ay to Bristol.

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A DAY IN BRISTOL.

A Glance at the Bristolians--Their Pursuits and
Characteristics--The London Mail--A Walk to the Hot Wells
and Clifton--Blackmantle and Transit start for the
Territories of King Bladud.

~292~~The worthy Bristolians must not feel offended if we pass them
by rather briefly; had ours been a tour of business, connected with
commercial pursuit instead of a search after whim and character, we
should no doubt have found materials enough to have filled a dozen
chapters; but such pursuits are foreign to the eccentric volumes of
the English Spy, whose sole aim is humour, localized, and embracing
characteristic scenes. Such is the above sketch, which struck Transit
and myself, as we took a stroll down Bridge-street while our breakfast
was preparing at the White Hart; it was a bit of true life, and cannot
fail to please: but, after all, Bristol resembles London so closely, at
least the ~293~~eastern part of the metropolis, that although we saw
much that would have been worthy the attention of the antiquary and
the curious in their several churches and museums, or might, with great
advantage, have been transferred to the note book of the topographer,
yet we met with none of that peculiar whimsical character that
distinguishes the more fashionable places of resort. The sole object of
the Bristolians is trade, and every face you meet with has a ledger-like
countenance, closely resembling the calculating citizen of London, whose
every thought is directed to the accumulation of wealth, by increased
sales of merchandize, or the overreaching his neighbour in taking the
first advantage of the market.

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The arrival of the London mail, which comes in about ten o'clock in the
morning, afforded Transit another opportunity of picking up what little
of character there was to be found. At Bristol there is always a great
anxiety to obtain the London news and price current; so much so, that
the leading merchants and others assemble in front of the Post-office,
which also joins the Exchange, to wait the arrival of the mail (see
Plate), and receive the letters of advice which are to regulate their
concerns. It is but justice to add, there is no place in the kingdom of
the same distance to which the conveyance is quicker, and the facility
of delivery more promptly attended to. After breakfast we took a stroll