LIFE OF WILSON. 
cxxxv 
night, in deep cogitation, ruminating perhaps on the long expected 
return of spring and green herbage. The country people, to their 
credit be it spoken, are universally clad in plain homespun ; soap, 
however, appears to be a scarce article ; and Hopkins’s double cut- 
ters would find here a rich harvest, and produce a very improving 
efifect. Though religion here has its zealous votaries ; yet none 
can accuse the inhabitants of this flourishing place of bigotry, in 
shutting out from the pale of the church or church yard any human 
being, or animal whatever. Some of these sanctuaries are open at 
all hours, and to every visitor. The birds of heaven find a hun- 
dred passages through the broken panes ; and the cows and hogs 
a ready access on all sides. The wall of separation is broken 
down between the living and the dead ; and dogs tug at the car- 
cass of the horse, on the grave of his master. Lexington, however, 
with all its faults, which a few years will gradually correct, is an 
honourable monument of the enterprise, courage and industry of 
its inhabitants. Within the memory of a middle aged man, who 
gave me the information, there were only two log huts on the spot 
where this city is now erected ; while the surrounding country was 
a wilderness, rendered hideous by skulking bands of bloody and 
ferocious Indians. Now numerous excellent institutions for the 
education of youth, a public library, and a well endowed university, 
under the superintendence of men of learning and piety, are in suc- 
cessful operation. Trade and manufactures are also rapidly in- 
creasing. Two manufactories for spinning cotton have lately been 
erected ; one for woollen ; several extensive ones for weaving sail 
cloth and bagging, and seven I'ope-walks, which, according to one 
of the proprietors, export annually ropeyarn to the amount of 
150,000 dollars. A taste for neat and even elegant buildings is 
fast gaining ground; and Lexington, at present, can boast of men 
who do honour to science, and of females whose beauty and amia- 
ble manners would grace the first circles of society. On Saturday, 
April 14th, I left this place for Nashville, distant about 200 miles. 
