198 American Coin, Currency, &c. The exceeding great difference in the currency of the American Provinces, has occafioned much mifapprehenfion concerning the actual price of both labour and provifions; their refpective relative prices cannot be judged of by the nominal value of their provincial currency, but require to be calculated by the intrinfic value of the coin which it reprefents, and its relative value to the money of Europe. At New York, the dollar paffes for 8s. currency, yet when they pay England for the goods they import, they eftimate the fame dollar at about 4s. 6d. fterling, or at the rate which Great Bri tain reckons it in exchange with Ame`rica. In New York, a labourer receiv. ing half a dollar, or 4 s. currency, wages per day, muft buy all the neceffaries for his fubfiftence at the fame rate; whilft the labourer at North Carolina, where the fame dollar is current only at 4s. 8 d. receives equal wages at only 2 s. 4 d. AMERICAN COINS [March, per day; but this by no means proves which of the two is able to command most of the neceffaries of life; nor does it follow, that New York cannot afford to export he produce as cheap as North Carolina, provided there are no other local caufes, which operate to enhance their coft; for notwithstanding the vaft difference in the value of their currency, it will only have a mere nominal operation upon either labour, provifions, or other produce. The prefent ftate of America, both in refpect of population and capital, is a greater impediment to the progrefs of her manufactures, than the price of labour. It is more to her intereft to employ the capital fhe draws from her credit (principally with this country) to promote her agriculture; for her, therefore, to undertake for many years to come to manufacture for herself, would hinder her increafing population, and deprive her of the capital fhe now profitably beftows upon the cultivation of her land, and raising from her foil a vast variety of produce, to give in exchange for the commodities fhe wants. The impolicy of Europe, and of this country in particular, by purfuing a system unavoidably calculated to increafe the population of America, and to diminish their own, to enhance the prices both of labour and provifions; will probably oblige America to anticipate her manufactures, and by the dearnefs of the markets the ufed to be fupplied from, make it more practicable for her to attempt the introduction of fimilar manufactures. 2 ditto SILVER COINS. 371 pure filver or 18510 (about 2s. 3d. fterling) 921 37% or (about 5 Sterling) 18.2 or 16 20 COPPER COINS. Standard, 436 208 104 412 204 208grs. 104 of a dollar ditto THE FOUR AMERICAN CURRENCIES. New York 8s. 11s. 3d. fter. Value of dolur, 6s. 20s. currency is 15s. Hterling Value of 100 fterling, £133311773 1797.] New England 155. Sterling New England £360 New York At 15 Cents, duty is Amount Currency 16 4 American Currency and Stocks. COMPARATIVE VIEW OF THE CURRENCIES. New Jersey = 185. 9d. EXAMPLE OF DUTY ON GOODS IN EACH CURRENCY, AT 15 CENTS PER New Jersey S. Carolina = IIS. 8d. £280 4200 28 16 25 6 9 9 343 16 Is in Sterling 257 17 253 16 254 16 EXAMPLE OF DUTY ON GOODS AT 15 N.B. 1 Cent per Dollar is Sterling £270 Dollar at 4s. 6d. 15 Cents are is £360 CENTS PER DOLLAR. equal to £1 fterling per Cent, and fo in proportion. New Jersey 1200 S. Carolina £480 12CQ 180,00 New York £480 1200 180,00 180,00 Or in Ster. at €45. 6d 180 is 15 per Cent. £275 Sterling Dollars Are, in Currency And, in Sterling, 229 10 229 10 The proportion between : Sterling and Dollars, in the four American Currencies, is, as 81 to 360, or 4s. 6d. for a Dollar. To reduce. Sterling into American Dollars; multiply by 40, and divide by 9% TO REDUCE CURRENCY INTO STERLING And to reduce Sterling into Curren y, make the faid multipliers, divifors; and the divifors, multipliers. TO REDUCE THE CURRENCIES INTO EACH OTHER. New Jerfey (multiply by 45-and divide by 28) The whole ftock is in dollars, at the rate of 4s. 6d. fterling per dollar. Befides the faid four funded flocks, a national bank is established at Philadelphia, on the fame principle as the Bank of England, and confifts of twenty-five thoufand fhares of four hundred dollars each, or ninety pounds fterling-which, at the price of 1021. and the average dividend of 81. per cent, yield an intereft of 71. s. per cent. continue in favour of the payment of the The exchange is 8, will most likely intereft, to the holders of Rock in this To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, BY the infertion of Anti-Sinboron's remarks on my former letter, you have given them an importance, which, elsewhere, I should not, have thought they poffeffed. And as they include a challenge, which I do not feel myfelf at liberty to refufe, I beg you will indulge me with a few words in reply. With refpect to the language in which my opponent couches his objections, I would, for his benefit, hint, that the frequent recurrence of contemptuous phrases, are ever confidered, by thofe, whofe good opinion alone we are equally defirous to poffefs, as props to fupport feeble rea-, foning, not as aids to corroborate the ftrong. The fum of Anti-Sinboron's objections to what I have advanced on comparatives, is contained in his affertion, that "there is no adjective which does not exprefs fome determinate and precife quality:" and on this we are fairly at ifue. But the burthen of proof lies neceffarily on my adverfary. Mathematicians have furnished us with definitions of thofe modes of figure fquare and round: now, if AntiSinboron will alfo define, or, in other words, inform us what is the "precife" and determinate" import of the terms long and short, I will embrace the "dreadful alternative !!!" of univerfally expelling comparatives from language; or, fubmit to what I yet deem the incorrect language of daily ufe, and fay-" this ring is rounder than that-that glafs is more full this." Surely it is the extreme of abfurdity to affirm, that thofe qualities (high and low, for inftance) are "precife" and "determinate;" which must not only vary with every different kind of fubjects to which they are applied, but are even differently applied to the fume fubject, according to the infinite variety of opinions and tastes. The Welch mountains are esteemed fublimely lofty, by him who has lived only in the low lands of Suffolk. But the refident of the Alps would defpife them, as low and diminutive. The man-mountain in Lilliput, was a Lilliputian in Brobdignag.But, "Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?” Anti-Sinboron's remarks, however, are chiefly directed against the utility of verbal criticism, as a study. I refpect your fheets too much to attempt answering his affertions in detail, for he has con trived to engraft palpable abfurdities [March, 66 on upon obvious truisms. Whilst I admit that language is intended for general ufe, I cannot allow, that the meaning of words was fuggefted by common fenfe," that is common perception, unlefs it was a fenfe miraculoufly imparted, like the translation of the Septuagint to the Seventy. On the contrary, I must confider language as purely artificial: and in its prefent ftate of refinement, to be governed, as other arts are, by rules fuggefted by thofe who have devoted their attention to the ftudy of them. Phyfic is a benefit to all; yet all are not, therefore, phyficians. My obfervations comparatives were intended to be merely illuftrative of the important rule, that we should fcrupulously parfe every word we ufe, and if it add not to the fenfe, or be ufed in a fenfe different from its general fignification, that we should then ceafe to employ it. Though I agree, therefore, with Anti-Sinboron, that it would be foolish for any one to employ the word good, where others use bad; yet, if, notwithstanding good and bad bore their prefent fignification, the abftract term goodness was, through fafhion or accident, generally ufed as the fubftantive of bad, I fhould think it right to attempt the correction of this violation of analogy, which mut tend produce in all minds, a great confufion of ideas. Left it fhould be thought I have produced, by way of example, an error too extravagant to be tolerated, I will notice a fimilar abufe of the words specific, &c. to The logical diftinctions of genus, fpecies, and individual. and their derivatives, general, fpecific, and particular, are certainly well known. Yet we hear, conftantly, at the fenate, fome honourable gentleman requeft his adverfary, not to dwell in generals, but to bring fome fpecific charges, or Specify fome facts, &c. when it is certain, the orator does not with for the fpecies of the fact, but for the particular fact itself. However, for what "particular" lofes by the ufurpation of " fpecific," it is more than compenfated by an encroachment, on its part, upon a word with which it has no obvious connection. The politician takes up the paper of the day, and findfriend, that it contains nothing “partiing the mail is not yet arrived. tells his cular," when he means, that it has nothing important. The claim which is often made, on the language, is, like that of moft tyrants, part of cuflom, to be fole regulator of #797.] Tour of England.-Wakefield, Chapletown, &c. very vague and ill defined; it is her practice to produce her changes filently and gradually; and it fhould be afcertained, how long a period muft elapfe, after which, her admiffion must be allowed. We are accuftomed to use the word TRIVIAL, to exprefs fomething frivolous, trifling, unimportant; yet La Bruyere fays, fpeaking of pulpit difcourfes: "Il faut marcher par des chemins battus, dire ce qui a été dit, ce que l'on prévoit que vous allez dire: les Matières (viz. the existence of God, and the profpects of futurity) font grandes, mais ufées & TRIVIALES." The epithets great and trivial appear incompatible, till we learn, that the trivialis of the Latin, with which both the English and French are almost identical, is derived from trivium, a place where three roads met. The preceding obfervations prefent us with a glimpfe of the fource of that per nicious loofenefs and indefinitenefs of fpeech, which prevail fo generally. In part, they appear to arife from the affociation of ideas in the mind; in which, diftinct qualities, having been confidered as refiding together in one fubftance, are often afterwards blended and confounded by thofe loofe and carelefs fpeakers, who cannot fpeak correctly, because they cannot think precifely; but who, unfortunately, from their numbers and fituation, fix the language of a country.Thus, although there is no neceffary connection between the intrinsic value of a thing, and the manner in which it is ufed, or employed; yet moft perfons, being in the habit of efteeming what is exclufively their own, and of defpifing what is common to others; and the connection being once formed between meannefs and frequency of ufe; the idea annexed to the word trivial has been fhifted from the attribute to which it originally belonged (and which is now expreffed by a term, faft finking to reproach, viz. barknied) to that of mean nefs and infignificance. So, the word vulgar now implies fomething bafe and groveling in actions, though it originally indicated only the frequency of their being performed. 201 It is furely fair. to afk, whether we ought not to use these terms in (what appears to be) their original, ftrict, and proper fenfe? Anti-Sinboron's fear, that we fhall want new terms, is groundless. In fact, our language contains a huge, but ill-forted, mafs of terms; which require only a little arrangement, to produce the defirable effects of perfpicuity, correctness, and energy. Jan. 9, 1797. And the word fine, from denoting what was wrought with extreme delicacy and ability, now fignifies, in common fpeech, what is gawdy and fhowy, though its ancient import ftill remains, when we fpeak of lace, &c. and in the metaphorical application of it to intellect, as when we fpeak of a refined fpeculation. SINBORON. TOUR OF ENGLAND, (CONTINUED). Journal of a Tour through almost every county in England, and part of Wales, by Mr. JoнN HOUSEMAN, of Corby, near Carlisle; who was engaged to make the Tour by a gentleman of diftinction, for the purpose of collecting authentic information, relative to the state of the poor. This Journal comprifes an account of the general appearance of the country, of the foil, furface, buildings, &c. with obfervations agricultural, commercial, &c. PRIL 29, went from LEEDS to AP WAKEFIELD, in Yorkshire, eight miles and a half. The furface pretty level; foil principally clay; fields fmall ; much land in grafs; hedges quickfet; the buildings good; and the population great; the fabric of cloth and ftuffs occupy the whole country. Near Wakefield, paffed over a pretty large tract of fine common, which is about to be inclofed. The country, upon the whole, has a very pleafing appearance. WAKEFIELD is a fmall, well-built town; the streets generally clean, with flagged walks on each fide. It is increafing in population and buildings. A few ftuff-pieces are brought to market here, but not much woollen cloth. The cloth manufactories in the neighbourhood are numerous; but the cloth is chiefly fold Huthersfield. The high fpire of Wakefield church, prefents itself to view at a confiderable diftance; a new one is now erecting. Canals ftretch in various directions. The River Calder washes one fide of the town. Coal is got in abundance in the neighbourhood. April 30, went from WAKEFIELD to CHAPLETOWN, in Yorkshire, eighteen miles. The foil in general light, but in fome parts, fomewhat cold, wet, and fterile. The furface of the country, taken generally, is pretty level, yet rifes in numerous gentle fwells. The culture confifts of corn and grafs. The land appears to be pretty well cultivated, and 202 Tour of England.-Sheffield. and a regular rotation of meliorating crops prevail. Paffed through BARNSLEY, a fmall market town, eight miles from WAKEFIELD. A linen manufacture exifts there. The yarn from Holland; and the cloth chiefly exported. The general face of the country is cheerful; there are feveral tracts of woodland, and the hedges are clothed with trees, principally oak and afh, but generally of a dwarf appearance. The feats of noblemen and gentlemen are feen in various directions; the principal of them are Wentworth Houfe, and Stainmore Hall; the former belonging to Earl Fitzwilliam, and the latter to Lord Stafford. Some very high obelifks, which ftand on eminences, at the junctions of manors or demefnes, of different proprietors, ftrike the eye of the traveller, and convey an idea of grandeur. The buildings are good, partly of brick, and partly of white free-front. In leaving the woollen manufacturing country, and approaching that of iron, the change is announced by the columns of fmoke, arifing from founderies in different places. . CHAPLETOWN is a fmall village, chiefly inhabited by people employed in the iron works. May 1ft, went from CHAPELTOWN to ECCLESFIELD, in Yorkshire, one mile. Ecclesfield, is a fmall village; the manufacture of files and nails, &c. is, however, carried on to a confiderable ex tent. May ad, went from ECCLESFIELD to SHEFFIELD, in Yorkshire, four miles and a half. Soil rather heavy, and con tains a confiderable mixture of whitish clay; fome wheat appears, but has not a promifing afpect. In this district, I obferved, fmall tracts of common fields. under a bad fyftem of agriculture. The buildings are good, modern, and convenient; the gardens remarkably large, and well furnifhed with ufeful plants. The roads are in good order, with a caufeway on one fide, for the use of footpaffengers. SHEFFIELD prefents itself at a little distance, almoft enveloped in the smoke proceeding from its numerous fire-engines, founderies, forges, &c. The town has rather a fingular appearance, from its occupying a longifh hill, and extending over the adjoining vallies, and on other hills at each end; but, upon the whole, it appears to ftand rather in a valley. The three churches which are [March, erected on the hill, have a fine effect; their fpires overtop the whole town, and are rendered ftill more majestic at a fmall diftance, by the intervening atmofphere being almoft continually thickened with the footy exhalations. are SHEFFIELD is well built, and from its fituation the ftreets are generally clean; feveral ftreets are wide, open, and airy; others are too narrow. The thambles were lately built upon an excellent plan. The flaughter-houfes, which, in large towns, are frequently barbarous and difgraceful nuifances, are here built clofe to the river, fo that the blood and other offenfive and filthy matters, immediately carried off, inftead of running down the streets, as is the cafe in other places, even in the metropolis. An infirmary, on an extenfive fcale, is now erecting in a convenient fituation; but the fame public fpirit has not shown itfelf, in providing a new and more comfortable work-houfe, though equally wanted. Near the new infirmary are the horse barracks. The population of SHEFFIELD, exclufive of the adjoining villages, is faid to be about 28,000, and including them, about 30,000 or 31,000. This population is chiefly fupported by the manufacture of knives, razors, files, fciffors, &c. &c. Two fmall rivers, which form a junction at the town, affift in the turning of machinery; and plenty of coals being at hand, for the working of fire-engines, all the heavy work has, in latter years, been performed by means of mechanism. In fhort, the people of this town have made one improvement upon another in their manufactures, infomuch, that they are now able to under-fell every other market in the world, in thefe artiles. A gentleman remarked to me, that, before the introduction and ufe of ma chinery, in forging iron and steel, the neceffity of doing all that hard and heavy work by the hands of men, occafioned Sheffield to abound in cripples, and in weak deformed people; but which is not now the cafe. The nature of the manufacture gives, however, to the manufacturers, as well as the town itself, a very dark complexion. Notwithstanding the wonderfully low prices at which Sheffield ware is fold to retailers, the meaneft knife paffes through the hands of five cutlers, in different branches of cutlery, before it is finished. The manufacturers earn great wages, but are much addicted to drinking, the |