and meadows continue, though the hand of winter sits heavy on them. Cold as the day was, nothing but a heavy fall of rain could have forced me below. The clouds, which had been lowering all day, burst into a torrent about 4 o'clock, and with great reluctance I had to give up my speculations. Without noticing or being noticed, I took a seat by the stove, with true republican independence; ladies and gentlemen all mingled promiscuously together—some sitting, some walking about, some lying down on the settees, as their leisure served. Two gentlemen sat upon the same seat which I had taken, engaged in conversa. tion upon the approaching presidential election. One (as I took it) was of New-Jersey, the other of NewYork. He of New-York expressed some surprise at the result of the New-Jersey election. "I was led to believe," said he, "that your state would have supported Mr. Adams."-the vote, it appeared, was in favour of Gen. Jackson. "Do you think," replied he of N. J. warmly, "that we would vote for a man who does'nt be lieve in the Christian religion? No sir, we are not come to that yet, and I hope never will." "Not believe in the Christian religion!" answered N. Y. "why how is that? I don't understand you." "I mean," said N. J. "that John Q. Adams is a Unitarian." What can he mean? thought I; surely a Jew, Turk, or Algerine—it was the first time I ever heard the tenets of the sect."He may be a Unitarian, said the other, but that does'nt prove him not a Christian. But tell me, friend, if that be all your objection to Mr. Adams." "Yes, he would have got the vote of the state, had it not been proved to their satisfaction that he was no Christian-we had made up our minds once to vote him." "I should like to know, sir, how you make it appear that Unitarians are not Christians; I am a Unitarian myself, and believe in Christ; I believe that he died to save sinners, in the remission of sins, that we are justified through Christ. We believe that love to God and love to man constitutes a Christian." "Yes, but you deny that Christ is the Son of God, and you wont admit of total depravity."When they had proceeded thus far, several old ladies came forward to partake of the warmth of the stove, and the gentlemen arose to give them room. This was pro voking, just as I was upon the point of being enlightened upon the two great subjects of religion and government. I think it was Sir Isaac Newton who said "he would have discovered longitude had it not been for an old woman." The boat now began to rock and pitch from side to side, with such violence that I was unable to keep my feet, and was forced to remain not only sitting, but clung to the back of the seat to keep myself steady, and my head became dizzy, attended with slight faintness. I asked one of the passengers the cause of this rocking,' and was told the boat was in the bay. Here I was again unfortunate, as by this time, and long before, it was as dark as Egypt, by which I lost perhaps the most interesting view in my whole travels! - New-York City. We landed in the city of New-York about 8 o'clock, (Nov. 15th,) and I took up my lodgings in Front-street, at the house of Mr. Jacques, to which place I had been directed by the captain of the Legislator. If I was pleased with the independent manners of the passengers in the boat, I was much more so with the company I found at the house of Mr. Jacques. On. entering a large room, I found an assembly of ladies and gentlemen sitting before a blazing fire, (no unwelcome sight.) The old men were smoking their pipes, and the younger ones were amusing the ladies with anecdotes, perfectly regardless of the copious draughts of tobacco smoke. To diversify the picture, one of the young ladies sat down to her piano forte! Never did I witness such independence of manners, even in the land of Jackson; our western heroes, when it comes to smoking, withdraw from the company of the ladies. It is not in the power of a mere reader to form an accurate idea of mankind. Without meaning any irreverence either to books or writers, I honestly confess, no description of New-York, which ever fell in my way, led me to expect such a picture as the one before me. "Free trade and sailor's rights," truly; I never found myself more at 1 home in my life. The company was composed of persons above the common order, most of them people of intelligence and business. The ladies were sensible and handsome, plain in their dress and manners. Mine host seemed to be a man who had seen better days; his countenance was calm and serene, and he welcomed me with a smile which at once bespoke kindness and hospitality. It was nothing more than a boarding-house, which seemed to be sufficiently filled, yet this good man showed no disposition to refuse me a night's lodging. After a comfortable supper I retired to my chamber, with no unfavourable impressions of New-York. Next day, after breakfast, I bent my course toward the far famed Broadway; which exceeds any street in Philadelphia, except Market street, in width, the first being 80 and the latter 100 feet wide; it is four miles long,* and the side walks paved with flag, (the middle of the street in all the towns and cities in this country are paved with common round stone.) Broadway in other respects exceeds any street in Philadelphia, both for beau ty and business. It extends from the Battery through he heart of the city. Next to Broadway, in point of buty, is Hudson, Washington, Greenwich, and the Bow "v; this last runs in a diagonal line, and joins Broadw. v. Besides these, there are 250 streets and al lies, without reckoning those recently laid off. Pearl street, with many others first laid out, are narrow and crooked; there are, however, many handsome streets which cross at right angles, viz: Market, Grand, and Ca nal streets. Of all these streets, Pearl street does the most business, being the principal mart of the merchants. Wall street is also a place of much business; in it are the banking houses, exchange, brokers, insurance, auctioneers, and custom house offices; in short, all commercial business is transacted there. Nothing can exceed the throng of gentlemen in Wall street; particu. larly when their merchant ships arrive; on such occa sions it is dangerous to walk in Wall street; here the *Since the above was written, Broadway has been extended to eight miles; the whole length is laid off into lots, streets and avenues, but not yet built on. commercial papers are read, and ship news detailed. This street alone, may give a stranger an idea of the business and trade of New-York. Broadway, on the other hand, is distinguished for the fashionable, the gay, and the idle, as Pearl street and Wall street are for men of business. It is likewise the seat of much business; the lower stories of most of the houses being occupied by retail shops, and book stores, for upwards of two miles; the principal booksellers are in this street. The broad windows are filled with china and glass ware, plate, millinery, fruit, confectionary; in short, every thing, and much more abundant than in Philadelphia. But shops, furniture, superb buildings with their marble fronts, are completely eclipsed by the teeming fair ones, from morning till ten o'clock at night. It is impossible to give even an idea of the beauty and fashion displayed in Broadway on a fine day; the number of females, the a richness and variety of dress, comprising all that can be conceived of wealth or skill, mocks description; the throng resembles a dense multitude issuing from the door of a church. In Philadelphia business is confined to one or two streets principally; in New-York, Broadway, Chatham, Pearl and Division streets, Maiden-lane and the Bowery are literally strewed with every article of ornament and use, which, with the thrice told multitude, not only fills the western stranger with amazement, but is the wonder of foreigners. Here the feminine graces meet you at every step; they thrust their lovely faces into yours, and shoulder you on all sides, without even stopping to apologize. Here the earnest merchant steps, there the gay cook and merry chamber-maid, with some scores of honest tars, hucksters, rude boys, and chimney sweeps, with the rolling coaches, and the rattling carts, may give some idea of this life-inspiring city. But all this is only a drop in the bucket, compared to that on the wharves or slips, (as they are called here,) the warehouses, docks, ship-yards, and auction stores, which occupy South, Front, and Water streets, pouring a flood of human beings. Here the sound of axes, saws, and hammers, from a thousand hands; there the ringing of the blacksmith's anvil; hard by the jolly tar with his heavo; the whole city surrounded with masts; the Hudson, East river, and the bay covered with vessels, some going out and some coming in, to say nothing of the steam-boats; in short, imagine upwards of an hundred thousand people, all engaged in business; add to these some thousand strangers which swarm in the streets and public houses; such is New-York. This is, however, only a running glance; the result of my first ramble through the city. I shall compose myself, and give something more like a description. New-York is on Manhattan Island; it is upwards of four miles in length, and from three quarters to one mile and a half in width, nearly in the form of a triangle. It has Hudson river on one side and East river on the other, which unite at the southern end, and form a beautiful bay of nine miles in length, and four broad, which, with the several islands it embosoms, and the fortifications, affords a delightful prospect. Its public buildings are a city hall, a hospital, an alms-house, a state prison, 2 city prisons, a penitentiary, 2 colleges, 2 theatres, an orphans asylum, a magdalen asylum, an asylum for the deaf and dumb, a masonic hall, the New-York institute, 11 banks, between 80 and 90 churches,* 32 charitable and benevolent societies, 13 missionary societies, 10 bible societies, three tract societies, 8 societies for promoting education, 16 manufacturing companies, 8 insurance companies, 12 daily papers, 13 weekly and semi-weekly papers, besides a great number of journals and maga zines, 6 market houses, 2 circuses, vauxhall garden, the park, the battery, and bowling green. There are eight great hotels in New-York, besides boarding and eating houses which abound throughout the city, to which we might add some hundred oyster cellars. Besides the colleges already named, there are 6 free schools, the New York high school, several academies, and private schools. City Hall.-The City Hall stands nearly in the centre of the city, fronting the harbor; it is said to be the most beautiful edifice in the United States. Although * The number of churches cannot be ascertained, as there are new ones building every day. |