EXTRACT FROM A LETTER,

FROM A LADY IN NEW YORK TO HER FRIEND IN EUROPE.

You will, no doubt, learn from the papers the details of the terrible fire which so lately devastated the richest part of our city, but nothing can convey an adequate idea of the destruction and desolation which the scene presents. Every building consumed was from three to six stories in height, and filled with merchandize. The firemen were exhausted by their exertions at a serious fire the evening before; the night was intensely cold, so that the hose of their engines were broken like pipe-stems; the wind blew a perfect hurricane, carrying the burning pieces of timber to an almost incredible distance; the flames darted, from roof to roof and street to street, with the speed and fatality of lightning. The stores, wedged closely together, were principally built without partywalls, to save room. The timbers of one edifice resting partly on the wall of the adjoining one, of course as the beams of one store were consumed, the walls of the next one tottered, and none dared enter to rescue either goods or papers. The fire commenced at nine o'clock on the evening of Wednesday the 16th of December, and raged with uncontrollable violence for nine hours; it was then partially subdued, but still continued its destructive progress

until twelve o'clock on Thursday-making fifteen hours of unremitting devastation. An immense quantity of French goods, consisting of satins, laces, shawls, dresses, &c. formed a pile of sixty feet wide, by twenty-five in height; in a few minutes, a gust of flame from the north-east corner building shot across the square, and reduced them to ashes. The number of buildings destroyed is 674; the loss of property cannot fall short of twenty millions of dollars. Many who were merchant-princes the day previous to the fire, are now reduced to labour, if not to want. It was at first said that the loss had fallen upon those best able to bear it, and that only rich capitalists would suffer; but people are apt to forget one of the few incontrovertible axioms in political economy, viz., that the success of the rich man must necessarily contribute to the comfort of the poor man. Thousands of clerks, and porters, and carmen are thrown out of employment; several of the insurance companies have lost all their capital, others are bankrupt; and of course the evil falls heavily upon the widows and orphans whose little property was invested in such a precarious manner, simply because the additional interest which they thus received was essential to their support. Our merchants bear up wonderfully; those who have worshipped mammon all their lives, who have bowed down, heart and soul and body at his altars, seem to be stricken with an inward consciousness, that makes them submit with unruffled brow to their punishment. They speak of having lost 10, 20, 50, or 100,000 dollars, with as much composure, and, in fact, with more equanimity, than they would last month have done respecting the loss of fifty dollars. The fire is still

burning in the cellars and beneath the fallen walls, so that at night it still has the appearance of an extensive conflagration. One good effect has been produed by the calamity-it has shewn how much good feeling may remain hidden under the crust of worldliness. The citizens of Philadelphia behaved nobly; four hundred of the firemen hurried to New York, to share the labours of the New York and Brooklyn brethren. A meeting of citizens was held, and a most admirable set of resolutions drawn up, all tending to the sole object of relieving the distress of New York. This was done immediately, before the extent of the evil was ascertained; and the mayor of Philadelphia, attended by fifty of the citizens, instantly hastened to New York to learn the necessities of the city, and to relieve them, if possible. I forgot to mention, that the fire was only subdued by blowing up intermediate buildings. The sailors from the Brooklyn navy-yard, with kegs of powder slung under their pea-jackets, trod fearlessly over the burning ruins, and, depositing their dangerous burdens, fired a train, and thus demolished many a stately fabric in the twinkling of an eye. Every thing is more completely overthrown than it could have been by an earthquake: 20,000 chests of tea-12,000 bags of coffee-30,000 boxes of sugar— such are among the losses. The destruction of French goods is immense, only three importers of French goods have escaped. Of the Exchange, a splendid structure of white marble, nothing is left but the immense columns which supported the front. contained a very fine statue of Hamilton, presented by the New York merchants: scarcely eight months have elapsed since it was placed upon its pedestal,

lt

and already it is crushed beneath the ruins of the building it was intended to adorn.

You will, doubtless, ask me how, amid all this desolation, we have ourselves fared. Far, far better than we have deserved; pestilence and fire have been around us, yet not a leaf has fallen from our tree of hope. "The strong wind," "the earthquake," and "the fire," pass by, and leave us still unscathed -only by the still small voice of mercy are we called to reflect upon the uncertainty of earthly good. I have filled my letter so entirely with the details of misfortune, that I know not whether it will not seem like mockery to offer you the customary congratulations of the approaching season. To me it is always

a season of regret; I look forward with more of fearfulness than of hope. How can I hope, when life already is brighter than a fairy dream to me? How can I choose but fear, when I think how little I merit such exemption from the common lot? By the time you receive this, the new year will be waxing towards maturity; our season of snows will be rapidly passing away, and your garden will be wearing the garish livery of a southern spring.

December 27th, 1835.

HINTS ON READING.

MY DEAR F.

GENERAL reading is a wide word, and I feel as if I had undertaken more than I shall be able to accomplish, in promising you directions respecting it. A wiser head than mine has informed us, Who does his best, does well;' and, in honestly endeavouring to do my best, I may be convicted of incapacity, but shall not, I trust, be even accused of disinclination to assist you.

I might refer you for very valuable general directions to Bacon's Essays; Locke's most excellent little treatise on the Conduct of the Understanding; Mason's Self Knowledge, and Watts on the Improvement of the Mind. The last work I mention the more willingly on account of the well-known opinion of Dr. Johnson respecting it, viz.—that no teacher of youth can be said to have fulfilled his duty, if he does not recommend this treatise to the perusal of his pupils.' You will find from Dr. Watts, that, reading is only one means of acquiring knowledge; that there are other means which are not to be disregarded; and that the acquisition of knowledge is not the sole, nor indeed the chief end of reading.

Are you disposed to question the truth of this last statement? I assure you that the memory may be exercised at the expense of the other faculties, and in