e first time in America we met here with a most taciturn official,
and could learn much less than we wished of the manner in which the
institution is managed.

On Saturday the 9th, being the same afternoon, we went on to Baltimore,
and were perplexed at not finding letters from William; but to our great
relief he made his appearance in the evening, much pleased with his
travels.

The country from Philadelphia to Baltimore, like that which we passed
through on the preceding day, is much less interesting than the country
to the north of New York; but a grand feature of the road we travelled
was the Susquehanna River, which is here very broad, and which we
crossed in a large steamer, leaving the train we were in, and joining
another which was in readiness on the other side. The point at which we
crossed the river, was at the spot where it falls into the Chesapeake.
The shores of this beautiful bay are profusely indented with arms or
estuaries, the heads of which, as well as the mouths of several
tributary rivers, we repeatedly crossed on long bridges: this afforded
a great variety in the scenery, and much enlivened the last part of our
journey.

Next day being Sunday, we heard an admirable sermon from Dr. Cox. The
church in which he preached was a large and handsome one, and the
service was well performed. In describing the service at West Point, I
mentioned that it differed in some respects from our own. We have now
had frequent opportunities of becoming acquainted with the American
liturgy; and, as it will interest some of you at home, I may as well
tell you a little in what those differences consist, with which we were
most forcibly struck.

Some alterations were of course rendered necessary by the establishment
of a republic, but these seem to have been confined as far as possible
to what the occasion called for. I think, however, in spite of their
republicanism, they might have retained the Scriptural expression, "King
of Kings, and Lord of Lords," instead of changing it to the inflated,
"High and Mighty Ruler of the Universe." This reminded us of the doubt
raised by some, when Queen Victoria came to the throne, if the words
ought not then to have been changed to "King of Queens." It is pleasing,
however, to observe how small the variations in general are, if indeed
there be any, which are at variance with either the doctrine or the
discipline of the Church of England.

We are so much accustomed to the opening s