Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-04-14
For the Yorkville Enquirer
LEISURE SKETCHES.
NJ ]. WOOD DAVIDSON.
NUMBER II.
MORE OF. NEW YORK.


The difference Of presence between Broadway
and Fifth Avenue is very striking. The one Is nc
tive earnest, doing; the other is STILL Indifferent,
idle. The one is acquiring, practical. and strong
the other is spending, visionary, and weak. Broad
way Is Doric in its tone- Fifth Avenue Is Corin-'
thinn. The former is manly and firm; the latter.
effeminate and dressy. But Fifth Avenue has
gravity and dignity that are far from trivial
The air is somewhat English as to exterior. Long
lines of elegant costly houses-palaces indeed
impress one with On invisible power, latent ener-
gy, that is silently at work. Showiness, in the
sense Of the gaudy, is not IN outside feature Of
this locality. Rest is suggested-leisure, and a
refinement that is incompatible with the hurry
and strain of the business mart. An air. Of quiet
and comfort reigns around. An is costly, and
contempt of cost is aimed ut in many instances.
The houses are nearly uniform and three-story,
generally of gray or brown stone-or imitation
stone: The fronts are rather costly than snowy !;
and the doors weary one with the monotonous in
varableness of bell and knocker. The interior
Il judge from the few examples had occasion
OF seeing in person-does not harmonize with the
exterior. The inside is gauder, more expressive,
and more dazzling Brighter colors obtain than the
chastened outside would lead one to expect. Fur
niture is crowded, and the ambition in the lamp
line is astonishing. Gas is forced to make day
light at MI hours. Display is little too mani
fest There seems an effort to excite the inquiry,
"How much money did it COST" Dress is on the
same scale. Ladies dress very ambitiously in
doors, but with remarkable taste, considering the
amount of things position requires them to wear
The dressing is in quantity, not in false taste
IN colors or styles. A drawing. room in the North
anywhere, is louder than in the South. Ladies talk
in higher key. There is less repose appsren,
within than without There is more soul manifest
in the interior than in the outer world. But both
ore magnificent. Fifth Avenue is not equalled in
the world for its succession of fine residences
There are fine elsewhere, but not so many so fine
The luxury of architectural beauty seems perfect
" boundess. One is disposed to move leisurely
and quietly along the street. Within the air o.
cost and glitter is for q moment slightly painful
then one enjoys the idea of plenty, Of social free
dom, that is every way complimentary to thu
means of the owner. There are several streets
perhaps equal to Fifth Avenue. Fourth, Sixth
Seventh, and Madison Avenues are apparently il
no respect inferior to Fifth. except in age. Fifth
was first built up; and 7 take it MS representa-
tive Of that style of thing. Fifth Avenue anc
Broadway-what contrast! Both, however, are
in every way brillant-both gorgeous; but how
different! Yet there is q third locality in New
York that is different 10 10 coe'o from both these
different in tone, in features in wealth, in morals
different in all that strikes the external Senses
This third locality s-Ffre Points. may speak
Of that next
COLUMBIA, S. C.