160 
a lawyer, and pleads very well in the English language. This 
gentleman possesses a rare talent for languages, and has a parti¬ 
cular fondness for the German. Goethe’s Faust is his favourite 
work, and as I agreed with his taste, we entertained ourselves 
for a long time with Faust, alternately reciting our favourite 
passages. The first health that was drank, was naturally that of 
the President of the United States; his excellency rose, and in a 
short speech thanked them heartily ; as my health was drank, I 
also rose, excused my imperfect knowledge of the English, and 
begged permission to thank them in the French language, 
wherein I could express myself better and more fluently. I then 
spoke a few words from the bottom of my heart, expressing the 
sincere interest I take in the happiness and welfare of this coun¬ 
try ; I congratulated the society on the pious feelings with which 
they celebrate the memory of their ancestors, and particularly 
of that excellent man who laid the foundation of this great 
community; these would be the 9 *" best security for their future 
prosperity. I expressed my gladness at being present on this 
occasion, to witness their animated sentiments, thanked them, 
feeling fully for the kind reception I had met with, and told 
them that this festival, which was still more valuable on account 
of the presence of the chief magistrate of this great nation, would 
never fade from my memory, and that I hoped to leave behind 
me friends in the new world when I should have returned to the 
old. I concluded with wishes of blessings and happiness. It 
appeared to me that my plain address was not unkindly received. 
The president retired at eight o’clock, and I remained until ten. 
Among the commonly called volunteer toasts, the following 
were drank: “Weimar, the native country of letters!” I rose 
and said, that to this toast I could only answer by a modest 
silence, as it was worthy to be answered by a learned man from 
Weimar, and unfortunately I could not pretend to be one. When 
young, I had left home for a military school, to run my career 
in the chances of war, so that the sciences did not enter my 
door. I therefore, gave them in reply, the following toast: 
“Pennsylvania, the asylum of unfortunate Germans!” This 
toast was received with great applause. The venerable Judge 
Peters* sung a song, which he composed the preceding evening, 
with a great deal of vivacity, and every one was merry and 
lively. 
The society have their laws written on parchment, bound in a 
very elegant volume. This book was placed before the president 
and myself, to sign; we signed it, and by this means became 
honorary members of this respectable society. 
[Recently deceased.]—T rans. 
