CHAPTER XXXV.

Visit to Hyde Park, Dr. Hosack's magnificent Seat on the Hudson, which every Foreigner should see-Dr. Hosack's manner of Addressing his Servants-Sailing Vessels on the Hudson-Captain Hall's Declaration, that North America is an Unpicturesque Country-Captain Hall at no pains to see the most Interesting Scenes within his reach-Staten Island, Hellgate, Mount Vernon, &c.— Mrs. Trollope's authority directly opposed to Captain Hall's-Reasons why she must be in the right-Works of Nature on a magnificent scale on this Continent-Flushing in Long Island-Botaric Garden and Nurseries there-Protected by Sir William Erskine during the Revolution-Price of Evergreen Shrubs there-CampMeeting of People of Colour near Flushing-Price of Peaches and Melons-Mr. Poinsett, late Minister of the United States to Mexico -His Observation respecting the Eastern States of America-Mr. Ferrall's Charge against Mr. Poinsett unfounded-Extract from one of Mr. Poinsett's Diplomatic Papers-Mr. Ferrall's and Mr. Alexander Baring's views as to the acquisition of Texas by the United States-Mr. Ferrall's opinion, that Animosity towards Britain pervades America, unfounded-The right of Search, the only point of contention, and which should be arranged in quiet times-Outrages committed by British Ships of War, as detailed in the Eleventh Chapter of Captain Hall's Fragments, which every Englishman ought to read-The British Name a Passport in the United State -Return to Mr. Van Boskerck's Boarding-House at HobokenCelebration of the French Revolution of July 1830, at New York, on 26th November 1830-Order and Decorum of the People, the Procession consisting of above one hundred thousand Persons-No Disturbance No Accident-Prodigious Display of Individual Wealth

-Enthusiasm of the People-Erroneous notion of Mrs. Trollope, that the People are indifferent as to the Political Condition of any Nation but their own-Rejoicings in the United States on account of Catholic Emancipation in Britain-Remarkable Persons attending the Procession, Mr. Munroe, Enoch Crosby, Anthony Gleen, David Williams-Severe Winter-Sleighing at New York-Young Burke at the Park Theatre-No grounds for Mrs. Trollope's Remark as to the Rudeness of Persons in the Theatre-Illness and Death of Mr. Van Boskerck, our Landlord, at Hoboken-Details of his Funeral-Voyage from New York to London in the President Packet Ship-Severe Storm on the 24th and 25th April-Hint not to prefer a Ship on her First Voyage-Contrary WindsMade the Voyage from 17th April to 25th May, when we landed at Deal.

Summer and Autumn of 1830, and Winter of 1830, and Spring of 1831, till 25th May.

I LEFT Mr. Anderson's house for two or three days in the beginning of July to pay a visit, which I had long projected, to Dr. Hosack, at his magnificent seat on the Hudson, where I was most kindly received by himself and his amiable family. He lives very much in the same style as an English country gentleman of large fortune, possessing every luxury and comfort which wealth, and the knowledge how to make use of it, can bestow. His mansion-house is large, elegant, and well-furnished; but it is not my object to describe a place laid out and embellished as a fine residence and fine grounds in England are, or to tell the readers of these pages of the size of Dr. Hosack's rooms, of his eating or drawing-rooms, his excellent library, his billiard room, or his conservatory, of his porters' lodges, his temples, his bridges, his garden, and the other et cæteras of this truly delightful domain which he has adorned,

and was, at the time when I was there, adorning with great taste and skill, and without much regard to cost. The splendid terrace over the most beautiful of all beautiful rivers, admired the more the oftener seen, renders Hyde Park, as I think, the most enviable of all the desirable situations on the river. Dr. Hosack has now retired from practice as the first physician in New York. His activity is however unabated. He takes great delight in superintending his numerous workmen, and the management of his place and farm. He has 800 acres adjoining to his house, all, I believe, in his own occupation, and is taking great pains to obtain the best breeds of cattle and sheep. I saw many good specimens of the Tees-Water breed. His park contains deer and a few Cachmere goats, which are particularly handsome. In short, this is quite a show place, in the English sense of the word, which every foreigner should see on its own account,―on account of the great beauty of the natural terrace above the river, and the charming and varied views from it, as well as on account of the art with which the original features of the scene are advantageously displayed.

Persons in the situation of Dr. Hosack's family differ so little in their mode of living and manners in the United States, in Britain, and on the continent of Europe, that there are no striking points of discrimination. In the United States all go to bed earlier and rise earlier, and, of course, breakfast and dine at earlier hours. I neither saw a tobacco-pipe nor a cigar while I remained at Dr. Hosack's house, nor were spirituous

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liquors of any kind upon the table. The greatest hospitality was shown me; and I have cause to regret that circumstances prevented me from availing myself of it frequently.

I observed that Dr. Hosack, in speaking to his workmen, never addressed them by their Christian name alone, but always in this way: "Mr. Thomas, be so good as do this," or " Mr. Charles, be so good as do that." It would not be easy for an Englishman of rank or great fortune to form his mouth so as to give his orders to his servants in similar terms; but the more equal diffusion of wealth, and greater equality of condition, which prevail in this country, put the sort of submission of inferiors to superiors, to which we in Britain are accustomed, quite out of the question in the free part of the United States, and undoubtedly render the mass of the people far more comfortable, contented, and happy.

The sailing vessels on the Hudson are extremely beautiful in form. They have no foresail,-merely a jib and main-sheet, bleached as white as a table-cloth, by the sun. The Americans may perhaps with some justice be accused of want of taste, in the sense in which the British generally understand the term. But I suspect, that in Naval architecture, in the form of their ships, and boats of all descriptions, in their adaptation for sailing with speed, and their clean and handsome appearance, we ought to admit that they excel all

other nations.

Dr. Hosack's grounds are so very charming, and the views from them so picturesque and striking, that I

cannot help wishing that Captain Hall had seen Hyde Park Terrace before he declared “ North America to be the most unpicturesque country to be found any where." This seems to me a most rash assertion, proceeding from an individual who merely had time to traverse the vast territory of the United States, about as large as Europe, in one line to the south and one to the north. What should we think of an American traveller who had journeyed from London to Newcastle by the east, and had returned from Carlisle by the west road, declaring England to be an unpicturesque country! and yet he would be far better entitled in that case, to deliver an authoritative opinion on the subject of England, than the gallant officer on the subject of America; for he would have travelled in two directions through England, which is not so considerable in point of extent, as several of the separate States of America. But Captain Hall had, in fact, admitted himself to be incapable of giving an opinion upon this subject worthy of any consideration. He tells us in one part of his book, that "there are few things so 'fatiguing as fine scenery,"" and in another, that "the most picturesque object in every traveller's landscape is the Post Office," he acted accordingly; and has confirmed the truth of his remarks, so far as he is concerned, by omitting to take the trouble to visit the most interesting scenes easily and daily for a long period within his reach. It does not appear from his book, that he ever was on Staten Island to enjoy the views from it, though the most diversified and beautiful in America, and daily in his power. He passed through Hellgate in