Faux's Memorable Days in America, 1819-20; and Welby's Visit to North America, 1819-20, part 2 (1820)Faux, W. (William)
History
Faux's Memorable Days in America, 1819-20; and Welby's Visit to North America, 1819-20, part 2 (1820)
Faux, W. (William)
United States -- Description and travel
greater fertility of the western country, and the less price of the land
per acre: but it will never do.--These advantages, if granted, are more
than counterbalanced by the higher price of all the imported articles of
common consumption.
The best hope of the English settlement must be, that in the common
course of events, the time may arrive when the population will be
sufficient to make its own markets; and awaiting that period, they must
be resigned to sink their immediate interests in the prospect of laying
the foundation of future fortune for their posterity. Meanwhile, it may
have attractions for many; whether on account of their principles
religious or political, from general turn of mind, or misfortunes met
with elsewhere; to such it may afford an asylum: but let none forget
that the comforts of life are more than cent per cent dearer (and many
are not to be obtained at all,) than they are in the eastern States; and
that for this cause, more than the climate it is, that health is far
more likely to be preserved in the old settled country, than here.
The strange heterogeneous mixture of characters which are collected
hither by the magic {124} pen of Morris Birkbeck, is truly ludicrous.
Among many others, a couple now attend to the store at Albion who
lately lived in a dashing style in London not far from Bond-street; the
lady brought over her white satin shoes and gay dresses, rich carpets,
and every thing but what in such a place she would require; yet I
understand that they have accommodated themselves to their new
situations, hand out the plums, sugar, whiskey, &c., with tolerable
grace, and at least "do not seem to mind it." At Bon Pas we sat down to
a wild turkey with a party among whom was an _exquisite_, so complete,
that had it been the age of genies, I should have thought _it_ had been
pounced upon while lounging along Rotten-row, whirled through the air,
and for sport set down in this wilderness to astonish the natives: the
whole has truly a most pantomimic effect, and Momus might keep his court
at this anomalous scene, and laugh to his full content.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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