inferred from the first-and especially of one's own country, and what of improvements it contains, which is strikingly exhibited in the second. It is indeed true, that in older countries, where the arts have had longer time to ripen, and wealth to increase, the traveller will find greater and more numerous objects of curiosity, than in a country, which, like our own, has recently sprung into existence, and where as yet the wealth of the people is employed rather in expansion than in tasteful improvement. Yet, with a little more than two centuries gone over our heads, since the planting of the first colony in America, and while a good portion of that period has been spent in clearing our forests, and providing the means of subsistence, advances have been made in literature, in the arts, in architecture, &c., creditable to the taste, genius, and enterprise of our countrymen. We have, indeed, no cities, which can compare with several in the eastern hemisphere-no monuments like theirs-no palaces, nor baronial castles-nor a hundred other objects of taste and curiosity. But, in the settlements of a wilderness, stretching hundreds and even thousands of miles, on every side-in the erection of towns and cities-in the manufacture of articles of taste and fancy-in the variety and expansion of commerce-in the patronage given to the fine arts-in the elegance and even grandeur of some of our public edifices, we have exceeded all anticipations, and are without a parallel, considering the infancy of our country, in the history of nations. For centuries after the invasion, London, that world in miniature, bore no comparison to New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, or Boston. Westminster Abbey was the labor of half a century, and was completed at the distance of more than one thousand years from the foundation of the city in which it stands. St. Paul's-that monument of taste and wealth-was finished less than one hundred years ago. The marvel then is, not that America has achieved so little, but that she has accomplished so much. Foreigners, who have travelled through our country, have been wont to indulge in illiberal criticisms, comparing our cities, our public buildings, our specimens of the fine arts, &c., with those which they have seen beyond the waters, in countries which have been settled for centuries, and where princes and noblemen have lavished their millions upon these and similar objects, gathered from unwarrantable and oppressive taxation. But how absurd the comparison! When America shall have attained a similar agewhen her forests shall have been felled-when her wealth shall have increased, and it is rapidly rolling up-when her enterprise and genius shall become concentrated, and be applied to works of taste and magnificence, we shall doubtless see in her works, objects as grand, and monuments as splendid and enduring, as are now the boast of countries which were grown to manhood, when she first came on to the stage. The amateur may find as much to admire, as he now does in London, in Paris, in Rome, or was once admired in Athens, in Thebes, or Tadmor of the Desert. But already our country presents objects sufficient to command the admiration and gratify the taste and curiosity of her citizens. Were these better known, they would be more appreciated. Personal observation is always more gratifying, and makes deeper and more lasting impressions, than verbal descriptions. But there are a multitude, who enjoy not only no opportunity for foreign travel, but have neither the means nor the time to examine the various objects of interest in their own land. They visit such as are in their immediate neighborhood, and must depend upon written statements for the rest. Hence, whoever furnishes a correct and candid description of objects at a distance, performs for this numerous class a valuable service. With this object in view, the author has prepared the present work. It is designed not for the traveller, who has had the advantage of a personal visit to the places described, but for those who have not enjoyed, and are not likely to enjoy that privilege. The attempt, it is believed, is new, at least so far as to bring into a single volume, and independent of other subjects, a view of the cities of the American continent. It is offered only as an approximation to what is confessedly a desideratum among the books, which are found in the families of our country. The object of the work is two-fold—to furnish a book of rational entertainment-one which may pleasantly occupy for a few weeks the leisure hours and long evenings, when severer toils and more engrossing occupations are necessarily remitted; and secondly, and primarily, to present an opportunity to the younger classes of society, to become more extensively acquainted with the chief places of the land, and the interesting objects which they contain. As was noticed in the prospectus cities are, in every country, and justly, objects of curiosity and attraction. They are usually centres of wealth, influence and fashion. They are emporiums of trade and commerce-the theatres of pleasure and amusement-the seats and patrons of the fine arts-the workshops of articles of taste and fancy-the localities for rich and splendid specimens of architecture. Here, also, may be seen, in profitable contrast, society in its different materials, forms and conditions-the native and the foreigner-the wealthy and the poor-the industrious and the idlethe sober and the dissipated—the serious and the gay. From a view of mankind thus relatively situated, and yet differently circumstanced, important lessons regarding manners, morals, and duty, may be gathered. The more we know of our country-of her history-of her government-the genius of her inhabitants-their enterprise—the institutions, which they have founded-the cities, which they have planted-the public works, which they have projected and accomplished, the greater will be our admiration, and the stronger our patriotic feeling. At the same time, such knowledge will furnish us with topics of useful and enlightened conversation. We shall also be better prepared to travel abroad, if that privilege and pleasure be our good fortune, and better qualified to estimate the value and correctness of the many works pertaining to our country, which issue from the press-the workmanship of foreigners, who have not in all cases been disposed to do America or Americans justice. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. Anecdote of Dean Swift; Situation of Quebec; Origin; Appearance; Harbor; Public Edifices; Mr. Duncan's visit to the Ursuline Convent; Fortifications; Re- duction by Wolf; Death of Wolf; Reflections; Assault under Montgomery; his Mode of travelling between Montreal and Quebec; Situation of Montreal; Ap- pearance; Dress and Manners of the Citizens; Merchants; Edifices; French Church; Visit of Mr. Duncan to it; Society; Military Events; Anecdote of Ethan Settlement of Boston; Situation; The Mall; State House; Tremont House Dinner Scene; Faneuil Hall; Population; Government; Literary and Educational Institutions; Harvard College; Mount Auburn; Characteristics of the Citizens; A Caricature; Patriotism; Revolutionary Incidents; Destruction of Tea. Settlement; Situation; Public Works; State Prison; Battle of Bunker Hill; Ceremonies at Laying the Corner Stone of Bunker Hill Monument; Webster's Situation; Harbor; Ports; Public Edifices; Character of the Inhabitants; Sav- Situation; Population; Appearance; Harbor; Forts; Public Buildings; Bridges; Delightful Situation; Vermont University; President Dwight's description of the Original Settlers; their Journey to Connecticut; Distress of the Colonies; Re- moval of Mr. Hooker; Gloomy state of the Colony; Invasion of the Pequot country; Amusing extracts from the Hartford Colony Laws; Situation of Hartford; Descrip- tion; State House; Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb; Retreat for the Insane; Wash- First knowledge of the English of the place; Arrival of Mr. Eaton and his Asso- ciates; Situation of New Haven; Description of the city; Surrounding Scenery; Adventures of Goffe and Whalley; Col. Dixwell; Cemetery; Character of the cit- izens; Public Edifices; Yale College; New Township; Fair Haven; Dragon Point; Extracts from the early Code of Laws; Attack of the British, 1779; Sufferings of Origin of the Settlement; Account of Sowheag, an Indian Sachem; Beautiful First settlement of Norwich; Situation of the city; Scenery; Water privileges; Settlement of New London; Situation; Description; Forts; Burning of New Situation of Providence; Public buildings; Blackstone Canal; Boston and Prov- idence Rail Road; Character of the Citizens; Roger Williams; Birth; Early His- tory; Removal to America; Settlement at Salem; Expulsion from the Colony; Founds Providence; Family of Mr. Williams; Visits England and procures a char- ter; Difficulties with the Indians; Death of Mr. Williams; Character. Discovery of New York by Verrazzano, 1524; By Hudson, 1609; Incidents of his voyage; Settlement by the Dutch; Notices of the first Dutch settlers; Houses; Cleanliness; Curious domestic operations; Parties; Manners; Festivals of the Dutch; Dress; Furniture; New York in 1640; In subsequent years; Population; Situation of the city; Approach to it; Harbor; Broadway; City Hall; Park; Bat- tery; Churches; Literary and other Institutions; Masonic Hall; New Custom House; Schools; Papers; Health of the city; Temperature; Languages; Cooper's account of the Market; Fruits; Style of Living; Domestic comfort; Description of a house in Broadway belonging to a gentleman of fortune; Carriages; Military events; Retreat through Long Island; Evacuation of the city; Residence of the British officers. BROOKLYN.-Local advantages; Rapid Growth; Literary and Sci- entific Institutions; Navy Yard; Greenwood Cemetery; Harbor; Atlantic Dock. Situation; Original settlement; Dutch architecture; Change effected in its in- habitants; Plan of the city; Capitol and other edifices; Commercial advantages of Situation; Business portion of the city; Public buildings; Female Seminary; Origin of the name; Situation of the city; Architecture; Union College; Canal- Situation of the city; Hugh White, the first settler; Thrilling incident respecting Recent settlement; Historical facts relating to its settlement; Adventure of Enos Stone; Religious festival of the Senecas; state of Rochester in 1814; Military tac- tics of an American officer; Commencement of its prosperity; Character of its set- tlers; Ecclesiastical History; Literary establishments; Business style of Archi- tecture; Water power of the Genesee; Canal trade of Rochester; History of the Situation Beauty of the surrounding scenery; Destroyed in 1814; Thrift; Des- Settlement; Kalm's description of Trenton in 1748; Situation; Present state; Capture of one thousand Hessians, by Washington in 1776; Consequences of this Philadelphia prior to the Revolution; Character of the inhabitants by different travellers; Philadelphia and New York compared; Commercial advantages; First impressions; Penn's Purchase; Regularity of the city; Market street; other streets; Public buildings; Old State House; Bank of Pennsylvania; Bank of the United States; Churches; Jewish synagogues; Charitable and Literary institutions; Girard College; Fair Mount Water Works; Peale's Museum; Academy of Fine Arts; Li- braries; Philadelphia press; Pennsylvania University; American Philosophical So- ciety; Character by Mr. Hodgson; Early History; Arrival of Penn; Conference with the Indians; The treaty Elm tree; Penn's early residence; Shippen's house; First Church; Franklin's account of the early inhabitants; Customs before the Rev- olution; Wedding entertainments; Diet; Dress; Various reminiscences. Rapid growth of Baltimore; Effect of the late war upon Baltimore; Speculations |