This population is now, no doubt, increased, but, as no returns have fince been made, it is impoffible to state the increase with any accuracy; but we cannot deviate far from truth in stating the present number of male inhabitants above fixteen years of age, at about twenty-three thousand, thofe under at nearly the fame, and the total number of females at forty-two thousand: this calculation poffeffes, at least, the merit of not over-rating the numbers, and is warranted by the account which Mr. Belknap has given of the population of a neigh H 2 Total. a neighbouring State. As a proof that the population of this State has rapidly increased, we may obferve, that the town of Danville, which, according to the preceding account, contained in 1790, five hundred and feventy-four inhabitants, was five years before a wilderness without a fingle family. RELIGION, CHARACTER, &c. The principal body of the people are Congregationalists and Bap tifts; the other denominations are Prefbyterians and Episcopalians; their character and, manners, as might be expected, various, being an affemblage of people from various places, of different fentiments and habits, who have not lived together long enough to affimilate and form a general character; affemble together in imagination, a number of individuals of different nations confider them as living together amicably, and affifting each other through the toils and difficulties of life; and yet rigorously oppofed in particular religious and political tenets; jealous of their rulers, and tenacious of their liberties, difpofitions which originate naturally from the dread of experienced oppression, and the habit of living under a free government, and you have a pretty juft idea of the character of the people of Vermont, Indolence is never a characteristical feature of the settlers of a new country; emigrants in general are active and induftrious; the oppofite characters have neither fpirit nor inclination to quit their native spot. The inference is, that Vermont is peopled with an active, industrious, hardy, frugal race; as is really the cafe. And as it is a maxim that the inhabitants of all new.countries, grow virtuous before they degenerate, it will most probably be fo in Ver mont. The military ftrength of this State is truly refspectable; as far back as 1788, there were upwards of feventeen thoufand citizens upon the militia rolls; thefe confifted of two divifions, one on the weft, the other on the eaft fide of the mountain; in these two divifions were feven brigades, confifting of twenty-two regi The bravery of the Vermonteers, or Green Mountain, boys, is proverbial. ments. TRADE AND MANUFACTURES. The inhabitants of Vermont trade principally with Bofton, NewYork, and Hartford. The articles of export are chiefly pot and pearl aflies, beef, horfes, grain, fome butter and cheefe, lumber, &c. The # |