University of Virginia Library

PREFACE.

The evils of pestilence by which this city has lately
been afflicted will probably form an æra in its history. The
schemes of reformation and improvement to which they will
give birth, or, if no efforts of human wisdom can avail to
avert the periodical visitations of this calamity, the change
in manners and population which they will produce, will be,
in the highest degree, memorable. They have already supplied
new and copious materials for reflection to the physician
and the political economist. They have not been less fertile
of instruction to the moral observer, to whom they have
furnished new displays of the influence of human passions
and motives.

A midst the medical and political discussions which are
now afloat in the community relative to this topic, the author
of these remarks has ventured to methodize his own reflections,
and to weave into an humble narrative, such incidents
as appeared to him most instructive and remarkable among
those which came within the sphere of his own observation.
It is every one's duty to profit by all opportunities of inculcating
on mankind the lessons of justice and humanity. The
influences of hope and fear, the trials of fortitude and constancy,
which took place in this city, in the autumn of 1793,
have, perhaps, never been exceeded in any age. It is but

just to snatch some of these from oblivion, and to deliver to
posterity a brief but faithful sketch of the condition of this
metropolis during that calamitous period. Men only require
to be made acquainted with distress for their compassion and
their charity to be awakened. He that depicts, in lively
colours, the evils of disease and poverty, performs an eminent
service to the sufferers, by calling forth benevolence in those
who are able to afford relief, and he who pourtrays examples
of disinterestedness and intrepidity, confers on virtue the notoriety
and homage that are due to it, and rouses in the spectators,
the spirit of salutary emulation.

In the following tale a particular feries of adventures is
brought to a clofe; but thefe are neceffarily connected with
the events which happened fubfequent to the period here
defcribed. Thefe events are not lefs memorable than thofe
which form the fubject of the prefent volume, and may hereafter
be published either feparately or in addition to this.