the expense of the city; boys of every class are admitted without paying for their tuition.6 Well-informed young men, who received good salaries, are selected as teachers. The first teacher of the high school receives yearly two thousand five hundred dollars. The study of the ancient languages, the Latin and Greek, forms the basis of public instruction. At the same time that these are taught, the attention, acuteness, and memory of the pupils, are variously exercised; if, for example, any one recites a line of the Eneid, and repeats the last letter, another immediately arises, and repeats from the same poem a line, beginning with this letter. The pupils do this with wonderful rapidity. The declamations took place during our presence. One of the scholars recited the speech of an English member of parliament, with so warm and correct a delivery, that the speech could scarcely have been better spoken in parliament. Another recited an oration, in which the advantages of a moderate above a despotic government, were also exhibited in a very good and distinct manner. Every evening the place of each scholar in the class for the next day, is appointed by the teacher, according to the industry which he may have shown during the day, and entered into a book. At the end of the month judgments are passed on all the pupils according to this list.
The mathematical and physical sciences are taught in the high school; it possesses a very good philosophical cabinet. We heard one class examined in arithmetic, and another in analytic geometry. In the former I saw that much attention was paid to mental calculation, and was surprised at the quick and correct solutions of difficult arithmetical questions. In the higher class the teacher proposed a question, and all those immediately arose who thought they could answer it. One was designated by the teacher to solve it, and if another thought the answer not exactly correct, he raised his hand, without interrupting the first, and corrected him when called upon. I was pleased both with the kind manners of the teachers, and the modest, correct, and easy deportment of the scholars. The boys generally had handsome faces, and were all of an animated physiognomy. With this they combine, as I was frequently convinced, the greatest respect for their parents and teachers. It appears to me impossible that young people, who receive so liberal an education, can grow up to be bad or malicious men. I was indeed affected when I left the schools, and could not but congratulate Mr. Quincy from the bottom of my heart, on such a rising generation! Captain Ryk, who accompanied us, participated in my views and feelings.
From the schools we went to the state-house or capitol, of the exterior of which I have already spoken, but the interior arrangement I had not yet seen. Besides the offices belonging to the state government, it contains the assembly rooms of the three bodies which govern the state, the council of the governor, the senate, and the representatives. These rooms are spacious; still, however, it is evident, that thirty-seven years ago, when this building was erected, every thing was done in haste, and that architecture had not then made the progress which it since has. All the steps are of wood. A trophy is erected in one of the chambers, composed of Brunswick arms, which were taken at the battle of Saratoga. One hundred and sixty-eight steps lead to the lantern of the cupola, which is of wood, and covered with copper. Notwithstanding the excessive heat, we went up, and our labour was richly recompensed by a splendid prospect. The dome is the highest point in the vicinity, and affords a view not only of the whole city and the bay, but also of a great extent of ground beyond, in every part of which a number of neat dwellings may be observed.
Thus passed almost fourteen days, in an uncommonly pleasing and instructive manner. In general my state of health allowed me to enjoy every new and interesting object with serenity of mind; I was indisposed but two days, and this was probably owing to the excessive heat. Even the intermediate hours, which could not be dedicated to the inspection of public institutions, generally afforded instructive amusements. I passed the morning in reading and writing, then received or paid visits, and at all times met with attention, courteousness, and kindness. I visited the churches on the Sundays I passed in Boston, which are still more quietly kept in America than in England. The first time I went to a Unitarian church, attended by a son of the mayor; a second time I went to an Episcopalian church, accompanied by Mr. Lloyd, a very distinguished man, and senator of the United States. I dined twice at the inn, but generally accepted some friendly invitation, and passed all my evenings very agreeably in company at musical parties and other entertainments. I also made some excursions into the country besides those already mentioned.
The society, especially when ladies are not present, is uncommonly fine and lively – both sexes are very well educated and accomplished. So much care is bestowed upon the education of the female sex, that it would perhaps be considered in other countries as superfluous. Young ladies even learn Latin and Greek, but then they also can speak of other things besides fashions and tea-table subjects; thus, for instance, I was at a party of Mrs. General Humphreys, which was entirely in the European style, without cards, dancing or music, and yet it was lively and agreeable. Thus I passed some delightful hours with Mr. Ritchie, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Homer, Mr. Otis, Mr. Shepherd, and Mr. Artiguenave, a Frenchman, formerly an actor in the Théâtre Français, at Paris, and now professor of the French language at Cambridge University. Many of those gentlemen who are met with in such society, have travelled in Europe, sometimes accompanied by their ladies; Europeans are frequently present, and thus there is no want of materials for conversation. The generality of the houses, moreover, offer something attractive in the fine arts; and in returning home on an evening, the city, the bridges, and the Mill-dam are very well lighted, not indeed with gas, but with reflecting lamps, and none of that disorderly conduct is observed in the streets, which so often shocks the mind in the cities of England.
We made an excursion on the 1st of August into the country with Mr. Dixon in his dearborn. A dearborn is a very light wagon, with two benches and four wheels, drawn by one horse. We rode over the neck which unites Boston with the main land, and was fortified by the English during the revolution; then in an ascending direction towards the heights of Roxbury, where, during the blockade, the right wing of the American lines stood. The ground is very rocky, and partly covered with fir trees; the trees which formerly stood here must have been entirely removed, as not one high tree can be seen. Passing farther on we saw very handsome country houses and gardens, the former generally two stories high, and surrounded with covered colonnades. At one of these we paid a visit to the owner, Mr. Rufus Amory. A walk, shaded by oak, elm, and maple trees, leads to the dwelling on a slight elevation, which commands an extended and beautiful view of Boston and the bay. We were received by the friendly owner in an extremely obliging and hospitable manner. We rode through a romantic part of the country to Dorchester, to visit General Sumner at his country seat, but did not find him at home. We then returned by another handsome road to Boston, and passed a large rope manufactory, the works of which were moved by steam.
At another excursion to Dorchester, in company with some young men, sons of the richest inhabitants of the place, a game of ten-pins was played. It is called ten-pins, because that number of pins is here used in the game.7
Finally, I cannot omit to mention one visit, which, in company with Mr. Ritchie, I made to Mr. Coolidge, jr. Mr. Coolidge had, three months ago, married a Miss Randolph, a granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson. His wife, about thirty years old, was brought up by her grandfather in the country in his library. She is said to be so learned that Jefferson often asked her advice. She had arrived a few days previous, and made known that she would receive visiters, and we therefore found the chamber filled with people. Every one at his departure took with him a piece of wedding cake. The young ladies, as it is said, place this cake under their pillows, and then dream of their future lovers.
CHAPTER V
Accompanied by Mr. Tromp, who had become endeared to me by his knowledge, his modest, honourable, and amiable deportment, I left Boston on the 9th of August, for Worcester, distant forty miles. The mail-coach, like the diligence stage, consists of a long calash with three benches, each capable of containing three persons. The top is fixed, though the curtains can be rolled up, so that a person may enjoy the fresh air and the prospect of the surrounding country, without being exposed
The expenses of public instruction, with the exception of Harvard University, are defrayed by means of a school tax, granted by the representatives of the state of Massachusetts, to which every inhabitant of the state is obliged to contribute. This praiseworthy arrangement exists also in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. In the last state, moreover, those parents who neglect to keep their children at school, are fined five dollars for every absent child, which sum goes into the school treasury.
[Most probably to evade a law against “
