I would advise the ladies of my acquaintance, to try the experiment, that is if they want a good colour. It is something like putting out to Sea, tho' numbers are shipwreck'd (often by their own imprudence) yet so great a propensity have we all for Matrimony, that we are willing to try our fortune and see if our voyage will not turn out more prosperous.

"WILLIAMSBOROUGH, N. C.

"Jan. 5th, 1782."

[LETTER 225.]

"On the morning of the 6th instant I mounted my Rosnetta and scampered to Mr. Le Nier's, where I expected comp'y (Messers George and Edward King) on my way to the town of Halifax. Before I got six miles on the way, I found Rosnetta to be an arrant Scoundrel and would take advantage of me upon all occasions. I was in a fine humour and in full flow of spirits,-they carrying me at the rate of ten knots an hour, and my horse only going at the rate of three and a half; and that with the greatest difficulty, sometimes whip, sometimes spur, often both. Only figure to yourself, my situation, when I would willingly have gone on so rapidly, to be kept back, harras'd, and hinder'd, by a perverse lump of clay who would not be brought to join with me, neither by fair means or foul. Like many dull readers who will never enter into the spirit of any author nor can they be beat into it.-Thy Soul, said I, must have belonged to some cold, phlegmatic Pedagogue (please to allow me transmigration), who in his life would neither lead nor drive. I coaxed him, he went too slow, I whipp'd, 'twas all the same, I pricked him with my spur, (as the Yankee girl said) -he minded it no more.

"I would give thee (as a punishment) to a Mahomedan to ride or an Indian pagan. No! I recall that. I think I see the Courtious Brahmin advancing from the mouth of thy cave, thro' a pleasant Grove, in an inviteing posture, and with a benevolent aspect; entreating me a stranger to walk in, and share thy homely fare. Generous soul! when I had

come there on purpose to insult thee. Happy man! would that our Christians would follow thy example. No!-God forbid that such a man should ride on such a Horse! well then I'll ride thee myself, said I, and to it Whip and Spur. A punishment indeed!

"It would have made you laugh, to have seen us at our repast, three gentlemen on a journey, sitting by the roadside, on an old log, breaking our fast, on bacon and bread, and bread and bacon. 'Twas like the knight of the Woefull Countenance seeking melancholly adventures; and not much unlike him was I mounted. 'Tis the Custom of the Country.

"As we were coming up to an Ordinary, my poney prick'd up his ears and trotted up to it very lively. If that is the case, I wish you always had a house before you.

66

A bowl of Grog was called for. The fellow came out to us with the half of it in a small pewter basin, and as he was sensible it was too strong, he was prepared with a little gourd full of water. 'Pray sir, why did you not make it in a bowl?'-'I have none.' 'A mugg?' none either'-' you shall have it at will Gentlemen.' We must dismount. I had but a mean opinion of the house from the outward appearance, which was ten times worse when I saw the inside;-a crazy table, four old chairs, two of these without seats, and the little basin, composed the whole furniture of the house; -in fact, it looked as if they were just going to run away from it. His bar was a shelf in a dark corner, on which stood a pail of water, a bottle and a horn gill measure, which was a rough piece of horn, which no doubt he had made to suit his own interest. The mistress of the family, was of a pale, sallow complexion, of middle stature. Instead of being the ornament of the family, she looked as if some person had thrown her clothes at her, (comparatively speaking) for they were on in no kind of form. Three or four of the inhabitants of the lower class had collected here, and tho' it was remarkably warm for the season, they were sitting round a tolerable fire drinking hot Eggnog out of a little gourd, enough to roast their souls out. But I suppose

they thought any thing the best that would make them. soonest drunk, for in that, the happiness of numbers (here) consist. God help them thought I! As I was preparing to pay my pistereen for the Grog, I heard a confused cry of 'whoa-whoa!!-whoa!!!-d-n you!!!' What should it be but my horse, who among the rest of his failings, will forever slip his bridle (if possible) and here the consequence had like to have proved fatal to the house. I had tied him to the post of the piazza, and as three posts out of five were loose with his pulling, the whole was like to have come down.

"When we came within ten miles of our intended stage for the day, on enquireing the way, our old fellow undertook to direct us a near way by which we should gain several miles. You must go' said he, 'round my field,' ('twas about the size of a large hog-pen) 'go round my field, and you will come into a cart-path, (for all are paths in this country) and that will take you about four miles through the woods, and then you will come into a great cart-path, and turn up that about one hundred yards to the right and there the road forks; you must take to the left, cross two bridges and then turn up to Col. Willis Alston's house.'

"The direction was so plain you would have taken it yourself. 'Is there no Road to turn us out of the way 'No, none at all.' The event proved him a liar, before we got out of sight of his house. We thought it the only one, we followed it about two hundred yards, went back and took the other. For about six miles we had to stop and hold a council over the forks, and cross-ways, two or three times a mile. The Devil take such directions! We came across a little house in the wood and enquired for directions; the fellow said he believed it to be about four miles, but he was a stranger in that part, as he had lived there only three years. Thou must be an unsociable Soul to live three years in a place and not know thy neighbors within four miles. Happily we met a little boy about ten years of age, who gave proper directions. The old fellow was wrong; the second was wrong; and they were all wrong, but this boy.

I was vexed! When we came to the main road a young lady passed us at half speed, I saw she was very handsome, and followed. We had a chase of near half a mile; she was very handsome, and in the language of the country, Clever. She gave me the directions I required, in a soft voice and a most engageing accent, and posted off with her servant at the same half speed. If I had had a heart to lose, I believe she would have taken it with her. We arrived an hour after dark; the most tedious travelling that I ever experienced, is when you don't know the way, nor have light enough to see it; we went on by guess. Not the sweetest music that I ever heard, was half so pleaseing to me, as the cackling of the geese was that evening, when we was in a dark road, and neither of us knew the way

out.

"We were Joyfully Receiv'd by Col. and Mrs. Alston,— Mr. King was her relation. I was treated in a very, very friendly manner by the family.

"HALIFAX, N. C.

"Jan 7th 82."

(To be continued.)

THE FRENCH FÊTE IN PHILADELPHIA IN HONOR OF THE DAUPHIN'S BIRTHDAY, 1782.

[The following account of the French fête in Philadelphia in honor of the Dauphin's birthday, given on Monday evening, July 15, 1782, is extracted from a letter of Dr. Benjamin Rush to a lady.]

PHILADELPHIA, 16 July, 1782.

DEAR MADAM:-For some weeks past our city has been. amused with the expectation of a most splendid entertainment to be given by the minister of France, to celebrate the birthday of the Dauphin of France. Great preparations, it was said, were made for that purpose. Hundreds crowded daily to see a large frame building which he had erected for a dancing room on one side of his house. This building, which was sixty feet in front and forty feet deep, was supported by large painted pillars, and was open all round. The ceiling was decorated with several pieces of neat paintings emblematical of the design of the entertainment. The garden contiguous to this shed was cut into beautiful walks, and divided with cedar and pine branches into artificial groves. The whole, both the building and walks, were accommodated with seats. Besides these preparations, we were told that the minister had borrowed thirty cooks from the French army, to assist in providing an entertainment suited to the size and dignity of the company. Eleven hundred tickets were distributed, most of them two or three weeks before the evening of the entertainment.

Forty were sent to the governor of each state, to be distributed by them to the principal officers and gentlemen of their respective governments, and, I believe, the same number to General Washington, to be distributed to the principal officers of the army. For ten days before the entertainment, nothing else was talked of in our city. The shops were crowded with customers. Hair dressers were retained; tailors, milliners and mantua-makers were to be seen, covered with sweat and out of breath, in every street. Monday, July 15th, was the long expected evening.