The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-07

ciate, and may permit myself to say that b.
had formed high estimate Of the judicial pow
ers OF Lord Coltcnham, must admit ono thing
when he was in the room, few othcrs could 60
in word, but it was impossible to resent this
for he talked evidently not to bear down others
but because he could not help IT, Then Their
WAS Dr.. Charming. could not hear him preach
as his physical powers were nearly exhausted
but on one or two occasions was admitted I,
his house You found fragile frame, and
dry manner, but you soon felt that you were II
presence in which nothing that was impure
base, or selfish, could breathe at ease. There
wan the painter Aston, q man Of real genius
who sufices to prove that the domain to the fnt
arts though certainly not hitherto the most con
genial to the American soil. may be successfully
brought to use their current phrase, into an
nexafion with it. These, alas, have since my
visit all been taken away. In the more imne'
diate department of letters there are, happily
several who vet remain--Mr. Bancroft, the able
and animated historian of his own countrywide
Ticknor, who has displayed the resources OF a
well-stored and accomplished mind in his re-
cent work on the literature Of Spain-Mr. Long
fellow, with whose feeling and graceful poetry
many must DO acquainted-Mr. Emerson, who
has been heard and admired in this country
and crown my list with Mr.. Prescott, the his
torian of Ferdinand aud Isabella, Of Mexico nnd
Peru, with respect to whom, during the visit he
paid to England during the last summer, | had
the satisfaction of witnessing how all that was
most eminent in this country confirmed the high
estimate had myself formed Of his head, and a
higher one Of his heart.
The public institutions Of Boston are admi-
rably conducted. The public or common schools
there, az / belive, in New England generally,
are supported by general rate, to which all
contribute, and all may profit by. ON not
naturally now disposed to discuss the question
how far this system would bear, being trans.
planted and engrafted on our polity; it would
be uncandid if l did not state that the univer-
salty Of the instruction, and the excellence OF
what fell under my own observation, presented
70 my mind some mortifying points Of contrast
~ what we have hitherto effected at home.
1t Il well known that large proportion OF the
mere wealthy and cultivated part Of the society
Of Boston belong to the Unitarian persuasion
but considerable number of the middle classes
and especially Of the rural population of New
England, comprising the six Malta States of the
Union, still retain much of the Puritan tenets
and habits of their immediate ancestors-their
Pilgrim Fathers.
Before leave Boston, let mo add one obser.
walton on higher topic. / lodged at the Ire
mont Hotel, which was admirably conducted
like very many of those imposing establishments
in the chief cities of the Union. Here learned
that one is apt to receive false impressions al
first; was struck with the clean, orderly, agile
appearance of the walters. "1'he Americans
beat us hollow in walters" was my inner thought
On inquiry, found that of the 25 walters in the
house, were English and 81 Irish. Icould not
help wishing that large number of Irish night
come and be walters here for little while
Within three or four days of my landing,
grew impatient to see the Falls of Niagara
without loss of time. If any sudden event
should have summoned me home, felt how
much ! should have grudged crossing the Allan
tic without having been at Niagara; and also
wished to look upon the autumn tints Of Amer
lean forest, before the leaves, already beginning
to fall, had entirely disappeared. The Western
Railway, which appeared to me the best con
structed that saw in America, took me to AL
bany, distance Of two hundred miles TIL.
railway carriages, always there called cars, con
sist of long rooms, rather like the dining room
of steam picket, with stove inside, often
most desirable addition in an American winter
and you can change your seat or walk about, a
you choose. They are generally rougher thai
our railways, and the whole gettn. up of tn
line is of ruder and cheaper character The
do not impede the view so much as with US, a
they make no scruple Of dashing across or along
'g.r8af the main street, in the towns and vii
lagos through which they pass; but ought Il
remark about this, as about every thing besides
that the work of progress and transformation
goes on with such rapidity, that the interval o
eight years since my visit, will probaly hav,
made large portion of my remarks thorough
| ly obsolete.
The New England country, through which VIZ
passed, looks cheerful, interspersed with fire.
quent villages and numerous churches, having
the marks at the same time, of the long winter
and barren soil with which the stout puritan
blood OF Britain has 40 successfully contended
| indeed, the only staple productions of district
| which supplies seamen for all the Union, anG
ships over all the world, are said to be ice and
granite.
Albany is the capital of the State of New
York, the Empire State, as its inhabitants love
to call it, and it is n name which it deserves a
| fairly as ever cd Yorkshire would deserve to
be called the empire county of England It is
| rather an imposing town, rising straight above
the Tendre river, gay with some gilded domes
and many white marble columns, only they are
too frequently appended to houses of very star.
ing red brick From Albany to Utica the rail
recalls the name of the early Indian jewellers in
that bright valley, still retaining its swelling
outline of wood covered hills, but gay with pros
porous villages and busy cultivation. wis.
perhaps, still more struck the evening, though
it was n more level country, where tine railway
passes in the midst Of the uncleared or clearing
forest. and suddenly bursts out fine glade or
cedar swamp into the heart of some town, pro
badly four three, or two years o d. with tall
white houses, well Ii yhted shops, billiard rooms
&c.; and emerging, as we did, from the dark
shadows into the full moonlight the wooden
spires, domes, and Iorticos If the infant cities.
looked every bit as if they been hewn ont Of
the marble quarries of Canada. ! am aware that
it is not the received opinion; but there is some
thing. both in the outward as ect of this region,
aud on the general state Of society accompany
ing it, which to me seemed emneltly poetical.
What cin be more striking or stirring, despite
the occasional rudeness Of the farms, than all
this enterprise, energy, and life, swelling up In
the desert!
At the towns of Syracuse, of Auburn, and Of
Roche ster, experienced the sort of feeling
4 A.