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