“On Friday, the 9th of August, I went to the Mayor to get leave to go to London.  He gave me ten days to get there, and told me, if he found me in Liverpool after that time, he should put me in prison, at which I could not help smiling.  His name is Drinkwater, but from the appearance of his face I should judge it might be Drinkbrandy.

“On account of his limiting us to ten days we prepared to set out for London immediately as we should be obliged to travel slowly....  Mr. and Mrs. Allston and myself ordered a post-chaise, and at twelve o’clock we set out for Manchester, intending to stay there the first night....  The people, great numbers of whom we passed, had cheerful, healthy countenances; they were neat in their dress and appeared perfectly happy....

“Much has been said concerning the miserable state in which the lower class of people live in England but especially in large manufacturing cities.  That they are so unhappy as some would think I conceive to be erroneous.  We are apt to suppose people are unhappy for the reason that, were we taken from our present situation of independence and placed in their situation of dependence, we should be unhappy; not considering that contentment is the foundation of happiness.  As far as my own observation extends, and from what I can learn on inquiry, the lower class of people generally are contented.  N.B.  I have altered my opinion since writing this....

“Thus far on our journey we have had a very pleasant time.  There is great difference I find in the treatment of travellers.  They are treated according to the style in which they travel.  If a man arrives at the door of an inn in a stage-coach, he is suffered to alight without notice, and it is taken for granted that common fare will answer for him.  But if he comes in a post-chaise, the whole inn is in an uproar; the whole house come to the door, from the landlord down to boots.  One holds his hand to help you to alight, another is very officious in showing you to the parlor, and another gets in the baggage, whilst the landlord and landlady are quite in a bustle to know what the gentleman will please to have.  This attention, however, is very pleasant, you are sure to be waited upon well and can have everything you will call for, and that of the nicest kind.  It is the custom in this country to hire no servants at inns.  They, on the contrary, pay for their places and the only wages they get is from the generosity of travellers.

“This circumstance at first would strike a person unacquainted with the customs of England as a very great imposition.  I thought so, but, since I have considered the subject better, I believe that there could not be a wiser plan formed.  It makes servants civil and obliging and always ready to do anything; for, knowing that they depend altogether on the bounty of travellers, they would fear to do anything which would in the least offend them; and, as there is a customary price for each grade of servants, a person who is travelling can as well calculate the expense of his journey as though they were nothing of the kind.”