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Travels Through Part of the United States and Canada in 1818 and 1819.
Travels Through Part of the United States and Canada in 1818 and 1819 Author:John M. Duncan Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LETTER III. BOSTON — LOCAL CHARACTERISTICS — MALL — STATE HOUSE— CELEBRATION OF THE FOURTH OF JULY ANNIVERSARY OHATION VISIT TO A SEVENTY-FOUR CUN SHIP ... more »PROCESSION OF FREE NEGROES — LUNATIC ASYLUM — PENITENTIARY — AMERICAN PRISON DISCIPLINE HARVARD UNIVERSITY — NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW BOSTON ATHENUM—HONOURABLE ACT OF BENEVOLENCE—STATE OF RELIGION—SERMONS—HEAT OF THE WEATHEK—FROG CONCERT—FIREFLIES. Boston, July, 1818. During the period which has elapsed since the date of my former letter, I have traversed several hundred miles of this western continent, and after visiting both Upper and Lower Canada have arrived by a circuitous route in Boston; I delay however, for the present, giving any account of my Canadian travels, as it is probable that a better opportunity will afterwards occur, and proceed rather to make you somewhat acquainted with the ancient capital of New England. Boston occupies a small peninsula in Massachusetts bay, and possesses a safe and commodious harbour, strongly defended from maritime attacks. The commerce of Boston is very considerable; probably in this respect it ranks as the fourth city in the United States, for New York, Philadelphia, and I believe New Orleans, are before it. The town has outgrown the limits of the position which it occupies, and Charlestown upon an opposite peninsula, and South Boston upon the main land, may be regarded as integral parts of the city. Circumscribed, however, as they are, the citizens have had the good taste to reserve a park of upwards of forty acres, upon which no buildings have been allowed to encroach. The Mall,'as this is called, is surrounded with spreading elms, and is the finest that is to be found within the limits of any considerable town in the United States. It would be needless to ...« less