“We again set out for Major Snowden’s where we arrived at 4 o’clock in the evening.  The gate (was) hung between 2 trees which were scarcely wide enough to admit it.  We were treated with great hospitality and civility by the major and his wife who were plain people and made every effort to make our stay as agreeable as possible.”

“May 19th.  This morning was lowering and looked like rain—­we were entreated to stay all day but to no effect we had made our arrangements & it was impossible....  Majr Snowden accompanied us 10 or a dozen miles to show a near way and the best road....  We proceeded as far as Spurriers ordinary and there refreshed ourselves and horses....  Mrs. Washington shifted herself here, expecting to be met by numbers of gentlemen out of B——­re—­(Baltimore) in which time we had everything in reddiness, the carriage, horses, etc., all at the door in waiting."[164]

The story of that journey, now made in a few hours, is filled with interesting light upon the ways of the day:—­the numerous accidents to coaches and horses, the dangers of crossing rivers on flimsy ferries, the hospitality of the people, who sent messengers to insist that the party should stop at the various homes, the strange mingling of the uncouth, the totally wild, and the highly civilized and cultured.  Probably at no other time in the world’s history could so many stages of man’s progress and conquest of nature be seen simultaneously as in America of the eighteenth century.

IV.  New England Social Life

Turning to New England, we find of course that under the early Puritan regime amusements were decidedly under the ban.  We have noted under the discussion of the home the strictness of New England views, and how this strictness influenced every phase of public and private life.  Indeed, at this time life was largely a preparation for eternity, and the ethical demands of the day gave man an abnormally tender and sensitive conscience.  When Nathaniel Mather declared in mature years that of all his manifold sins none so stuck upon him as that, when a boy, he whittled on the Sabbath day, and did it behind the door—­“a great reproach to God”—­he was but illustrating the strange atmosphere of fear, reverence, and narrowness of his era.

And yet, those earlier settlers of Plymouth and Boston were a kindly, simple-hearted, good-natured people.  It is evident from Judge Sewall’s Diary that everybody in a community knew everybody else, was genuinely interested in everyone’s welfare, and was always ready with a helping hand in days of affliction and sorrow.  All were drawn together by common dangers and common ties; it was an excellent example of true community interest and co-operation.  This genuine solicitude for others, this desire to know how other sections were getting along, this natural curiosity to inquire about other people’s health, defences against common dangers, and advancement in