Tour in North America. 
afked whether I had feen the prefident ?. 
Upon my anfwering in the negative, fhe 
rejoined, ‘* well then, friend, if it is thy 
with to vifit the general and his lady, and 
take a cup of tea with them in the family 
way, I will gladly introduce thee—our 
long intimacy and friendfhip permit my 
doing fo.” Unluckily, I was engaged 
to make one.of a travelling party to New- 
York, on the following day, and con- 
fequently was compelled to decline her 
friendly offer. c 
The hofpitals and prifon of Philadel- 
phia, may ierve as patterns to Europe. 
‘There humanity and cleanlinefs are emi- 
nently con{picuous. It is thus the worthy 
defcendants of Penn and Franklin vene- 
rate their memory, by evincing them- 
felves worthy of the bleflings of the poor 
and unfortunate. 
The Philadelphian theatre is tolerably 
large and commodious. ‘The performers 
were moftly Englith, and fome of them 
poffefs a portion of the true ‘* wis. comica.”” 
Aunong them was a fifter of the celebrated 
Sippons, whofe figure and performance 
did not diferedit the dramatic talents of 
the family of KEMBLE.. WHITLO€K, 
CHALMERS, BaTEs, BROADHURST, 
é&c. contributed not a little to the public 
amufements: though it has been afferted, 
that a latitude alternately fcorching and 
freezing is unpropitious to theatrical ge- 
nius. With Mrs. Pownal, ci-dewant 
Wrighten, I pafled fome very focial 
evenings at her houfe in New York. Her 
vivacity, wit, and love of anecdote, had 
not forfaken her; neverthelefs, a_certain 
air of melancholy appeared in her looks 
and converfation, that denoted her regret 
at leaving Europe. I heard her more 
than once exclaim, with an involuntary 
fich—** Ah! good old England and 
chearful France, I love you well!’ the 
tear gufhing from her eye, and trickling 
down her cheek, Who could avoid com- 
paffionating the warbling fugitive and 
ftill attractive fair-one, and net forget 
and forgive her errors? She continued to 
fing her favourite ‘¢ Tally ho!” in public 
with as much glee, though not with the 
fame eclat as when in her meridian of 
-Vauxhall celebrity. She had two beau- 
tiful-and promifing children by her laft 
hufband. © She is fince dead, and fegretted 
by her neighbours and friends. Our 
party, one night at the Philadelphian 
theatre, was feated next to Capt. Bar- 
NEY, an intrepid American feaman, fa- 
mous for his enterprifing difpofition, 
which he has fignalized in the late and 
prefent war. On politics he exprefled 
4 
ay 
his opinions with temper and modera- 
tion. He is a comely, fmart little man, 
of a dark complexion, of neat active 
make, and genteel addrefs. In the front 
boxes was as great a difplay of ladies of 
a certain defcription as I have feen in 
our London theatres. This did not au-~ 
gur well of Philadelphian morals; but 
the faét is, that like other rich and com- 
-mercial towns, it abounds with profti- 
tutes and luxury—the natural accom- 
paniments of wealth and foreign com- 
merce under all forms of government in 
every clime. 
The principal market deferves notice 
for its admirable regularity and neatnefs, 
as well as for the excellency and variety of 
its provifions. The butter and butcher’s- | 
meat were particularly good, as was the 
French bread. The quality of the former 
articles was furprifingly good, confidering 
the exceflive heat of the weather, Fahren- 
heit’s thermometer ftanding in the fhade 
at $2, 85, and 88, although in May! 
warm enough to melt a Briton, and re- 
concile him to the cloudy fky and moift 
atmofphere of his native ifle. 
The Delaware laves the whole extent 
of the eaftern-fide of the city, having 
depth fufficient for merchantmen of the 
largeft tonnage. ‘The elegant conftruc- 
tion and number of the fhipping, add, in- 
deed, very confpicuoufly to the beauty of 
the river-{cenery. Several veffels are built 
in this port, for fale abroad, after they 
have difpofed of the cargoes they carry 
out. A produétive traffic this muft pro- 
bably be, judging from the facility of 
the equipment, and the abundance of na- 
val ftores, which are the natural produce 
of the country. 
Having tolerably well fatisfied my cu- 
riofity in Philadelphia, and being glad to 
breathe a cooler air, I chearfully em- 
braced the offer of fome quaker-gentle- 
men of my acquaintance, to make a trip 
into Chefter-county, and vifit their kin- 
dred at Penn-Farm, on the Brandywine- 
creek, about 35 miles fouth-weft. Hav- 
ing hired a fingle-horfe caravan and 
driver, we fet off early in the afterncon 
for Chefter ; the fky was lowering,-and ere 
we reached that {mall town, a tremendous 
hail and thunder-ftorm overtook us—we 
pufhed on, however, and fafely arrived 
at a comfortable inn, where a cup of 
coffee and cream quickly revived our 
hopes of the *morrow’s pleafure. After 
dufk I ventured out, to reconnoitre the 
place, in {pite of the big rolling clouds 
and diftant peals! however, nothing 
could be feen, fave fome grand floating 
D2 mafles 
