The sole object of
the Bristolians is trade, and every face you meet with has a ledger-like
countenance, closely resembling the calculating citizen of London, whose
every thought is directed to the accumulation of wealth, by increased
sales of merchandize, or the overreaching his neighbour in taking the
first advantage of the market.
[Illustration: page293]
The arrival of the London mail, which comes in about ten o'clock in the
morning, afforded Transit another opportunity of picking up what little
of character there was to be found. At Bristol there is always a great
anxiety to obtain the London news and price current; so much so, that
the leading merchants and others assemble in front of the Post-office,
which also joins the Exchange, to wait the arrival of the mail (see
Plate), and receive the letters of advice which are to regulate their
concerns. It is but justice to add, there is no place in the kingdom of
the same distance to which the conveyance is quicker, and the facility
of delivery more promptly attended to. After breakfast we took a stroll
round the docks, and then bent our steps towards the heights, and along
the delightful walk which leads to the Hot Wells and Clifton.
To attempt a just description of the magnificent and romantic scenery
which surrounds Clifton, as it is viewed from the Downs, would occupy
more space than our limits will allow us to devote to the beauties of
landscape; and would, besides, interfere with an intention which Transit
and myself have in view at some future period of our lives, namely,
the making a topographical and characteristic tour through the United
Kingdoms, which being divided into counties, ~294~~and embracing not
only the historical and the picturesque, will be enlivened by all the
humorous vagaries, eccentric characters, and peculiar sports of each,
written in a colloquial style; and embracing the lingual localisms,
proverbs, and provincialisms of the inhabitants: thus producing a
humorous but most correct view of the present state of society and
manners.
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