l find it difficult to avoid drawing injurious conclusions.

Without internal resources, and entirely dependent upon the government,
it would be worthy their national grandeur to make this district a type
of that grandeur; and its city, as far as all public buildings and
general conveniences might be concerned, second to none in the world.

Presuming even its occupation to be temporary, and that, at no distant
period, it will be deserted, left again to the dominion of nature, to be
once more incorporated with the forest,--why, a Russian boyard has
raised as fine a city, to lodge his royal mistress in for one night, and
set it on fire to light her home on the next after!

Were it of a certainty to be deserted in ten years, I would, were I a
representative about to be sent to it, say to my clients: "As for
Washington, let us build, beautify, and render it habitable and
convenient, so that, when hereafter the European traveller seeks its
ruins in the forest, he shall never doubt but that he looks upon the
site once honoured as the capital of the American people."

I have, when in conversation with intelligent friends here, delivered
similar sentiments, and they have smiled at them without admitting
their justice or applicability: I now set them down for their further
amusement, not because I imagine they will be a tittle the more
regarded, but simply because such were my "Impressions" of Washington.

I went several times to the senate-chamber and the hall of the
representatives; but was not fortunate enough to hear a debate in the
latter, or find any very important topic under discussion. Speeches I
never found much attraction in anywhere, unless deeply interested in the
subject of them; and those of the American assembly are rather made to
be read than to be listened to. The arguments, thus delivered in
Washington, are in fact directed to, and intended for, the constituents
of the party, to whom they are directly forwarded in the shape of most
formidable-looking pamphlets, no matter to what distance, post-free,
serving as an exposition of the author's sentiments, and an evidence of
his industry.

In the senate I had the happiness to hear a slight matter debated, in
which Messrs. Clay and Forsyth took part; and I was struck with the
force and fluency of the one, and the gentlemanlike tone and quiet
self-possession of the other. Mr. Henry Clay reminded me strongly of
Brougham, when the latter happens to be in one of hi