At this obscure inn exists yet hearty at the age of eighty-eight years, one of fortune's fools, Captain Fowler, an Englishman late of the 38th regiment of foot; a man who in early life was {50} advanced, solely by merit and strict attention to the duties of a soldier, through every gradation, until he not only bore a captain's commission, but at the same time received the pay of adjutant and paymaster to three regiments.--Having attained to this rank, the favourite of Lord Percy, General Crosby and other officers of his day, and being in the high road to further honour and promotion, he was induced on the insidious misrepresentations of a sordid brother, to quit all these favours of fortune and come to America: here, at the instance of this relative embarking in one plausible speculation or another, he wasted his fortune; and now wears out the remainder of his days unknown at this tavern, kept by a good-hearted rough Irishman who has become his son-in-law. It is pleasing to see the attention that he receives from the family, which uniting with age and religion seem effectually to reconcile the old man to his fate. SERVANTS At this small house are maintained four female and two male servants, yet the house is not half cleaned, and the garden is little else but weeds; litter and dirt pervade the premises, while these Independents will play for hours at ball, or loll {51} over a rail to rest themselves. Behold a true picture-general! How _pleasing_ to the lover of freedom to contemplate its blessed effects! Leisure, instead of inducing habits of mental improvement, and cleanliness, leaves them, in utter negligence of both, only to pass half their time in mere idleness and dirt: but why do I speak of the lower order while those, who should set these a better example, pass their days at taverns and other boarding-houses in idle games of shuffleboard and ninepins; or, seated for hours motionless under the shed which is universally attached to the houses, seem to exist solely to inhale the fumes of tobacco. Truly these people understand not liberty,--civilly, it is idleness and licentiousness; religiously, a leaving them to their wildest fancies. BLACK POPULATION IN FREE PENSILVANIA A black girl with youthful spirits was playing with a lad in the town street, when the wheelwright, with whom I was talking while he mended the carriage, said, "if it were not for fear of the {52} law one would be inclined to put an end to that black----; they ought to be taught the difference between a black and a white, and to pay more respect than to think of associating with them!"--The man spoke really in earnest, and would have thought little of putting the girl to death.