Wednesday.—­A great Clay and Frelinghuysen day.  A grand procession of the Whigs of many thousands.  Mr. Pearce and I visited the Creton Aqueduct for supplying New York with water.  It is 1826 feet long, and 836 feet wide, and covers 35 acres.  It comes down a tunnel of 35 miles, part of which distance is an aqueduct.  We walked to the East River and Astoria, and returned to meet Mr. Blane, Mr. Brough, Mr. C. Vyse, and Mr. Palin, whom I had asked to dine with me at five.  We had one of Mr. Blankard’s best dinners, and spent a pleasant evening:  were joined by Dr. Keen and Mr. Green.  Brough sang us three excellent songs.  They left at ten; and I to bed.

Thursday.—­I finally finished my mission with Mr. Pearce most satisfactorily.  Visited Mr. Bach, distiller, Brooklyn—­my first time there.  Dined with C. Vyse, at Dalmonico’s.  Met Mr. Blane, Palin, and Bund.  A most sumptuous dinner:  would cost at least 50 dollars.  Left at nine, and spent my last evening at New York with Mr. and Mrs. Pearce.  Paid my bill at the Globe, 49 dollars, 75 cents for the week; and to bed.  Could not sleep:  a restless, disagreeable night.

Friday.—­Started at eight per Long Island Rail-way to Boston, Brooklyn, and Greenport, ninety-five miles; per rail thence to Stonington, thirty-two miles; per steamer in the Bay Sounds thence to Providence—­a town of 15,000 inhabitants, where H.W.  Doe is confined; and to Boston, forty-four miles:  in all 218 in ten hours—­the quickest travelling I have had; and proceeded to the Tremont-house.  Read the English papers; and saw the account of my old friend T. Sidney being made sheriff and alderman in the same week, with the likelihood of his being Sir Thomas before I return.  “Some men are born great, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”

Population of Boston, 50,000.

Saturday morning.—­I visited the Custom-house, by previous arrangement, to clear some pattern-cards.  I could not help being strongly impressed with the contrast their Custom-house presented, when compared with some I could mention, and the attention, politeness, and good-humour with which its officers discharged their duties.  They saw the force of my arguments at once, and let me have the books free of duty; and at their particular request I promised the Custom-house examiners one.  They offered me any amount of money for it, which I declined to take.  They are building a new Custom-house upon a large scale.  The air here is very piercing—­easterly winds prevail a great deal.  The houses are bright, and have a gay appearance, the signboards are painted in such gaudy colours; the gilded letters are so very golden; the bricks so very red; the blinds and area-railings so very green; the plates upon the street-doors so marvellously bright and twinkling—­and all so slight and unsubstantial in appearance.  The suburbs are, if possible, more unsubstantial-looking than the city.  The city is a beautiful one, and