The impressions thus become so deep and permanent, that there is no subsequent danger of their obliteration; for in politics, as in morals and religion, more depends on the first impressions planted in early youth, and the frequent repetition of them from thence to manhood in one unbroken chain, than upon the reasoning powers of individuals; and thus it is that national faiths, habits, and forms of government, are so continuously preserved from generation to generation.

The annual expense of this Asylum for feeding, clothing, and educating 100 orphans, is about 3,000 dollars or 600l. annually; being about 50 cents, or two shillings sterling, per head, per week; and the funds for this are readily obtained by subscriptions in the city, as the Asylum is a favourite charity. Every suitable opportunity is taken to place the children out at the proper age in advantageous situations in life; and hitherto the institution has been a great blessing to the destitute objects of its care, and an honour to its directors and supporters.

The last of the public institutions we saw in Albany was the Museum, which has been spoken of as one of the best in the country. We found it inferior, however, to any we had yet seen, in the limited extent and variety of its collections, as well as in the defective arrangement, and inferior quality of almost everything belonging to it.

CHAP. XVIII.

Excursion to the Shaker village of Niskyuna-Description of their place of worship-Arrangement for the reception of strangers— Costume of the Shakers, male and female-Silent commencement of their devotions-Address of one of the male eldersFirst hymn sung by all the worshippers-Address of a second elder to the visitors-Attitude of kneeling, and invitation to the Angels-Defence of the character of the Institution-Speech of one of the female elders-Commencement of the devotional dancing-Gradually increasing fervour of their devotionHymns to quick song-tunes, and a gallopade-Extravagant evolutions of the female dancers-Comparison with the whirling Dervishes of Damascus-Fanaticism of Christians, Mohammedans, and Hindoos.

ON Sunday, the 15th of July, we left Albany at nine in the morning, on a visit to the establishment of the religious sect called "The Shakers," at Niskyuna, a distance of eight miles from Albany in a north-west direction. Having a comfortable open carriage, and a good pair of horses, our journey was easy and agreeable. A great part of the road was bordered with a rich variety of wood, and other parts showed extended tracts of cultivation; while the range of the Catskill mountains, to the south, formed an interesting feature in the general picture. The sky was bright-the heat not oppressive-the thermometer at 80° in the town, and 75° in the

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country, and the perfume of the shrubs and flowers delightful.

We arrived at the village of Niskyuna, about halfpast ten, just as the community were assembling for worship, and saw several lines or files of males and females, walking in pairs, through the fields towards the place of meeting. We entered, with them, the place of worship, which was a plain room of about 50 feet long by 25 feet broad, without pulpit, pews, curtains, or any kind of furniture; plain benches being provided for seating the Shakers themselves, as well as the strangers who came to see them. Every part of the building, or room, was in the utmost perfection of cleanliness, and not a speck or particle of dust or dirt was anywhere visible.

For the strangers, a number of benches were placed, to accommodate about 200; and there were fully that number of visitors, from the neighbouring country, present. Of these, the males had to enter by one door, and the females by another; and each to remain separate during the service. Of the Shakers who joined in the worship, there were about 100 males, and 100 females. These entered also by different doors, and ranged themselves on benches in oblique lines from each end of the room, till they nearly met each other, when the space between the front row of each sex was triangular, the apex of the triangle being the place from whence the speakers addressed the assembly on the floor. The constantly widening space caused by the diagonal lines of the two front rows, left an opening by which all the strangers, who came as spectators, could see the

persons and countenances of those who joined in the worship clearly and distinctly.

The males included several boys from 7 or 8 years old to 14-and so upwards to young men of 20 -middle-aged of 30 and 40-and elders of 50, 60, and 70-and there was the same diversity of ages among the females. But notwithstanding the difference of age in each, they were all dressed in one uniform fashion.

The dress of the men consisted of a white shirt, collar, and white cravat, loose trousers, and large waistcoat of a deep maroon-coloured stuff, like camlet or bombazin; the trousers were so long as to touch the shoes, but there were neither straps to keep them down, nor braces to suspend them upwards. The waistcoat was of the old-fashioned cut of the courtdress used a century or two ago-single-breasted, with a deep waist cut away diagonally in front, and with long low pockets. The waistcoat was not buttoned, but hung loose, showing the entire front or bosom of the shirt, and no coat or jacket of any kind was worn, so that all the men were literally in their shirtsleeves.

The dress of the women was entirely white; the gown was long and narrow, and the waist short, the sleeves tight, the bosom plain, and all attempt at gracefulness of form, or decorative ornament, scrupulously avoided. A small clear muslin handkerchief, or cape, was worn over the shoulders; and a cap clear muslin, fitting closely to the face with long descending lappets, covered the head: while the hair was put up in the plainest manner, and almost entirely

of

concealed from view. On the left arm each female had a white napkin, neatly folded, and hanging over the arm; and the whole appearance of the congregation, notwithstanding its singularity, was impressive, from the purity and simplicity of their costume.

The physiognomy of the men was more indicative of the enthusiastic temperament than that of the women; and they were also characterized by better animal condition as to health and strength, with less appearance of intellect. Among the women there were a few, especially among the younger portion, that were handsome; but the greater number were very plain, and the whole were even more pallid than American women generally, with an appearance of langour, that betokened a morbid state of feeling, and very imperfect health.

The first half hour of the worship was passed in a profound silence; the men, as they entered, stepping as lightly as possible across the floor, to hang up their broad-brimmed straw hats on the wall: and the women, as they entered, disposing of their plain straw bonnets, all of the same pattern, in a similar manner, and then taking their seats; the eldest of each sex occupying the front rows, opposite to each other, and the younger filling up the benches behind them, and some sitting on the ground.

At the end of this half hour, one of the male elders rose, which was the signal for forming in ranks; when the benches were removed by the parties who sat on them, and ranged close to the wall, so as to leave the central part of the room clear. The lines were then formed, the men standing in rows, at one end of the room, and the women at the other,