is fifteen hundred years old, but in good preservation as you see it in this picture.

At Chester, we visited the Cathedral. This, with the Exchange here, has more the appearance of antiquity than any thing I have yet seen. The steps of the different entrances are worn in the centre at least half a foot from their original depth, and a large figure of the Lion and Unicorn on either side of a niche, containing an immense statue of hewn stone in the old Exchange, is nearly obliterated by the pieces that have scaled off, though it was once in very deep bas relief. The cathedral is in form of a cross, and the sides of the interior lined with monumental marble. Chester proper, or what was formerly the city, is surrounded by a high wall, and we mounted the steps running to the top, which steps you find at short intervals leading from the crest of the wall, where is a fine walk, from whence you have a wide view of the surrounding objects both within and without the city walls, as you pass on it around the city about a mile and three quarters. While standing on the summit of the arched gateway, which is very massive, we saw a temperance procession pass through under us, with music playing and banners flying, the ends of the staves are surmounted with a crown, (instead of a liberty cap as with us,) and all looking very much as our processions do, save that the females predominated. From the top of this gate-way we saw also a canal, made some seventy or eighty years ago, and which, for a long distance, seemed cut through the solid rock. From here, we went to situated under an inn;

visit the Roman Baths, which are but the entrance to them is through a little low vegetable shop, dirty and filthy enough. A woman brought a light, and back of the rooms in which they lived, descending a few steps, we entered a kind of vault, on one side of which is a sort of tank, and at the bottom a spring.

Near it, is a

narrow door leading to the subterranean passages, which only were discovered a few years since. The entrance to them seems very complicated, made so by numerous low pillars of brick, between which you have to crawl, but after a short distance you can walk upright through three passages-one to St. Michael's church, and one to the cloister of a nunnery, three-fourths of a mile distant. The air of the passage is so poisonous at present, that no one has been through them for a length of time, and we were not antiquarians enough to venture upon any researches. The day being spent, we bent our foot-steps to the railway and took our seats, glad of a place of rest; for we were weary with being constantly on our feet since ten in the morning. It is now six P. M., but where the day-light lasts so long, we have more time to see things, for dining at six we care not for tea till ten, hardly candlelight, and though wearied with constant travel, seldom retire until twelve or one. Then only six hours darkness make us rise early in the morning, for it is sun-rise here much earlier than with you.

We had a very intelligent English gentleman as a companion in the cars from Liverpool to Manchester. He, like most others here, spoke with much bitterness of such men as the baron of Eaton Hall, (though the noble Marquis is admitted to be a very amiable man,) with whom the wealth of the country is piled in heaps, while others are obliged to dig and delve for a few coppers; paying much less taxes than the poorer gentry, though better able to pay more.

On our return to Liverpool we visited the famous docks, for which this city is so deservedly noted. There is a dock within a dock for a great distance, forming large basins between them, with locks like a canal, through which vessels make their entrance and exit. The outer face of the docks is a smooth solid wall, with steps descending to the water, by means of which you enter the ferry boats and

ROAD TO MANCHESTER.

11

small craft—the shipping all lying within the docks, and only the forests of masts and rigging visible.

The next morning we walked through some of the principal streets, and in Bold street, the Broadway of Liverpool, there is certainly some fine stores, with a great display of elegant goods of the most gaudy colors. You see a great many ladies walking, dressed in what we should call outré taste the dresses and shawls of the gayest and brightest colors, and enormously large figures, but the materials not so rich as ours, nor put on or arranged with half as good taste. Nor did we see any of the beauties-all looked dowdy. We took a carriage, and drove from place to place to see the outside of different public buildings, but I shall not describe them. We took seats in the cars for Manchester, but instead of being enlightened as we expected, were put very much in the dark, by passing at the very outset from the depot into a tunnel, cut through rock, and more than a mile and a quarter long. After getting once more into daylight, we found pretty much the same country I have described from Liverpool to Chester. The same beds of flow. ers and patches of vegetables on either side wherever there was a toll-house, station, or cottage, the same beautiful hedges and turf fences, and one universal garden outspread before us. The country we passed through was very flat and tame, the eye took in a perfect sea of land to the very horizon, as it had lately gazed upon the ocean where was nought but sky and water. There was no high mountain for a background, no noble forests to relieve the eye from the perpetual sameness of the garden. God has done more for our country, man more for this. Ours is noble and magnificent, carrying the thoughts to the Creator, this beautifully picturesque, and our thoughts are of the earth earthy. As far as I have yet found, there is a great deficiency of water in all English scenery. But the hand of man has done a

a vast deal, and every thing is built strong and enduring, and kept with perfect neatness and order. This is noticed even in the streets and docks of Liverpool, and at the departure of cars and boats all is orderly and quiet; there is none of the bustle and confusion that we have on such occasions. In place of the tall wind-mills, with their giant arms, so remarkable on our first arrival at Liverpool, we have here at the different villages, immense buildings for factories, and chimnies extending from the ground to the height of a steeple, ever straight, either round or square, pouring forth clouds of smoke or steam. We remained at Manchester long enough, as we found there was no access to the manufacturies without waiting longer than we cared to stay in the smoke. They are very shy of admitting strangers into their factories. You require an introduction to some of the proprietors, who live ten or twelve miles from the city, at least to those of the silk and printed calicoes, and silk and lace embroideries, which we cared most to see.

ours.

We seated ourselves in the cars for York, passing through a more variegated country than I have yet seen. There are more hills and valleys, and now and then a high ridge by the road side covered with trees like those on the banks of the Hudson. All the rivers here are very small, not wider than our canals, and have not the beautifully wooded banks of The Ayr has a tow path, and is used as a canal. We passed some of the most beautiful little dells with hamlets situated delightfully on the rising ground. There would be a neat stone farm house looking superior to the tiled ones about it, and then the good substantial barns and out-houses surrounding it, and last but not least, a little stone church with its square tower and turrets, and perhaps a little rivulet which we should not deem worthy a bridge of any kind, spanned by a single arch, built of stone, with its sides overgrown with vines and grass. The men employed in the

soon

railroad depots have here a kind of livery, a red frock coat with gilt buttons, yellow facings, and bands on their hats ; and the post coaches have a postillion who rides on the back of one of the horses, and wears a scarlet jacket, drab vest, and small clothes, white-top boots, gilt band and buttons. As as we arrived at York and had stored away our luggage into our room at the hotel, we sallied forth impatient to obtain a view of the famous cathedral of York, or Minster, as it is more generally called. And O! what a glorious sight. It is one I never can forget. I think it has the most elaborate work within and without, the most beautiful stained glass, and the most beautiful carving and statuary that I could have conceived. The ground it covers I should think equal to that covered by one of our blocks in New York. One window in it is as lagre as the whole gable end of one of our country churches, and all the windows are of stained glass, the secret of which is not now known. The organ has five thousand pipes, and the organ screen is most elaborately carved, and at the bottom are full length statues of the kings from William the Conqueror to Henry VII. Under the large window I mentioned, on the outside, are the head of our Savior and the twelve Apostles, carved in stone, and on all the projections outside and in, are carved heads and images, and in the niches full length statues. Within the church in the centre you look up a tower two hundred and thirty two feet, with nothing to break the view save the power, or rather want of power of seeing. We attended service, and heard a sermon from the Dean on the 24th of June, (St John the Baptist's day,) in the choir, which is ninety nine feet from floor to roof. In the cloisters were very many monuments, and very ancient knights in armor, and bishops and archbishops in their robes, reclining under beautiful canopies ; and nobles and their ladies, in full court dress and standing erect, and beautifully carved in white marble. At the altar,