Impressions of America | Page 6

a close crowded room, lectured upon the merits of the authors he
offered, whether poetical, religious, historical, mathematical, or
political, with equal ease and grace, greatly to the edification of the
bystanders. The editions were chiefly American, made to sell, and thus
exceedingly cheap. History and novels appeared to be the literature in
demand; and Walter Scott, Byron, and Bulwer, the names most familiar
in the verbal catalogue galloped over by the "learned gentleman," as
our auctioneer advertisements have it.
The hotel here was remarkably neat and clean; we procured an
excellent cup of tea, and next morning found a most substantial
breakfast. After seeing the population assemble for church, and walking
about the banks of the river, which are very beautiful, we about noon
set out for our final destination, over a villanous, rough road, reached
Rhode Island, by the long substantial causeway connecting it with the
main land, and from this point we had a good turnpike, pulling up at
Newport by two o'clock.
The public dinner was already over, being Sabbath; but the proprietor
of our hotel, a worthy Quaker named Potter, got us a very comfortable
meal at five o'clock, according to our wishes: meantime we rid
ourselves of the accumulated dust of two days, and were comfortably
established in out-quarters, the hotel being full.

NEWPORT.
RHODE ISLAND.
The appearance of Newport is much less imposing, as approached by
land, than when viewed from the noble harbour over which it looks. It
consists of one long line of close-built, narrow streets running parallel
with the water about the base of the steep hill, with many others
climbing up its side. It is indifferently paved, and has a very light soil;
so that upon the least land-breeze the lower town is filled with the dust,
which is blown about in clouds.
Before the revolution, Newport was a city of comparative importance,
and indeed, whilst the importation of slaves continued a part of the
trade of the country, held its own with the most thriving cities of the
east coast, through the great advantage it derived from its easy harbour,
but with the abolition of that traffic came the downfall of its prosperity;
for having no back country by the exportation of whose produce it
might sustain itself, it was speedily deserted by the mercantile
community, and its carrying trade usurped by Providence, although the
latter is situated some thirty miles higher up the river. A railroad from
Boston through the wealthy manufacturing districts might nevertheless,
I should imagine, bestow upon this place the supremacy which the
difficulty of land-carriage alone has withheld from it.
Its great natural advantage to visitors is the charming climate with
which it is favoured, owing to its being on all sides surrounded by deep
water: this is a point that cannot be changed by a decree in Congress, or
removed by order of the Board of Trade, and likely to be of more use to
the place, if made the most of, than the dockyard and depôt which they
seek to establish.
If the English plan was adopted, and small snug cottages built and
furnished for the use of families resorting here, these families would
naturally quit the arks in which they are now congregated, and live each
after the manner of its kind, as all wise animals do; in which case, I

cannot anywhere imagine a more charming abode, or one possessing
superior advantages.
The general aspect of the neighbourhood puts me in mind of the
Lothians; whilst some of the rides amongst the shady lanes, through
whose high, loose hedgerows glimpses were constantly occurring of the
sea and rocky shore, were not unworthy a comparison with portions of
that Eden of our western coast, the Isle of Wight.
The harbour of Newport is of vast extent, easy of entrance, and
perfectly secure from all the winds that blow: its advantages in the
event of a naval war must ultimately render it the chief general depôt of
these States. The government appears quite sensible of the policy of
rendering this noble station perfectly secure in good season: a series of
defences, of first-rate importance, are in a course of erection which,
when completed, it is supposed will render the harbour impregnable to
any attempt from the sea. To Fort Adams, the rough-work of which is
completed, I paid more than one visit; and nothing can be more
substantially put together.
The necessity of a dockyard of the first order being established at this
point appears to have been long and warmly pressed upon the
administration by all naval men who have considered the subject: want
of money, the great stumbling-block of a cheap government, has
hitherto prevented the plan being carried into execution; but it is
imagined that this will not be delayed