market to supply
themselves. The farmers bring flesh, corn, beans, and
pease to the town, and there place it in houses for sale.
AVhen purchasers do not appear, as is often the case ;
the quantity is far from being sufficiently consider
able to becorae an object of commercial speculation for
foreign export, to the merchants. 4. There is such
an extreme scarcity of AVOod, that no farraer who is
in Avant of it, can supply hiraself at a less price than
four or five dollars a cord. In consequence of this
Avant of trees, the whole islaud is too much exposed
to the Avinds, Avhich often bloAV OA'cr it with a very
troublesorae violence. There has been a remarkable
difference in the produce of fruit upon the farras of
this isle, ever since the great trees Avere destroyed
by the English duriug the AA'ar. 5. The elections
to all places in the gOA'crnnient, and to the represen
tative representation, are reneAved every six months ;
and the frequent journies and public meetings Avhich
these occasion, seem to AvithdraAV the attention of
these people, in too great a degree, from their hus
bandry. 6. Lastly, the people of Rhode-Island are
singularly illiterate. Scarcely has the Avhole island
a single Avell-conducted free-school ; such is the oppo
sition of prejudice to every thing of this nature. The
public records of the small state of Rhode-Island are
in greater disorder than those of any one else ; and
this disorder is a primary cause ofthe ignorance ofthe
inhabitants ; so that all their shortcomings in the respect
of knoAvledge, are plainly to be charged to the misconduct
of their rulers. . . . NcAA'port is accounted the
chief town of the state of Rhode-Island. It is the
most ancient ; the deputies of the state hold their as-

DUKE OP LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 135
semblies there : but Providence is more populous, and
carries on a considerable trade. Before the war, there
were in Newport ten thousand inhabitants ; in Provi
dence, not more than one thousand. Providence now
contains seA'eii thousand ; NcAA'port, but five thousand
inhabitants. Many of the richer inhabitants of NeAvport
have deserted it. A number of families forsaking this
toAA'n in the time of the revolution, Avhile it was in the
possession of the English, retired to Providence, and
settling there, have never since been induced to
change their residence. Those, on the other hand,
who were attached to the cause of England, went
aAvay Avith the English troops, Avhen these Avere
obliged to eA'acuate the island. Political dissen
sions, which long distracted Rhode-Island, contributed
farther to this desertion of NcAvport. It is only Avithin
these last tAvo or three years, that its trade has begun
to rcA'lA'e. It has tAvelve vessels of some considerable
burthen, engaged in the trade to Europe ; two or three of
whicii sail to the coast of Guinea for cargoes of negroes,
which they bring for sale to Georgia and the AVest-
India isles ; forty more, Avhich are employed in the
coasting-trade, and sail only for the colonies. The
coasting-trade is that which the people of this toAvn
chiefly prefer. The amount of the exports from New
port was, in 1791, of the value of tAvo hundred aud
seventeen thousand three hundred and ninety-four
dollars; ... in 1795, three hundred and seven
teen thousand eight hundred and sixty dollars.
Barley is the principal article of agricultural produce,
which it furnishes for exportation. . . . [It] is
freighted rather on board the ships from Providence,
than in those from Newport. The ships from Provi
dence carry it chiefly into the southern states, from
whicii they bring, in return, other cargoes, either to
some port in the United States, to Europe, or to the
West-India isles.

136 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
The houses of NcAvport are almost all A'ery small,
and miserably bad : they are of Avood, and not painted.
In the town, every thing Avears the appearance of de
cay ; but the harbour has a shoAV of opulence and active
commerce. The A'icinity of the sea, the spaciousness
and security of the road, its easiness of access, and its
convenient situation, render it a very coramodious
shelter for vessels going from the southern parts of the
mainland of America, toAvards the northern, or from
the nortii soutliAvards. It is indeed more frequented
than any other port, by foreign ships. NcAvport, Avitli
all these advantages, seems to be naturally destined to
become a harbour for ships of Avar, Avhenever the
United States shall assume the consequence of a Naval
Power. In Rhode-Lsland there is the same freedom of re
ligious Avorship and opinions, as in Pennsylvania.
Baptists and Quakers are the most prcA'ailing sects ;
but the people in general, in this island, are far from
being religious overmuch. In the whole island, Avhich
is fifteen railes long and three railes broad, there is no
church, except at NcAA'port ; and to this the country-
people do not resort aboA'e four tinies in the year. The
people of this state are reputed to be indolent, quarrel
some, and litigious. These faults of character, if justly
imputed, are sufficient to account for their poA'erty.
There is said to be a great uncertainty of political
opinions in Rhode-Island : they Avere not unfavourable
to the alDorainable tyranny of Robespierre ; they are far
less friendly to France since the guilt of that tyranny
has been suppressed, and order restored. Before the
war, there Avere many opulent inhabitants in Rhode-
Island ; at present, only the ruins of their houses, and
the traces of their former inclosures, remain to be seen.
The houses are either desolate, or are inhabited in their
least ruinous parts, by people who, on aecount of the

DUKE OP LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 137
smallness of their capitals, their dislike to labour, and
many other reasons, are much inferior in condition to
the people of the other parts of Ncav England.
In the high-church of Newport, there is a monument
erected by the order of Louis the sixteenth, to the
Chevalier de Ternay. He Avas commander of the
fleet which conveyed M. Rochambeau and the French
army to America. He died at Newport in the year
1780. The inscription is in a very simple style, and
speaks very much in honour of M. de Ternay.
The State of Rhode-Island is very proud of having
given birth to General Green, one of the greatest, if
not absolutely the greatest, of American generals. He
was, by birth, a Quaker, and Avas a respectable trader
in Newport. But, for the sake of liberty, he quickly
shook off the prejudices of his sect, and abandoned his
business. He went, in the very beginning ofthe war,
to contend against British opposition. In the Avhole
course of this memorable war, there Avas not a battle,
not a skirmish, in which Green did not distinguish him
self by signal valour, and extraordinary military talents.
His sound and discerning mind rendered often the most
important services in the Council. He is, above all,
famous for his expedition into the southern states, in
the year 1781. . . . he, by a variety of the most
skilful stratagems, and plans of annoyance, and by the
exertion of extraordinary courage, forced the English
to retire gradually from the provinces of Upper Vir
ginia, North Carolina, and almost all South Carolina ;
He was the ardent friend of liberty, without
laying aside, on this account, all respect to natural
justice and humanity. His whole life Avas spent in a
continued train of virtuous actions. After these illus
trious deeds in the field, he Avas hailed as the deliverer
of the southern states, and receiA'ed the thanks of the
Congress. He died within a few years after the estab-

138 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
lishment of American freedom. The Congress erected,
at the public expenee, a monument in honour of his
partriotism, his virtues, and his talents ; and in so do
ing, gratified the earnest desire of all true-hearted
Araericans. Tavo miles beyond AVarren, the road turns to Provi
dence in Massachusetts. The land is there, for scA'cral
miles, so sandy and boggy, that no stones can be found
for fences. On the other hand, Avood is so scarce, and
so costly, that it cau be as little applied to this use as
stones. Yet the fields are enclosed Avith fences, Avhich,
to tAvo-thirds of the height, are forraed of turfs, with
cross-bars of timber aboA'c. In other places Avhere
stones are not so scarce, the fences are formed one-half
of stones, one half of Avood.
I knoAV not Avhether it might be, that the informa
tion Avhich I receiA'ed in NcAvport, irapressed rae with
unfavourable prejudices against the people of Rhode-
Island : but I could not help thinking, that, in the
short part of niy way Avhich uoav led through the state
of Massachusetts, I received rauch more obliging an
swers to ray enquiries, than in the district Avhich I had
left. I had ... no reason to coraplain of my reception
Avith Moses Broavn, to Avhom I had a letter of intro
duction from AA^illiam Rush. He liAes in a farm not
far from the upper bridge over Deacon's RiA'er, on the
Avay to Providence. Moses BroAvn is a very strict
Quaker ; became a Quaker upon couA'iction ; and has
been sueh for the space of forty years. He acquired a
considerable fortune in trade, of Avhich he has resigned
the greater part to his son ; and he hiraself uoav lives
in quiet cessation frora business, transacting nothing of
that sort upon his OAvn account. NotAvithstanding the
rustic simplicity of his raanners, he seeraed to be a very

DUKE OP LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 139'
worthy man. He pressed me to stay with him for the
evening, telling me, that he did not a.sk me in the Avay
of empty compliment, but that if he had not desired
my company, he would not have given me the invitation.
I excused rayself, by mentioning, that as I had but very
little time to spend at Providence, and as the Aveather,
though generally uncertain, was noAV fair, I must, there
fore, avail myself of the present moment, and proceed
on ray journey.
The environs of Providence are more interesting than
those of NcAvport : and they give to an approaching
traveller, A'cry faA'ourable ideas of the toAvn Avhich he
is about to enter. The hill at the foot of which the
toAvn lies, and over" Avhich you must pass into it, is
intersected into tAvo parts by a paved road, Avhich has a
slow and gentle descent. The toAvn lies on both sides
of the riA'er : a well-constructed bridge affords a ready
communication between its tAVO diA'isions. Lofty, Avell-
built and Avell-furnished houses, are nuraerous in this
town, which is becoming continually larger : and the
prospect of an increase of Avealth and populousness, has
induced the inhabitants to set apart a considerable ex
tent of the adjacent hill for new buildings. The trade
of Providence, as I mentioned above, is four or fiA'c
times as great as that of NcAvport. Its exports are
partly from this state, and in part from Massachusetts
and Connecticut. A distillery, perhaps the greatest in
the American States, extensive raanufactures of nails
and of other forged iron-work, contribute much to the
exportation from this jilace.
In the course of this last year, endeavours have been
made to introduce the manufacture of cotton-yarn and
stuffs into Providence. The author of this undertak
ing says, that he finds it already profitable : But I
should suspect this to be, rather the boast of sanguine
expectation, and of self-conceit, than the actual truth of

140 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
the facts. All raachines in Anierk'a are indeed more
or less profitable : but the machinery Avhicli requires
workmen to be employed about it, is by no raeans to
be corapared to that of Europe, where a truly good
workman gets one-half less than in America, especially
in its sea-port toAvns.
There are sorae ships from Providence engaged in
the accursed traffic of negroes, in contempt of the
orders of Congress, by Avhich it has been forbidden.
The raerchants concerned in this trade persuade them
selves, that Congress cannot alter the Constitution ;
and therefore think, that in spite of Avhatever Congress
shall order, they may coutinue the slave-trade till
1808, the year fixed in the Constitution for its final
cessation. They allege farther, that every state pos
sesses a right to decide for itself in regard to this
traffic ; and that the state of Rhode-Island has not, as
yet, made any euactmeut against it. They therefore
purchase negroes, and carry thera to sale in Georgia,
Avliere there is no prohibition of any sort against the
trade. Nearly twenty ships from the harbours of the
United States are employed in the importation of ne
groes to Georgia, and to the AVest-India isles.
I ara surprised, that, Avhile there is so strong and
general a disapprobation of this Avhole trade, and Avliile
it is in such direct contradiction to the spirit of free
dom, and to the predominant sentiments throughout
America, Congress should neglect to interpose, and en
tirely suppress it here. I Avas informed, that this is
about to happen : But it is likeAvise to be OAViied, that
the merchants of Rhode-Island carry on the slave-
trade in a Avay less offensiA'e to humanity, than that in
AA'hich it is conducted by the merchants of Europe.
They take but one negro for every ton of the ship ;
Avhile the English' merchants, it is said, take from one
and a half to tAvo negroes a ton. Even in fetters, the

DUKE OP LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 141
negroes have more room, and suffer less. The ships
engaged in this trade are usually not A'ery large ; and
the negroes, I was assured, commonly arrlA'e at the
place of their destination in good health.
There goes but a single vessel from Providence to
the Avhale-fishery. Ill success has occasioned some
others, which Avere formerly employed in the same
fishery, to be AvithdraAvn from it. The maritime traffic
from Providence is principally that to China, and to
Nootka Sound. The augmentation of the number of
ships belonging to this port, the increase, and the ira
proved elegance of the buildings, is more the conse
quence of the groAving wealth of the people of the
place, than of any ncAV resort of foreigners to settle
here. This small state, situate in the raiddle of Ncav Eng
land, differs rauch from that state, by peculiarity of
customs, usages, and opinions, Avhich, Avhether good or
bad, have necessarily a great influence upon the govern
ment. There seems to be a general desire for a change
of the constitution of Rhode-Island.
The population of this whole state araounts to about
sixty-eight thousand souls. The highest araount of
the taxes is tAventy-thousand dollars in the year. AVhen
it is considered, that the Governor's salary is only six
hundred and sixty-six dollars and two-thirds ; and
that the niembers of the assembly receive no salary ;
this moderate sum Avill not be thought inadequate to
the purposes to Avhicli it is to be applied. NcAvport
furnishes three thousand nine hundred and sixteen dol
lars, tAvo-thirds of this sum ; and Providence contri
butes seven thousand one hundred and twenty dollars.
The taxes paid by the country are nearly equal to those
from the toAvns. There are but fcAV poor to be main
tained by public charity, in it. The Quakers are not
much in favour here. They have an austerity in their

142 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
appearance, an extraA'agance in their principles, and an
oddity in their state. The roads are repaired by the
common labour of the inhabitants. No extraordinary
expenee is ever applied to the improveraent of the
roads. The state is so sraall, that these people give
themselves A'cry little concern about highAvays. In
traA'clling, they call roads good or bad, without farther
care. AVhen there is anything of indispensable neces
sity to be done to them, they then raise a A'oluntary
subscription to accomplish it.
The nuraber of people really opulent in this state is
not considerable ; nor is the number much greater of
those Avho affect the appearance of Avealth ; for this
last is prcA'ented by the democratical spirit of the con
stitution, and by the tone of public opinion throughout
the country. There are, besides, certain taxes imposed,
particularly upon those Avho IIa'c in a sumptuous style.
There is in ProA'idence a college for the education of
youth in the different branches of learning ; but so far
is it frora being very eminent or in high reputation,
that they Avho Avish to giA'e their children a good edu
cation, send them to JIassachusetts or Connecticut.
The funds for the support of this college Avere bestoAved
chiefly by Baptists ; in consequence of which it is set
tled that the president, and the greater part of the
other teachers, must belong to that religion ; and they
are, therefore, chiefly young persons of the Baptist sect
Avho are educated in it. The Quakers are not rauch in
favour here. They have an austerity in~their appear
ance, an extravagance in their principles, and an oddity
in their customs, and cA'cn in their dress, Avliich, in my
opinion, differ Avidely aud disadA'antageously from the
amiable simplicity of the character and manners of the
Quakers of Philadelphia.
But here, as elscAvhere, the Quakers strongly disap-
proA'e of slaA'ery, and of the traffic in negroes. On

DUKE OP LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 143
"this account they are looked on with an evil eye by the
slave OAvners ; because the smallness of the state ren
ders it exceedingly easy for the slaves recelA'ing any
encouragement to that effect, to make their escape from
their masters.
Tn Providence there are some rich merchants, who
expend their wealth by liA'ing in a comfortably stirap-
tuous style. Such are Messrs. Clark and Nightin
gale. I had a letter of introduction to thera. The
former received me very hospitably, and seemed to be
a man of sound intelligence, and considerable informa
tion. By him I Avas introduced to an inhabitant of
the town, Avho had lately returned from France. This
man spoke strongly against the reA'olution, and the
crimes to Avhich it had giA'cn birth. He, at the same tirae
related, that at the Castle of Vincennes, he had obtained
an excellent bargain of the property of an emigrant,
and named others Avho had been as great gainers as he,
by proscriptions and confiscations ; I know not the
gentleman's name ; if I did, I should think it my duty
t-o raake it public.
The richest raerchant in Providence is John Brown,
brother to Moses Brown, the Quaker aboA'e-mentioned.
In one part of the toAvn he has accoraplished things
that, even in Europe, would appear considerable. At
his OAvn expenee he has opened a passage through a
hill to the riA'er, and has there built Avharfs, houses, an
extensiA'e distillery, and even a bridge, by AA'hich the
road from Newport to Providence is shortened by at
least a mile. He has sold many of his houses. At
his wharfs are a number of vessels, Avhich are constantly
receiving or discharging cargoes. In his distillery he
maintains a great number of oxen, the labour of Avhich
is extremely useful, and a great saving of expenee to
him. I had no letter of introduction to him ; and my
stay in Providence was too short to admit of my be-

144 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
coming acquainted Avith him. I exceedingly regretted
to find myself obliged to leave the toAvn, Avithout con
versing with a man, the extent of Avhose establish
raents, and the success of Avhose trade, evince him to be
a person of extraordinary intelligence and enlargement
of mind.
At Providence, and throughout the Avhole state, the
produce ofthe land is nearly the same as in the island.
It yields of maize from fifteen to tAventy bushels an
acre, and of other produce in proportion. There are
two churches iu Providence, one for Anabaptists,
another for Presbyterians. They are distinguished for
the neatness and siraplicity in their structure and
decorations. The Avages to ship-carpenters and other labourers are
nearly the same in NcAvport and Providence, as in New
Bedford. But negroes are almost the only servants to
be seen.*
The .state of Rhode Island, and particularly the
island, liaA'c suffered a considerable loss of population
by eraigration to the iiCAvly occupied lands, and in par
ticular to Canada. FcAA'er in proportion have gone
frora Alassachusetts than from this state. Besides,
Massachusetts is receiving a continual influx of ucav
inhabitants. There are banks in both these states.
That of Newport is of recent erection. Its notes are
generally for one dollar each.
Neavport.
The Providence packets have generally parcels and
letters for Newport. We stopped there from nine at
night to nine in the morning. It gave rae pleasure to
see once more, not this dull low toAvn, but its environs,
*The rates of wages given for New Bedford are "ordinary labour
ers at the rate of from eight to nine dollars a month." Travels, p.
271.

DUKE OF LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT. 145
Avhich form a charming landscape, and are, as Avell as
the Avhole island, one of the most healthy parts of
America. Several families of Carolina, Virginia, and
Maryland, come to reside here eA'ery year to aA'oid the
dreadful heat and insalubrity of their oavu country.
Newport also unites the adA'antage of a Ioav price for
all the necessaries of life Avith that of not offering any
means, nor holding out any temptation, for expences
foreign to the necessities of existence.
The salubrity of the toAvii of NcAvport is, no doubt,
produced by the keenness of the air ; yet this often
proves hurtful to the inhabitants in their youth, and
the nuraber of young people, especially girls, Avho die
of complaints in the lungs, is very considerable. It
is a circumstance AVorthy of remark, that the inscrip
tion on the tomb-stones mention only childhood, youth,
or old age ; they record the deaths of few persons be
tAveen tAventy and seventy years old, but a considerable
uumber beyond the latter age.
The town of Providence, though in general healthy,
is not hoAvever exempt from bilious fevers toward the
end of summer and autumn ; but these coraplaints are
usually unattended with danger. Consumptions in
youthful habits are as common here as at Newport ;
and many individuals fall victims to them before the
age of thirty.
The trade of Providence employs a hundred and
forty-tAvo vessels belonging to that port ; and very
little of it is shared by foreign ships, even by those of
the other states. That trade, as I think I remarked
last year, consists in the exportation of oxen, live hogs,
salt pork, butter and cheese, barley, timber, onions,
rum, whiskey, gin, flax-seed, Avrought iron, and the
commodities imported from the East and AVest Indies.
The greater part of the cheese, hoAvever, is consumed
in the United States, to which the port of Providence

146 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
also sends great quantities of lime-stone, and some iron.
The iron is forged Avithin the state, at the
falls of Potosky, round Avhich lies a A'ery rich mine.
Cannons and anchors are there fabricated ; of the latter
of Avhich a pretty considerable nuraber are exported to
the Indies. The value of the exports from Providence
Avas — in 1790, from the month of June, one hundred
and thirteen thousand, tAvo hundred and thirty-one
dollars. ... in 1795, one million forty thous
and and fiA'C — and, for the first six months of 1796,
four hundred and thirteen thousand, nine hundred and
tAventy-four. This great increase in the value of the exports is not
here, any more than elscAvhere, a true criterion of their
quantities ; for, although I haA'e not had time to take
from the custom-house books an abstract of the differ
ent articles year by year, and to compare their esti
mated values, I knoAV that the tonnage of the port of
Providence has increased only in a very small propor
tion ; since it araounted in 1792 to eleven thousand
tAVO hundred tons, and does not at present exceed four
teen thousand five hundred. It is true, that, during
the last year, the shipping of that port suffered losses
to the araount of eleven or tAveh'e hundred tons by
.shipAvreck, captures, &o.
The coramerce of Providence is carried on Avith the
East and AVest Indies, Denmark, the north of Ger
raany, and the coasts of Africa. Sorae of her vessels
trade to France ; but the nuinber of these is very small.
They usually carry thither tobacco and train-oil : dur
iug the last tAVO years they carried rice, meal, salt beef,
raAV hides, and shoes for the army — ProA'idence and
NcAvport carry on no trade AA'ith England ; Avhatever
British commodities they Avant, they purchase at Ncav
York and Boston.
To the value of the exports from Providence may

DUKE OP LA ROCHEFOUCAULD-LLVNCOURT. 147
be added about eight hundred thousand dollars in
specie AA'hich are annually sent out for the trade Avith
India and China ; since that money may truly be
called the produce, inasmuch as it is the fruit of the
produce, of the state.
The principles on Avliich are grounded the assessment
and the levying of taxes in the state of Rhode-Island
are essentially the same as they Avere at the period of
the first settlement of the colony. . . . Those taxes
are a capitation, a tax on real and personal property,
from which a laAV of 1795 excepts, as untaxable arti
cles, all furniture (not including plate), implements of
agriculture, Avorkmen's tools, and a quarter of the cap
ital employed in trade on sea. The raising of the taxes
rests Avith each toAvn or toAvnship, Avhich is responsible
to the state-treasurer for the proportion of the taxes
assigned to it by the legislature. The ratio is regu
lated by a general valuation raade from time to time,
The last three A'aluations took place in 1767,
1778, and 1795. On the first of those occasions the
taxable property Avas valued at sca'cu millions three
hundred and scA'enty-one thousand one hundred and
eighty-six dollars ; . . . and, iu 1795, at fifteen mil
lions five hundred thousand dollars. It appears that
this augmentation in the quantum of taxable property
is attributable to the increase of the capitals eraployed
in trade, more than to any other cause.
The capitation-tax is settled in the proportion of six
pence for CA'ery thousand pounds rated to the state.
The toAvns may nevertheless set aside this tax, proA'ided
they contribute their quota toAvard satisfying the public
demand in some other mode. The town of Providence,
for instance, levies her proportion of it only on movable
and immovable estates.

148 PICTUT!KS OF liHODE ISLAND.
The taxes of the state of Rhode-Island, as I have
already observed, amount only to six thousand pounds,
or tAveuty-thousand dollars, and are regularly paid. The
expenee of the civil list is but five thousand dollars.
The state OAves about ninety-eight thousand
dollars, and has, for the discharge of that sura, no other
resource than taxation. By the decision of the com
missioners appointed to settle the accounts betAA'cen the
United States aud the indiA'iclual states, Rhode-Island
is creditor to the Union to the amount of tAvo hundred
and eighty-nine thousand six hundred and eleven
dollars.

1801. President Josiah Quincy.
Josiah Quincy (1772-1864), of Boston, Avas first
noted as a leader of the Federalists in Congress. He
Avas urgently opposed to the Embargo and the Avar
Avith England, and his speech in opposition to the ad
mission of Louisiana into the Union is, according to
Hildreth, " the first announceraent on the floor of Con
gress of the doctrine of secession." From 1823 to
1828 Mr. (Quincy Avas Mayor of Boston.
In 1829 he was chosen President of Harvard College,
and held the position until 1845. He introduced im
portant changes into the curriculum and the adminis
tration of the University. This extract is taken from
his " Diary kept on a Journey through South-eastern
Ncav England," and is published in the Proceedings of
the Massachusetts Historical Society, 2d Series, IV.
123-126.

PRESIDENT JOSIAH QUINCY. 149
June 4. The next day avc proceeded to Providence,
having dined at AVrentham, and stayed an hour at Paw
tucket. In general the road is rough and hilly, and
the prospects little various or cultivated. Woodland,
pasturage, and meadoAvs chiefly occupy the face of the
country. The houses Avhich Ave passed evidenced
neither thrifty nor ingenious proprietors ; except, in
deed, those in AVrentham and its A'icinity. The falls
at PaAvtucket are the objects on this route most Avorthy
the attention of a traA'eller. They are forraed by
several ledges of rocks extending in broken lines across
the bed of the river. The centre layers, being nearly
at right angles Avitli each other, collect the Avaters from
both sides of the stream and dash them doAvn to a
point. This, AA'hich is called "the Pot," is of immense
depth, whence the flood is eternally rising iu rage and
foam. In the Eighth of a raile the Avhole descent is
about Sixty feet. A bridge, which is erected over the
centre ledges, hides much of the grandeur of the scene.
This is also diminished by the divertion of the water
from the falls, occasioned by numerous canals, cut for
the use of manufactories, erected on each side of the
river. These consist chiefly of Iron, paper, and cotton
works, in the last of Avhich a very complicated and in
genious machinery performs all the requisite labour.
We found the proprietor very cautious of admitting
strangers to vicAv its operations, nor Avould he grant us the
privilege until he had received satisfactory assurances
that Ave Avere as ignorant and unconcerned about every
thing relating to the cotton manufacture as he could wish.
AU the processes of turning cotton frora its rough into
every variety of marketable thread state, such as clean
ing, carding, spinning, Avinding, etc., are here performed
by machinery operating by Water- Avheels, assisted only
by children frora four to Ten years old, and one super
intendent. Above an hundred of the former are em-

150 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
ployed, at the rate of from 12 to 25 cents for a day's
labour. Our attendant was very eloquent on the use
fulness of this manufacture, and the employment it
supplied for so many poor children. But an eloquence
Avas exerted on the other side of the question more
commanding than his, which called us to pity these
little creatures, plying in a contracted room, among
flyers and coggs, at an age Avhen nature requires for
them air, space, and sports. There Avas a dull dejec
tion in the countenances of all of them. This, united
Avith the deafening roar of the falls and the rattling of
the machinery, put us into a disposition easily to satisfy
our curiosity.
June 5. A A'iolent storm prevented us from seeing
as much of Providence as Ave intended. Having both
of us been in this place before, and finding our lodgings
not A'ery coraraodious, Ave proceeded, in the rain, about
Ten miles, to AA^arren. The road lies through a Avell-
cultiA'ated country, interspersed with two or three thick
Avoods, through which the traveller passes, and is made
pleasant by a variety of fine prospects. Warren is
situated upon a river of its name, Avhicli joins Provi
dence river about two railes frora the A'illage. EA'ery
thing about it bears the marks of industry, frugality,
neatness and prosperity, A'ery equally diffused. Ac
cordingly, our Landlord, a very intelligent and com
municative Yankee, assured us that the town had no
poor to support, and that no one of its inhabitants Avas
so far aboA'e his neighbors as to be called rich. This
man, who Avas both tavern-keeper and carpenter, I
found in deep political discussion with Mr. Fessenden,
the schoolmaster, and Mr. Phillips, Avho was at once
the principal village trader, its custom-house officer.
Postmaster, and printer. Fessenden was not less
oracular, nor soleran, in his responses, than his prede
cessor AA'hom Goldsmith celebrates. The hammer and

PRESIDENT JOSIAH QUINCY. 151
the adze Avere motionless as he displayed before the
master and the journeyraan, in the Avorkshop, " all he
kncAv". This scene Avas the more pleasing to me as
Fessenden's politics Avere sound, and as he appeared to
be a Avorthy and Avell-principled man. He Avas polite,
and offered to accompany me in vieAving the Toavu. It
is built upon tAvo or three streets, about half a mile in
extent, running parallel Avith the river, and upon others
crossing these at right angles. The houses are of tAvo
stories, generally painted, and Avithin appear remarkably
clean and commodious. Roavs of cherry-trees, planted
in front of most of the houses, give the place an un
common air of improA'craent and taste. The church
and the Free-mason's hall are the only public build
ings. The former is handsome, and the latter, having
some gilded insignia of the craft at each of its ends, has
more decoration than any other in the toAvn. It is of
tAVO stories, — the upper destined for the awful secrets of
the lodge, the lower for a toAvn school. This Avas
Fessenden's hobby, across Avhich he Avas astride as soon
as Ave Avere in sight of the house, and rode most cheerily
until we turned our backs upon this deposit of his
hopes. " I expect it Avill accommodate forty youth,"
said he, " of both sexes. It is to be called an Academy,
and is to be under my direction and that of a preceptress,
AA'ho I intend shall be the raost accoraplished female
that can be procured from Boston". Upon this he
gave me an insight into all the depth and extent of his
plau of instruction, in all which it Avas plain the good
man had Avorked up his imagination to view AVarren in
vision the seat of the muses, and himself as nothing
less than high priest of Apollo.
There is sufficient depth of water in AVarren river
to float vessells of 150 Tons burthen, loaded. A con
siderable carrying trade is also supported, by the in
habitants, in the vessells built on this river.

152 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
Ju)ie 6. From AVarren to Bristol Ferry, a distance
of Six railes, there is a constant succession of beautiful
landscapes, combining the prospects of Providence and
AVarren rivers, the Islands they contain, and the coun
try at a distance, all highly cultivated. Bristol,
through Avliich we passed, tAvo miles from the ferry, is
a flourishing place, and is the shire-toAvn of a county of
its name. It is situated on a bay formed by the Avaters
of the Providence river, and includes Avithin its boun
daries Mount Hope, celebrated in the ancient history
of our country as the residence of King Philip. Bris
tol carries on a considerable trade, of Avhicli that iu
slaves has not beeu the least successful, as scA'eral very
elegant seats Avere pointed out for Avhich, Ave Avere told,
the OAvners Avere indebted to that traffic.
Bristol ferry is at the confluence of the rlA'crs Taun
ton and Providence, Avhich meet in Narraganset Bay,
at the North end of Rhode Island. The ferry is half
a mile Avide, is Avell attended, and has good boats.
Mount Hope lies toAvards the North West, and rises
gradually, Avith a beautiful slope, from Taunton river.
It is eleven miles from Bristol ferry to NcAvport, by the
Eastern road. This passes nearly through the raiddle
of the Island, and abounds Avith nuraberless fine views
of it, of Narraganset Bay, on its East and AVest side, of
Providence and Taunton rlA'crs, and Mount Hope Bay.
The roads are excellent, and the soil is rich and AviU
ing. All the Avood upon this Island was cut off by the
British during the Avar, so that there is at present none
but Avhat is of late groAvth. Marks of iraproA'cment
are here rare. From the appearance of the buildings,
one cannot refrain from believing, Aviiat is said to be
the fact, that on this Island, everything has been, to
say the least, stationary for thirty years past. NeAv
port, situated at its Southern extremity, is scarcely up
held from decay. ProA'idence, lying at the head of

JOHN MELISH. 153
navigation, has attracted from it the principal parts of
the enterprise and wealth of the state, and has attained
a superiority which, in consequence of its insular situ
ation and distance frora the country, NcAvport seems to
despair of regaining.
AVe returned from Newport, by the same road, to
HoAvland's ferry, which we crossed about sunset. This
ferry is near the Northerly end of Rhode Island, and
separates it from Tiverton. Narraganset Bay is in
this place about a third of a mile in breadth. The
relics of a fine bridge, tAvice carried aAvay by the rapid
ity of the current and by worms, give a melancholy
effect to the prospect.

1806. John Melish.
John Melish (1771-1822) was a Scotchman Avho
came to the LTnited States and travelled extensively.
He published several Avorks descriptive of the country,
its resources and industries, and died in Philadelphia.
The quotation giveii is taken from his Travels in the
United States, Greed Britain, and Canada, in 1806-11,
pp. 67-71 (London, reprint, 1818).
At 6 o'clock we reached Providence, Avhere Ave saAv
a good deal of shipping, and I Avas surprised to find a
vessel there of upAA'ards of 900 tons burden. I Avas
informed that she was in the East India trade, of
which there is a considerable share at this port, and
that there would be a sale of India goods next day.
The major, Avho had often travelled this Avay, con-

154 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
ducted me to a boarding-house, AA'here haA'ing engaged
lodgings, Ave Avent out to take a vieAv of the tOAvn, Avith
Avhich he Avas well acquainted. The ground rises to a
considerable elevation aboA'e the toAvn, from whence we
had a fine vicAV ; and we returned to our lodgings highly
pleased Avith the excursions of this day.
Providence is beautifully situated on the head of
Narraganset bay, and is divided into tAvo parts by the
Providence riA'er, over which there is a good bridge,
Avitli a draAV in it, to alloAv A'essels to pass. The Avest
side of the toAvn is Ioav, but the east side rises, by a
rapid ascent, to a considerable elevation. The number
of inhabitants, in 1800, Avas 7614, and they are rapidly
increasing.* The public buildings are, a court-house,
market-house, a public school-house, a baptist meeting
house, a quaker meeting-house, and three congrega
tional churches. There is an extensive college situated
on the hill, and commanding a fine vicAV of the town,
bay, shipping and country for many miles round. The
building is of brick, with a slated roof, 150 feet long,
46 Avide, and four stories high ; and contains lodgings
for upAvards of 100 students. It has a A'aluable phil
osophical apparatus, and a librarv containing upAvards
of 3000 volumes.
Providence has a pretty extensive shipping trade,
and seA'eral manufactories are established in the toAvn
and neighbourhood, Avhich are said to be in a thriving
state. The state [of Rhode Island] is divided into five coun
ties and thirty toAvnships, and the inhabitants amount
to 69,122, including 380 slaves; being about 45 to
the square mile.
The country is well improved, abounding Avith towns,
villages, and farm-houses. The chief toAvns are Provi
dence and NcAvport, already inentioned. The others
*By the census of 1810, they are 10,071.

JOHN MELISH. 155
are, Soutii Kingston, situated on the west side of Nar
raganset Bay, nearly opposite NeAvport, and contains
3000 inhabitants. Bristol is pleasantly situated on the
bay, about half Avay between Providence and Newport,
and contains 1678 inhabitants. It has a little shipping
trade. Wai-ren is a flourishing little toAvn, containing
about 1600 inhabitants. It is on the Avest side of the
bay, on the AVarren River, and carries on a brisk coast
ing and foreign trade. Little Compton, East Greenwich,
and Compton, are also groAving towns. The state is
supplied Avith good roads and bridges, some of Avhich
have been constructed on an ingenious plan, and at
great expense. No canals have yet been made, but
several are projected.
The farms are generally well cultivated, and produce
Indian corn, rye, barley, oats, Avheat, (though not enough
for home consumption), fruits in great abundance, and
culinary vegetables. Butter, cheese, and cyder, are
made in great quantities, and of a superior quality.
The manufactures are cotton and linen goods, bar
and sheet iron, steel, nails, anchors and other iron Avork
for shipping, sail-cloth, paper, rum, &c. The cotton
manufacture is extending, and I Avas inforraed that
some of those engaged in it Avere doing well ; but it is
yet in its infancy, and, being subject to a competition
AA'ith the organized manufactures of Britain, it must be
attended with a considerable degree of inconvenience,
and perhaps some risk.
This state is very favourably situated for commerce,
of which it has a large share. The exports are grain,
flaxseed, lumber, horses, cattle, beef, pork, fish, poul
try, onions, butter, cheese, spirits, and cotton and linen
goods. The value of exports is about 1,000,000 dol
lars annually. The imports are European and India
manufactures. West India produce, and logAVOod.
The inhabitants of the country are generally proprie
tors of the farms they cultivate, and, having no land-

156 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
lord to make their bow to, nor rent to pay, they must be
independent. The inhabitants of the towns are mer
chants, manufacturers, mechanics, seamen, and fisher
men. The lands are not entailed, and hence there is
no aristocracy ; but independence is easily attained by
labour. There is no distinction made on account of
religious opinions ; but every man worships God in any
AA'ay his conscience dictates, Avithout interfering AA'ith
his civil rights. There are several benevolent and
useful societies in the state, araong Avhich may be no
ticed one " for the abolition of the shu'e trade, and for
the iraprovement of the African race." The state of
education is said to be considerably behiud that of the
other Ncav England states, but is improving. The chief
seminary is the college at Providence, already men
tioned ; and there is au acadeiny at NcAvport, under
good regulations, besides various serainaries throughout
the state.
The state legislature consists of a governor, deputy
governor, teu senators, and a representatiA'e from each
tOAvnship. They are chosen by the people twice every
year, and they hold tAvo sessions annually.

1807. Edward Augustus Kendall.
Kendall (1776c-1842) Avas an Englishman interested
in colonial enterprises and in colonial trade. He
wrote on various subjects, and Avas identified Avith the
cause of popular education iu England. In 1807-'8
he travelled through the northern parts of the United
States, and in 1809 published at Ncav A'ork an account
of his Avanderings in three volumes. The extract

EDAVARD AUGUSTUS KENDALL. 157
given here is taken from his Travels through the North
ern Parts of the United States, Vol. II, p. 1 et seq.
(NcAvA^ork, 1809).
Most of the streets in NcAvport and Providence are
paved. Those of the latter lie both on the east and
AA'est banks of the AVanaspatucket, Avhich, after spread
ing itself into a broad bason behind the village, where
it receives the Moshasic, and afterAvard joins the
Patucket, by a narroAV channel. Over this channel is
a bridge, formerly called AVeybossett bridge, on ac
count of a hill of that name, on the east bank, and to
the foot of which it reached. The hill is uoav levelled,
and the comraon narae is the Great bridge. Its length
is a hundred and sixty feet, and its Avidth tAventy-tAvo.
There is a very pleasant ride, around the bason of the
AVanaspatucket, in Avhich, after leaving a street Avhich
runs to the AvestAvard, where a large nuraber of new
buildings are noAV erecting, and beyond Avhich is a
small-pox hospital, the road leads through woods and
meads, ornamented Avith water, and having the build
ings of the village in the background. That part of
the village, Avliich is on the west of the bridge, is called
Westminster. On the eastern side of the river are the
older and more populous streets, and all the principal
public buildings.
In the loAver or main street is a large anabaptist
church, eighty feet square, Avith a lofty spire, and a
bell cast in the toAvn of Scituate ; and near this church
is a large and well-built quaker meeting-house. Be
sides these, there are three congregational churches, and
one church of the church of England. In the design
of one of the congregational churches, built on high
ground in the upper street, much attention has been
paid to beauty, and the effect produced is very pleasing.

158 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
The Avest end of the cathedral church of Saint Paul,
iu the city of London, is the model on which it is
formed, and from Avhich as much of the pomp of archi
tecture has been imitated, as the small diraensions of
the copy may haA'e justified.
The State-house is a handsome building, seventv feet
in length, by forty in breadth. In the chamber of the
represen tatiA'es, as Avell as that devoted to the courts of
justice, is a large gallery, for the accommodation of
strangers ; aud in the council-room is a picture of Gen
eral AVashington, copied, like the others that I haA'e
mentioned, by the original painter. These pictures,
Avitli their frames, have generally cost the goA'crnments,
by Avliich they have been purchased, frora nine to tAveh'e
hundred dollars each. In the sarae roora, is a toAvn and
country library, supported by subscription.
Upon ground still higher than that on Avhich is the
church Avhose architecture I have praised, is BroAvn
UniA'crsity, formerly called Rhode Island College, a
plain building, of a broAvn-coloured brick, three hun
dred and fifty feet in front, forty-six in depth on each
Aving, and sixty-six in the centre. The number of
chambers for students is forty-eight, and there are ten
large public rooms. At the comraencement for the
present year, there A\'ere tAventy-six graduates. The
expenses of education are at least as Ioav at this college,
as that of Connecticut.
On the same level Avith the university are scA'cral
handsorae priA'ate houses, as there are also in the Ioav
grounds, lying betAA'cen the village and the Patucket.
OA'er the Patucket, on the road to Rehoboth, a
bridge is at present building; meauAvhile, the com
munication is by a rope-ferry.
The republic abounds in incorporated banks, and
Providence alone has three. Tavo, in AA''arreu and
Bristol have been mentioned, and there are Iavo in

HENRY A. HOAVLAND. 159
Newport ; there is also one in a toAvn called AVesterly,
one in Smithfield, and one in Gloucester.
Patucket, a village four miles to the northeast of
ProA'idence, and seated on the rlA'cr whence it derlA'cs
its name, is dependent AvhoUy on manufactures. This
settlement has groAvn up on the banks of a cataract,
called Patucket Falls, affording situations for very
numerous mills. Here, in 1760, according to the
traveller, Avhom I lately cited, there Avere two or three
mills ; but so long ago as 1796, there Avere three anchor-
forges, oue tan-mill, one floAver-mill, one slitting-mill,
three snuff-mills, one oil-mill, one cotton-manufactury,
three fulling-raills, tAA'O machines for cutting nails, and
a clothier's works, in Avhich the shearing Avas performed
by Avater ; and the number and extent of these estab
lishments are noAV increased.

1810. Henry A. Howland.
Henry A. Howland (1806-1896) Avas a prominent
business man of Providence, and Avas one of the first
to advocate the cause of temperance, in the '40s.
He took considerable intere.st in city politics,' and was
a member of many of the educational and business in
stitutions of Providence. The foUoAving extract is
taken from his "Reminiscences," published in the Nar
ragansett Historiced Register, VI. 111.
The vicinity of AVeybosset street Avas the scene of
my earliest years. Butler's Avharf (uoav Hay street),
was on the Avest side of it. . . .

160 PICTURES OP RPIODE ISLAND.
Long AVharf (now Custom street), called so probably
because it was the loua-est when first built, as Butler s
and Peck's were much longer uoav. These Avharves all
extended to the channel, the river floAA'ing on each side
of them and to the north side of Pine street. Access
frora one Avharf to another Avas by passing up and doAvn
from AVeybosset street. The wharves on the east side
Avere separated in the same Avay.
There was then no South Water street extending
the Avhole length of the river, no Dyer street on the
West Side, no Pine street open but little beloAV Rich
mond street, Eddy street was only on Eddy's Point
where the main business Avas ship building. The
largest ship yard Avas where the steam cotton mill now
stands. All the area between the Steam mill, Rich
mond stieet and the northerly side of Pine street, was
covered by the tide Avater and to go to Eddy's Point
from AVeybosset bridge, Ave had to go up to Richmond
street and doAvn that street, or take a boat and sail to
the Point. AU the ship builders and others were the
OAvners of boats and Avould skull or row across to
Market Square to get supplies, as that was the only
market for meats and country produce. Dorrance
street Avas then only from AVeybosset street to the
river, its only name that avc kncAV Avas Muddy Dock.
In the centre of it the tide floAved and a bridge was
OA'er the side-walk Avith an iron rail on each side under
which the surface water ran from the street.
Muddy Dock did not look in the old days as if it
Avould be ever gtaced and flanked by a seven storied
hotel costing about a million of dollars, the popular
Opera House and the handsome spacious Masonic
building. Where the latter bnilding stands there was
a neck of laud built upon the shore on Avhich was
erected the Second Baptist Church, (uoav the Central).
There Avas a stone wall back of the lot the whole width

HENRA' A. HOAVLAND. 161
of it, against which the tide flowed. On the side of it
to about the centre of Avhat is uoav Eddy street, the tide
covered a gently sloping sandy shore Avhere in the then
pure river Avater, the rite of baptism by immersion Avas
observed. . . .
In 1810, there Avere but few stores on Weybosset
Broad or Westminster streets. Broad ran to the junc
tion of High and PaAvtuxet streets. Pawtuxet street
was the main road to the place. It is uoav the contin
uation of Broad street.
All the shops for dry goods Avere on the west side of
North Main street, which was known as Cheapside.
About 1820, the first loAver part of a dAvelling house
on Westminster street was altered for the sale of dry
goods, and occupied by Capt. AVilliam Russell, who
was a favored dealer in that business for many years.
Capt. Russell was folloAved by others in the same busi
ness till old Cheapside was deserted by its noted trade
and name. Noav spacious blocks of buildings for
business purposes, take the place of the family resi
dences and the yearly rent would more than purchase
all the estate in 1810.
The family dwellings, on Broad and Weybosset
streets, have also mainly been given up for business
purposes. Large blocks built of stone and brick now
cover the sites of the former homes and gardens. . . .
Where the Arcade noAV stands on the Avest half of
the south end, Benjamin and Charles Dyer had a brick
building used by them as a drug and medicine store.
The east half of the Arcade lot was a part of the Butler
estate, Avith the family residence in the rear. The house
was a very common two-story building of wood with a
large yard in Avhich one or more coavs Avere kept when
home at night from the pasture, and the spare milk was
sold to the neighbors. Many families owned coavs then
Avhich were driven off to not far distant pastures and
returned at night.

162 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
AVhitmau's Block, at the junction of AVeybosset and
AVestminster .streets, Avas a noted feature as a building
in my earlier years. It Avas one of the great things of
the day, and Avas talked about all over the toAvn and
state as the Arcade building Avas tAventy or more years
later. AA^ith the Turks Head on a post as high as a
lamp post, the junction becanie knoAvn by that name
and is still retained after seventy years of its absence.
AVhitmau's Block Avas used for family tenements Avith
the exception of one store at its junction.

i8i2. Henry Cogswell Knight.
Mr. Knight (c. 1788-1835) was born in Gloucester,
Massachusetts, and graduated at BroAvn University in
the class of 1812. He Avas ordained into the Episcopal
Church, but Avas ncA'cr settled over any parish. He
published several volumes of poetry, a volume on the
South, and tAvo volumes of sermons. He Avas a keen
observer of men and thing,s, and is quoted as saying,
respecting his oavu somcAvhat A'acillating career, that he
" could not find the right branches of the tree of knoAvl-
edge by which to climb up." AVhile in college he Avrote
a series of eleven letters to the " Rhode Island Ameri
can," which have been collected and annotated by Mr.
William R. Staples, of Providence (1866).
The volume is entitled A Glance at the Town of
Providence in 1812. The quotation given is taken frora
Chapter IA". Of Signs.

henHy cogsavell knight. 163
Providence river runs through the tOAvn near enough
north and south for ray purpose ; and on the east side
runs Main street parallel Avith it ; at about tAventy,
thirty, or forty rods distance of gradual rise from the
water, runs Back street parallel Avith Main street.
These two, together Avitli AVestminster and A\'eybosset
streets, Avhich diverge Avesterly from the market, form
the four cardinal streets of this busy town.
On the right hand side of the street [Main street] [I
notice] the signs of three leather-Avorkers almost con
tiguous to each other. The fir.st obtrudes upon the
eye a saddle, painted upon a swing board ; . . .
The next soothes the raind Avith a milk-white lei-mbkin,
carved and elevated upon a jDedestal ; . . . The
last offers you a couchant reindeer, Avith branching
antlers ; . . .Ave approach near the Baptist meet
ing house ; . — there ... on the left side, an
apothecary has perched over his door a purblind ejwi.
near the raarket on cheapside, you espy a pur
ple cluster of grapes suspended OA'er the door of an
English goods shop. . . . Glance . . . across
the street and there is nature herself — a lion pounding in
a mortar. . . . cross OA'cr the bridge, and see Avhat
there is upon a pillar near the post-office ; — ah ! the
Turk's Head — as very like the Grand Turk, I am told,
as is the statue at India-Point bridge like our good old
Captain AVashington. . . . Cross over into AVey
bosset street . . . when iioav Avhat think you I
see ? a neat little carA'ed and gilded Rhinoceros, cruelly
suspended by his back before the door of a grocer.
You observe near the post-office, Avhither
we have returned, a suspended hive of bees ; — this is
also above the door of a grocer.

11)4 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
1818. Henry Bradshaw Fearon.
Fearon Avas a London surgeon, who Avas sent by
thirty-nine English farailies to the United States, in
1817, to ascertain what part of this country, if any,
would be suitable for their residence. He gave an
account of his experiences, Avliich Sydney Smith pro
nounced exaggerated in its vicAVS of vices and preju
dices. The foUoAving extract is taken from this Nar-
-redivc of a journey of 5000 miles through the Eastern and
Western States of America, 2ded., pp. 98, et seq. (Lon
don, 1818.)

On entering Providence, the capital of Rhode
Island, I Avas much pleased Avith its beauty. In its
appearance, it corabined the attractions of Southampton
and Doncaster. There are manufactories in the neigh
borhood. On that account I took up my abode at
Chapotan's Inn until the llth.
Here is an excellent market-house, a workhouse, four
or five public schools, an uniA'ersity Avith a tolerable
library, a public library, and an hospital. SeA'eral of
the churches are very handsome ; they, as Avell as many
private houses, are built of Avood, painted Avhite, Avith
green Venetian shutters, presenting a neat elegance
very superior to our smoky brick buildings. I have
not seen a town in Europe or America, Avhich bore the
appearance of general prosperity equal to Providence.
Ship and house-builders Avere fully occupied, as indeed
were all classes of mechanics. The residents are native
Americans. Foreign emigrants seem never to think of

HENRY BRADSHAAV FEARON. 165
New England. Rent and provisions are much loAver
than at New York.
At Pawtucket, four miles from Providence, are 13
cotton manufactories ; six of Avhich are on a large scale.
They are not the property of individuals, but of com
panies. I visited three of these. They had excellent
machinery ; not more than one half of Avhich Avas in
operation. The articles manufactured are the same^ as
described at Fishkill [viz. the coarser cotton cloths] .
Children from six to ten years of age, of both sexes,
are paid 6s. 9d. per Aveek ; ditto, 11 to 16, 10s. per
week ; women, 12s.; men, 27s. to 31s. 6d. A'''ery fcAV
of the latter are eraployed. Several of the manufacto
ries of this place are situated on a fine fall of Avater, 50
feet in length, and passing through several chasms in a
rock Avliich extends across the river. The scenic effect
of the fall is most materially injured by the situation of
Pawtucket bridge.
To a labouring man who accompanied me through
the manufactories, I gave half a dollar. I remarked
that he addressed men of similar appearance to hiraself
by the titles of "major," "captain," and "colonel."
The population of this village is very trifling, yet it
has " TAA'O BANKS ! " The persons employed at all the
manufactories combined, are not equal in number to
those at one of moderate size in Lancashire. A con
siderable portion of Aveaving is done by Avora^n, Avho
have or live in farm-houses. They receive Sid. per
yard for | wide stout dark gingham ; an article Avhich
is sold at 13Jd. Avholesale, and 15d. retail. These
female Aveavers do not in general folloAV the occupation
regularly ; it is done during their leisure hours, and at
the dull tirae of the year. Sorae, Avho have no other
means of support except service (Avhich is unpopular in
America) lodge with farmers, and give half the pro
duce of their labour for their board and lodging.

166 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
The PaAvtucket manufacturers have shops or stores'
in Providence. On their doors a board is affixed,
" Weaving given out." Duriug a couA'ersation with a
proprietor of one of these establishments, a woman
carae in, who, from her independent (though not im
pudent) air, I supposed must be a customer. His ad
dress to her, " I'll attend to you directly," confirmed my
opinion. She replied, " I Avant work. Boss, I guess, for
Harriet Angel." He immediately called to his assist
ant, " Where is that AVork, for Miss Angel." — What
Avould a starving Manchester veavcress say to this ? and
liOAV Avould Sir Robert Peel feel if addressed in the true
language of honest independence ?

1 82 1. President Timothy Dwight.
Dr. DAviglit (1752-1817), aa'Iio in his day Avas almost
the pope of Federalist and Congregational New Eng
land, Avas president of Yale College from 1795 to 1817.
His administration raarked an epoch in the develop
ment ofthe college. In 1795 he began the practice of
making long journeys throughout Ncav England, and
of writing elaborate accounts of them. When his eyes
failed, his students of the senior class asked perraission
to supply their place, by Avriting in turn frora his dic
tation. Thus came into existence the A'olumes of his
Travels in New England and New York. The foUoAV-
ing passages are taken frora the Ncav Haven edition of
1821, II. 29-35.
Providence is built on the AVestern side of PaAvtucket
river, in two divisions ; one on the Eastern, and the

PRESIDENT TIMOTHY DAVIGHT. 167
other on the AA^estern side of a cove, which is an arm
of that river. The site of the A^''estern division is a
slope, gradually rising frora the cove ; that of the Ea.st-
erii is the narroAV base, and the side, of a lofty hill,
whicii runs between the cove and the river to the point
of their junction. The two principal streets on the
Eastern side, pass, one at the bottom, and the other at
a little distance along the side, of this hill, until they
terminate at the river. The principal street on the
AVestern side is a part of the great road towards New-
London and Hartford. Those, on the East, are crossed
by several others nearly at right angles.
Many of the houses in this toAvn are ancient, and
ordinary ; many more are modern buildings, and Avould
be called good houses in a New-England village ; al
though inferiour to a multitude of houses in sueh A'il-
lages. A small number are of a character superiour to
this ; and three or four are splendid.*
The public buildings in Providence, are a College ;
three Presbyterian, one Episcopalian, and tAvo Baptist
Churches : a Friends' meeting-house ; a court-house ; a
gaol ; a Avork-house ; and a market.
The Baptist church is a very good building, Avith an
uncomraonly handsome steeple : too high, however, for
the body of the Church. Its situation is disadvan
tageous : the hill, before raentioned, rising suddenly
behind it, and making it appear loAver than it really is.
The Presbyterian church on High-street is located
with taste ; and, both within and without, is one of the
handsomest churches in NcAV-Eugland. It is fronted
Avith tAVO towers ; each crowned Avith a Avell appearing
cupola.t .......
'* Since this was written, a great number of good houses have been
built in Providence, of which a considerable proportion may be
justly styled elegant. Two new churches, an Episcopal, and a Pres
byterian, both honourable to the inhabitants, have lately been erected.
Few towns in New-England have been more improved in their
appearance. t In the year 1814, this church was consumed by fire.

168 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
The Court-House is a decent building.
The morals of Providence are probably superiour to
those of any other town in this State. The usual order
of things, Avith respect to morality, seems here to be
inverted. In most other States the country is more
virtuous than the city. Here, a general, and honor
able, regard to morality, and a general performance of
its duties, such as is found iu other respectable tOAvns
of this country, appears to prcA'ail. oMany years have
not elapsed since the raarket, the street, and the
wharves, were little less frequented on the Sabbath,
than on other days. You Avill remember, that the Sab
bath in this state is neither regarded by the laAvs, nor
sanctioned by any general religious obserA'ance. AVe
saw a fcAV carts entering the toAvn ; but Avere informed,
that the number had yearly decreased for a considerable
time, and that the inhabitants Avere strongly, as Avell as
generally opposed to this indecent intrusion.
The present toAvn of Providence contained in 1790,
6380 inhabitants ; in 1800, 7614, and, in 1810, 10,071.
Providence is the third town in NcAv-Eugland, iu its
population and coraraerce, and probably the first as to
manufactures. The inhabitants, like those of Salem,
haA'e been obliged to combat many disadvantages, but
in the end have surmounted them Avith a spirit of in
dustry, enterprise, and perseverance, rarely displayed.
The country around them, particularly in their OAvn
State, is generally so lean, as scarcely to supply its in
habitants Avith food. But the merchanis by their ac-
tiA'ity and prudence have engrossed, to a considerable
extent, the custom, and produce, of the neighboring
regions of Massachusetts, and Connecticut. They haA'e,
also, engaged in several kinds of manufactures with a
spirit, and success, uuriA'alled in this country.

DR. BENJAMIN AVATERHOUSE. 169
1822. Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse.
Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse (1754-1846) was a
physician of NeAvport, who aided in establishing the
Medical School at Harvard, and then becanie professor
of medicine there. He Avas also professor of natural
history at Rhode Island College (Brown University),
from 1784 to 1801, and gave, in the State House at
Providence, the first course of lectures upon that science
in this country. He was prominent in introducing
vaccination into America. In his political vicAvs Dr.
Waterhouse was an enthusiastic Jeffersonian. The fol
lowing extract is taken from a letter to Jefferson, writ
ten at Newport in 1822, and printed in the Publications
ofthe Rhode Island Historical Society, Ncav Series, II.
177, 178.

After thus boasting ofour great men, before the brag-
gadocia spirit evaporates entirely, I must speak of the
Island itself. I have seen not a little of other countries,
but I never saw any Island that unites finer views,
rendered pleasant by variety, of hill & vale, rocks,
reefs, beaches. Islands & perennial ponds than this.
Until I' saAV other parts of the world I did not suffi
ciently appreciate this. I have always heard it praised
by strangers, and long remember it the resort of the
opulent invalid, since I can remember anything, but I
never duly estimated its beauties until this visit ; Avhen
I have explored it from shore to shore in every direc
tion, & cease to wonder at its celebrity. Before the
discovery of our mineral springs Rh. Island Avas in one
view the Bath of the American Avorld, & the lumber

170 PICTURES OF RHODE ISLAND.
room of the colonial facult}'. AVhat they could not
cure they threw in a heap here. This and the " Red-
Avood Library " gave it both a literary & a genteel air ;
and rendered it the best bred society in N. England.
But — alas ! — hoAV changed ! — The British destroyed,
for fuel, about 900 buildings, to be sure the poorer
sort ; yet it has never recovered the delapidation. The
toAvn of Providence has risen to riches & elegance from
the ruins of this once beautiful spot ; while Newport
resembles an old battered shield — Its scars & bruises
are deep & indeliable. Commerce, & all the Jews are
fled. The Avharves are deserted et the lamp in the
synagogue is extinct ; and the people are uoav so poor,
that there are not raore than 10, or a dozen people Avho
would have the courage to iuA'ite a stranger to his table.
General Dearborn has deraonstrated to me that it never
can be a safe iiaA'al station ; and that it can never be so
fortifyed as to resist a poAverful attack by sea. They
must therefore stick to the spirit of their ancient motto
— In Domino speravimus.

1826. Anne Royall.
Mrs. Royall (1769-1854) was born in A^irginia,
stolen by the Indians when a child, and kept a captive
for fifteen years. She married a Captain Royall. Sub
sequently she moved to AVashington, and published a
small Aveekly paper called the " AA'ashington Paul Pry."
John Quincy Adams described her as going about " like
a virago-errant in enchanted armor, redeeraing herself
from the cramps of indigence by the notoriety of her
eccentricities and the forced currency they gave to her

ANNE ROYALL. 171
publications." John AV. Forney says, "She Avas the
terror of politicians, and especially of congressraen. I
can see her now tramping through the halls of the old
capitol, umbrella in hand, seizing upon everA' passer-by
and offering her book for sale." She AA'rote several
books of traA'cls in the United States, and one novel.
The quotation given is taken frora her Sketches of
History, Life, and Manners in the United States, pp. 368,
369. (Ncav Haven, 1826.)

Providence is a A'ery roraantic town, lying partly on
two hills and partly on a narroAV plain, about Avide
enough for tAvo streets. It is divided by Providence
River (over Avhich there is a bridge) on both sides of
Avhich, on the margin, are the principal houses of busi
ness. On one side of the river the ascent is sudden,
on the other, it is gradual. It contains 14 houses for
public Avorship, a college, a jail, a theatre, a market-
house, 8 Ijanks, an alm.s-house, part of which is a hos
pital, and 12,800 inhabitants. The churches are A'cry
splendid, and the jail is tolerable ; but the poor-house
does not deserA'c the name, and the hospital is a Avretched
abode, disgraceful to the town. I found about half a
dozen prisoners in the jail, in all, some of Avhora Avere
confined for debt. These, hoAvever, bore the raarks of
humane treatraent. The poor-house is in an old build
ing in the raost unwliolesorae part ofthe town. There
were about twenty i^aupers in it, the dirtiest set of
beings I CA'er saw. I found five maniacs in the hos
pital, lying on straAv upon the floor, Avhicli looked as
though it had not been sAvept or Avashed for years.
The citizens, however, are engaged in measures to ren
der the.se establishments more comfortable. Providence
is mostly built of wood, though there are many fine

172 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
brick edifices in it. The Presbyterian church is orna
raented Avith a handsorae dorae and coUonade, and is
one of the finest buildings in the United States. The
streets are Avide and regular, and most of them paved,
with handsome side-Avalks, planted Avitli trees. It is a
A'ery flourishing beautiful toAvn, and carries on an ex
tensive trade Avith the East Indies. They haA'e, besides
this, a number of coasting vessels employed in the cot
ton business. The toAvn of Providence alone OAvns 6
cotton factories, 2 AVOoUen factories, 1 2 jeAveller's .shops,
where jcAvelry is manufactured for exportation. It has
also, many iron foundries, Avliere those iron looms for
the cotton factories are made ; likcAvise a bleaching es
tablishraent, AA'here 12,000 yards are finished per day.
It eraploys 60 hands and has a capital of $40,000.
Rhode-Island is the greatest manufacturing state in the
Union, having, at least, 150 cotton factories, and the
Avhole business of these is done by Providence. Be
sides those articles, ProA'idence manufactures various
others. The citizens are mostly men of extensive
capital. The firm of BroAvn & Ia'cs is among the great
est in Ncav England. I made several attempts to visit
BroAvn University, but Avas finally disappointed. I
called several tiraes at the house of the President, but
never found him in. The buildings stand on the high
est part of the toAvn, in a beautiful situation, but they
are not extraordinary, either for size or architecture.
I saAV but two old brick buildings, with much of the
glass broken out of the AvindovA's, and Avith every ap
pearance of neglect and decay ; and, Avorse than all
that, I saAV a specimen of the politeness of the students,
which reflects no great honour upon the Institution.
I am told it is Avell endoAA'ed, has a president and 10
professors, and averages 150 students. By a rule, the
president and a raajority of the trustees must be of the
Baptist religion. This sect is the prcA'ailing religion
of ProA'idence.

THOMAS PIAMILTON. 173
Manners and Appearance. — The citizens of Provi
dence are mild, unassuming, artless, and the very milk
of human kindness. They are genteel, but not so re
fined as the people of Boston. Alost of them are deeply
and closely engaged in business, and they have not that
leisure to improve by reading, Avhich the Bostonians
have ; nor do they travel so much as the citizens of
Salem. They are an industrious, enterprising people,
and have all the hospitality aud frankness of the New-
Englanders. They are stout, fine looking men ; the
ladies, particularly, are handsome, and many of them
highly accomplished. Both sexes are remarkable for
plainness [of speech ?] , and have a very independent
carriage.

1833. Thomas Hamilton.
Thomas Hamilton (1789-1842) Avas a Scotchman,
and writer of some literary ability, — a younger brother
of Sir William Hamilton, the metaphysician. He
served as an officer in the Peninsular campaign, and in
IS ew Brunswick and Nova Scotia. For many years he
was a contributor to " Blackwood," and is served Avith a
special personal compliment in the "Noctes" (1.89).
His novel, " Cyril Thornton " had a great reputation
in its day. His book on America Avas popular, and
has been translated into both French and German.
The extract quoted is taken from Men and Manners
in America, pp. 80-83. (Philadelphia, 1833.)
On reaching the hostelry [at Providence], its ex
ternal appearance was far from captivating. There

174 PICTURES OP RHODE ISLAND.
Avas no sign-board, nor did the house display any ex
ternal symbol of the hospitality AA'ithin. BeloAV Avas a
range of shops, and the only approach Avas by a narroAv
stair, AA'hich might haA'e passed for clean in Rome, but
Avould have been considered dirty in England. On en
tering, I .stood for sorae tirae in the passage, and though
I inquired at scA'cral raembers of the establishment,
AA'ho brushed past me, Avhether I could have accommo
dation, no ansAver Avas A'ouchsafed. At length, advanc
ing to the bar, I observed the landlord, avIio Avas evi
dently too busily engaged in mixing Ijrandy and AA'ater
for a party of smokers, to have any attention to bestow
on a stranger like myself. . . . during a fortunate
intermission in the demand for sjiirits, my inquiries
Avere at length attended to, and satisfactorily ansAvered.
I found that I could be .supplied Avith a luxury
I had not ventured to anticipate — ^a priA'ate parlour,
communicating Avith a A'ery comfortable bed-room. . . .
Providence is the capital of the State of Rhode
Island, and contains about 25,000 inhabitants. It
stands at the foot and on the broAv of a hill, which
comraands a complete view of the fine bay.
The college appears a building of sorae extent, and is
finely situated on the suramit of a neighbouring height.
The roads were so obstructed by siioAV, as to render the
ascent a raatter of raore difiiculty than I AA'as in the
humour to encounter ; and so it Avas decreed, that
BroAviis College should remain by rae unvisited. . . .
The only building Avhich makes any pretension to ar
chitectural display is the Arcade, faced at either ex
tremity with an Ionic portico. Judging by the eye,
the shaft of the columns is in the proportion of the
Grecian Doric, an order beautiful in itself, but which,
of course, is utterly barbarized by an Ionic entablature.
I knoAV not any thing in which the absence of taste in
Araerica is more signally displayed than in their archi-

THOMAS HAMILTON. 175
tecture. . . . The guide-books declare that Provi
dence has a good deal of foreign comraerce. It raay
be so, but in the bay I could only count tAA'O square-
rigged vessels, and somethiug under a score of sloops
nd schooners.

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