PREFACE 



1 HE hope of acquiring such information in agricuU 

 ture and the arts as would be useful to my fellow citi- 

 zens, was not one of my smallest motives for accept- 

 ing a foreign mission. Without seeing Europe it was 

 impossible justly to estimate the assertion of travellers 

 relative to the arts and agriculture of that interesting 

 country, to distinguish the truths from the falsehoods 

 contained in the infinity of books that treat of those 

 subjects, or to adapt their precepts to the soil, climate, 

 and habits of the United States. And it is no small 

 source of happiness to me to believe, that however my 

 public service may be appreciated, my pursuits in 

 what may be thought a more humble line, are not al- 

 together useless. 



Having urged my fellow citizens to give some at- 

 tention to the fine arts, and pointed out the easiest 

 means of doing it, I see, with pleasure, other popu- 

 lous cities in my native country following the exam- 



