surveying the beauties of the heavens is from below. We see all their glories over our heads. But in this case we were elevated above the phenomenon ; we did not look up, but down; the magnificent spectacle lay at our feet, like the mirage on the other side the mountain,-stretching to an indefinite distance. Again, this spectacle had not the appearance of mountains of clouds, heaped one upon another, variegated by tints and hues of many colours, their edges dipped in gold, and reflecting every possible form of beauty; it was uniform, presenting the same aspect and colour; the intensity of its brightness seemed not to admit of variation; the one element swallowed up all inferior forms, and absorbed them in its own indivisible purity and lustre. The arch of heaven, the rainbow, the rising and setting sun, the brilliant noonday,-none of these can give a notion of this splendid illusion. Its position was longitudinal; its surface, its bosom, like that of the ocean, seen from a lofty elevation, presented itself to view as at a great distance below;reflecting the sun's beams back again to their fountain, and giving their dazzling brightness as if in emulation of the parent orb. To what shall we compare it? It looked like a sea of glory! I gazed and gazed on this lovely object, till dragged by the rumbling motion of our vehicle beyond the sight of the deceptive vision. We were soon lowered to the common level; and, leaving these regions of splendour and magic grandeur, were called to move along the common road, in the midst of clouds and shadows.

Notwithstanding all that we had seen on the mountain, we were thankful enough to get to Uniontown, warm our almost frozen limbs, and regale ourselves with breakfast. Those necessary duties being soon despatched, we hastened to Brownville, where a steamer awaited our arrival to conduct us to Pittsburgh.

The Monongahela, on which we embarked, descends from the mountain in this direction, and forms a fine navigation, meandering its course through a picturesque country to its destination. We now found ourselves in the great Valley of the Mississippi; which, commencing at this point, stretches to the Rocky Mountains. These two ranges of mountains, in the geography of the continent, are held to be the barriers, on the east and west, of this prodigious tract of country. The immense space lying between us at the moment of our embarcation

at Brownville, at the foot of the Alleghanies, to the great barriers raised by the Rocky Mountains, and separating the Western States from Oregon, is considered a part of this valley. The Mississippi itself may be taken as the centre line of this great tract of country, stretching from north to south, prepared by nature herself as a drain for the waters descending from the east and west. We were

now on one of these streams; flowing, in the main, from the east in a westerly course, to join the rivers descending in the opposite direction; and, as it were, to meet in fraternal union in the arms of the "father of waters."

Every thing now seemed different.

The climate

became genial and balmy, and the soil much richer ; vegetation appeared luxuriant; the trees were giving out their foliage, and the shrubs and plants their colours and fragrance, more richly; the skies were clear and lofty, the sun warm and cheering, whilst every breeze seemed to bear life and vivacity on its wings. The river was enchanting. From the edge of the waters the banks gradually sloped up so as to form a hilly embankment on each side, covered with various trees, now enriched with variegated hues. The channel of the river appeared to have been scooped out of the solid earth by some giant power, its level being below the adjoining country, so as completely to embosom its waters in overhanging woods. This beautiful, umbrageous, woody, sylvan scene was, it is true, broken in upon, now and then, by human habitations, little villages, and places of incipient commerce; but, generally speaking, we passed through silent and unbroken solitudes. Taking a chair, and placing it under the awning of the steamer, I gazed in a sort of intoxication, wonder, and ecstasy, in perfect silence, or, at any rate, unwilling to be disturbed for any purpose. I can never forget the effect this scenery had upon my feelings, in this first sight of its peculiar loveliness. I looked till my eyes grew dim with the dazzling luxuriance of the ever-varying prospect, and my brain fairly ached with the attempt to form some notion of its unique grandeur.

On our descent the banks of the river became more precipitous and rocky; and a considerable distance above Pittsburgh, the causes of its manufacturing greatness and wealth began to appear. For many miles beds of coal projected their crust and edge upon the banks of the river;

and, here and there, the collier had employed his mattock and spade in digging out of the side of the hill this valuable article of manufacture. The trouble and cost of the operation consisted in getting it out of the rock and transporting it to its destination. A slide of planks, fixed at the mouth of the level, was placed, from whence the coals were rolled down into a boat below prepared to receive them. This was all the expense and labour attendant upon procuring this valuable article. The same is the

case with iron ore. This is as abundant as coal, and is procured and removed in the same manner. How different is the operation in our country! It occurred to me, that one of our friends had a pit in this locality, (Birmingham,) on which he had just expended twelve or fifteen hundred pounds, to ascertain whether there was a bed of coal on his property. The Americans are saved this uncertainty and expense altogether. They know before they use a tool that their exertions will not be in vain ; for they see the coal and iron challenging their labour, and inviting them to enterprise. The advantage of the rivalry of the two countries, in this respect, is greatly on the side of the Americans.

CHAP. V.-Pittsburgh-Lodge at the St. Charles-The Conference -The Bishops-The Preachers-Bishop Soule-The Southern Ministers-Public Services-The Company at the St. CharlesThe Town-Manufactures-The African Church-Preach to the Blacks-Curious Scene--Leave Pittsburgh-Take leave of Bishop Soule-His Character-The Ohio-Wheeling-Bishop Campbell-Mesmerism.

WE made Pittsburgh about five o'clock. On calling with the other ministers at the Book-Concern, I found Ï was appointed to take up my abode at the St. Charles Hotel. This excellent house was kept by Mr. Miller, who with his wife was very friendly. We met with several preachers domiciled with us; all very agreeable and excellent men. I was at once installed as the entire master of a commodious sleeping-room; and our party had the privilege of meeting together in the evenings in the family parlour. This arrangement proved to be very agreeable to all of us, as it afforded the means of private intercourse apart from the general company. We took our meals at the public table. A large and spacious room was occupied for breakfast, dinner, and tea; if any one chose supper, he ordered it specifically, and took it in his own apart

ment. This was our daily routine as to the common-place matter of eating and drinking. Our fare was excellent; made up of many sorts of the more substantial dishes and dessert every day, and all prepared in the best possible manner. We often found an aggregate of not less than two hundred, scarcely ever fewer than one hundred and fifty. These parties consisted of travellers, men of business, inhabitants of the town, and, for the time being, of Methodist preachers. I soon found my position very pleasant; and the thing I most coveted was now put into my hands,-an opportunity of observing American character and manners on a large and diversified scale.

Being now fixed in my comfortable domicile, the next thing was to open my commission. It began with a diplomatic blunder. My friend Stevens, from Boston, an inmate at our house, told me he would arrange with one of the senior brethren to introduce me to the Conference; and, in due time, call for me. Accordingly in a while he made his appearance, and informed me he had spoken to one of the elder ministers who had agreed to perform the duty of introducing me. We went together to the church where the assembly was sitting, and I made my way into the midst of the preachers. Happening to take a seat near my old friend Dr. Durbin, I accosted him, and at first he did not know me; but, soon recovering from this absence of mind, he said, I had done wrong in coming in, that they were about to send a deputation to introduce me in form, and that I should have waited. I offered to retire; but he proposed to speak to the bishops; and, on his doing so, they desired me to remain. In a short time they called me up; and when I had delivered my credentials, Bishop Hedding introduced me to the Conference, making such observations as occurred to him. In the few remarks I made, the official short-hand writer entirely misreported me in one particular. He represented me as saying that we, the English Methodists, were "all on one side;' whilst the fact is, I said, "We were all on the side of liberty, of emancipation." By this interpretation of my remarks, I was made to assume the position of a partisan in the great dispute between the North and the South; whereas nothing could by possibility be farther from my thoughts or meaning. Were it not that I considered myself, not as a private person, but as the representative of the British Conference, and that they have an interest in the

spirit and manner in which the person representing them was received, propriety would dictate that I should be silent on many things which occurred at this first meeting, and on many subsequent occasions. But seeing that the Methodist body in England in some sort stood in my person, in the presence of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, in fraternal relations, undoubtedly those who sent me have a right to know how their greetings were received. They may, then, be assured that they were hailed in the most cordial, affectionate, and Christian spirit and manner. When the British Conference (for so the matter is to be understood) was introduced to the American body, as a mark of respect and good-will, every minister present spontaneously, not by order of the chair, stood up, and paid the parent body the most profound and hearty respect. This was done in a manner not to be mistaken. Nothing trifling, formal, diplomatic, marked the movement. It was not the expression of mere courtesy to a stranger; it was the manly burst of affectionate regard for a body to whom, I am perfectly sure, they feel the most devout attachment. After these introductory greetings were finished, one of the brethren offered a resolution, to the effect, that the British representative should be incorporated amongst themselves as a member of Conference, and should be invited to take part in their proceedings and debates, as he might find it convenient, and be so disposed. This resolution was unanimously carried.

Not content with a public recognition, the five bishops. came that evening to my lodgings to pay their respects; not to me, let it always be kept in mind, but to the Methodist church in this country. This they did in the most handsome and hearty manner. The conversation turned, as might be expected, on the affairs of Methodism in both countries. I found the bishops, on this and all subsequent occasions, deeply interested in our affairs. Looking up to us as the elder branch of the great Methodistic family, from whence they received their own birth and blessings, they evidently entertain a most ardent attachment to us; and, whether well or ill deserved, certainly a high opinion of our religious state. Whatever may be the fact respecting the sentiments and feelings of the political society towards the mother country,-and on this question my opinions differ from those who consider the great body of the American people as hostile to Great Britain,—most