Part I

           Fouryearsago—in1874—twoyoungEnglishmenhadoccasiontogototheUnitedStates.Theycrossedtheoceanatmidsummer,and,arrivinginNewYorkonthefirstdayofAugust,weremuchstruckwiththefervidtemperatureofthatcity.Disembarkinguponthewharf,theyclimbedintooneofthosehugehigh-hungcoacheswhichconveypassengerstothehotels,andwithagreatdealofbouncingandbumping,tooktheircoursethroughBroadway.ThemidsummeraspectofNewYorkisnot,perhaps,themostfavorableone;still,itisnotwithoutitspicturesqueandevenbrilliantside.NothingcouldwellresemblelessatypicalEnglishstreetthantheinterminableavenue,richinincongruities,throughwhichourtwotravelersadvanced—lookingoutoneachsideofthematthecomfortableanimationofthesidewalks,thehigh-colored,heterogeneousarchitecture,thehugewhitemarblefacadesglitteringinthestrong,crudelight,andbedizenedwithgildedlettering,themultifariousawnings,banners,andstreamers,theextraordinarynumberofomnibuses,horsecars,andotherdemocraticvehicles,thevendorsofcoolingfluids,thewhitetrousersandbigstrawhatsofthepolicemen,thetrippinggaitofthemodishyoungpersonsonthepavement,thegeneralbrightness,newness,juvenility,bothofpeopleandthings.Theyoungmenhadexchangedfewobservations;butincrossingUnionSquare,infrontofthemonumenttoWashington—intheveryshadow,indeed,projectedbytheimageofthepaterpatriae—oneofthemremarkedtotheother,“Itseemsarum-lookingplace.