certainly not have been so cruel. The following anecdote seems to prove that in the determination and energy of his character, he very much resembled Napoleon.

Christophe had heard, that the hospital for sick soldiers was not well attended to; that the physicians and inspectors cheated the sick of part of their allowance of wine; and that other abuses existed. So very early one morning, and quite unexpectedly, he rode up to the hospital, attended only by two of his aides-de-camp; and having dismounted at the gate, entered the building, and went through all the wards, noting down the state of every thing, and asking questions of the sick. Finding, in this manner, that the reports of abuse were true, he immediately ordered the physicians and inspectors to be flogged and dismissed. After which example of severity the hospital was very well managed, and there were no more complaints.

Christophe had organized a remarkably well clothed and well disciplined army, which was much admired by the strangers who visited the island. He also introduced the Lancastrian system of education; and wishing to change the language of his subjects from French to English, appointed Englishmen only for schoolmasters, and obliged the children to learn that language, and speak it. My fellowtraveller had visited some of these schools, and informed me, that he had seen some of the little

boys translating Latin into English with greater facility, than he had ever seen done by boys of the same age in England. He also remarked that their hand-writing was peculiarly beautiful.

Had Christophe lived, he would probably have succeeded in changing the language, but it required a despot like him to effect the change. Boyer has given up the plan, and allows the children the liberty of speaking any language they please.

St. Domingo must be a most interesting country to a philanthropist. What man of feeling indeed can refrain from rejoicing, that this island has emancipated itself from the yoke of nations, calling themselves civilized, and who, nevertheless, have treated the poor Africans with the most intolerable barbarity?

The Ohio, between Louisville and Cincinnati, is more beautiful than above the latter town; not only because its size is increased, but also because the mountains on its banks present a bolder aspect.

Cincinnati, 163 miles from Louisville, is the largest and most flourishing town in the whole of the Western States. It contains nearly 11,000 inhabitants; and may be called the western capital of the Federal Republic. A more beautiful scite can hardly be imagined. Steep and lofty hills touch the river at each end of the town, and encircle it behind, forming one of the most perfect natural amphitheatres I have ever seen. These hills were

covered with magnificent forest trees; but the inhabitants, guiltless of any taste for the picturesque, were rapidly extirpating them. An American has no idea that any one can admire trees or wooded ground. To him a country well cleared, that is where every stick is cut down, seems the only one that is beautiful or worthy of admiration.

All the land in the immediate neighbourhood of Cincinnati is without a tree upon it. This is the case with all American towns; which consequently have an appearance of nakedness and coldness that forcibly strikes an Englishman, particularly as before arriving at them, he must have passed through immense forests. When the Americans improve in taste, this indiscriminate destruction of the fine trees will be regretted, for it will take centuries to replace them.

On a hill to the left of the town, and fronting the river, two or three of the old gigantic planes, stretching their long white arms towards the clouds, were still left untouched. I measured one of them at five feet from the ground, and found it upwards of nineteen feet in circumference. Their great height is not less remarkable than their girth, particularly as they grow up like immense columns, not separating into limbs till at a great distance from the ground. I know not what the opinion of the reader may be, but for my part I always look with a sort of veneration at such vast productions of nature; and, I think, that where they can be

ornamental, it is little less than sacrilege to destroy them. Nevertheless, as I was informed by a friend of mine who went round with me, these giants of the forest will in a short time be cut down, for fire-wood.

The Museum at Cincinnati, though small, is very interesting to a lover of natural history. All the specimens are very neatly arranged. I remarked, among a great many remains of the mammoth, one most superb tusk eight feet and a half long, of astonishing thickness, and in an admirable state of preservation. Among a great variety of fossils, of which there is a fine collection, was a large and most beautiful specimen of the precious opal, formed in a piece of petrified wood.

Mr. D'Orfeuil, one of the proprietors of the Mu seum, has been engaged in some researches on Parasitical insects. He possesses a most powerful microscope, and has made a vast number of most beautiful coloured drawings; I never indeed have seen insects so well painted. The work would be too expensive to publish in America, even if ar tists could be found capable of engraving the drawings; but it is a great pity that so curious a work should not be made public. Mr. D'Orfeuil has found parasitical insects on every caterpillar, butterfly, beetle, &c. &c., which he has examined; and the reader will perhaps find some consolation, in being informed, that every flea that bites him, is, in all probability, suffering himself from some little

tormenter.

The college is tolerably built, but is not likely to be well attended until better regulations are established. I was present at a lecture, and was much shocked at the want of decorum exhibited by the students, who sat down in their plaids and cloaks, and were constantly spitting tobacco-juice about the room.

While I was at Cincinnati, à public ball was given at the principal hotel. It was managed by a certain number of patrons, chosen for that purpose, and no person was admitted unless he had received an invitation from one of them. As I was anxious to see how such affairs were conducted in the Western States, I felt much obliged to the politeness of a young lawyer who procured me an invitation. I must confess I was much surprised to find every thing so well arranged. The ball-room was very spacious, and the music tolerably good. Nearly 100 persons were present; and the beauty of some of the ladies could hardly have been excelled in Europe.

The dances were entirely cotillons: indeed scarcely any thing else is danced throughout the United States. A very handsome supper, which was well served up, terminated the entertainment.