Philadelphia is the seat of a celebrated College. This institution was begun under the auspices of Franklin, and was originally only an academy and charity school. Material alterations were made at different periods in its management and regulations, and it was incorporated by the legislature of the State, first as the College of Philadelphia, and afterwards on a more extended scale as the University of Pennsylvania. Although respectable in other departments, this seminary is most highly celebrated as a medical school, in which respect Philadelphia is regarded as the Edinburgh of the United States.

In a religious point of view, Philadelphia though strongly characterised by the peculiarities of its quaker origin, is not so much so as I had previously imagined. The Friends are now prodigiously outnumbered by those of other persuasions, and I believe that of themselves many who retain the name of the sect, have laid aside some of the peculiarities by which the more rigid are distinguished. This is particularly the case with those of younger years;-in dress there seems to be a kind of hesitating approximation to conformity with modern taste;

with every day. Its value may be appreciated by the fact, that none have spoken so highly of it as the best engravers of our native country. The most curious and most useful part of the discovery, is that process by which metal plates of the same design may be multiplied by pressure, to any extent, and with as much facility as impressions are obtained on paper (1823).

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and there are some individuals to be found, who, though careful in writing to retain the well known formula in date, address, and signature, have no objections in conversation to concede the usual courtesies of polite intercourse. Passive obedience and nonresistance have been generally esteemed essential to Quaker principles; but a considerable party in this city separated from the main body, during the Revolutionary war, in consequence of maintaining the propriety of fighting for the national independence. They still continue to be a distinct class, justifying an appeal to the sword in defence of national rights.

I was conducted one afternoon lately, by a Friend of the old school, to see their principal place of worship and burying ground. The meeting house is large and very plain, and is divided into two compartments, one for males, the other for females. My conductor remarked that in this house met the largest deliberative society in the world, in which every individual has a vote. This is on occasion of the annual meeting of the Quakers in the United States, when there are generally 1500 persons present, all of whom have an equal right of speech and suffrage.

The burying ground, behind the meeting house, is the only one of the kind that I ever saw. The surface was as level as a bowling green, excepting a small portion at one side where a few grassy hillocks indicated the mansions of the dead

My conductor remarked that the Friends had buried in that ground since the days of Penn. The resurrection of the body, he said, formed no part of their religious belief, and they considered it improper to erect any memorial over the departed, as if any part of the man were buried, or to preserve a distinction between the graves of one family and those of another. In accordance with these sentiments, they begin to inter at one corner of the enclosure; and go regularly on, digging one grave by the side of the preceding one, till the whole ground has been gone over. The surface is then completely levelled, and a new series of sepulchres begun.

All this was new to me, and somewhat revolting. That the society of Friends denied the resurrection of the body, I did not previously know. Neither was I aware that they set themselves to eradicate that principle in our hearts, which leads us to cling in fondness to the remains of the departed object of our affections, and to hallow the spot where the beloved dust reposes. This is far too philosophical for me, and I cannot help thinking offers violence to one of the purest, kindliest sympathies of the human heart. It is well to discountenance the laboured, and very frequently fabulous eulogies, with which tomb-stones are so profusely bedaubed; but to plough down the field, and leave it like the sand on the sea-shore devoid of trace or memorial-to put it out of my power to say my friend lies there,' is to lacerate feelings.

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which have been cherished and honoured in all ages, by all, even the best of men. "Where thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried !" "Why trouble ye the woman?" said the blessed Jesus," she hath wrought a good work upon me; for in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial." What can suggest a more exquisitely touching picture of a bleeding heart, than these affecting words, "She is gone to the grave to weep there!" All this must be unintelligible to a Quaker, if he is really consistent in his professed belief.

I attended at the meeting house one sabbath afternoon, to see their mode of worship; the only occasion on which I ever did so. The meeting did not continue longer than an hour, and the worship was certainly in the highest sense of the word intellectual, for not an individual opened his mouth. Some wore their hats, others put them off, and the aspect of many by no means betokened any great degree of mental abstraction.

Of the principles of the majority of the sect, I have been able to learn very little; indeed it would not be easy to ascertain exactly their confession of faith. I have met with individuals who maintained very decidedly the essential doctrines of evangelical religion, but I also found others whose sentiments seemed to approach very nearly to infidelity. Their almost total neglect of public instruction must necessarily occasion, among those who think

at all, a great diversity of sentiment upon speculative subjects. Their benevolence and philanthropy, however, are as conspicuous here as every where else; the early and most successful managers of the Penitentiary were principally Quakers, and a gentleman of the same body was pointed out to me, who is one of the most efficient managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital. The whole civilized world owe a debt of gratitude to the Quakers, for their long and unwearied labours in the cause of general philanthropy ;-and if slavery is to be abolished in this country, it will probably be effected through their instrumentality.

There are altogether nearly sixty places of worship" in Philadelphia; including most of the usual denominations, with some of German origin unknown in Scotland. During the few sabbaths

11 An attentive correspondent, whose kindness I have already had occasion to acknowledge, has transmitted the following enumeration of the churches and chapels in Philadelphia, as they stood in June 1822. 12 Presbyterian, under the General Assembly, including one for Africans, and one building;-11 Methodist, including four for Africans;-9 Episcopalian, including one for Africans, and two building;-6 Baptist, including one for Africans ;-5 Quakers, including one of Free Quakers, and one building;-4 Romish ;-2 Reformed Dutch;-2 German Calvinists, in one of which service is conducted in the German language;-2 German Lutherans, one also adhering to the vernacular tongue;-1 Associate Reformed ;— 1 Reformed Presbyterian, or Covenanters ;-1 Swedish Lutheran ;1 Moravian;-2 Universalist, including one building;-1 Socinian;-1 New Jerusalem ;—and 2 Jewish Synagogues. Total 63, including five building.