Part III.] Morris Birkbeck, Esq. 313 



a wilderness and be the owner of a large tract of land, 

 you are right to seek and enjoy this gratification. But, 

 lor the plain, plodding English Farmer, who simply 

 seeks safety for his little property, with some addition to 

 it for his children ; for such a person to cross the At- 

 lantic states in search of safety, tranquillity and gain in 

 the Illinois, is, to my mind, little short of madness. Yet, 

 to this mad enterprize is he allured by your captivating 

 statements, and which statements become decisive in 

 their elfects upon his mind, when they are reduced to 

 Jicfures. This, my dear Sir, is the part of your writings, 

 which has given me most pain. You have not meant to 

 deceive; but you have first practised a deceit upon 

 yourself, and then upon others. All the disadvantages 

 you state; but, then, you accompany the statement by 

 telling us how quickly and how easily they will be over- 

 come. Salt, Mr. HuLME finds, even at Zanesville, at 

 two dollars and a half a bushel ; but, you tell us, that it 

 soon tvill be at three quarters of a dollar. And thus it 

 goes all through. 



595. I am happy, however, that you have given us 

 figures in your account of Avhat an English farmer may 

 do with two thousand pounds. It is alluring, it is fal- 

 lacious, it tends to disappointment, misery, ruin and 

 broken hearts ; but it is open and honest in intention, 

 and it affords us the means of detecting and exposing the 

 fallacv. Many and many a family have returned to 

 New England after having emigrated to the West in 

 search oijine estates. Tkey, able workmen, exemplary 

 livers, have returned to labour in their native States 

 amongst their relations and old neighbours ; but, what 

 are our poor ruined coiuitrymen to do, when they be- 

 come penny less ? If 1 could root ray country from my 

 heart, common humanity would urge me to make an 

 humble attempt to dissipate the charming delusions, 

 which have, without your perceiving it, gone forth I'rom 

 your sprightly and able pen, and which delusions are 

 the more dangerous on account of your justly high and 

 well-kno^^Tl character for understanding ajul integrity. ' 



596. The statement, to which I allude, stands as fol- 

 lows, in your tenth Letter from the Illinois. 



597. A capital of 2000/. sterling, (8,889 dollars, 



