ers of the first distinction in Europe. This is an evidence of the increas ing refpectability and improvement of the fociety.

Their charter allows them to hold lands, gifts, &c. to the amount of the clear yearly value of ten thousand bushels of wheat. The number of members is not limited.

2. THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING POLITICAL INQUIRIES; confifting of fifty members, inftituted in February, 1787.

3. THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, inftituted in 1787, for the promotion of medical, anatomical and chemical knowledge.

4. THE UNION LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA, which was begun in 1731, incorporated by the proprietors of the province in 1742, and united with other companies, upon a fimilar establishment, in 1769. The number of members in 1773 was upwards of 400. They poffefs (except the library of Harvard college) the most valuable collection of books in America, confifting of upwards of 7000 volumes, which are kept in Carpenters Hall. Under the fame roof they have a mufeum, containing a collection of curious medals, manufcripts, ancient relicks, foffils, &c. and a philofophical apparatus.

5. THE PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL, a humane inftitution, which was firft meditated in 1750, and carried into effect by means of a liberal fubfcription of about 3000, and by the affiftance of the affembly, who in 1751, granted as much more for the purpofe. The prefent building was begun in 1754, and finished in 1756. This hofpital is under the direction of twelve managers, chofen annually, and is vifited every year by a committee of the affembly. The accounts of the managers are fubmitted to the infpection of the legislature. Six phyficians attend gratis, and generally prefcribe twice or three times in a week, in their turns. This hofpital is the general receptacle of lunaticks and madmen, and of thofe affected with other diforders, and are unable to fupport themselves. Here they are humanely treated, and well provided for. 6. THE PHILADELPHIA DISPENSARY, for the medical relief of the poor. This benevolent inftitution was established on the 12th of April, 1786, and is fupported by annual fubfcriptions of thirty-five fhillings each perfon. No lefs than 1800 patients were admitted, within fixteen months after the firft opening of the difpenfary. It is under the direction of twelve managers, and fix phyficians, all of whom attend gratis. This inftitution exhibits an application of fomething like the mechanical powers, to the purposes of humanity. The greatest quantity of good is produced in this way with the leaft money. Five hundred pounds a year defrays all the expences of the inftitution. The poor are taken care of in their own houses, and provide every thing for themselves, except medicines, cordial drinks, &c.

7. THE PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY for promoting the ABOLITION OF SLAVERY, and the relief of FREE NEGROES unlawfully held in bondage. This fociety was begun in 1774, and enlarged on the 23d of April, 1787. The officers of the fociety confift of a prefident, two vice-prefidents, two fecretaries, a treasurer, four counsellors, an electing committee of twelve, and an acting committee of fix members; all of whom, except the laft, are to be chofen annually by ballot, on the firft Monday in January. The fociety meet quarterly, and each member contributes ten fhillings annually,

annually, in quarterly payments, towards defraying its contingent expences.

The legislature of this ftate have favoured the humane defigns of this fociety, by An Act for the gradual Abolition of Slavery; paffed on the ift of March, 1780; wherein, among other things, it is ordained, that no perfon born within the ftate, after the paffing of the act, shall be confidered as a fervant for life; and all perpetual flavery is, by this act, for ever abolished. The act provides, that those who would, in cafe this act had not been made, have been born fervants or flaves, fhall be deemed fuch, till they fhall attain to the age of twenty-eight years; but they are to be treated in all refpects as fervants bound by indenture

for four years.

8. THE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED BRETHREN for propagating the Gofpel among the Heathens, inftituted in 1787, to be held ftatedly at Bethlehem. An act, incorporating this fociety, and investing it with all neceffary powers and privileges for accomplishing its pious defigns, was paffed by the legislature of the ftate, on the 27th of February, 1788. They can hold lands, houfes, &c. to the annual amount of two thoufand pounds.

These pious Brethren, commonly called Moravians, began a miffion among the Mahikan, Wampano, Delaware, Shawanoe, Nantikok, and other Indians, near fifty years ago, and were fo fuccefsful as to add more than one thousand fouls to the Chriftian church by baptifm. Six hundred of thefe have died in the Chriftian faith; about 300 live with the miffionaries near Lake Erie, and the reft are either dead or apoftates in the wilderness*.

9. The PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY, for the Encouragement of Manufactures and ufeful Arts, inftituted in 1787, open for the reception of every citizen of the United-States, which will fulfil the engagements of a member of the fame. The fociety is under the direction of a prefident, four viceprefidents, and twelve managers, befides fubordinate officers. Each member, on his admiffion, pays ten fhillings at least into the general fund; and the fame fum annually, till he fhall cease to be a member. Befides this, they have a manufacturing fund, made up of fubfcriptions of not lefs than ten pounds, for the purpose of establishing factories in fuitable places, for the employment of the induftrious poor. The fubfcribers have all the profits arifing from the bufinefs. The meetings of this fociety are held quarterly.

Befides thefe, there is a SOCIETY FOR ALLEVIATING THE MISERIES OF PRISONS; and a HUMANE SOCIETY, for recovering and reftoring to life the bodies of drowned perfons; inftituted in 1770, under the direction of thirteen managers.

Alfo, an Agricultural Society; a Society for German Emigrants; a Marine Society, confifting of Captains of veffels; a Charitable Society for the Support of the Widows and Families of Prefbyterian Clergymen; and St. George's, St. Patrick's, and St. Andrew's Charitable Societies; alfo the Society of Free and Accepted Mafons.

* An affecting history of the Brethren's mission among the Indians, will fhortly be published.

College,

1

Colleges, Academies, and Schools.] From the enterprizing and literary fpirit of the Pennfylvanians, we fhould naturally conclude, what is fact, that thefe are numerous.

In Philadelphia is a UNIVERSITY, founded during the war. Its funds were partly given by the ftate, and partly taken from the old college of Philadelphia.

A medical fchool, which was founded in 1765, is attached to the univerfity; and has profeffors in all the branches of medicine, who prepare the ftudents (whofe number, yearly, is 50 or 60) for degrees in that fcience.

DICKINSON COLLEGE, at Carlife, 120 miles weftward of Philadelphia, was founded in 1783, and has a principal-three profeffors-a philofophical apparatus-a library, confifting of nearly 3000 volumes-four thousand pounds in funded certificates, and 10,000 acres of land; the laft, the donation of the ftate. In 1787, there were eighty ftudents belonging to this college. This number is annually increafing. It was named after his excellency John Dickinfon, formerly prefident of this ftate.

In 1787, a college was founded at Lancaster, 66 miles from Philadelphia, and honoured with the name of FRANKLIN COLLEGE, after his excellency Dr. Franklin. This college is for the Germans; in which they may educate their youth in their own language, and in conformity to their own habits. The English language, however, is taught in it. Its endowments are nearly the fame as thofe of Dickinfon college. Its trustees confift of Lutherans, Calvinists, and English; of each an equal number. The principal is a Lutheran, and the vice-principal ia a Calvinift. This college, as it concentres the whole German intereft, and has ample funds to fupport profeffors in every branch of fcience, has flattering profpects of grewing importance and extenfive utility.

In Philadelphia, befides the univerfity and medical school already mentioned, there is the PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL ACADEMY, a very flourishing inftitution-THE ACADEMY FOR YOUNG LADIES-Another for the Friends or Quakers, and one for the Germans; besides five free fchools, one for the people called Quakers, one for Prefbyterians, one for Catholics, one for Germans, and one for Negroes. The Epifcopalians have an academy at York-town, in York-county. There is alfo an academy at German-town, another at Pittsburgh, and another at Washington; thefe are endowed by donations from the legislature, and by liberal contributions of individuals.

The fchools for young men and women in Bethlehem and Nazareth, under the direction of the people called Moravians, have already been mentioned, and are decidedly upon the best establishment of any schools in America. Belides there, there are private schools in different parts of the ftate; and to promote the education of poor children, the state have appropriated a large tract of land for the establishment of free schools. A great proportion of the labouring people among the Germans and Irish, are, however, extremely ignorant.

Chief Towns.] Philadelphia is the Capital, not only of this, but of the United-States. It is fituated on the weft bank of the river Delaware, on an extenfive plain, about 118 miles (fome fay more) from the fea. The length

length of the city eaft and weft, that is, from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, upon the original plan of Mr. Penn, is 10,300 feet, and the breadth, north and fouth, is 4837 feet. Not two fifths of the plot covered by the city charter is yet built. The inhabitants, however, have not confined themselves within the original limits of the city, but have built north and fouth along the Delaware, two miles in length. The longeft ftreet is Second-street, about 700 feet from Delaware, river, and parallel to it. The circumference of that part of the city which is built, if we include Kenfington on the north, and Southwark on the fouth, may be about five miles.

Market-street is 100 feet wide, and runs the whole length of the city from river to river. Near the middle, it is interfected at right angles by Broad-street, 113 feet wide, running nearly north and fouth, quite across the city.

Between Delaware river and Broad-ftreet are 14 ftreets, nearly equidistant, running parallel with Broad-street, across the city; and between Broad-street and the Schuylkill, there are nine ftreets, equidiftant from each other. Parallel to Market-ftreet are eight other ftreets running eaft and weft from river to river, and interfect the crofs ftreets at right angles; all these streets are 50 feet wide, except Arch-ftreet, which is 65 feet wide. All the ftreets which run north and fouth, except Broadftreet mentioned above, are 50 feet wide. There were four fquares of eight acres each, one at each corner of the city, originally referved for public and common uses. And in the centre of the city, where Broadftreet and Market-ftreet interfect each other, is a fquare of ten acres, referved in like manner, to be planted with rows of trees for public walks. The firft ftreet between Delaware river and the bank, is called Waterstreet. The next, on the top of the bank, is called Front-street; and west of this the streets are numbered, fecond, third, fourth, &c.

On the river Delaware, there are 16 public landings, at the distance of 4 or 500 feet from each other; and private wharfs fufficient for 200 fail of fea veffels to unload at a time; and room to build any neceffary number. There are 10 public landings on the Schuylkill, which, as the town does not yet extend fo far, are at present of no use.

Philadelphia was founded in 1682, by the celebrated William Penn, who, in October 1701, granted a charter, incorporating the town with the privilege of choofing a mayor, recorder, eight aldermen, twelve common-council men, a sheriff and clerk.

The city charter was vacated by the revolution, and has not been renewed under the new government. A bill for this purpose is now

(Nov. 1788) depending before the legislature.

In 1749, the dwelling houses in the feveral wards in Philadelphia, were as follows.

South

At this time the number of inhabitants in the city were estimated at 11,000 whites, and 600 blacks. The number of churches were then as follows,

2 Presbyterian,

2 Quaker,

1 Epifcopalian,

1 Swedish,

1 Baptist,

1 German Lutheran,

Į German Calvinist,
1 Moravin,

1 Roman Catholic.

The following will give the reader an idea of the proportional numbers of the feveral religious denominations in Philadelphia.

An account of births and burials in the united churches of ChriftChurch and St. Peter's in Philadelphia, from December 25, 1781, to December 25, 1782.

Christened,

S Males
Females

189

185

Buried,{

Males
Females

Philadelphia now contains about 5000 houfes; in general handsomely built of brick; and 40,000 inhabitants, compofed of almost all nations and religions. Their places for religious worship are as follows.

The