and momentous questions in politics which are now agitating the civilized world, and which press with peculiar weight upon our own country. It was the author's first intention to collect and expand the scattered hints on these and other general topics which he fouud in his journal, and to publish them in a small volume of essays. But, as observation may lend weight to reflection-as the scene may impart some interest to the sentiments which it awakened-he has thought fit, instead of presenting those reflections and sentiments in an abstract form, to imbody them in a general narrative of his tour.
It is only necessary to add, in order to explain the style of address which may occasionally appear in these pages, that they were written for, and sent, parcel by parcel, to his friends at home.