allegation; but the fact is, that from my present secluded location, the book is not within my reach. I cheerfully appeal, however, with the pretended friend of the author, to the numerous readers of the work, and can aver, upon my honour, that in the eircle in which the topic occurred, previously to the insertion of my remarks in The Port Folio, the impression was general, and I think without an exception, that Mr. Melish had unwarrantably obtruded upon his readers his opinions on party-politics, and most of the members of the company were highly indignant at the circumstance. It is unnecessary to mention to what party these gentlemen belonged. Not to the favoured one, Mr. Me lish and his friend (if indeed they are two) may be assured.

Since, however, it seems proper, that some sort of specification of the general charge should be exhibited, I ask, and with confidence anticipate an affirmative answer, whether the Traveller has not somewhere signified his conviction, that the administration of this country, have acted with disinterestedness and the most perfect impartiality, as respects the two great bellige rent nations of Europe? If it be admitted that he has, I need no further proof in substantiation of my imputation, as this involves the great cardinal point upon which the parties have long been at issue. But this was not the only ground of my conclusion. The whole tenor of the Traveller's politics have this hue and tendency. And do Mr. Melish and his vindicator now expect to avert or palliate the accusation, by clumsily bringing forward a declaration in the book, that the author had avoided all notice of local politics? How long then is it, since the sly, disguised, insidious assailant became less hurtful and more respectable than the manly, open enemy?

It is not contended that Mr. Melish has not an equal right, with every other citizen of America, to his political opinions. But let them be vented in the proper place: in his friendly circle, in his scat at the coffeeroom or the beerhouse, on an election ground, or in the newspapers; but let him not endeavour to give undue weight to his crude predilections by insinuating them under the mask of neutrality, in volumes ostensibly published for purposes wholly different.

In being thus serious with "the citizen of the world," when he has given me such ample means to be caustic, I have it in view, to convince him, that it was neither a petulant itch of scrib. bling, nor an impulse of envy at the fame of an author, but a persuasion, that the interests cherished by the political party to which I have the honour to belong, and whose leader was Washington, are much too dear and important to be slurred with impunity by every wandering cosmopolite, or book-maker, courting patronage, that induced me to notice the Traveller's side wipes. If I have hurt his feelings by my allusions to his Caledo pianism, he must ascribe it merely to my design of showing, as already declared, that he was as full of prejudices and prepossessions as other men; brimfull, I repeat, in the teeth of this most fastidious of critics.

With respect to Scotch music and dancing, particularly the latter, I must admit, I know little about it; and if the Scottish ladies are really such adepts as it is stated by the citizen, I am sure I should relish the sight of one of their assemblies as much as any Scotchman; and therefore, tender my thanks no less for the polite wish to introduce me there, than the generous attribution to me of sufficient taste and urbanity to enjoy such a scene.

I have already, I fear, Mr. Oldschool, trespassed too much upon the pages of your useful magazine, for which reason, I shall add but a word or two more in my defence; defence, not offence, being in reality the whole of my present aim. How, then, have I been pedantic, I must ask this friend of Mr. Melish. in calling things by their technical and unvaried appellations? If he will furnish me with appropriate English for obiter dictum, maladie du pays, &c. and convince me, that in alluding to a Latin phrase, I ought to have quoted it in a translation, I will, in these respects, sin no more. Neither, when he makes me sensible of my error, in having inferred, that when he spoke of a poet as his favourite bard, he preferred him to every other, shall I again be guilty of a like misconstruction. But, until better informed, I must be permitted to think, that if he meant not this, he should have contented himself with merely styling him a favourite bard, and then the construction contended for, would be indisputably Correct. As to my use of the word gallows, neither Mr. Me.

lish nor his friend can justly blame me, for being willing to evince my capability to elicit the wit of the Edinburgh toast; and if this vulgar instrument of punishment, so offensive to his sight in type, was not in the mind's eye of the Traveller when he joined in the libation to the exaltation of lord Melville, what, in the name of wonder, is the point of a toast, thought worthy of being promulgated in a very respectable octavo volume?

With no ill will to Mr. Melish, his country, his nationality, his vindicator, or his book, that part of it excepted which lets out his politics, I am, as may be most proper, either his, or the duumvirate's very humble servant,

AN AMERICAN.

AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES.-FOR THE PORT FOLIO,

MR. OLDSCHOOL,

I PROMISED in my last to send you a few more American antiquities-take these:

In an account of Pennsylvania, published in 1698, by one Gabriel Thomas, "who resided there about fifteen years," the author says that Philadelphia "contains above two thousand houses, all inhabited, and most of them stately, and of brick, generally three stories high, after the mode in London, and as many several families in each." The land in the neighbourhood, he says, "costs ten or fifteen pounds for a hundred acres." Among the rivers he mentions Frankford river, "near which Arthur Cook hath a most stately brick house;" and "Nishamany river, where judge Growden hath a very noble and fine house, very pleasantly situated, and likewise a famous orchard adjoining, wherein are contained above a thousand appletrees, of various sorts."

I am pleased to see that the cultivation of vines was even at that time attended to: "Next," says Mr. Thomas, "I shall proceed to instance, in the several sorts of wild fruits, as excellent grapes, red, black, white, muscadel, and fox, which, upon fre

quent experience, have produced choice wine, being daily cultivated by skilful vignerons," &c.

He says that cider sells from ten to fifteen shillings per barrel.

The following list of prices, at that time, is curious:

"Poor people," he says, "of all kinds, can get here three times the wages for their labour they can get in England or Wales. I shall instance in a few, which may serve: The first was a blacksmith (my next door neighbour) who himself, and one negro man he had, got fifty shillings in one day, by working up a hundred weight of iron, which, at six pence per pound (and that is the common price in that country) amounts to that sum. And for carpenters (both house and ship) bricklayers, masons, either of these tradesmen will get between five and six shillings constantly every day. As to journeymen shoemakers, they have two shillings per pair both for men and women's shoes; and journeymen tailors have twelve shillings per week and their diet. Sawyers get between six and seven shillings the hundred for cutting of pine boards; and for weavers, they have ten or twelve pence the yard for weaving of that which is little more than half a yard in breadth. Wool combers have for combing twelve pence per pound. Potters have sixteen pence for an earthern pot which may be bought in England for four pence. Tanners may buy their hides, green, for three half-pence per pound, and sell their leather for twelve pence per pound; and curriers have three shillings and four pence per hide for dressing it: they buy their oil at twenty pence per gallon. Brickmakers have twenty shillings per thousand for their bricks at the kiln. Feltmakers will have for their hats seven shillings a piece, such as may be bought in England for two shillings a piece-yet they buy their wool commonly for twelve or fifteen pence per pound. And as to the glaziers, they will have five pence the quarry for their glass. The butchers may buy a good large fat cow for three pounds, or thereabouts. The brewers sell such beer as is equal in strength to that in London, half ale and half stout, for fifteen shillings per barrel; and their beer hath a better name, that is, is in more esteem than English beer in Barbadoes, and is sold for a higher price there. And for silversmiths, they have between half a

crown and three shillings an ounce for working their silver; and for gold equivalent. Plasterers have commonly eighteen pence per yard for plastering. Lastmakers have sixteen shillings per dozen for their lasts; and heelmakers have two shillings a dozen for their heels.

"Of lawyers and physicians I say nothing, because this country is very peaceable and healthy; long may it so continue, and never have occasion for the tongue of the one, nor the pen of the other, both equally destructive to men's estates and lives; besides, forsooth, hangman-like, have a license to mur der and make mischief.

"Labouring men have commonly here between fourteen and fifteen pounds a year, and their meat, drink, washing, and lodging; and by the day their wages is generally between eighteen pence and half a crown a day, and diet also: but in harvest they have usually between three and four shillings each day, and diet. The maid servant's wages is commonly betwixt six and ten pounds per annum, with very good accommodation.

"Corn and flesh, and what else serves man for drink, food, and raiment, is much cheaper here than in England or elsewhere; but the chief reason why wages of servants of all sorts is much higher here than there arises from the great fertility and produce of the place. Besides, if these large stipends were refused them, they would quickly set up for themselves," &c. &c.

Speaking of the exorbitancy of women's wages, he says, "they have for spinning either worsted or linen two shillings a pound; and commonly for knitting a very coarse pair of yarn stockings they have half a crown a pair: moreover they are usually marry'd before they are twenty years of age, and when once in that noose, are for the most part a little uneasie, and make their husbands so too, till they procure them a maid servant to bear the burthen of the work, as also in some measure to wait on them too."

To return to the city, Mr. Thomas says, "here is lately built a noble townhouse, or guildhall, also a handsome markethouse, and a convenient prison.

"They have also curious wharfs, as also several large and fine timber yards, both at Philadelphia and Newcastle, especially

VOL. III.