and deductions must be made, on account of his line of business, which is certainly not yet much wanted. Few houses have even so much as a shrub or evergreen to decorate them.

We at last reached the Passaic falls. There is something in the bolder outlines of nature, which awe and astonish. The body of waters at the time I saw them, was considerably augmented by the melting snow. The river flows over a bed of stone, with much descent. All at once, a rent or chasm extends across the bed of the river from one side to the other, which serves as a channel to the waters, and through which they are impetuously hurried down successive precipices, from a perpendicular height of about seventy feet. As this channel is very contracted, when compared with the breadth of the river above, the water acquires an astonishingly hurried motion, and assumes the appearance of cataracts of foam.

There is a handsome footbridge of wood thrown over the chasm, which commands a full view of the water. This bridge is very much above the cataract; and as it is perfectly secure, and well protected by wood work on both sides, it affords the mingled sensation of astonishment, safety, and dreadful apprehension. When we had crossed the bridge, and viewed the natural beauties of the place, we were returning, but were suddenly arrested by the demand of the bridge proprietor, who addressed us, "Two-pence each, gentlemen." "You take us by surprise," said I, "You have given no intimation by any placard or notice, that you make exactions for crossing; but after you have got us in your power, you have the boldness to demand payment, whether we please or not. Is this the boasted freedom of the Americans?" "Come, come," said he; "it is to no purpose that you make many words. Pay you must. Do you think we put up bridges for every one to pass who chooses, and yet take nothing in return? I possessed much of the land on the other side of the river, on which the factories and town are built; but sold it, when the speculation for making Patterson a

PROPRIETOR OF THE FALLS.

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manufacturing town was first projected. I got a good price for my lands, and bought these rocks and grounds on speculation; and being a joiner, have erected that bridge myself, and have laid out the ground we stand on as a pleasure ground, which in summer looks beautiful. For all this expense and trouble I only demand two-pence from each visitor. If I made no charge, my purchase and bridge would be a losing speculation." They would indeed," said I; "and I think your argument a very good one. We shall pay you."

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After I had paid him his demand, I asked if his family had come from the old country. "No, thank God," was his answer. "My forefathers of many generations were native Americans. I would not be an Englishman." Why," said I, "do you entertain so much dislike to English people?" "They are," he replied, "the most beastly people I have seen. I have no wish to encourage them. They come into my gardens, and cut down my young trees, and mutilate my seats and tables and bridge, and get drunk, and curse and swear, and use indecent language, and give great offence to the Americans who patronise my gardens. I have forbid the English admittance. I am obliged to have some person to watch them, when they come in.”

"Of what English do you speak?" I asked. “Of those," he replied, "who are employed in the mills. They quite demoralise the place. Their conduct and language are utterly abominable." I could well credit the proprietor, and that he found some check necessary, in order to restrain such visitors within due bounds.

The remarks of this gentleman justified some observations I had heard made in New-York, by Americans, who do not wish to see America a manufacturing country. They declared, that the moral conduct of English manufacturers was contagiously contaminating, and infected the very districts where they live. It is unpleasant, it is even exceedingly mortifying, to find so grievous a charge brought against one's countrymen, in a strange place. But yet, when we see American decorum, it is impossible to palliate or explain away the fact. The Ameri

cans in their exterior deportment, are remarkably correct. One cannot but admire it. I never saw in the behaviour, nor heard in the discourse of an American a word or action morally improper. I heard of things done by them in secret; but the report of a tale-bearer has with me no weight, when placed against the demonstration of my senses. Their exterior moral deportment, as far as fell under my observation, is perfectly blameless; if we except their eagerness to obtain dollars, even on the confines of truth and falsehood, of honesty and dishonesty.

"Have you seen many respectable English people here?" I asked the proprietor. "There are," he said, "some manufacturers from England resident here, who brought considerable capital with them, and have built mills of different kinds. They are the leading people in the place. When strangers come into my gardens, and behave themselves properly, I do not know whether they are Americans or Englishmen. There is no difficulty in telling, where ill-behaved people come from."

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I suppose," said I, "your gardens are frequented by numerous visitors." In summer," he answered, " great numbers visit them. They are near enough for residents of New-York to leave home in the morning, and after taking refreshments in my gardens, to return in the evening. The Catholic Bishop of New-York was here last week, and conversed with me a long time. I think him an obliging and well informed gentleman." "I am also acquainted with the gentleman you have mentioned," said I, "and esteem him highly."

I informed him, that I was an English episcopal clergyman, and had emigrated to the States to examine the country for myself. "If you will remain over Sunday," he observed," and perform service in our church, I will go and procure you permission. The people will be glad, of an opportunity of hearing an English minister." have not come," I replied, "prepared in any respect for your very kind offer, and must necessarily decline the honour you intend me."

" I

"There was," said he, "an English clergyman living

in Patterson two years ago. He remained for some months, and married a lady of the place. He came to America to obtain a situation in some of our churches; but had no interest, and no vacant place presented itself, At last dissatisfied with having nothing to do, and fearing he should never succeed, he returned with his lady to England. He frequently performed duty in our church, and was much liked. Had he continued a year or two longer, he might have had a call to Patterson; for we have now no minister." "Perhaps," said I, "he might have no encouragement to fix his residence here, and the stipend of such a church might not be sufficient for his maintenance." "It is very large," he replied, "for the congregation is numerous. The salary may be between three and five hundred dollars; but it is diffi cult to mention any exact sum. He might also have

had a school."

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"I have great respect," he added, "for English clergymen, and request that you will step into my house and take a glass of wine." This hospitable offer I accepted, and had the pleasure of drinking wine with the proprietor of the Passaic Falls. From his conversation, I found that Americans, in general, in the vicinity of Patterson, have degrading notions of England and its people generally, from the specimen they behold in our weavers and spinners. The monied manufacturers, who have erected mills, they esteem highly. This gentleman and I talked together a long time, and became more and more friendly. He possessed a greater share of liberality than most Americans; and before I parted from him, expressed a wish that I would repeat my visit, and perform service in their episcopal church, of which he was a member.

At the Passaic Falls, the famed Sam Patch performed some of his wonderful leaps. He had been enamoured of a young woman, who rejected his offers, and to drown his love he strove to drown himself. His intention was only half accomplished'; for his love but not his life was annihilated. Although he had leapt into the water from a surprising height, yet he rose with animation to the surface. Its chillness which froze his amorous attach

ments, gave him a distaste for drowning, and the desire of life was rekindled. Having discovered, by a lover's leap, that a fall from even lofty elevations, if upon a substance sufficiently yielding, is unaccompanied with danger, he announced his intention of repeating his leap, and the Passaic Falls were selected. A great multitude assembled, and he descended from a distance of ninety feet into the river below the falls. The event was corroborative of his first experiment. He then betook himself to such exploits, as a profession; and leapt in succession several waterfalls of that country. At the Niagara Falls, a scaffold was erected, upwards of one hundred feet above the water, sufficiently far over the river to free him from the danger of rocks. The water of the river, at the place he entered, is about one hundred and seventy feet, and a little below two hundred and twenty feet deep. He did not leap the whole depth of these falls, which are one hundred and sixty feet, but more than two-thirds. The Genessee Falls at Rochester, were the closing scene of his exhibitions. He had leapt them once, and he summoned courage to leap them again; and a crowd assembled to cheer him. But this time the water into which he descended was not twelve feet deep; a space insufficient to neutralize the acquired celerity of his fall, and his increased gravitation. He was also intoxicated, and lost his balance in his descent. His body was not immediately found, but was afterwards taken up greatly bruised, and with some of its limbs broken, Such is the story told of Mr. Patch.

I remained at Patterson all night; and breakfasted next morning at a public table, at which several young men were seated. They were boasting, that their national debt was much reduced, and would soon be paid off. This was a topic of frequent congratulation to Americans, at their social meetings; and is undoubtedly a national freedom from some burdens, although no national advantage. Their public debt is about two millions and a half sterling; of which, in the spring, they anticipate an entire discharge. "What will the English do," they inquired, "when we pay off our debt?" "They