New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-09
Nem'pork daily Gribnne
NEW PUBLICATIONS..
NETWORK DURING THE LAST HALF
GENTRY.

A DISCOURSE ~ COMMEMORATlON OF THE FlETY-
THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW-lORK HIS
TORICAI, SOCIETY. BY john W. FRANCIS, ". D., LII.
o. $40. Up. 232 John I. TTow.
The City of New York is fortunate in the pos
session of such an enthusiastic antquary and honest
chronicler as the author of this Discourse. Dr.
Francis is himself part and parcel of the Island OF
Manhattan-a native of its soil, he has always been
identified with its interestS-cOnyersant with the
lights and shadows of its society in the most various
relations, be has watched its progress with singu
larry obseryant eye-famar with its most remark
able celebrities both in public and private life, he
has stored his memory with rich fund of per-
sonal anecdote-and with his great mental activity,
his genial hilarity and his wonderful cOpousness OF
expression he is admirably fitted for the task oil re-
calling the events of the oden time, and presenting
them to the living generation with freshness
scarcely diminished by the lapse oiyears.
The present Discourse was delivered on the occa-
zion of inaugurating the edifce of the Histor-
zeal Society, which took place on the fifteenth ami
yersary of its formation. From the abundant mass
of facts and "reminiscences which it contains, We Sc
Net few sketches which cannot fail to crafty our
readers as much as they did the audience to which
they were addressed in the first instance. Wehsve
first striking description OF
NETWORK FIFTY YEARS AGO.
What O contrast This meeting of the NeW-ferk
Historical Society and that which was held now som
ffty wears ago. Ponder awhile upon the circumstances
which mark this difference. AT the period at winch
our first organization took place tins Guy coh!aeu
about sixty thousand inhabitants; at present IL en-
braces some seven hundred and fifty thousand lnhaD
nan,h. A large majority OF the residents u"eI oel9"
Coultlundt street and Maiden lane. sparse popuia
H. nft b.ao QnHx vii lnh q
above the site of the New York Hospital on Broad
way; and the grounds now covered with the magnih
cent edifces which ornament upper Broadway tne
Fifth avenue, Fourteenth street, Cmoh piace anu
Madison square were graced with the sycamore, the
elm the oak, the chestnut the Wild cherry, the peach
the pear and the plum-tree, and further 0rnamented
with gardens appropriated TO horticultural proauciS
with here and there the archOke, the tulip, ana the
,pp-Aower Where now stands our Astor Library,
the New-York Medical College, the Academy OF Music,
Coopers Institute and the Bible Society House, the
old gardens of Dutch ancestors were most abuhd-
ant cultivated with something OF the artistic reSu-
arty Of the HOlanders uxurlatng IN The sweet mar
joran, the mint, the thyme, the currant, anu the
gooseberry The banks of our majestic rivers on either
side presented deep and abrupt dechViues, ana the
waters adjacent were devoted To the safety OF h0atnS
timber brought down from the Mohawk, on the ffud-
son River or elsewhere obtained, on the Connecticut,
in mighty RATS, destined for naval architecture ana
house buding Our avenues, and squares, ana leading
roads were not vet laid out by Morris, and Clinton, and
Rutherford and our street regulations IN paving ana
sidewalks in those passes or highways now most
populous had reached but little above the Park, and
Ia the Bowery only within the precincts of Bayard
street. The present City Hall was III state OF cree
ton and so crcumscrbed at that time the idea Of
the citys progress, that the Common Council by a
slender majority after serious discussion for econO-
mys rake decided that the pOstern part OF the Hall
shoud be composed OF red-stone, inasmuch a. was
NOT likely 10 attract much notice from the scattered In
babtants who might reside above Chambers street.
Next Gomez al account of the famous Hips
Farm and
THE sTUYvEsANT PEAR TREE.
On the old rond toward Kngsbridge. on the eastern
side Of the island was the well known kps Farm pre-
eminently distinguished for its grateful fruits the
plum the peach, the pear, and the apple, and for Its
choice culture OF the Here the cite often re-
paired as did good old Dr. Johnson and Boswell, for
recreation at Ranelagh and here our Washington,
now invested with Presidential honors made an excur-
non and was presented with the Rosa Gallica, an
exotic first introduced into this country in this garden
At emblem of that memorable union OF France and the
Amencan colonies i'll the cause OF republican freedom
These three gardens famous for their exquisite
nun, lhe pun, and the peach: equally as are New
to"h ana Bnckwel Island for the apple known 10 all
hor.cu'uIas.s abroad and at home, As the Newt"wn
pipph. Such Things were. No traces are now To be
found OF the scenes Of those once gratifying sights the
havoc OF progressive Improvement has left noupht of
these once ierle gadens of Dutch regularity, save
the old pear tree O the farm the red0ubtabi Peter
Stuyyesant well known Us still AourisL:nc IN fioye
and i'm fruit in its 22Oth year. at the cor,1or &c TIT
teeuth street ana Ihlfu avenue IL he
the bographer of this venerable tree in his ncconn,
10 the London Horticultural Transactions ought moi Ia
have emitted the curious fact that of its importation
from Southern Europe, and OF its having occupied
the old fort held by Stuyyesant and delineated by
Ven der Donck II all this be authentic, the old peal
tree enhances our admiration the last living thing
in existence since the time OF the Dutch dynasy.
Leaving the garden for the pulpit, We meet will
celebrated preacher in all bis glory
TIM Ryy JoIIS w. MASON.
This heroic scholar and divine, whom never INN
of without admiration of the vastness ol lntelect ua
power which God in his wisdom vOuchsaies tn certain
morals Yves prominently acknOw lodged as the ch'ei
tain of the steal brotherhood 81 those days
He contemplated moreover, he OF ms irlehd nam
nton and doubtless was often absorbed IN the consd
Grafton Of American history. The paramount obliga
tons of his pastoral and scholastic duties, ana thel
imperative urgency, must tmque-tonably be a'sgne
rs reasons for his Eonpenofmance As leader n
was unriValled; orator n n" sacred desk, III
disciplined intellect shed hs radiance ever al n
uttered Rich in knowledge Of MANKIND am. OF "a
ethics oi nainnr the ample treasures OF ancient AN
modern leaTnmg were summoned at command, WIN
rfa"'p0l influence ~ wh,t don't: BOD. and sopl ST.