Year: 1877

ants" Philadelphia was then the seat Of the Federal
Government and possessed the most refined society In
the Union Mr.. Breok senior lost hty thousand dollars
by the sale OF his house and gardens in Boston, dsposng
OF them for eight thousand five hundred dollars to re


tive who afterward resold them for about sixty thou
sand. The whole amount Of his axesin Philadelphia was


yvc dollars being Just about the amount of the Bos
ton collectors commissions. The City OF Philadelphia,
according 10 the writer was then In its palmest days
It contained about fifty thousand inhabitants but had
much larger and elegant society than at subse-
quent period tlS42) with population Of nearly 3OOOOo
in city and county. There more attention paid to
the dress of servants and the style OF equlpages.
Dinners were got up with all the enticements OF
the daintest French cuisine. Mr. Breck makes
very unavOabc comparison between the luxury oil tha
day and the democratic invasions of q later period
General Washington had stud of twelve or fourteen
horses and occasionally rode out to take the air with six
horses TO his coach and always two footmcn behind his
carriage. He knew how maintain the dignity OF his
station. None OF his except the elder Adams
has placed proper value certain degree OF display
that suitable for the Chief Magistrate OF great
nation. l do not mean pagcautry, but the decent ex
terror Of wclhred gentleman The good sense OF my
fcow-ctizes prevents their being dazzlod by snowy
equpage, yet they willing to their President SO
accompanied to be dstingushable from the common
herd That leveng philosopher, Jefferson, was the first
President who broke down all decorum and put himself
when abroad upon footing with the painest farmer OF
Virginia. say when abroad because IN his family ne
lived uxurousy aud was fasdious in the choice OF his
company But when nc wanted to catch the applause OF
the vulIar-with whom, however, he too proud to
aSsOcatcbe would ride ont without a servant and hitch
his pacing nay the aisg Of the Presidential palace
Madison and Monroe followed this s0yenly example,
and became careless about the appearance Of the grounds
the White House, suffering the posts that sup
ported chains lie broken the ground from year
to year, witch n servant could have mendcd for few
cents and IN the true slaye-hoding planter style gath


cred up the Summer grass in the lot that surrounds that
baautiful into stacks immediately under the
drawiugroolu windows, This house was and Is always
slcnJidly furnished at public expense, and immense
have been spent upon the building and grounds hut


it is like throwing pearls before swine TO ornament
dwelling for people who want taste TO keep il in order


The materials for this volume have been derived from
Mr. Brecks manuscript journal which he Kept Tor many
years, and from a series OF notebooks containing
dcsuOry record Of current events, and ahouncmg III
passages which throw fresh light on the events and
characters Of former day. In addition to the original


text the editor has furnished occasional hrlcf notices,
mostly explanatory Of personal allusiOns and uniformly
markell with good Judgment and admirable taste. The
book. though certainly not Of profound or especially
instructive character. is cmnenty readable, and com
pares to advantage with most of the private memoirs
and ccoecons when Of late have been conspicuous
| q feature Of the English press.