34-r September 1 748 . 



THE building of the Academy is in th<s weftern 

 part of the town. It was formerly, as I have be- 

 fore mentioned, a meeting-houfe of the followers 

 of Whitefald, but they fold it in the year 1750, 

 and it was deflined to be the feat of an univerfity, 

 or to exprefs myfelf in more exaft terms, to be a 

 college ; it was therefore fitted up to this pur- 

 pofe. The youths are here only taught thofe 

 things which they learn in our common fchools ; 

 but in time, fuch le&ures are intended to be read 

 here as are ufual in real univerfities. 



AT the clofe of the laft war, a redoubt was 

 ereded here, on the fouth fide of the town, near 

 the river, to prevent the French and Spanffi pri- 

 vateers from landing. But this was done after 

 a very ftrong debate. For the quakers oppofed all 

 fortifications, as contrary to the tenets of their 

 religion, which allow not chriftians to make war 

 either offenfive or defenfive, but dired: them to 

 place their truft in the Almighty alone. Several 

 papers were then handed about for and againfl 

 the opinion. But the enemy's privateers having 

 taken feveral veffels belonging to the town, in 

 the river, many of the quakers, if not all of them, 

 found it reafonable to forward the building of 

 the fortification as much as pofiible, at leaft by a 

 fupply of money. 



OF all the natural advantages of the town, its 

 temperate climate is the moft confiderable, the 

 winter not being over fevere, and its duration but 

 {hort, and the fumnaer not too hot ; the country 

 roundabout bringing forth thofe fruits in the great- 

 eft plenty, which are raifed by huibandry. Their 

 September and October are like the beginning of 



the 



