has been constructed
round the falls, which is deserving of notice, as being, perhaps, the
most important work of the kind ever undertaken. The cross section of
the canal is 200 feet at the top of the bank, 50 feet at the bottom, and
42 feet deep, making its capacity about fifteen times greater than that
contemplated for the Erie Canal after its enlargement is completed: its
sides are sloping and paved with stone. The guard lock contains 21,775
perches of masonry, being equal to that of fifteen locks on the New York
Canals; and three others contain 12,300 perches. This canal is capable
of admitting steamboats of the largest class. It is scarcely two miles
in length; but, considering the quantity of mason work, and the
difficulty of excavating earth and rock from so great a depth, together
with the contingencies attending its construction, from the fluctuations
in the depth of the river, it is probably no over-statement when it is
said, that the work in it is equal to that of seventy or seventy-five
miles of an ordinary canal."

LETTER XIII.

NEW YORK--ASTOR LIBRARY.--COOPER INSTITUTE.--BIBLE HOUSE.--DR.
RAE--DR. TYNG.--TARRYTOWN.--ALBANY.--SLEIGHING--FINAL RETURN TO
BOSTON.--HALIFAX.--VOYAGE HOME.--CONCLUSION.

Albany, Nov. 27th, 1858.

My last letter was despatched to you on the 23rd inst.;--that evening we
dined at Mr. Aspinwall's. He has a handsome house in New York, and a
large picture gallery, and as we wished to see this by daylight, we
called on him after breakfast on the following morning, and had an
opportunity of examining the pictures, many of which are very good,
especially some by early Dutch masters.

Mr. Aspinwall afterwards took us to the Astor Library. This library was
founded by the munificence of the late Mr. Astor, a very rich merchant,
who bequeathed a large sum of money for the purpose. It is remarkably
well arranged and pretty, and capable of containing about 300,000
volumes. Mr. Cogswell, the librarian, showed us some of the most
valuable books. He was acquainted with Papa's name, as he had bought
his book in London for the library, and appeared familiar with its
contents. He said he valued it as filling up a gap in the financial
history of America that was not supplied by any work in this country.

Mr. Aspinwall took us afterwards to the Cooper Institute, founded by Mr.
Peter Cooper, another very eminent citizen of New