“London, August 15, 1811. You see from the date that I have at length arrived at the place of my destination.  I have been in the city about three hours, so you see what is my first object....  Mr. and Mrs. Allston with myself took a post-chaise which, indeed, is much more expensive than a stage-coach, but, on account of Mrs. Allston’s health, which you know was not very good when in Boston (although she is much benefited by her voyage), we were obliged to travel slowly, and in this manner it has cost us perhaps double the sum which it would have done had we come in a stage-coach.  But necessity obliged me to act as I have done.  I found myself in a land of strangers, liable to be cheated out of my teeth almost, and, if I had gone to London without Mr. Allston, by waiting at a boarding-house, totally unacquainted with any living creature, I should probably have expended the difference by the time he had arrived....  I trust you will not think it extravagant in me for doing as I have done, for I assure you I shall endeavor to be as economical as possible.

“I also mentioned in my letter that I could scarcely expect to steer free from imposition since none of my predecessors have been able to do it.  Since writing that letter I have found (in spite of all my care to the contrary) my observation true.  In going from the Liverpool Arms to Mr. Woolsey’s, which is over a mile, I was under the necessity of getting into a hackney-coach.  Upon asking what was to pay he told me a shilling.  I offered him half a guinea to change, which I knew to be good, having taken it at the hank in New York.

“He tossed it into the air and caught it in his mouth very dexterously, and, handing it to me back again, told me it was a bad one.  I looked at it and told him I was sure it was good, but, appealing to a gentleman who was passing, I found it was bad.  Of course I was obliged to give him other money.  When I got to my lodgings I related the circumstance to some of my friends and they told me he had cheated me in this way:  that it was common for them to carry bad money about them in their mouths, and, when this fellow had caught the good half-guinea in his mouth, he changed it for a bad one.  This is one of the thousand tricks they play every day.  I have likewise received eleven bad shillings on the road between Liverpool and this place, and it is hardly to be wondered at, for the shilling pieces here are just like old buttons without eyes, without the sign of an impression on them, and one who is not accustomed to this sort of money will never know the difference.

“I find, as mama used to tell me, that I must watch my very teeth or they will cheat me out of them.”

“Friday, 16th, 1811. This morning I called on Mr. Bromfield and delivered my letters.  He received me very cordially, enquired after you particularly, and invited me to dine with him at 5 o’clock, which invitation I accepted....  I find I have arrived in England at a very critical state of affairs.  If such a state continues much longer, England must fall.  American measures affect this country more than you can have any idea of.  The embargo, if it had continued six weeks longer, it is said would have forced this country into any measures.”