as they may serve as metes and bounds within which to lay the foundation of more agreeable and imaginative topics, to grow upon the reader as the subject advances.

PRIMITIVE NEW-YORK.

We backward look to scenes no longer there.

A PERSPECTIVE map of New-York, in 1673, as pre served in Du Simitiere's Historical Collection, in the Philadelphia Library, and latterly illustrated by J. W. Moulton, Esq., from his researches among the Dutch records, gives us a pretty accurate conception of the outline features of the city at the time when it became, by the peace of 1674, 'permanently under British dominion, and thence gradually to wear off its former exclusive Knickerbocker character.

26

At that time almost all the houses presented their gable ends to the street; and all the most important public buildings, such as "Stuyvesant Huys," on the water edge, at present Moore and Front streets; and the Stadt-huys," or City Hall on Pearl street, at the head of Coentie's Slip, were then set on the fore-ground to be the more readily seen from the river. The chief part of the town of that day lay along the East River (called Salt River in early days), and descending from the high ridge of ground along the line of the Broadway. A great artificial dock for vessels lay between "Stuyvesant Huys," above referred to, and the bridge over the canal at its debouche on the present Broad

street. Three "Half Moon Forts," called "Rondeels," lay at equi-distances for the defence of the place; the first at Coentie's Slip and the third at the "Water Gate," or outer bounds of the then city, being the foot of the present Wall street, so called from its being then shut in there by a line of palisades along the said street, quite over to the junction of Grace and Lumber street, where the North River limits then terminated in a redoubt.

One of the original Philadelphians, Wm. Bradford, the first printer of Philadelphia, has left us a lively picture of the city of New-York as it stood about the year 1729, being his publication from an original survey by James Lyne. The one which I have seen (a great rarity considered) at the city commissioner's, should be, I should think, but a reduced copy, inasmuch as the Mss. "Annals of Philadelphia," show that in the year 1721, the son of the above Wm. Bradford, (named Andrew) advertises in his "Mercury" the sale of a "curious prospect of New-York, on four sheets of paper, royal size." What an article for an antiquary!

By the map aforesaid, it is shown in 1729, that there was no street beyond the Broadway, westward, but that the lots on the western side of that street descended severally to the beach; that from Courtlandt street, northward, all the ground west of Broadway was occupied by trees and tillage, and called the "King's Farm." The eastern side of the city was all bounded by Water street, having houses only on the land side, and its northern limits terminating with Beekman street. At the foot or debouche of Broad street were two great docks, called West and East Dock, as they lay on either side of said Broad street;-they occupied the

ground now built upon from Water street, nearly out to South street, and from the east side of Moore street nearly up to Coentie's Slip. Between present Moore street and Whitehall street lay the "Ship Yards,” and all along where now tower stately trees in the Battery promenade, lay numerous rocks forming "the Ledge," having the river close up to the line of the present State street fronting the battery. How wonderful then is the modern extension of this city, by carrying out whole streets and numerous buildings to places before submersed in water!-thus practising, with signal benefit, the renowned predilections and ingenuity of their transatlantic ancestors!

ANCIENT MEMORIALS. ·

"I'll note 'em in my book of memory."

THE Mss. documents and recorded facts of New-York city and colonial history, are, it is said, very voluminous and complete. Mr. Moulton's history declares there are one hundred volumes of folio, of almost unexplored Mss. among the records of state. What abundant material for research must these afford whenever the proper spirit for their investigation is awakened!

I am myself aware that the city itself is rich in "hoar antiquity," for I have ascertained that numerous books of records are of ready access to such congenial minds as can give their affections to the times by-gone. Many of them are of the old Dutch dynasty, and have had no

translator. For instance, there are in the county clerk's office a book of records of 1656; another of 1657; orders of the burgomasters in 1658; another of their resolutions and orders from 1661 to 1664. There are also some books of deeds, &c. While I write these facts, I do it with the hope that I am addressing myself to some youthful mind who will feel the inspiration of the subject, and resolve to become a student of Dutch, and at some future day to bring out, through his researches, the hidden history of his Dutch forefathers.

It would be "a work of supererogation" to aim at the general translation of such a mass of papers; but it is really surprising that hitherto no "ardent spirit," greedy of " antiquarian lore," should have been inspired to make his gleanings from them. A judicious mind, seeking only the strange or the amusing of the "olden time," might with a ready facility extract their honey only, and leave the cumbrous comb behind. I myself have made the experiment. I found in the office of the common council the entire city records, in English, from the year 1675 downwards to the present day. From the first volume, embracing a period of sixteen years, (to 1691,) I was permitted to make the following summary extracts. These, while they furnish in some instances appropriate introduction to sundry topics intended in these pages, will also show that but a very small portion of the whole mass is desirable for the entertainment of modern eyes, and therefore not to be sought after; it is even satisfying and useful to know how little need be known.

I give the following from "the Minutes," consecutively as they occurred; to wit:

October, 1675; the canoes of the Indians, where