NEW MASONIC HALL.

This superb edifice is situated on the east side of Broadway, nearly opposite the Hospital. Its style of architecture is purely Gothic, without the least mixture of any other order; copied from the most approved classical models, with original appendages, by our celebrated artist, HUGH REINAGLE, Esq.

The corner stone of this building was laid on St. John's day, June 24, 1826, by Grand Master Elisha W. King, in presence of a large assemblage of the fraternity, and a numerous concourse of citizens. The building has a front of fifty feet on Broadway, and extends back, towards Elm-street, one hundred and twenty-five feet, including the stair-way, retiring rooms, office, &c. in the rear.

The Cellar story, below the level of the street, is divided into several apartments, including refectories, offices, and kitchens; extending from front to rear, ninety-five feet, and nearly ten feet in height; with vaults, &c. in front on the street.

The basement story, (or ground floor, above the street,) is near fourteen feet in height, and includes the great entrance hall, extending through the centre of the building, ten feet in width, and highly enriched with arches, pendants, open friths in the spandrils, and a beautiful frieze of raised Gothic ornaments. At the further end of the hall, the stairs start to the several apartments above. On each side of the hall, are two ranges of apartments, with stores in front; and, in the rear, places of refreshment for visiters.

The whole of the second story, (with the exception already. mentioned, of staircase, &c.) is thrown into one Grand Gothic Saloon, ninety feet in length, forty-seven in breadth, and twenty five in height! This splendid apartment is now finishing from the original plans of Mr. Reinagle, the architect. The ceiling will be divided into basket or fan arches, with pendants of open-work columns supporting the arches projecting from the walls, between which are the windows, with raised labels, enriched with crotchets, terminating with flowers at the points, and supported at the ends with carved corbels.

A Music Gallery extends across the lower end of the room, supported by a trussed girder, leaving the floor free of obstructions for public assemblies. The front of the gallery will be enriched with Gothic tracery pierced through, and the floor supported by elastic springs for dancing; the whole forming the most elegant and convenient ball-room in the United States.

Ff

Above the Grand Gothic Saloon, in the third story, are four Lodge Rooms for Master Masons, while the attic is divided into two apartments which are elegantly furnished for Royal Arch Chapters. These last are richly decorated with clusters of columns, arches and open pannels, with splendid draperies; and are, perhaps, the most agreeable apartments of the kind on this side the Atlantic. From these lofty Gothic windows, the prospect is most extensive and beautiful. The whole City, with its unrivalled Bay, adorned with verdant islands and white-sailed vessels, with our two majestic rivers, and the adjacent country-all lie before you like a panorama painting.

The front of this building, which is of granite stone, is seventy feet from the street, to the battlements in the centre. The pinnacles rise more than ten feet above the roof. The front, as well as the interior of the building is of the pure Gothic architecture, of the pointed arch style. The doors and windows of the basement in front, is the first example of the kind in the country. The centre door, at the grand entrance, is of solid oak, and recedes four feet in depth, which is the thickness of the wall. This ponderous frame work of massy oak, with carved pannels, &c. very forcibly reminds one of the descriptions to be met with in many romances, of ancient Abbeys, Castles, and other edifices of the Gothic ages. Indeed, there is a classical taste, a consistency, a keeping, (or whatever the reader may please to term it) displayed throughout the whole of this edifice, that reflects the highest credit on Mr. REINAGLE, and proves him to be a master in his profession.

The Grand Entrance, which is arched in front, is fourteen feet and six inches in height, and twelve feet in width, next the street; but at the door, in the recess, is only six feet wide,. and not quite ten in height. The crocket arch in front ascends to twenty two feet in height, the whole very highly enriched with carved ornaments: all in Cast Iron, and executed in New-York. The doors and windows, on each side, have corresponding arches, columns, and ornaments, done likewise, in cast iron. There are four buttresses, with nitches and pedestals-two at the corner, and two midway, extending to the roof terminating in ornamented pinnacles.

The centre windon is a splendid specimen of Gothic Architecture. It is twenty-two feet in height, and ten feet in width; finished (as all the others are) with proper lead lights, diamond form. A range of stone battlements terminates the front at the roof, while larger battlements surmount the flank walls. The dormant windows have open-work battlements.

We have only room to add, that when this building is completed, it will undoubtedly rank among the most perfect specimens of pure Gothic architecture, in the United States; as the best and most approved examples which have ever been published for architectural purposes, have been consulted and adopted by the tasteful architect.

The difficulty of procuring correct descriptions of public buildings, will render this department of the work less perfect than was at first intended. As this defect, however, may be partially supplied in the appendix, we will conclude this ar ticle here by giving a catalogue of such edifices as are worthy the particular attention of strangers.

The New-York Arcade, Maiden-Lane.

The Arcade Bath, Chamber street.

'Churches, &c. several of which have been already noticedat page 161 to 182.

The Prisons, vide pages 187 to 205. And various other buildings of inferior note.

CHAPTER XIII.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS.

THEATRES.

The City of New-York, from its rapid growth, commercial character, and unrivalled prosperity, has justly been called the London of America. But it is now high time to change the appellation. Th extensive patronage afforded to the liberal arts, and works of taste; the unexampled increase of public amusements, with the consequent progress of morals and refinement; have, at length, rendered New-York the Paris of the New World. Like that gay and splendid emporium of fashion, taste, and literature, New-York is constantly filled with strangers, who are drawn hither by the celebrity of our institutions, our commerce, opulence, and multiplied sources of rational pleasure. Our fame, in these respects, has gone abroad to the remotest corners of the western hemisphere, and is rapidly extending through every part of Christendom.

The earliest theatrical performances, in the recollection of our oldest inhabitants, were in a store, on Cruger's wharf, near Old-Slip, by a company of Thespians, composed of "choice spirits" of a certain order. In the language of the Advocate, "they were roystering young men, full of tricks and mischief;" who used to play cricket in the fields, (where Vesey-street now is) and who spent their nights at the boat

house, in Wall-street, near where the United States' public stores are now erected. It is probable that no one member of this company ever immortalized himself by his histrionic talents, as none of their names have been handed down to the present generation.

About the year 1750, the first regular theatre was built in New-York. It was a stone building, in the rear of the Dutch Church, in Nassau-street, near Maiden-lane. Mr. Hallam was the manager, and had a tolerable good company, which he recruited from the provincial theatres of England. In this theatre, says our informant, the sterling English tragedies, and comedies were performed. After a time, however, Hallam received such flattering invitations from Jamaica, that he was induced to take his company thither, and the theatre was pulled down.

About the year 1769, Phil. Miller, then well known in the town for a plodding, active, managing man, obtained permission of Govenor Colden, to build a theatre, and act plays; which he did in Beekman-street, a few doors below Nassaustreet. This was a wooden building, in poor condition, with paper scenery, and a wretched wardrobe. The whole was destroyed by a mob created by the stamp-act. Phil. Miller lost his house and his company. He was a jocose fellow, and played Justice Guttle with great h mour.

Of the state of the Drama, in New-York, during the revolutionary war, while the British had possession of the city, we are not informed. Nor can we, at this moment, state the period at which the John-street theatre was erected. If any of our readers will favour us with these particulars, we shall feel much obliged to them. It was about the period that Hallam returned from Jamaica, with his company reinforced by several performers of merit, among whom was Henry. The John-street theatre was spacious and well arranged, and had for the most part an excellent company.

About the year 1798, a number of gentlemen united, by subscription, in the purchase of a lot, and commenced a new theatre fronting the Park, between Ann and Beekman-streets. In this enterprise a considerable sum of money was expended; when, from embarrassments, mortgages, &c. it finally came into the hands of Messrs. Beekman and Astor, and was called the

PARK THEATRE.

This establishment was successively under the management of Ilodgkinson, Dunlap, Cooper, and, finally, Messrs. Price and Simpson. These latter gentlemen, in the summer of 1817,

fitted up the Circus in Anthony-street, for the performance of ballets, &c. (during the recess of the Park theatre,) under the direction of Mr. Parker, now ballet-master at Chatham theatre In the year 1820, on the morning of the 25th of May, the Park theatre was discovered to be on fire, and such was the rapidity of the conflagration, that scarcely an article was saved, and in a short time nothing remained but the bare and empty walls. A splendid and extensive wardrobe, together with a most valuable collection of scenery and properties, were all involved in one common ruin The losses of some members of the company were very considerable; among which, the most serious was the individual wardrobe and properties of Mr. Maywood, which he had brought out with him from England but a few months before.

The house in Anthony-street was now fitted up as a permanent theatre; and the Park company continued to perform there for the remainder of the season. This house stood on the spot where Christ Church now stands.

In the mean time, several months elapsed, before any thing was done towards rebuilding the Park theatre. At length, however, the enterprising proprietors, Messrs. Beekman and Astor, though suffering a severe loss from the calamity, consented to embark once more in the expensive experiment; confiding in the liberality and good taste of our citizens, for that protection and support in the anticipation of which they have not been disappointed. The new house was finished in August, 1821, and opened, for the season, on the first Monday of September. The Prize Address was written by Mr. Sprague, of Boston, for which the Managers awarded fifty dollars.

The Park Theatre is eighty feet in front; fifty five in height, and one hundred and sixty-five deep; comprising three complete circles of boxes, two side tiers, a spacious gallery, and commodious pit.

CHATHAM THEATRE.

The rise and progress of this flourishing establishment, may be considered as a practical illustration of individual taste and enterprise. It is but a few years since the idea of two theatres being supported in this city, was treated as visionary and chimerical. Chatham Garden, was then a pleasant resort for both sexes, on a summer evening, to unbend the mind and refresh the body, after the fatigue of the day. To render the place more attractive, the tasteful proprietor