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PREFACE
AT a period when War
was spreading desolation over the fairest parts of Europe, when
anarchy seemed to be extending its frightful progress from nation to
nation, and when the storms that were gathering over his native
country in particular, rendered it impossible to say how soon any
one of its inhabitants might be forced to seek for refuge in a
foreign land; the Author of the following pages was induced to cross
the Atlantic, for the purpose of examining with his own eyes into
the truth of the various accounts which had been_ given of the
flourishing and happy condition of the United States of America, and
of ascertaining whether, in case of future emergency, any part of
those territories might be looked forward to as an eligible and
agreeable place of abode. Arrived in America, he travelled pretty
generally through the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia, New Jersey, and New York ; he afterwards passed into the
Canadas, desirous of obtaining equal information as to the state of
those provinces, and of determining from his own immediate
observations, how far the present condition of the inhabitants of
the British dominions in America might be inferior or otherwise, to
that of the people of the States, who had now indeed thrown off the
yoke, but were formerly common members of the same extensive empire.
When abroad he had not the most distant intention of publishing his
travels; but finding on his return home, that much of the matter
contained in the following letters was quite new to his friends, and
being induced to think that it might prove equally new, and not
wholly unacceptable to the Public, he came to the resolution of
committing them to print: accordingly the present volume is now
offered to the world, in an humble hope, that if not entertaining to
all readers, it will at least be so to some, as well as useful to
future travellers.
If it shall appear to any one, that he has spoken with too much
asperity of American men and American manners, the author bogs that
such language may not be ascribed to hasty prejudice, and a blind
partiality for every thing that is European. He crossed the Atlantic
strongly prepossessed in favour of the people, and the country,
which he was about to visit ; and if he returned with sentiments of
a different tendency, they resulted solely from a cool and
dispassionate observation of what chance presented to his view when
abroad.
An enthusiastic admirer of the beauties of Nature, the scenery of
the countries through which he passed did not fail to attract a
great part of his attention ; and interspersed through the book will
be found views of what he thought would be most interesting .'to his
readers : they are what he himself sketched upon the spot, that of
Mount Vernon, the seat of General Washington, indeed, excepted, for
which he is indebted to an ingenious friend that he met in America,
and the view of Bethlehem. He has many more views in his possession;
but he thought it better to furnish his publisher with a few only,
in hopes that the engraving from » them would be well executed,
rather than with a great many, which, had they been given must
either have been in a style unworthy of the Public eye, or else have
swelled the price of the volume beyond the reach of many that may
now read it. » Of the resemblance which these views bear to their
respective archetypes, those alone can be judges, who have been
spectators of the original scenes. With regard to the Cataract of
Niagara, however, it must be observed, that in views on so small a
scale,, no one must expect to find a lively representation of its
wonderful and terrific vastness, even were they executed by artists
of far superior merit; the inserting of the three in the present
work is done merely in the hope that they may help, together with
the ground plan of the precipice, if it may be so called; to give a
general idea of the position and appearance of that stupendous
Cataract. Those who are desirous of becoming more intimately
acquainted with if will soon be gratified at least so he has been
given to understand by the artist in whose hands they at present
are, with a set of views from the masterly pencil of Captain Fisher,
of the Royal British Artillery, which are allowed by all those who
had visited the Falls of Niagara to convey a more perfect idea of
that wonderful natural curiosity, than any paintings or engravings
that are extant. '
Finally, before the Reader proceeds to the perusal of the ensuing
pages, the Author will just beg leave to apprize him, that they are
the production of a very youthful pen, unaccustomed to write a great
deal, far less to write for the press, ft is now for the first time
that one of its productions is ventured to be laid before the public
eye. As a first attempt, therefore, it is humbly hoped that the
present work may meet with a generous indulgence, and not be too
severely criticised on account of its numerous imperfections.
Dublin,
20th December, 1798.
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