lxxxiv 
LIFE OF 
hundreds of them may be seen, on a court-day, hanging their heads, 
from morning to 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’ double cutters would find here a rich harvest, and produce 
a very improving effect. Though religion here has its 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 sanc- 
tuaries are open at all hours, and to every visitor. The birds of 
heaven find a hundred 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 carcass 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 enterprize, 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 the 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 superintendance of men of learning and piety, are in 
successful operation. Trade and manufactures are also rapidly 
increasing. Two manufactories for spinning cotton have lately 
been erected ; one for woollen ; several extensive ones for weaving 
sailcloth and bagging ; and seven rope walks, which, according to 
one of the proprietors, export annually rope-yarn 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 amiable 
manners would grace the first circles of society. On Saturday, 
April 14tli, I left this place for Nashville, distant about two hundred 
miles. I passed through Nicholasville, the capital of Jessamine 
county, a small village begun about ten years ago, consisting of 
about twenty houses, with three shops and four taverns. The 
woods were scarcely beginning to look green, which to me was 
