PENSYLVANIA 99 



also by those recently come from Europe, that the 

 English plantations in northern America would in 30- 

 50 years form a separate kingdom, quite independent 

 of England." 



People think, act, and speak here precisely as it 

 prompts them ; the poorest day-laborer on the bank of 

 the Delaware holds it his right to advance his opinion, 

 in religious as well as political matters, with as much 

 freedom as the gentleman or the scholar. And as yet 

 there is to be found as little distinction of rank among 

 the inhabitants of Philadelphia as in any city in the 

 world. No one admits that the Governor has any par- 

 ticular superiority over the private citizen except in 

 so far as he is the right hand of the law, and to the 

 law, as occasion demands is respect paid, through 

 the Governor ; for the law equally regards and deals 

 with all citizens. Riches make no positive material 

 difference, because in this regard every man expects at 

 one time or another to be on a footing with his rich 

 neighbor, and in this expectation shows him no knavish 

 reverence, but treats him with an open, but seemly, 

 familiarity. Posts of honor confer upon the holder 

 merely a conditional superiority, necessary in the eyes 

 of every discreet man as a support of order and gov- 

 ernment. All rank and precedence is for the rest the 

 acquirement of personal worth. Rank of birth is not 

 recognized, is resisted with a total force. 



Luxury, which is unavoidable in enlightened free 

 nations, prevails here also, without, however, any dis- 

 possession of industry and thrift, being largely re- 

 stricted to the luxury of the body ; virtuosity, sensibility 

 and other manifestations of soul-luxury are not yet be- 

 come conspicuous here. 



