JOURNAL 



much brandy and butter-milk as we chose to drink, and good feed 

 for our horses. In the afternoon we have the pleasure to be over 

 taken by two ladies on horse-back, and have their agreeable 

 company for a mile or two. On their turning off from our road 

 we were very reluctantly obliged to refuse an obliging invitation 

 to drink tea at their house, and myself the more so, as one of the 

 ladies informed me she had married a Mr. Constantine, a gentle 

 man from my own native town of Bolton, in Lancashire. But, 

 we had yet so far to go, and it was getting dark. This most 

 healthful mode of travelling is universal in the Western States, 

 and it gives me great pleasure to see it ; though, perhaps, I have 

 to thank the badness of the roads as the cause. Arrive at Frank 

 fort, apparently a thriving town, on the side of the rough Ken 

 tucky river. The houses are built chiefly of brick, and the streets, 

 I understand, paved with limestone. Limestone abounds in this 

 state, and yet the roads are not good, though better than in 

 Indiana and Ohio, for, there, there are none. I wonder the 

 governments of these states do not set about making good roads 

 and bridges, and even canals. I pledge myself to be able to shew 

 them how the money might be raised, and, moreover, to prove 

 that the expence would be paid over and over again in almost no 

 time. Such improvements would be income to the governments 

 instead of expence, besides being such an incalculable benefit to 

 the states. But, at any rate, why not roads, and in this state, too, 

 which is so remarkable for its quality of having good road materials 

 and rich land together, generally, all over it ? 



931. July loth. Leave Frankfort, and come through a district 

 of fine land, very well watered, to Lexington ; stop at Mr. Keen s 

 tavern. Had the good fortune to meet Mr. Clay, who carried us 

 to his house, about a mile in the country. It is a beautiful resi 

 dence, situated near the centre of a very fine farm, which is just 

 cleared and is corning into excellent cultivation. I approve of 

 Mr. Clay s method very much, especially in laying down pasture. 

 He clears away all the brush or underwood, leaving timber enough 

 to afford a sufficiency of shade to the grass, which does not thrive 

 here exposed to the sun, as in England and other such climates. 

 By this means he has as fine grass and clover as can possibly grow. 

 I could not but admire to see this gentleman ; possessing so much 

 knowledge and of so much weight in his country s affairs, so 

 attentively promoting her not less important though more silent 

 interests by improving her agriculture. What pleased me still 

 more, however, because I less expected it, was, to hear Mrs. 

 Clay, in priding herself on the state of society, and the rising 

 prosperity of the country, citing as a proof the decency and 

 affluence of the trades-people and mechanics at Lexington, many 

 of whom ride about in their own carriages. What a contrast, 

 both in sense and in sentiment, between this lady and the wives 

 of Legislators (as they are called), in the land of the Borough- 

 mongers ! God grant that no privileged batch ever rise up in 

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