When It Was Found That New York Was Extending
Itself, And Becoming One Of The Largest Cities Of The World,
A
space was selected between Fifth and Seventh Avenues, immediately
outside the limits of the city as then built, but
Nearly in the
center of the city as it is intended to be built. The ground
around it became at once of great value; and I do not doubt that
the present fashion of Fifth Avenue about Twentieth Street will in
course of time move itself up to Fifth Avenue as it looks, or will
look, over the Park at Seventieth, Eightieth, and Ninetieth
Streets. The great water-works of the city bring the Croton River,
whence New York is supplied, by an aqueduct over the Harlem River
into an enormous reservoir just above the Park; and hence it has
come to pass that there will be water not only for sanitary and
useful purposes, but also for ornament. At present the Park, to
English eyes, seems to be all road. The trees are not grown up;
and the new embankments, and new lakes, and new ditches, and new
paths give to the place anything but a picturesque appearance. The
Central Park is good for what it will be rather than for what it
is. The summer heat is so very great that I doubt much whether the
people of New York will ever enjoy such verdure as our parks show.
But there will be a pleasant assemblage of walks and water-works,
with fresh air and fine shrubs and flowers, immediately within the
reach of the citizens. All that art and energy can do will be
done, and the Central Park doubtless will become one of the great
glories of New York. When I was expected to declare that St.
James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens
altogether were nothing to it, I confess that I could only remain
mute.
Those who desire to learn what are the secrets of society in New
York, I would refer to the Potiphar Papers. The Potiphar Papers
are perhaps not as well known in England as they deserve to be.
They were published, I think, as much as seven or eight years ago;
but are probably as true now as they were then. What I saw of
society in New York was quiet and pleasant enough; but doubtless I
did not climb into that circle in which Mrs. Potiphar held so
distinguished a position. It may be true that gentlemen habitually
throw fragments of their supper and remnants of their wine on to
their host's carpets; but if so I did not see it.
As I progress in my work I feel that duty will call upon me to
write a separate chapter on hotels in general, and I will not,
therefore, here say much about those in New York. I am inclined to
think that few towns in the world, if any, afford on the whole
better accommodation, but there are many in which the accommodation
is cheaper.
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