in the United States. It certainly is superior to any thing I have seen, except the capitol of the United States and the President's house. It is of the same architecture with the capitol, and like it was planned by Latrobe. It is a massy building, of freestone, in the form of a cross: the sexton, who lives near the spot, showed it to us, but he was unable to tell the dimensions. It has four fronts, and a portion of scripture cut in large letters on each. It has a dome similar to that of the capitol, and or namented in like manner with wreaths and flowers in stucco; but the capitol is of the purest white, whilst the cathedral is of a grayish colour, and the stucco has a reddish hue. The interior of the church is remarkable for a superb altar, and a painting representing our Saviour, just taken down from the cross: the piece is said to excel any thing of the sort in the union; it was presented to the church by Louis the XVI. of France. The body of our Saviour is represented with a white cloth round the waist; he is lying on the ground, with his head and shoulders in his mother's lap, who is also sitting on the ground. She is represented as fainting away; her eyes are closed, and the beloved disciple leaning over her: Joseph of Arimathea is standing near the body and looking upon it; also Mary Magdalen and Nicodemus. Mary of Salome is standing up, with her eyes and hands raised to heaven the Roman guards are likewise standing near, with fierce aspects. The whole is painted to the life, and looks as though they were living beings. The crown of thorns has just fallen off, and actually looks as though one might go and take it up: the blood is issuing from the wounds inflicted by the thorns, from the temples of our Saviour, also from his side and his feet. Our Saviour is represented in different paintings in the cathedral, from infancy to the time of ascension into heaven. I am told it is subject to a ground rent of $2000 per an num. : The Unitarian church stands nearly opposite to the cathedral, and wants but little of being equal to it in size and magnificence. Having heard nothing of this last, and being struck with its singular beauty, I asked a gen or any tleman standing near, "what church that was ?" He smiled, and replied, "that is the line of opposition ;" alluding to the opposition lines of stages and steamboats. But of all the splendid buildings in Baltimore, where else, the masonic hall is the most so; language would fail me, were I to attempt a description of it; (the interior I mean,) the beauty and richness of the furniture is not exceeded by that of congress hall itself. The rich drapery, superb tables and chairs, and an hundred things which decorate the G. Master's chair of state, the candlesticks, the finest carpets, and the great size of the hall, filled me with amazement: it was hung in mourning for Mr. Pinckney, whose death has long since been noticed, who belonged to the fraternity. The Baltimoreans seem to be taking the lead in the fine arts. Besides those specimens of taste and public spirit already mentioned, the Washington monument, and that erected to the memory of those brave men who fell in the battle of Baltimore, in the late war, command both admiration and applause. The Washington monument is a plain marble pillar, 150 feet high from the ground; it is 50 feet square at the bottom, and 14 at the top, and white as alabaster-upon the top of this, the figure of Washington is to be placed. This beautiful monument is seen from every part of the city. The monument erected to perpetuate the battle of North Point, was executed by Maximilian Godfrey, Esq. in 1815. It is 16 feet each front; each of those fronts have a door of black marble, which are four in number. Above this arises a circular facis, of symbolical union, on the fillets of which are inscribed the names of those to whose memory the monument is consecrated. Above the cornice, and at the four angles socle of the facis, are four marble griffins; the base of the facis is ornamented with two basso-relievos, representing the battle of North Point, and the bombardment of Fort M'Henry. Two lachrymal urns are placed in the intervals. The top of the facis is bound with two crowns, demi-relief. The facis is surmounted with a socle, bearing a statue of Bal-* imore, formed from the representation of Juno Cybele, holding a crown in one hand, and an antique helm in the other, with the United States' eagle, and a bomb along. side; the whole is of marble, and fifty-four feet high. Laying the corner stone of this monument, for pomp and military eclat, constitutes an era in the history of Balti more. Hospital. The hospital is seated upon a lofty eminence at the east end of the city, a mile from thence, and has more the appearance (in idea) of a princely palace, than the abode of pain and disease. It consists of two great buildings, to which are attached a spacious yard, which is walled in; this is overgrown with luxuriant grass, and planted with trees; the whole architecture is of brick. The gate is locked day and night, and a man duly stationed on the inside, to open it for those who apply for admittance, for which you pay him 12 1-2 cents, you then have liberty to visit the whole establishment. The keeper, who is a plain, honest, obliging Quaker, very readily conducted me through the apartments. The buildings have a long gallery running through them from end to end, on each side of which are handsome apartments for the sick and insane. Those apartments (except the insane) are lighted with large windows, and furInished with bedding, chairs and tables, the whole exquisitely neat, and even splendid. It is against the rules of the institution to suffer strangers to see the insane; this prohibition proceeds from motives of delicacy towards the friends and relations of the afflicted, who do not wish them exposed. The doors of their cells are secured with bars of iron, and heated by furnaces placed in the outside of the wall, one to every room, which conveys the heat to the patient. I looked into some of these cells, which were vacant; they were similar to those oc cupied by the sick, excepting the bedsteads, which were of iron, and without chairs or tables. Though I could not see these unfortunate beings, I could hear them ut ter the most shocking oaths! Those patients who ar not so ill as to be confined, are permitted to walk abou the yard, and amuse themselves in the public parts o the building, the managers taking care to guard agains them by having the seats and tables in their dining roo fastened to the floor. Their food is the best the marke affords, particularly the bread, which is of the finest sort. There were no sick worth naming in the hospital, except sailors; one portion of the hospital is appropriated for the exclusive reception of sick sailors, being one entire room, in which I found about thirty of those brave sons of Neptune, laid low enough! They were crowded to suffocation, and made a wretched appearance: some of the poor fellows, however, seemed to have nearly completed the voyage of this boisterous life! I cannot applaud that rigid adherence to established rule, which in this case excludes these sailors from any other part of the building than that alotted to them. There were empty rooms in the hospital at this time, suffieient to hold 200 persons, and humanity, I should think, ought to overrule an illiberal provision, by allowing those unhappy sufferers to be disposed of in a manner more consistent with their situation. After visiting the different parts within the buildings, the keeper conducted me through the roof aloft, upon the top. From the situation of the hospital alone, which, as already noticed, stands upon a high hill, and the height we had then attained, the beauty and extent of the prospect may easily be conceived. The whole city of Baltimore, with its grand edifices, the wharfs crowded with. the busy multitude, the wide spreading Patapsco, visible for miles, the shipping, and the adjacent country seats, present to the eye one of the finest pictures imaginable. The site of Baltimore somewhat resembles that of Washington, but the adjacent country, in point of beauty, does not equal the latter. Those beautiful rising grounds, spotted with farms and superb buildings, intermingled with the richest foliage, which encompass Washington, rising up one behind another, gives it the advantage in regard to scenery. My conductor pointed out to me North Point, and Fort McHenry, where the battle was fought between the Americans and British, during the late war. The day on which this engagement took place, must have been one of deep excitement to the citzens of Baltimore. Brave men! How richly you deerve the admiration of succeeding ages, which will be fours. As I descended from the top of the hospital with my friend, in passing through one of the galleries, my at tention was, attracted by a man who was crouched close to the wall. He wore a smile of mischievous cunning; and seemed meditating some plan of attacking us. clenched his fists as we drew near, and bent his eye on me; I drew up close to my conductor, taking care to keep him between me and the lunatic, for such I took him to be. When we came opposite to him, he seemed upon the point of springing upon me; my friend without speaking a word, raised a cane which he carried in his hand, and we passed him in safety; but the moment we passed him, he rushed forward in the opposite direction, and flew down stairs with surprising swiftness. Whilst we followed him with our eyes lingering on the spot without uttering a word, a gentleman of good appearance, well dressed, and of a genteel air, walked deliberately by us. As he had nothing uncommon in his behaviour, I concluded he must be one of the attending physicians; what was my surprise when the keeper informed me that he also was one of the convalescent lunatics! I should not court a residence amongst these convalescents; they might in some unguarded moment rise upon me as Sampson did upon the Philistines, and crush me before I had time to call for assistance. Prison. From the hospital I went to the prison, which is also in the suburbs of the city; it is likewise a large building of brick, several stories high, and has an extensive yard attached to it, enclosed by a wall of considerable height. At the opposite end of this wall stands the penitentiary, also a fine brick building. The prison is secured by a double gate, and huge bars of iron; the opening of which takes up no little time. I found thirty prisoners, including the debtors; which last are kep separate from the criminals. The apartments were not large, and several were confined in one room; all have the privilege of walking in the yard at certain hours of the day. They looked cheerful, and bore the appear ance of kind treatment, though they were all destitute of bedding, except those that were able to furnish it themselves. The apartments are warmed by stoves. Bu |