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May 9 ^th ,
We thus far moved steadily along or or near
the 40th parallel of latitude at distance of eighty to
one hundred and twenty miles for the Coast, and have
already left Cape Sable behind us, The snipe and
the petrel are our attendants, occasionally a vessel
westward bound passes us on leeward side
and shoals of porpoises amuse us with their
gymnastics. The wind which yesterday was cold
and searching is to day genial and soothing.
The chief difference between life on land and life
on sea to the passengers is that the former is filled
up with activity, The latter sinks into a monotony
of indolence – and indolence gains power by habit
and produces lassitude.
It is Twenty six years ago I crossed the
Atlantic on nearly the same route I am now
pursuing. Then there was no steam locomotive on
land in the world except on the Liverpool
and Manchester Rail road, and no steam
locomotive at all on the sea. Then the
"Europe" in which I sailed was the wonder
in p the ^commercial^ world. she was of 400 tons

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burthen, Now ^friends^ wondered at New York ^wondered^ that I
should embark in the Ariel, a ship of only
2000 tons. Then I was one of fifty passengers ^a complaint^ which
crowded the decks and cabins, now I am
one of one hundred and sixty and two thirds
of the deck and cabins are unoccupied
Then a cabin passage cost $140, now it costs
only $80. Then we carried chambers full of
life, now we have our fish, meats and
poultry of every sort sweetly preserved in ice
Then Europe was a wonder to Americans, now
America has become the study of Europe
and is becoming a peaceful civilizer in Japan China and the India . Then politicians and
statesmen dwelt upon the inconsistency of the
American people and the instability of Republi-
can Institutions. Now they are agitated only
by the disturbances of the European states and
the dangers of despotic systems.