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think even Monsieur Chabert himself, the celebrated fire-king, at the termination of the period during which we were thus broiling, would have found himself in a pretty comfortable glow: fortunately the storm passed off, after about an hour's probation, and we arrived in safety at our destination, through a pretty and well-cultivated country, after experiencing some other adventures not worth relating.

American carriages are, certainly, neat and very airy, from the circumstance of the sides being entirely open, and are, therefore, in summer very agreeable vehicles; making some abatement on the score of springs, which, possibly, are obliged to be made less elastic than our own on account of the roughness of the roads. In winter, however, and in rainy and tempestuous weather, the selfsame cause that conduces to comfort in the warm and dry season operates to the extreme annoyance and disadvantage of travellers; since, in order to exclude the storm, by letting down and fastening the leathers, you are compelled also to exclude the very air you breathe. No doubt, carriages appropriated to each extreme will be constructed ere long, to the general benefit of the community; when the serious question of life and death which we were urgently called upon to canvass, in our wholesale party in the coach, will cease to be agitated.

REASON FOR CONTENTMENT.

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Though my letter is short, in comparison with the last, yet having a good opportunity of sending it to New York, whence it will be despatched, I shall close it here: balance, therefore, the quicker receipt of it against its greater brevity, and be content. Adieu!

LETTER VII.

Society of Shakers-their extraordinary Doctrines-Ann Lee, their Founder-forbid Matrimony-believe that Christ has appeared a second Time-that the "Bride" alluded to in Revelations was Ann Lee- that the Millennium has commenced-their Tenets respecting Baptism-the Holy Sacrament-the Resurrection and Day of Judgmentbelieve that the latter have already commenced — their Faith as to the Perfectibility of Man-Extravagance in their Religious Ceremonies-Dancing the principal Worship in their Churches in support of it.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Quotations from Scripture

New Lebanon Springs, 14th July, 1831.

I AM now going to introduce you to one of the most extraordinary scenes, and to one of the most marvellous exhibitions, that I have ever witnessed in any of the four quarters of the globe in which I have travelled. Had I not received ocular demonstration of the fact, to the absolute astounding of my senses, I could not have conceived it possible that the infatuation of the human mind, in so enlightened an age as the one in which we live, could have proceeded to

SOCIETY OF SHAKERS.

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so extravagant a length. I allude to the Society of the Shakers; to the principal settlement of whom, established about three miles from New Lebanon, I paid a visit on Sunday last, in order to be present at the performance of their religious ceremonies; the characteristic worship comprised in which consists of dancing to the praise and glory of God.

As religion is a subject of such vital and solemn importance, as, under no aspect, however singular, and in no instance whatever, to be treated with levity or turned into unthinking ridicule, I shall carefully divest the observations which I am about to communicate to you, on the tenets, rites, and religious belief of this sect of fanatics, of all irreverent feeling and indecent mockery. And,— especially as I am inclined to believe that, though grossly deluded as these people must be considered, they are sincere, at least the majority of them, in their profession,—what I shall write to you will be dictated by a sentiment much more "in sorrow than in anger;" far removed from all indecorous derision, and still farther from misrepresentation; for, as I have the declaration of their faith before me, it will speak for itself.

Before, however, I lead you into their solemn assembly, as a witness of their devotional and fanatical exercises, I will state to you a few of their more prominent doctrines, as well as the

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ANN LEE, FOUNDER OF THE SECT.

name of the high priestess of their order, from whom the institution originated.

This latter was Ann Lee, the daughter of John Lee, a blacksmith of Manchester, who, as well on account of the persecutions she suffered in England, in consequence of her peculiar opinions and practices, as, more particularly, from a divine revelation which she is declared to have received, directing her to repair to America, embarked for this country with eight of her disciples in the year 1774. Here they continued for a length of time unnoticed, and without increasing their numbers, till, in 1787, having gained over a number of converts to their persuasion, they established themselves at New Lebanon, and from which, as the "Mother Church"-for such they style ithave been derived the various branch societies, to the amount of about a dozen, that are now found scattered in various parts of the Union, but principally in the states belonging to New England. Their aggregate numbers, as comprised in these different societies, amount to about six thousand.

One of their leading tenets denounces matrimony, as utterly opposed to the doctrines and spirit of vital Christianity which they profess; the substance of which, as declared in one of the articles of their faith, being "abstinence from all carnal and sensual passions, and a strict life of