which is found people of every nation on the
earth; and where
all appear to unite cordially, as
in one common family. Such are the
beneficial
effects of a free and liberal policy, the seeds of
which
were sown by that enlightened patriot Wil-
liam Penn.
The frost still continuing very
intense, the use of wheel carriages was in a
great
measure discontinued: even the stage coaches
being placed on
sliders. Carriages fitted up in
this way, glide along with such silent
celerity, that
the laws require the horses should have small bells
fitted to their harness, that passengers in the streets
may have notice of
their approach; otherwise they
would be liable to many accidents. On
level
ground, or in the most trifling descents, there is so
little
friction upon the sliders, that I have often
noticed the traces to be quite
slack for a consider-
able time, when they have been driving along
with
great swiftness; the pressure on the reins being suffi-
cient to
keep the carriage in motion. The noise of
carriage wheels, which is, in
general, very consider-
able, especially in the principal streets; is
now
supplanted by the tinkling of bells on every hand.