Trenton,-famous in the history of the American war, as the scene of one of Washington's victories, and the capital of New-Jersey. Here we crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania, and travelled by its western bank to Bristol, and thence to Taconey. This town is six miles above Philadelphia, where we embarked on board a steamer, and reached the city by water. The scenery was most magnificent; made so by the breadth and sweep of the river; the banks being rich, fertile, varied, and well cultivated; and, moreover, studded with excellent houses, and beautiful mansions and villas. There stood the Quaker city, peering towards skies as bright as those of Italy, resting on the bosom of a country as fertile as imagination can conceive; touching one of the finest rivers and bays in the world; receiving and giving a rich and varied commerce; and presenting to view the general aspect of industry, virtue, peace, and happiness. It seems impossible that WILLIAM PENN, the great Quaker, could have selected a finer site for his city. If any thing can be perfect in this world, one would say Philadelphia presents a perfect ground-plan and locale for the abode of man. This is considered by the Americans themselves as their most beautiful city. Taken as a whole, it may be so. The assemblage of favourable circumstances seems complete. Earth and sky, land and water, all combine to produce this effect. Nature has certainly selected this spot as for the purpose of showing, in the beauties of even a ruined world, some faint outline, some faded image, of what Paradise must have been.

But yet I did not like Philadelphia as a city. It is too uniform; a beautiful landscape cannot be imagined without variety. Is not this principle of variety equally necessary in every thing else having extent, space, magnitude? A city is not like a cottage, a lodge, a little box. There may be uniformity, and yet taste may not be offended; but place these neat boxes in a row, in a straight line, of, say a mile or two long, without any thing to relieve the eye, and then it will be found that the straight line without a curve, the uniformity of buildings, unbroken by any variation in elevation, streets crossing each other at right angles, and at equally-measured distances, produce impressions which are not in agreement with our notions of the beautiful. The houses, indeed, are not exactly uniform; but the streets are perfectly so, securing ventilation and a good circulation of air,

but giving the notion of a town in livery, dressed in the prim costume of the people who founded the city. The Quaker mind has left its impress on the material form of their city; though it is to be feared the Quaker spirit has long since evaporated. I saw very few persons in the garb of Friends; though some few were observed passing along in grave and sober dignity. The population is now perfectly miscellaneous, as much so as any other place, and its peculiarities are only seen in the town itself. The following statistics will show this:-"Of churches there are Episcopalian, English, 27; Methodist, (Episcopal,) 22; Methodist, (Protestant,) 6; Presbyterian, New School, 13; Old School, 12; Reformed Presbyterian, 4; Associate, 4; Associate Reformed, 2; Roman Catholic, 12; FRIENDS, 7; German Reformed, 3; Independent, 2; Lutheran, German, 3; English, 2; Universalist, 2; Dutch Reformed, 2; Mariners, 2; Unitarian, 1; New Jerusalem, 1; Moravian, 1; Disciples of Christ, 1; Jewish synagogues, 3; churches of different denominations for coloured people, 12." Thus the Friends, in their own home, have been far outstripped by other religious denominations.

Time would not allow us to remain long. I had only an opportunity of running into one or two public buildings; of passing down a few streets, so as to obtain a general idea of the place; of getting a hasty dinner, and then starting off towards Baltimore. I promised myself the pleasure of a second visit, which could not be accomplished; so that my adieu to Philadelphia proved to be final.

We travelled partly by railroad and partly by steam, which, by reason of the diversity both as to mode and scenery, is very pleasant. In this excursion we crossed or sailed upon the Delaware, Elk river, the Patapsco, and Chesapeake-Bay. The latter, on the portion we traversed, had widened into a sea, and had a most magnificent appearance.

CHAP. IV. Baltimore and Washington-The City and CapitolThe Senate-General Cass-Captain Frémont—Mr. Calhoun, &c. -The House of Representatives-Debate-Visit to the President-To the Vice-President-The National Institution-Baltimore The Sabbath-The aristocratic Air of the Place-Leave for Cumberland-Slavery-Harper's-Ferry-Cumberland-Thè Alleghany Mountains-A Mirage on the Mountain-BrownvilleThe Monongahela-Scenery of the Banks.

WE reached the city after dark, having travelled one hundred and eighty-four miles. We were met by the Rev. Thomas H. Sargeant, who conducted me at once to my appointed place of abode, the residence of a widow lady of the name of Wilkins, with three or four daughters, and a great number of black servants. This lady, I found, had entertained the Rev. Richard Reece, Dr. Hannah, Dr. Newton; and, in fact, all our brethren who had visited the States as a deputation from England. She evidently retained a very pleasant recollection of these visits. Her eulogies of the VENERABLE and Rev. Richard Reece were perfectly enthusiastic. His fine person, urbanity, piety, and labours, had left a deep impression on her mind. Nor had the excellent qualities of the other brethren been less cherished. Indeed, they were recollected with great admiration by all. The eloquent labours of Dr. Newton will not lose their impression at Baltimore, nor indeed at any other place he visited, during the existence of the present generation. They are engraven indelibly on the hearts of many hundreds and thousands of grateful and admiring people. Dr. Hannah was a young man at the time of his visit; but many of the preachers especially speak of his sermons as amongst the best and most finished specimens of pulpit eloquence they ever heard. I found, indeed, that the ministrations of all my predecessors had left a most happy fragrance behind. Their memory is cherished, their services affectionately appreciated, their mission honoured, the bonds of brotherhood strengthened, and the character of England, as well as English Methodism, is judged of by these specimens of the manners and spirit of the fatherland. It became evident to me, that the religious public, our own people at least, are not disposed to take their cue of England from newspapers, political sources, or the disputes of diplomacy; but from the men of their own community

who may be sent over, and from the general body of Methodists.

I had known Mr. Sargeant in both England and Ireland, on his visit to this country, as the companion of Bishop Soule. His fine spirit had lost none of its elasticity, or depth of affection. His recollections of our country, of the men he had met with, of the Conference, of any, the least, attention which had been shown him, and the pleasures which fell in his way, all lived, most vividly, in his warm and ardent mind. It is delightful to meet with such specimens of Christianized human nature. I blush to think of the affection and kindness he manifested to me. It embraced every thing. It seemed to be the entire business of his life, for the time being, to make my visit as agreeable, as instructive, as profitable, as possible. The charm such a spirit throws over every thing enhances its loveliness ten-fold. It puts life, vivacity, delight, and joy, as well as piety, into the most ordinary transactions; and seems to add grace and beauty to every subject of conversation, to every object seen. It is a kind of music in the midst of the solitudes of nature; a joyous fragrance intermingled with her productions; sunshine thrown upon all things on earth. To meet with such a man, is worth crossing the Atlantic; and to have made his friendship, gives a new zest to life, and increases one's hope of augmented happiness in immortality.

This dear friend soon fell in with my desires to see Washington the next day, and made instant arrangements to accompany me there. My travelling companions, the Rev. J. Porter, and Mr. Cramer, agreed also to be of the party; and we set out by the first train for the capital. The distance is forty miles, which we soon reached. We had six or eight hours to remain, being obliged to return the next day, which was Sunday, when I had engaged to preach in Baltimore. "What can be done in seeing the metropolis of a great republic in six or eight hours?" some one will say. Let us see.

But before we proceed, it may be as well to remark, that this capital is very unlike London, or any metropolitan city of any of the nations of Europe, indeed, of many of the older cities of the New World itself. It is a great unfinished village, laid out on a magnificent scale, but remaining for completion. The points of attraction are, consequently, few, and easily reached.

The following account of Washington is, in the

main, so accurate, that we cannot do better than insert

it :

"The city is laid out on a plan of great magnitude, and will, if the design of the founders be carried out, and their anticipations realized, be a magnificent memorial of the great man from whom it is named, and a city, the gigantic proportions of which shall harmonize with the power and extent of the mighty republic of which it is the capital. The ground on which the city is built has an elevation, for the most part, of about forty feet above the level of the river. The streets cross each other at right angles, those running north and south being intersected by others running east and west. The different parts of the city are connected by broad avenues. When the intersection of these avenues with each other and with the streets would form many acute angles, rectangular or circular spaces are left. The avenues and principal streets radiate from important public points, and are from one hundred and thirty to one hundred and sixty feet wide. The former are named after the states of the Union; the latter, beginning at the capitol, are ranged in the order of the letters of the alphabet; as, A North and A South, B North and B South, &c.: and east and west, they are designated by numbers; as, 1st East, 1st West, &c. Pennsylvania avenue, from the capitol to the president's house, is the most compactly built, and much the handsomest, thoroughfare in the city. Of the avenues, five radiate from the capitol, and five others from the mansion of the president; thus affording these prominent places the readiest communication with all parts of the city.

"Of the public buildings of Washington, the capitol, situated near the centre of the city-plot, on Capitol-Hill, is the most splendid. This edifice, in its ample proportions, in the style and execution of its architecture, and in its embellishments, both exterior and interior, is believed not to be inferior to any Senate-House in the world. Elevated seventy-two feet above tide-water, it affords a commanding view of the city and the surrounding country. From its immense size, and its elevated position, it is the first object that fixes our attention on approaching the city. The building, which is of freestone, occupies an area of more than an acre and a half. Including the wings, the front is three hundred and fifty-two feet in length, and the depth of the wings is one hundred and twenty-one feet. The projection on the east or main front, including the steps, is eighty-five feet wide; and that on the west, with the steps, is eightythree feet. The projection on the east front is ornamented with a splendid portico of twenty-two lofty Corinthian columns; and a portico of ten columns in the same style, adorns the west projection. In grandeur of design, and beauty of execution, the portico in the eastern front has no superior. To the top of the dome, the height of the building is one hundred and twenty feet; the rotunda in the middle of the building, under the dome, is ninety-five feet in diameter, and the same in height. From the cupola which crowns this apartment, there is a fine view of the city and surrounding country.