induced to mention impertinent inquifitiveness as a distinguishing characteristic of the New-England people.) But this is true only with regard to that clafs of people, who, confined to domestic life, have not had an opportunity of mingling with the world; and fuch people are not peculiar to New-England; they compofe a great part of the community of every ftate and country.

Before the late war, which introduced into New-England a flood of corruptions, with many improvements, the Sabbath was ob ferved with great ftritnefs; no unneceffary travelling, no fecular bufinefs, no vifiting, no diverfions were permitted on that day. They confidered it as confecrated to divine worship, and were generally punctual and ferious in their attendance upon it. Their laws were ftrict in guarding the Sabbath against every innovation. The fuppofed feverity with which thefe laws were compofed and executed, together with fome other traits in their religious character, have acquired for the New-Englanders, the name of a superstitious, bigoted people. But fuperftition and bigotry are fo indefinite in their fignifications, and so variously applied by persons of different principles and educations, that it is not easy to determine whether they ever deferved that character. Leaving every perfon to enjoy his own opinion in regard to this matter, we only observe, that, fince the war, a CATHOLIC TOLERANT SPIRIT, occafioned by a more ENLARGED INTERCOURSE with mankind, has greatly increased, and is becoming univerfal; and if they do not break the proper bound, and liberalize away all true religion, they will counteract that ftong propenfity in human nature, which leads men to vibrate from one extreme to its oppofite, and gain the approbation of every well-wisher of the rights of mankind.

There is one diftinguishing characteristic in the religious character of this people, which we must not omit mentioning; and that is, the cuftom of annually celebrating Fafts and Thanksgivings. In the fpring, the governors of the feveral New-England States, except Rhode-Ifland, iffue their proclamations, appointing a day to be religioufly obferved in fafting, humiliation, and prayer throughout their refpective States, in which the predominating vices, that particularly call for humiliation, are enumerated. In autumn, after harvest, that gladfome era in the husbandman's life, the governors again iffue their proclamations, appointing a day of public thanksgiving, enumerating the public bleffings received in the course of the foregoing year.

This pious custom originated with their venerable ancestors, the firft fettlers of New-England, and has been handed down through the fucceffive generations of their pofterity. A cuftom fo rational, and fo happily calculated to cherish in the minds of the people a fenfe of their dependence on the GREAT BENEFACTOR of the world for all their bleffings, it is hoped will ever be preserved.

The people of New-England generally obtain their eftates by hard and perfevering labour: they of confequence know their value, and spend with frugality. Yet in no country do the indigent and unfortunate fare better. Their laws oblige every town to provide a competent maintenance for their poor, and the neceffitous stranger is protected, and relieved by their humane inftitutions. It may in truth be faid, that in ho part of the world are the people happier, better furnished with the neceffaries and conveniencies of life, or As the more independent, than the farmers of New-England. great body of the people are hardy, independent freeholders, their manners are, as they ought to be, congenial to their employment, plain, fimple, and unpolished. Strangers are received and entertained among them with a great deal of artlefs fincerity, and friendly, unformal hofpitality. Their children, those imitative creatures, to whofe education particular attention is paid, early imbibe the manpers and habits of thofe around them; and the stranger, with pleafure, notices the honest and decent refpect that is paid him by the children as he paffes through the country.

As the people, by representation, make their own laws and appoint their own officers, they cannot be oppreffed; and living under governments which have few lucrative places, they have few motives to bribery, corrupt canvaffings, or intrigue. Real abilities and a moral character unblemished are the qualifications requifite in the view of most people, for officers of public trust. The expreffion of a wish to be promoted, is, in fome parts of New-England, the direct way to be disappointed.

The inhabitants, in fome parts of New England, are generally fond of the arts and fciences, and have cultivated them with great fuccefs. Their colleges have flourished. The illuftrious characters they have produced, who have diftinguished themselves in politics, law, divinity, the mathematics, and philosophy, natural and civil hiftory, and in the fine arts, particularly poetry, evince the truth of thefe obfervations.

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The women in New-England generally have fair, fresh, and healthful countenances, mingled with much female softness and delicacy. Those who have had the advantages of a good education, and they are numerous, are genteel, eafy, and agreeable in their manners, and are sprightly and sensible in their converfation. They are early taught to manage domeftic concerns with neatness and economy. Women of the first rank and fortune make it a part of their daily bunefs to fuperintend the affairs of the family. Employment at the needle, cookery, and at the spinning wheel, with them is honourable. Idlenefs, even in thofe of independent fortunes, is univerfally difreputable. The women in country towns manufacture the greatest part of the cloathing of their families. Their linen and woollen cloths are ftrong and decent. Their butter and cheese is not inferior to any in the world.

Dancing is the principal and favourite amusement in New-England; and of this the young people of both sexes are extremely fond. Gaming is practised by none but those who cannot, or rather will not, find a reputable employment. The gamefter, the horse jockey, and the knave, are equally defpifed, and their company is avoided by all who would sustain fair and irreproachable characters.

The athletic and healthy diverfions of cricket, foot ball, quoits, wrestling, jumping, hopping, foot races, and prison bars, are univerfally practised in the country, and some of them in the most populous places, and by people of almost all ranks.

Squirrel-hunting is a noted diverfion in country places, where this kind of game is plenty: fome divert themselves with fox-hunting, and others with the more profitable sports of fishing and duck-hunting; and in the frontier fettlements where deer and fur game abound, the inhabitants make a lucrative sport of hunting them. In the winter season, while the ground is covered with fnow, which is commonly two or three months, fleighing is the general diverfion. A great part of the families throughout the country are furnished with horses and fleighs.

HISTORY OF ITS SETTLEMENT, &c.

New-England was discovered in the beginning of the last century, and called North-Virginia; the first European fettlement was formed in 1608; this first colony, which was weak and ill-directed, did not fucceed, and for fome time after there were only a few adventurers who went over at times in the fummer, built themselves temporary huts for the purpose of trading with the favages, and, like them, difapVOL. II. peared

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peared again for the rest of the year; but fanaticism, which had depopulated America in the South, was destined to re-people it in the North. New-England owes its regular fettlement to religious perfecution. Soon after the commencement of the reformation in England, which was not until the year 1534, the Protestants were divided into two parties, one the followers of Luther, and the other of Calvin. The former had chosen gradually, and almost imperceptibly, to recede from the Church of Rome; while the latter, more zealous, and convinced of the importance of a thorough reformation, and at the fame time poffeffing much firmnefs and high notions of religious liberty, was for effecting a thorough change Their confequent endeavours to expunge from the church all the inventions which had been brought into it fince the days of the Apostles, and to introduce "Scripture purity," obtained for them the name of PURITANS.

at once.

A number of these people, upon the borders of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire, having fuffered perfecution patiently for years, and searched the Scriptures diligently, were at length fully of opinion, that the ceremonies of the English church were unlawful; that the lordly power of her prelates was contrary to the freedom of the gospel; and that her offices, courts, and canons, had no warrant in the word of God. They determined, therefore, to shake off human impofitions, brought into the church against the fuperior law of Chrift, the genius of his plain religion and Christian liberty. They refolved, as the Lord's free people," to join themselves by covenant "into a church fiate; and, agreeably to prefent or future knowledge, "to walk in all the ways of God, according to their beft abilities, what26 ever it cost them.Ӡ

The affembly, owing to the distance of habitations, was obliged to form itself into two diftinct religious focieties; the one, with which is our concern, foon had for its pastor the famous Mr. John Robinson. The church kept together about a year; but being extremely haraffed by perfecution, concluded upon removing to Holland. The pious refugees repaired to and fettled at Amfterdam; but after a while removed to Leyden; where they were highly refpected, and would have been allowed fome public favour, had it not been for fear of offending England. By hard and continued labour

*Such was the rapid growth of the Proteftant intereft, that in 1563, only forty-fix years after the commencement of the reformation by Luther, there were in France alone two thousand one hundred and fifty affemblies of Protestants.

+ Prince's New-England Chronology, Part I. p. 4.

bour they obtained a living. The Dutch employed them before others, for their honeft and exemplary behaviour, and readily trusted them when in want of money. Matters, however, were not altogether to their mind; and fome of the most fenfible in 1617 began to think of another removal. It was imagined, that if a better and eafier place of living could be had, numbers would join them. The morals of the Dutch were too diffolute, and they were afraid that their offspring would become irreligious. Befide, they had an ardent, noble, and godly defire, of laying a foundation for spreading the religion of Jesus over the remote regions of the earth, and of handing down to future ages, what they thought to be the pure and unadulterated worship of the great JEHOVAH. They therefore directed their views to America. To thofe who objected-the length and danger of the voyage, the difficulties and calamities to which they should be expofed, the barbarities and treacheries of the indians, and their inability to fupport the expence-it was answered, "The difficulties are not invincible, and may be overcome by fortitude and patience; the ends propofed are good and honourable; the calling lawful and urgent; the bleffing of God may therefore be expected. We live but as exiles now, and are in a poor condition. The truce with the Spaniards is haftening to a close. Nothing but preparations for war are going forward. The Spaniards may be as cruel as the favages; and famine and peftilence may be as fore in Holland as in America."

After ferious and folemn application to God for direction, they concluded on carrying the proposal of croffing the Atlantic into execution, intending to live in a diftinct body by themselves, under the general government of the Virginia Company, and to fue to his majesty, King James, for full liberty and freedom of conscience.

The Virginia Company granted them a patent, with as ample privileges as they could; but, notwithstanding the great interest made by gentlemen of the first character, and by the chief secretary of state, the KING and BISHOPS refufed to allow the refugees, though at the distance of three thousand miles, liberty of confcience under the royal feal. All they could obtain from his majesty, was a promife that he would connive at, and not moleft them, provided they carried themselves peaceably; but he would not tolerate them by his public authority. Upon this occafion it was wifely obferved, "If his majefty's promife is no fecurity, a further confirmation will be of little value; though it has a feal as broad as the housefloor,

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