按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e table in profusion； as well as puddings and desserts numerous and deadly。 Dinners were served usually in the afternoon。 The splendid banquet which Adams describes as given to some members of the Continental Congress by Chief Justice Chew at his country seat was held at four in the afternoon。 The dinner hour was still in the afternoon long after the Revolution and down to the times of the Civil War。 Other relics of this old love of good living lasted into modern times。 It was not so very long ago that an occasional householder of wealth and distinction in Philadelphia could still be found who insisted on doing his own marketing in the old way； going himself the first thing in the morning on certain days to the excellent markets and purchasing all the family supplies。 Philadelphia poultry is still famous the country over； and to be a good judge of poultry was in the old days as much a point of merit as to be a good judge of Madeira。 A typical Philadelphian； envious New Yorkers say； will still keep a line of depositors waiting at a bank while he discourses to the receiving teller on what a splendid purchase of poultry he had made that morning。 Early in the last century a wealthy leader of the bar is said to have continued the old practice of going to market followed by a negro with a wheelbarrow to bring back the supplies。 Not content with feasting in their own homes； the colonial Philadelphians were continually banqueting at the numerous taverns； from the Coach and Horses； opposite the State House； down to the Penny Pot Inn close by the river。 At the Coach and Horses； where the city elections were usually held； the discarded oyster shells around it had been trampled into a hard white and smooth floor over which surged the excited election crowds。 In those taverns the old fashion prevailed of roasting great joints of meat on a turnspit before an open fire； and to keep the spit turning before the heat little dogs were trained to work in a sort of treadmill cage。
In nothing is this colonial prosperity better revealed than in the quality of the country seats。 They were usually built of stone and sometimes of brick and stone； substantial； beautifully proportioned； admirable in taste； with a certain simplicity； yet indicating a people of wealth； leisure； and refinement； who believed in themselves and took pleasure in adorning their lives。 Not a few of these homes on the outskirts of the city have come down to us unharmed； and Cliveden； Stenton； and Belmont are precious relics of such solid structure that with ordinary care they will still last for centuries。 Many were destroyed during the Revolution； others； such as Landsdowne； the seat of one of the Penn family； built in the Italian style； have disappeared； others were wiped out by the city's growth。 All of them； even the small ones； were most interesting and typical of the life of the times。 The colonists began to build them very early。 A family would have a solid； brick town house and； only a mile or so away； a country house which was equally substantial。 Sometimes they built at a greater distance。 Governor Keith； for example； had a country seat； still standing though built in the middle of the eighteenth century； some twenty…five miles north of the city in what was then almost a wilderness。
Penn's ideal had always been to have Philadelphia what he called 〃a green country town。〃 Probably he had in mind the beautiful English towns of abundant foliage and open spaces。 And Penn was successful； for many of the Philadelphia houses stood by themselves； with gardens round them。 The present Walnut was first called Pool Street； Chestnut was called Winn Street； and Market was called High Street。 If he could have foreseen the enormous modern growth of the city； he might not have made his streets so narrow and level。 But the fault lies perhaps rather with the people for adhering so rigidly and for so long to Penn's scheme； when traffic that he could not have imagined demanded wider streets。 If he could have lived into our times he would surely have sent us very positive directions in his bluff British way to break up the original rectangular； narrow plan which was becoming dismally monotonous when applied to a widely spread…out modern city。 He was a theologian； but he had a very keen eye for appearances and beauty of surroundings。
Chapter IV。 Types Of The Population
The arrival of colonists in Pennsylvania in greater numbers than in Delaware and the Jerseys was the more notable because； within a few years after Pennsylvania was founded； persecution of the Quakers ceased in England and one prolific cause of their migration was no more。 Thirteen hundred Quakers were released from prison in 1686 by James II； and in 1689； when William of Orange took the throne； toleration was extended to the Quakers and other Protestant dissenters。
The success of the first Quakers who came to America brought others even after persecution ceased in England。 The most numerous class of immigrants for the first fifteen or twenty years were Welsh； most of whom were Quakers with a few Baptists and Church of England people。 They may have come not so much from a desire to flee from persecution as to build up a little Welsh community and to revive Welsh nationalism。 In their new surroundings they spoke their own Welsh language and very few of them had learned English。 They had been encouraged in their national aspirations by an agreement with Penn that they were to have a tract of 40；000 acres where they could live by themselves。 The land assigned to them lay west of Philadelphia in that high ridge along the present main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad； now so noted for its wealthy suburban homes。 All the important names of townships and places in that region； such as Wynnewood； St。 Davids； Berwyn； Bryn Mawr； Merion； Haverford； Radnor； are Welsh in origin。 Some of the Welsh spread round to the north of Philadelphia； where names like Gwynedd and Penllyn remain as their memorials。 The Chester Valley bordering the high ridge of their first settlement they called Duffrin Mawr or Great Valley。
These Welsh； like so many of the Quakers； were of a well…to…do class。 They rapidly developed their fertile land and； for pioneers； lived quite luxuriously。 They had none of the usual county and township officers but ruled their Welsh Barony； as it was called； through the authority of their Quaker meetings。 But this system eventually disappeared。 The Welsh were absorbed into the English population； and in a couple of generations their language disappeared。 Prominent people are descended from them。 David Rittenhouse； the astronomer； was Welsh on his mother's side。 David Lloyd； for a long time the leader of the popular party and at one time Chief Justice； was a Welshman。 Since the Revolution the Welsh names of Cadwalader and Meredith have been conspicuous。
The Church of England people formed a curious and decidedly hostile element in the early population of Pennsylvania。 They established themselves in Philadelphia in the beginning and rapidly grew into a political party which； while it cannot be called very strong in numbers； was important in ability and influence。 After Penn's death； his sons joined the Church of En