be sufficiently rich to manure your barren hills; and as to the climate, there is no comparison:  this cursed cold north-west wind loses all it’s severity before it reaches us; our winters are so mild, that our cattle requite no fodder, but range the woods all winter; and our summers are more moderate than on your side the Allegany; and as to——­” Here the stage-driver put an end to his oration, by informing us, all was ready to proceed on our journey.

We must not be surprised, that numbers, who cultivate an ungrateful soil in this cold climate, should be induced, by such descriptions as the above, to emigrate to our orator’s land of promise, I am informed ten thousand persons emigrated from these states to Kentucky alone, in one year.  I have lately seen a flattering description of this country, published in London:  that the accounts are exaggerated, I have no doubt, as it is said to be written by a speculator; deeply interested in the sale of lands in the new settlements.  I had a strong suspicion our fellow traveller was of this description, and took every opportunity to cross-examine him on this subject; he stuck true to his text, insisted that all he advanced was literally true, but acknowledged he was going to receive a sum of money for land he had sold to some emigrants from the province of Main, and that he expected to sell a considerable tract before his return.  I arrived at Boston the 23d instant, four hundred and seventy-four miles from Baltimore.

Yours, &c.

P.S. I find we are to have a most vigorous theatrical opposition.  A sort of dramatic mania has lately seiz’d the inhabitants.  The primitive Bostonians would as soon have admitted the plague as a company of players; but the present inhabitants having more liberal sentiments, a company of comedians came to this town about four years ago, and ventured to exhibit dramatic pieces, under the title of Moral Lectures.  At length a bill passed the General Assembly of Massachusetts to licence theatrical performances; and as it is natural for mankind to run from one extreme to another, they have this year two theatres, both of which are attended with a prodigious expence.  Some of the performers are engaged at upwards of 20_l_. english per week; and Mrs. Whitlocke (sister to Mrs. Siddons, whom you may perhaps recollect at the Haymarket) is to have 180_l_. sterling for six nights.  This opposition will in all probability end in the ruin of the managers, or rather of the subscribers, who are bound for the payments.

* * * * *

Boston, October 3d, 1796.

DEAR SIR,