INTRODUCTION TO THE JOURNAL. 447 



and, I could not live in peace, knowing that, at 

 any hour, I might die and so leave my family. 

 Therefore, I resolved, like the Lark in the fable, 

 to remove my brood, which was still more nu 

 merous than that of the Lark. While the war 

 was going on between England and America, I 

 could not come to this country. Besides, I had 

 great affairs to arrange. In 1816, having made 

 my preparations, 1 set off, not with my family ; 

 for, that I did not think a prudent step. It was 

 necessary for me to see what America really 

 was. I, therefore, came for that purpose. 



860. I was well pleased with America, over 

 a considerable part of which I travelled. I saw 

 an absence of human misery. I saw a govern 

 ment taking away a very, very small portion of 

 men's earnings. I saw ease and happiness and 

 a fearless utterance of thought every where 

 prevail. I saw laws like those of the old laws 

 of England, every where obeyed with cheerful 

 ness and held in veneration. I heard of no 

 mobs, no riots, no spies, no transportings, no 

 hangings. I saw those very Irish, to keep 

 whom in order, such murderous laws exist in 

 Ireland, here good, peaceable, industrious citi 

 zens. I saw no placemen and pensioners, riding 

 the people under foot. I saw no greedy Priest 

 hood, fattening on the fruits of labour in which 

 they had never participated, and which fruits 



