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Such are the defects in the education of youth in Canada, though there are hopes that information, however slow, is daily gaining ground. Several new schools have within these few years been opened at Quebec, Montreal, and Three Rivers; and there is a seminary at Montreal dignified by the name of College, where Latin, French, English, and the common rudiments of learning are taught to upwards of two hundred boys.

The French send their daughters to the nunneries, where reading, embroidery, and superstition are taught at a trifling expence. The British inhabitants send their children to boarding-schools, which have lately been established in the two principal towns.

The education of females in Canada is slight and superficial; more attention is paid to external ornament than to internal improvement; and the mistaken indulgence of their parents tends very much to increase the general levity and frivolity which prevail among the Canadian ladies.'

We have now noticed the most interesting topics of Mr. Lambert's first volume; and we put it out of our hands with no other censure than that the details are sometimes too minute and trivial, and that repetitions and diffuse statements are introduced to an extent which is scarcely pardonable in a first, and by no means in a second, edition. These trespasses occur less frequently in the second volume; where the author, having before him a wider range and a more busy scene, has fixed his attention on objects of greater consequence. Though ostensibly it treats of the United States in general, it is appropriated chiefly to the provinces of New England and Carolina. Of the vast tract of country lying between these States, he saw little, having proceeded by sea from New York to Charlestown, and having returned (after a considerable stay at the latter place) by a similar mode of conveyance. Arriving at New York before the embargo had produced a stagnation of trade, he was singularly delighted with the bustle among the population, and with the elegant appearance of that city. It has neither the narrow and confined irregularity of Boston nor the monotonous sameness of Philadelphia, but exhibits a happy medium between them. Two of its streets, the Broad Way and the Bowery Road, resemble our Oxford Street in width and beauty; the houses being lofty, constructed in the English style, and differing from those of London at the west end of the town only in being built of red brick. The harbour of New York, in consequence of the saltness and the strength of its currents, has the advantage of remaining open in the midst of winter; while the waters of Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Alexandria, are locked up by ice. The markets of New York and the prices for butcher's meat seem nearly on a par with those of the cheapest districts of England. Bread is much lower, while

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groceries and liquors appear to be scarcely above half our price: but labour of all kinds is so high as to turn the scale, in the general expence of housekeeping, against our Trans-atlantic brethren.

The traveller is much struck with the great proportion of deaths in the United States which have their origin in debility and nervous complaints; the prevalence of which is generally attributed to the effect of moisture and sudden changes of weather, but much may likewise be placed to the account of a gross mode of living:

The higher and middling classes of the Americans, who reside chiefly in the great towns or their neighbourhood, live, generally speaking, in a more luxurious manner than the same description of people in England. Not that their tables are more sumptuously furnished on particular occasions than ours; but that their ordinary meals consist of a greater variety of articles, many of which from too frequent use may, perhaps, become pernicious to the constitution. The constant use of segars by the young men, even from an early age, may also tend to impair the constitution, and create a stimulus beyond that which nature requires, or is capable of supporting. Their dread of the yellow fever has induced a more frequent use of tobacco of late years; but it is now grown into a habit that will not be easily abandoned. The other classes of the community, who reside in the interior and back parts of the country, are often obliged to live upon salt provisions the greatest part of the year, and sometimes on very scanty fare; besides which, they generally dwell in miserable log huts, incapable of defending them effectually from the severity of the weather. Those who have the means of living better are great eaters of animal food, which is introduced at every meal; together with a variety of hot cakes, and a profusion of butter: all which may more or less tend to the introduction of bilious disorders, and perhaps lay the foundation of those diseases which prove fatal in hot climates. The effects of a luxurious or meagre diet are equally injurious to the constitution, and, together with the sudden and violent changes of the climate, may create a series of nervous complaints, consumption, and debility, which in the states bordering on the Atlantic carry off at least one third of the inhabitants in the prime of life.

The malignant or yellow fever generally commences in the confined parts of the town, near the water-side, in the month of August or September. It is commonly supposed to have been introduced by the French refugees from St. Domingo during the French Revolution; though some are of opinion that it originated in the States; and many physicians were puzzling their brains about its origin at a time when they ought to have been devising means to stop its ravages. As soon as this dreadful scourge makes its appearance in New York, the inhabitants shut up their shops, and fly from their houses into the country. Those who cannot go far, on account of business, remove to Greenwich, a small village situate on the border of the Hudson river, about two or three miles from town. Here the merchants and others have their offices, and carry on their concerns with little danger

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from the fever, which does not seem to be contagious beyond a cer tain distance. The banks and other public offices also remove their business to this place; and markets are regularly established for the supply of the inhabitants. Very few are left in the confined parts of the town except the poorer classes, and the negroes. The latter not being affected by the fever, are of great service at that dreadful crisis; and are the only persons who can be found to discharge the hazardous duties of attending the sick and burying the dead. Upwards of 26,000 people removed from the interior parts of the city, and from the streets near the water-side, in 1805. Since then the town has happily been free from that dreadful scourge; and from the salutary regulations which have since been adopted, it is to be hoped that it will never make its appearance again.'

The population of New York has, in a period of twenty years from 1786 to 1805, more than tripled itself; and should the population continue to increase at the rate of five per cent. per annum, it will in 1855 amount to 705,650, a population greater than that of Paris. At this day it is equal to the whole number of inhabitants in the State of New York fifty years ago.

If any estimate can be formed of the salubrity of the climate, and the healthiness of the inhabitants of a town, by the number of deaths, London must be reckoned to have the advantage of New York in these respects. The amount of deaths in the former city is about a fiftieth part of its population, while in New York it is at least one thirtieth; the number of deaths ranging between 2,500 and 3,000 per

annum.'

Education is still at a low ebb in the United States, though the number of schools and colleges is materially increased in late years. Among others, a grammar-school, on the plan of our great public schools, has been lately established in New York; and it has become fashionable for both sexes in that city to supply the want of early instruction by attending public lectures on Chemistry, Botany, Mechanics, &c.

The inhabitants of New York are not remarkable for early rising, and little business seems to be done before nine or ten o'clock. Most of the merchants and people in business dine about two o'clock; others who are less engaged, about three; but four o'clock is usually the fashionable hour for dining. The gentlemen are partial to the bottle, but not to excess; and at private dinner-parties they seldom sit more than two hours drinking wine.'

• New York abounds with religious sects of various denominations; but the Episcopalians and Presbyterians seem to be the most numerous, at least they have more places of worship than any of the others. The Quakers form but a small community in this city, and even that is decreasing; for the young people do not appear much inclined to follow up the strict ceremonials of their parents in point of dress and manners. They do not attach much weight to a broad-brim'd hat, nor to the old-fashioned cut of plain-coloured clothes. These little abberations, however, do not bring upon them the public censure of

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the Friends, unless they are accompanied by visiting plays, dances, and other public amusements; playing at cards, music, &c., for which they are read out of the society. Notwithstanding this excommunication, many still continue to attend the meetings, and, if they afterwards deport themselves in an orderly manner, may be received into the community again.'

All religious sects in the United States are upon an equal footing: no one has any established prerogative above another; but in any place, on particular occasions, where precedence is given to one over another, the episcopal church, or that sect which is most numerous, generally takes the lead.'

On visiting Charlestown, Mr. L. found a city somewhat similar to New York in its locality, but much inferior in size and elegance; the population being under thirty thousand, and the streets in general narrow and confined. The situation, though highly convenient for trade, is unwholesome; and its natural disadvantages are aggravated by the indolence of the inhabitants, who allow filthy bogs and stagnant pools of water to continue in the town and neighbourhood. The expence of living seems somewhat higher than at New York:

Charleston contains a handsome and commodious market-place extending from Meeting-street to the water-side, which is as well supplied with provisions as the country will permit. Compared, however, with the markets of the northern towns, the supply is very inferior both in quality and quantity. The beef, mutton, veal, and pork, of South Carolina are seldom met with in perfection; and the hot weather renders it impossible to keep the meat many hours after it is killed. Large supplies of corned beef and pork are brought from the northern states. Though the rivers abound with a great variety of fish, yet very few are brought to market. —

The expence of living at Charleston may be estimated from the following table of commodities, the prices of which are in sterling money. Bread about 3d. per lb., butter 7d., cheese 6d., beef 5d., mutton 6d., veal 8d., oysters Ed. per quart., Hyson tea 6s. per lb., coffee 1s. 6d., Havannah sugar 6d., Louisiana sugar 61d., loaf sugar Is., brandy 75. per gallon, Jamaica rum 7s., New England rum 35. 6d., Hollands 7s., Malaga wine 5s. 10d., Claret 125. per dozen, spermaceti oil 5s. 3d. per gallon, lamp oil 35., Florence oil 35. per pint. Bottled porter, from London, 25. 3d. per bottle. House rent from 30l. to 700l. per annum.'

The present population of Charleston is reckoned about 28,0c0: of this number, not more than 7,000 are whites, the rest are negroes and people of colour, the majority of whom are slaves. The following statement will exhibit the progressive increase of population in the State of South Carolina since its settlement in 1670:

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• Charleston has been described as the seat of hospitality, elegance, and gaiety. Whatever it may boast of the former, it is certain there was very little of the latter on my arrival in that city, though it was the season for amusements. But the fatal fever which had prevailed the preceding autumn, and carried off great numbers of the people, added to the general stagnation of trade occasioned by the embargo, seemed to have paralysed the energies and damped the spirits of the inhabitants, and prevented them from partaking of those entertainments and diversions to which they were accustomed at that season of the year.

Genteel society in Charleston is confined to the planters, principal merchants, public officers, divines, lawyers, and physicians.

The planters are generally considered as the wealthiest people in the state. This may be true with respect to their landed property and slaves but they are not the most moneyed people; for, except upon their annual crops of rice and cotton, which produce various incomes from 6,000 to 50,000 dollars, they seldom can command a dollar in cash, and are besides continually in debt. The long credit, which merchants and traders throughout Charleston are obliged to give the planters and other people of property in the state, is the subject of universal complaint among the former; and whatever credit the Carolinians may deserve for their "unaffected hospitality, affability, ease of manners, and address," so flatteringly mentioned in every edi tion of Morse's Geography, yet the payment of their debts can never be reckoned among their virtues.'

Those persons who are acquainted with the habits of our West-India-planters must acknowlege a mortifying resemblance between them and the same class in the southern States of America. In both countries, ignorance prevails respecting the true method of calculating property and income; the consequence of which is a ridiculous over-rating of future prospects, and a neglect of that economy and patient attention which constitute the essence of mercantile and agricultural prosperity. These coincidences will be ascribed by some to the operation of climate, but by others, with more foundation,

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