'About nine o'clock in the morning we left the wharf; which was crowded with people to see the vessel depart. The day was remarkably fine; the wind favoured us, and we had every prospect of an agreeable voyage. The month of November was but ill adapted to view the country to advantage; for the gay verdure of the fields and forests was now supplanted by the brown gloomy hue of winter. Yet the scenes that presented themselves along the shores of the Hudson were in some places of that grand romantic description, and in others so beautifully picturesque, that they could not fail to interest the spectator at any season of the year. This river affords some of the noblest landscapes and scenery that are to be found in any part of North America. Nature and art have both contributed to render its shores at once sublime and beautiful.'

The river in many places is intersected with numerous islands. In others it is diversified with handsome windings. Sometimes its waters are contracted between stupendous rocks that frown aloft in sullen najesty. At other times they are expanded to a great extent between a fine open country, covered with rich farms, plantations, orchards, and gardens, and studded with neat and handsome dwelling-houses. The cultivated parts are intersected with small woods, coppices, and clumps of trees, which add much to the diversity of the scenery, and form a pleasing contrast to lawns, meadows, and corn-fields. In several places along shore are elegant mansions and country seats belonging to the principal persons in the state of New York.

'About ten o'clock at night we arrived at New York; it was very dark, and as we sailed by the town, lighted lamps and windows sparkled everywhere, amidst the houses, in the streets, and along the water-side. The wharfs were crowded with shipping, whose tall masts mingled with the buildings, and together with the spires and cupolas of the churches, gave the city an appearance of magnificence, which the gloomy obscurity of the night served to increase.

After so long an absence from London, I could not help experiencing a degree of satisfaction at once more treading the

pavement of a large and populous city. Neither Montreal nor Quebec had the least resemblance to that which I had left: but New York seemed to present an exact epitome of it; and at the distance of 3,000 miles, I now pleased myself with the idea of finding the manners, customs, and institutions of my own country reflected on this portion of the new world.

'New York is the first city in the United States for wealth, commerce, and population; as it also is the finest and most agreeable for its situation and buildings. It has neither the narrow and confined irregularity of Boston, nor the monotonous regularity of Philadelphia, but a happy medium between both. When the intended improvements are completed, it will be a very elegant and commodious town.

The Broadway and Bowery Road are the two finest avenues in the city, and nearly of the same width as Oxford-street in London. The first commences from the Grand Battery, situate at the extreme point of the town, and divides it into two unequal parts. It is upwards of two miles in length, though the pavement does not extend more than a mile and a quarter: the remainder of the road consists of straggling houses, which are the commencement of new streets already planned out. The Bowery Road commences from Chatham-street, which branches off from the Broadway to the right, by the side of the Park. After it proceeds about a mile and a half it joins the Broadway, and terminates the plan which is intended to be carried into effect for the enlargement of the city. Much of the intermediate space between these large streets, and from thence to the Hudson and East rivers, is yet unbuilt upon, or consists only of unfinished streets and detached buildings.

The houses in the Broadway are lofty and well built. They are constructed in the English style, and differ but little from those of London at the west end of the town; except that they are universally built with red brick. In the vicinity of the Battery, and for some distance up the Broadway, they are all private houses, and occupied by the principal merchants and gentry of New York; after which the Broadway is lined with large commodious shops of every description, well stocked with European and India goods, and exhibiting as splendid

and varied a show in their windows as can be met with in London. There are several extensive book stores, print-shops, music-shops, jewellers, and silversmiths; hatters, linen-drapers, milliners, pastry-cooks, coach-makers, hotels, and coffee-houses. The street is well paved, and the foot-paths are chiefly bricked. In Robinson-street the pavement before one of the houses, and the steps of the door, are composed entirely of marble.

The city hotel is the most extensive building of that description in New York; and nearly resembles, in size and style of architecture, the London tavern in Bishopsgate-street. The ground-floor of the hotel at New York is, however, converted into shops, which have a very handsome appearance in the Broadway. Mechanic hall is another large hotel at the corner of Robinson-street, in the Broadway. It was erected by the society of mechanics and tradesmen, who associated themselves for charitable purposes, under an act of the legis lature in 1792. There are three churches in the Broadway: one of them called Grace church, is a plain brick building, recently erected: the other two are St. Paul's and Trinity; both handsome structures, built with an intermixture of white and brown stone. The adjoining churchyards, which occupy a large space of ground, railed in from the street, and crowded with tomb-stones, are far from being agreeable spectacles in such a populous city. At the commencement of the Broadway, near the battery, stands the old Government-house, now converted into offices for the customs. Before it is a small lawn railed in, and in the centre is a small pedestal, upon which formerly stood a leaden statue of George III. In the revolutionary war it was pulled down by the populace, and made into bullets.

The city hall, where the courts of justice are held, is situated in Wall-street, leading from the coffee-house slip by the water side in the Broadway. It is an old heavy building, and very inadequate to the present population and wealth of New York. A court-house on a larger scale, and more worthy of the improved state of the city, is now building at the end of the park, between the Broadway and Chatham-street, in a style of magnificence unequalled in many of the larger cities

of Europe. The exterior consists wholly of fine marble, ornamented in a very neat and elegant style of architecture; and the whole is to be surmounted by a beautiful dome, which, when finished, will form a noble ornament to that part of the town, in which are situated the theatre, Mechanic hall, and some of the best private houses in New York. The park, though not remarkable for its size, is, however, of service, by displaying the surrounding buildings to greater advantage; and is also a relief to the confined appearance of the streets in general. It consists of about four acres planted with elms, planes, willows, and catalpas; and the surrounding foot-path is encompassed by rows of poplars: the whole is enclosed by a wooden paling. Neither the park nor the battery is very much resorted to by the fashionable citizens of New York, as they have become too common. The genteel lounge is in the Broadway, from eleven to three o'clock, during which time it is as much crowded as the Bond-street of London: and the carriages, though not so numerous, are driven to and fro with as much velocity. The foot paths are planted with poplars, and afford an agreeable shade from the sun in summer.'

The theatre is a large commodious building, capable of holding 1,200 persons. The scenes, dresses, and decorations, are elegant, and appropriate to the performances, which consist of all the new pieces that come out on the London boards, and several of Shakespear's best plays.

• New York has its Vauxhall and Ranelagh; but they are poor imitations of those near London. They are, however, pleasant places of recreation for the inhabitants. The Vauxhall garden is situated in the Bowery Road about two miles from the city hall. It is a neat plantation, with gravel walks adorned with shrubs, trees, busts, and statues. In the centre is a large equestrian statue of general Washington. Light musical pieces, interludes, &c. are performed in a small theatre situate in one corner of the gardens: the audience sit in what are called the pit and boxes, in the open air. The orchestra is built among the trees, and a large apparatus is constructed for the display of fire-works. The theatrical corps of New York is chiefly engaged at Vauxhall during summer.

The Ranelagh is a large hotel and garden, generally known by the name of mount Pitt, situated by the water side, and commanding some extensive and beautiful views of the city and its environs.

A great portion of the city, between the Broadway and the East river is very irregularly built; being the oldest part of the town, and of course less capable of those improvements which distinguish the most recent buildings. Nevertheless, it is the chief seat of business, and contains several spacious streets crowded with shops, stores, and warehouses of every description. The water side is lined with shipping which lie along the wharfs, or in the small docks called slips, of which there are upwards of twelve towards the East river, besides numerous piers. The wharfs are large and commodious, and the warehouses, which are nearly all new buildings, are lofty and substantial. The merchants, ship-brokers, &c. have their offices in front on the ground floor of these warehouses. These ranges of buildings and wharfs extend from the Grand Battery, on both sides the town, up the Hudson and East rivers, and encompass the houses with shipping, whose forest of masts gives a stranger a lively idea of the immense trade which this city carries on with every part of the globe. New York appears to him the Tyre of the new world.

"New York contains 33 places of public worship, viz. nine episcopal churches, three Dutch churches, one French church, one Calvinist, one German Lutheran, one English Lutheran, three Baptist meetings, three Methodist meetings, one Moravian, six Presbyterian, one Independent, two Quakers', and one Jews' synagogue.

Besides the public buildings which I have mentioned, there are numerous banks, insurance companies, commercial and charitable institutions, literary establishments, &c. The new state prison is an establishment worthy of imitation in England. By the law of New York, treason, murder, and the procuring, aiding, and abetting any kind of murder, are the only crimes punishable by death. The mode of execution is the same as in England. All other offences are punished by imprisonment for a certain period in the state prison. If a convict on enter