This city would have been a capital fit for an empire had it been built and inhabited according to the proprietor's plan. Considering its late foundation, it is a large city, and most commodiously situated between Delaware and Schuylkill, two navigable rivers. The former being 2 miles broad, and navigable 300 miles for small vessels.

Philadelphia extends in length 2 miles from the one river to the other. There are eight long streets two miles in length, all straight and spacious. The houses are stately, very numerous (being near 3000), and still increasing, and all carried on regularly according to the first plan. It has two fronts to the water, one on the east side facing the Schuylkill, and that on the west facing the Delaware.

The Schuylkill being navigable 800 miles above the falls, the eastern part is most populous, where the warehouses (some three stories high), and wharfs are numerous and convenient. All the houses have large orchards and gardens belonging to them. The merchants that reside here are numerous and wealthy, many of them keeping their coaches, &c. In the centre of the city there is a space of ten acres, whereon are built the state-house, market-house, and school-house.

The former is built of brick, and has a prison under it. The streets have their names from the several sorts of timber common in Pennsylvania; as Mulberry Street, SafTafras Street, Chesnut Street, Beech Street, and Cedar Street. The oldest church is Christ Church, and has a numerous congregation: but the major part of the inhabitants, being at first Quakers, still continue so, who have several meeting-houses, and may not improperly be called the church, as by law established, being the originals.

The quay is beautiful, and 200 feet square, to which a ship of 200 tons may lay her broadside. Near the town, and on the spot which separates it from the Schuylkill, where that river falls into the Delaware is found black earth of a great depth, and covered with vegetation: and which, it is evident, has been recently left by the water. It has all the character of land perfectly new and as yet scarcely raised from the bed of the river. This land is used for meadows, and is in great estimation. It is acknowledged, however, to be extremely unhealthy.

Between that and Wilmington, the quality. of the stone is quartzose; ocher is also to be found in an imperfect state. As the advantages this city may boast of, has rendered it one of the best trading towns out of the British empire; so in all probability it will increase in commerce and riches, if not prevented by party, faction, and religious feuds, which of late years have made it suffer considerably. The assemblies and courts of judicature are held here, as in all capitals. The French have no city like it in all America.

Happy was my lot in falling into my country- man's power, as he was, contrary to many others of his calling, a humane, worthy, honest man. Having no children of his own, and commiserating my unhappy condition, he took great care of me until I was fit for business; and about the 12th year of my age set me about little trifles; in which state I continued until my 14th year, when I was more fit for harder work.

During such my idle state, seeing my fellow-servants often reading and writing, it incited in me an inclination to learn, which I intimated to my master, telling him I should be very willing to serve a-year longer than the contract by which I was bound, if he would indulge me in going to school; this he readily agreed to, saying that winter would be the best time. It being then summer, I waited with impatience for the other season; but to make some progress in my design, I got a Primer, and learned as much from my fellow-servants as I could. At school, where I went every winter for five years, I made a tolerable proficiency, and have ever since been improving myself at leisure hours.

With this good master I continued till I was seventeen years old, when he died; and, as a reward for my faithful service, he left me £200 currency, which was then about £150 sterling, his best horse, saddle, and all his wearing apparel.