Travels in the United States of America Commencing in the Year 1793, and Ending in 1797 | Page 8

the former are in general of a species of
marble; the bricks are uncommonly well manufactured; and these
buildings are more firmly constructed than in Europe. Those of wood
are the reverse, which you will easily credit, when I inform you, that
when a house of this description is offered for sale, it is by no means
understood, as in England, that the land on which it stands is included
in the purchase. They have a method of removing these buildings entire.
A house travelling in this manner through the streets of the city is to a
European a truly grotesque and extraordinary sight.
During the time the British troops had possession of this city in the last
war, they were much distressed for fuel, and obliged to cut down all the

wood they could meet with; upwards of a thousand acres of peach and
apple orchard were destroyed, belonging to one family. This
destruction of the trees has materially hurt the prospects for three or
four miles on the Pensylvania side; the opposite Jersey shore (except
the plantations) is one entire forest.
Philadelphia is at present supplied with water from pumps, placed in
different parts of the city; but a company of adventurers are bringing
water from above the falls of Scuylkill, in the manner of the New River
in London: but mean to improve on sir Hugh Middleton's plan, by
making their aqueduct also serve the purposes of inland navigation.
The inhabitants are in general very fond of theatrical representations;
their new theatre is an elegant building, from a design the subscribers
obtained from London, where the principal scenes were painted by
Richardson and Rooker. The receipts of the house have exceeded one
thousand six hundred dollars.
The fair Philadelphians are by no means so fond of walking, as the
English ladies; not that they have any great dislike to a trip into the
_country_, but it is not fashionable even for a maid servant to make use
of her legs on these occasions; the consequence is, that there are 806
two and four wheeled machines entered at the office, and pay duty, as
_pleasure carriages_, most of which are for hire; and yet the inhabitants
do not exceed 50000, of whom there are not three individuals but
follow some profession, trade, or employment. In a few days I shall
have an opportunity of sending you a publication, which will give you
a more ample account of this city than you now receive from
Yours, &c.
Since writing this letter, the seat of government of the state has been
removed to Lancaster, as being nearer the centre; for the same reason,
that of the general government of the United States, will, in the year
1800, be removed to the federal city, now building in the district of
Columbia.
Several uniform and elegant rows of houses have lately been built.

* * * * *
_Philadelphia, March 7th, 1794._
DEAR SIR,
It is a general observation with respect to the English, that they eat
more animal food than the people of any other nation. The following
statement of the manner of living of the Americans[Footnote: By the
term American you must understand a white man descended from a
native of the Old Continent; and by the term _Indian_, or _Savage_,
one of the aborigines of the New World.] will convince you of the
falsity of this opinion.
About eight or nine in the morning they breakfast on tea and coffee,
attended always with what they call _relishes_, such as salt fish,
beef-steaks, sausages, broiled-fowls, ham, bacon, &c. At two they dine
on what is usual in England, with a variety of american dishes, such as
bear, opossum, racoon, &c. At six or seven in the evening they have
their supper, which is exactly the same as their breakfast, with the
addition of what cold meat is left at dinner. I have often wondered how
they acquired this method of living, which is by no means calculated
for the climate; such stimulating food at breakfast and supper naturally
causes thirst, and there being no other beverage at these meals than tea,
or coffee, they are apt to drink too freely of them, particularly the
female part of the family; which, during the excessive heats in summer,
is relaxing and debilitating; and in winter, by opening the pores,
exposes them to colds of the most dangerous kind.
The manner of living I have been describing is that of people in
moderate circumstances; but this taste for relishes with coffee and tea
extends to all ranks of people in these states. Soon after my arrival at
this city, I went on a party of pleasure to a sort of tea-garden and
_tavern_[Footnote: By the word _tavern,_ in America, is meant an inn
or public