ents 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 cannot fail to impress all strangers very
favourably. The State-house is built upon the summit of a hill, which
rises gradually by a steep ascent almost from the water's edge--a fine
building, where all government operations are carried on, as at Albany,
and elsewhere in the different states. From the top there is a charming
panoramic view of the whole town and neighbourhood. In front is a green
inclosure called the Common, a great benefit to the town. The docks are
not very good: a great many ships lay over at East Boston. The Exchange
is a very fine building, where