ratified and signed by the leaders of the Revolution. The room is, from this circumstance, called Independence Hall; and with a people so sensitively alive as even the most apathetic of the Americans are to everything connected with this great foundation of their independence and their liberties, it may easily be imagined how warmly they cherish and how deeply they venerate everything connected with this, to them, classical and hallowed apartment.

It appears that, some time since, the ruling authorities of the city made some alterations in this room which disturbed its identity; but the spirit of the people, roused by what they considered a desecration of this cherished relic, had the changes speedily removed, and the room restored as nearly as possible to the state in which it was when the Declaration of Independence there received its signatures; in which condition it is now shown with enthusiasm to all strangers visiting Philadelphia.

It is remarkable that the old bell which occupied the open tower or cupola of this State House, and which was used for the purpose of assembling the people in Colonial times, had cast on it as a motto the following quotation from the Old Testament: "Proclaim liberty throughout the land, to all the people thereof." The bell still occupies its original position; and, having fulfilled the injunction inscribed upon its surface, by announcing to the inhabitants of Philadelphia the signature of the Declaration of Independence, it is preserved with as much veneration as the Hall itself; and both will, no doubt, be carefully guarded to the latest posterity. Some spirited lines, addressed to the Old State House by an American poet, Andrew M‘Makin, are seen here, preceded by the motto from our own poet, Thomas Campbell, "Thy spirit, Independence, let me share, Lord of the lion heart and eagle eye :"

and the following stanzas breathe the spirit and feeling that seem to animate every American bosom when visiting this honoured edifice :

"Cradle of Independence, hail!

Within thy walls first breathed the fire
Which, Heaven-directed, shall prevail,
"Till Time's own power itself expire.

"That band of patriot heroes here

In conclave pledged their life and fame,
To guard their country's honour dear,
And kindle glory round her name.

"Brave ancient pile! long mayst thou trace
The sacred spot first blazon'd FREE!
And no rude Goth one stone displace,
Proud Monument of Liberty."

THE MERCHANT'S EXCHANGE.

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The associations which this venerable pile must always awaken in the breast of the American patriot can hardly fail to be agreeable; and it stands so entirely in the centre of the bustle of the town, that no one can visit Philadelphia without seeing it, or without being pleased with its many interesting objects. In front of it is a broad brick pavement, forming an excellent promenade, and two rows of trees afford an avenue of delightful verdure and shade for the passengers. The square behind was the favourite place of resort and deliberation for Washington, Hancock, Franklin, and the great men of the Revolution; and it, and the almost adjoining space of Washington Square, are still among the most open, well-planted, and agrecable public walks of the city.

The Merchants' Exchange is another of the public buildings that does great honour to Philadelphia. It occupies the angle at the junction of Walnut and Third streets, and is said to stand on the exact spot where formerly was a small stream with a beaver's dam, at the edge of an Indian settlement. The structure is a very handsome one, from the design of Mr. Strickland, the city architect. It is built of white marble from the quarries of Pennsylvania, and the semicircular projecting front which it presents towards Dock

street, with its fine rotunda, colonnade, and tower, gives an air of great architectural beauty to the whole building. In the interior of the rotunda are some fine designs in alto-relievo, by an Italian artist, Monachesi, and the floor is inlaid with mosaic work. A spacious reading-room, furnished with papers from all parts of the world, is constantly filled

with readers; and around, and connected with the building, are the Postoffice, insurance companies, and many other public establishments connected with navigation and commerce, so that it is always a very busy and animated scene.

The banks of Philadelphia may well be numbered among the public edifices; and, taken as a whole, are certainly more beautiful, as works of architecture, than those of any other city I remember, not even excepting London or Paris.

The Bank of the United States, which is in Chesnutstreet, immediately opposite to the United States Hotel, is a perfect specimen of the pure Doric temples of the Greeks, It is said, indeed, to be a copy of the Temple of the Parthenon at Athens; but this is hardly correct, as it is inferior in size, and wants also the peripteral colonnade which surrounds that edifice, this having only the portico in front.

The whole edifice is, however, in such good proportions, so chastely free from all spurious decoration, so simple and majestic in its ascending flights of steps, running the whole length of the front, with balustrade or surbasement, and is, moreover, built of such fine large blocks of pure and almost Parian marble, that it may be pronounced one of the best specimens of the Doric, in the purest times of Greek architecture, to be seen anywhere out of Greece itself. Its length is 161 feet, and breadth 87. The portico has eight fluted Doric pillars of 4 feet diameter. The interior is Ionic, the banking-room being 81 feet long and 48 wide, and it has lightness, space, simplicity, and convenience, united in the highest possible degree.

The Girard Bank, in Third-street, is a noble structure,

with a richly-decorated front and portico of Corinthian fluted columns, and entablatures of sculptured designs.

The Philadelphia Bank, in Chesnut-street, also of the Corinthian order, presents a fine façade of white marble, and an elevated portico. And the United States Mint, in Chesnut-street, farther to the west, is a fine Ionic structure, built by the city architect, Mr. Strickland, from drawings and measurements of a beautiful Ionic temple of the Greeks on the banks of the River Ilyssus, near Athens. This also is built entirely of the pure white marble which abounds in Pennsylvania, and than which the famed quarries of Paros or Pentelicus could hardly furnish a better.

. The public edifices connected with education are numerous, but only a few of them are remarkable for their size or architectural beauty. The public and private schools are commodious, and well adapted to their respective purposes, but offer little attraction in their appearance.

The University of Philadelphia is now the principal public institution of this description. It was originally a charity school, and afterward an academy, and as such it was endowed and chartered in 1753. It was erected into a college in 1779, three years after the Declaration of Independence; and in 1789 it received the dignity of a University. Its tuition embraces the four departments of arts, medicine, natural science, and law; it has four professors of arts, five of natural science, one of law, and seven of medicine. In the latter branch alone, upward of 500 students receive instruction every year, and about an equal number in all the

other departments collectively. There is a fine anatomical museum belonging to the University, and its philosophical and chymical apparatus are equal to that of any similar institution in Europe. I had the pleasure to see them all, under the direction of Dr. Hares, the celebrated inventor of the improved blowing pipe, who is professor of chymistry in the institution. The buildings of the University, of which there are two, are situated in North-street. They are five substantial mansions, without much decoration, but in good taste; and being surrounded with ample space, and a fine grassplat in front, between each other, they present a good appearance to the view.

The Girard College, now in the course of erection in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, will be one of the finest edifices of modern times as a work of art alone, and a monument of private munificence to the cause of education, such as few countries in the world possess. The large sum of two millions of dollars was given at his death by Mr. Stephen Girard, the rich banker of Philadelphia, recently deceased, to build this college, for the education of such orphans as were without the means of otherwise obtaining it.

Mr. Girard was a Frenchman of the humblest origin, and came to this city a poor man. By great industry, shrewdness, parsimony, and good fortune-for his success was owing to a combination of all these-he acquired immense wealth, and at his death left seven millions of dollars, two millions of which were given for the erection of the buildings of this institution, and the residue of his es tate, after paying some inconsiderable legacies, was appropriated to its endowment; so that it is thought there will be at the least a fund of five millions of dollars, or one million sterling, as a permanent investment; the interest of which, in this country not less than £60,000 sterling per annum, will be at the disposal of the trustees for annual expenditure.

A remarkable condition of this institution, enjoined by the will of Mr. Girard, is this, that "no clergyman, preacher, teacher, or minister of any sect of religion, shall have any share in the trusteeship, management. direction, or tuition of the college; but from all these shall be absolutely and forever excluded." The motive for this condition is alleged to have been his determination to guard against any possible sectarian predominance, from a belief that it would operate, if established, disadvantageously to the just distribution of the privileges of the institution to the various claimants for admission, according to their respective modes of faith.