chestnut, walnut, peach, &c.; and those parallel with the
rivers, first, Front-street, or that facing the water; next,
Second-street, third, fourth, fifth, &c. distinguished as, divided by
Market-street, into South-second, North-second, &c.; a simplicity of
arrangement which is unique, and renders the stranger's course an
exceeding easy one: all he has to do is, first, to run down the latitude
of his street by any of the great avenues, and, having fairly struck it,
steer north or south, as may be, till he hits upon the friendly number.

The side-walks throughout are broad and well-ordered, neatly paved with
brick, and generally bordered by rows of healthful trees of different
kinds, affording in hot weather a most welcome shade, and giving to the
houses an air of freshness and repose rarely to be met with in a
populous city.

The dwellings are chiefly of brick, of a good colour, very neatly
pointed; and nothing can be more tasteful than their fitting-up
externally. The windows are furnished with latticed shutters; these,
when not closed, fold back on either hand against the wall, and being
painted green, and kept with much care and freshness, would invest
humbler dwellings with an attractive air, especially in the eyes of an
Englishman, accustomed to the dingy aspect of our city residences, which
look as though the owners had resolved on making them as forbidding as
possible without, in order to enhance the excelling comforts within.

Now the houses of Philadelphia are as clean and neat in all the detail
of the exterior, as they are well-ordered and admirably furnished. The
mountings of the rails and doors are either of polished silver plating
or brass, and kept as bright as care can make them. The solid hall-door,
in hot weather, is superseded by one of green lattice-work, similar to
the window-shutters, which answers the purpose of keeping out every
intrusive stranger, except the air,--air being at such seasons, as most
strangers are at all times, especially welcome to Philadelphia, which is
about the hottest place I know of in the autumn; the halls are commonly
flagged with fine white marble, are spacious, lofty, and well fitted-up.

The houses average three stories, but in the best streets, those of the
first class are run up to five, and even six, and are of great depth:
indeed, I should say, the inhabitants of this city generally enjoy
greater space in their lodgings than is afforded to those of any other
large