MANNERS. 11 



Within a circuit of twenty miles round Bos- 

 ton, the population, comprised in towns, vil- 

 lages, and numberless farm-houses, is extreme- 

 ly dense, and, including that of Boston itself, is 

 said to exceed 200,000, forming altogether, an 

 intelligent, enterprising, and thriving people. 



It was here I began to observe that very 

 distorted descriptions of American manners are 

 indulged in by some of our travellers. I am 

 not sure that in that matter a comparison would 

 be favourable, generally speaking, to my own 

 country ; at all events, I can with truth say 

 that I met with much polite attention in Bos- 

 ton, and regretted it was not in my power to 

 prolong my stay there. 



new roads and the melioration of the old ones, the farmer 

 in Scotland being now accommodated in respect of roads, 

 better perhaps than his brethren in any other part of the 

 United Kingdom. 



