streets lying East and West, begin with No. 1, on the North; and No. 2, on the South sides at the river Delaware, or other Eastern commencement of the street, and proceed westward; all the houses. marked with odd numbers, are on the North side of the way, and all those marked with even numbers, on the South.

The numbers in the streets lying North and South, begin at the corners of High street, with No. 1, on the East, and No. 2. on the West side. High street is considered as the middle line of division, and the parts of these lying North of it, has the addition of North to their names, and those lying South, the addition of South; the numbers proceed North and South from High street, having all the odd numbers on the East, and all the even numbers on the West side. A board is fixed up at every intersection, on which the names of the streets, crossing one another, are painted.

Previously to 1800, the city was divided into wards in a very irregular manner, but in that year the following judicious arrangement was made.

The city was divided into fourteen wards, seven of which commence at the river Delaware and end at Fourth street, and seven begin at Fourth street and continue to the river Schuylkill or western boundary of the city. The regular plan of the streets into North and South, East and West, favours this division, which will be readily understood by the following plan.

WESTERN BOUNDARY OF THE CITY.

THE RIVER DELAWARE.

FOURTH STREET, OR MIDDLE BOUNDARY OF THE WARDS.

Sassafras Street.

Lower Delaware ward.

Mulberry Street.

High Street ward.

SOUTH.

High Street.

Chesnut ward.

Street.

Walnut ward.

Street.

Dock ward.

Street.

New Market ward.

Cedar Street.

South

or

When William Penn first came to this country, he found it possessed by about three thousand Europeans, Swedes, Dutch, and English, who were scattered from New-Castle to the falls of Delaware. Two thousand of his countrymen accompanied him from England, and in two years after, when he embarked to return, he left eighty houses and cottages in the capital. Population flowed in rapidly from a variety of causes. The religious bigotry of the English government had rendered a large body of industrious people much dissatisfied; the character of Penn stood high with his sect, and he was known to be a favourite at court. The patent for the tract of land, had been drawn by an able statesman, under an express injunction that it should "give sufficient encouragement to settlers:" it was particularly dictated, so as to avoid those disputes that had occurred in the case of the colony of Massachusetts, and afforded security from the interference by an arbitrary court which was of no small importance. But the liberal principles adopted by Penn in the "conditions with the settlers,' contributed perhaps more than any other cause to the increase of population. Property was secured to the labouring class, by the allotment of "fifty acres to a servant at the end of his time." To men deprived of all hopes of power or office by the existence of privileged orders, it was a strong inducement to emigrate, that "all inhabitants paying scot and lot to the government shall be eligible as a representative of the people" a provision embracing a greater number by the addition of another article, that "no person shall enjoy more than one public office at a time." Confidence was given to those disposed to supply the wants of the colonists, by compelling " factors, wronging their employers, to make satisfaction, and one third over ;" and religious controversy could not disturb their repose, when none, " acknowledging

one Almighty God, and living peaceably in society, could be molested for their religion, nor compelled to frequent or maintain any religious ministry whatever."

In the short space of three years after the settlement of Penn, fifty sail of vessels arrived, filled with passengers from different countries. The tyranny of the German Princes contributed greatly to this number. So many of their subjects arrived at an early date, that government was alarmed at their increase ; but their habits were industrious and retired, and dispersing in various directions, they diffused improvements, and silently, but steadily contributed in an eminent degree to the prosperity of the country.

*Penn's letter, Proud 1. p. 263.

+ Robinson's Directory. †The enumeration of 1749, was made by citizens of the first respectability.

Mulberry ward, by Dr. Franklin-Dock ward, Joseph Shippen-Lower Delaware, William Allen, (Chief Justice.)-Upper

The following enumeration from the Directory, was taken by James Robinson and John A. Paxton in November, 1810. By which it appears the city contains thirteen thousand two hundred and forty one Buildings, of which seven hundred and thirty seven

Northern Liberties, built part (exclusive of Kensington) contains four thousand two hundred and eighty, of which two hundred and seventy-two are New.

Delaware, Thomas Hopkinson-South ward and Southern suburbs, Edward Shippen.-High street, Thomas Lawrence, jun.Walnut, William Humphreys.-Chesnut, Joseph Turner. North ward and Northern suburbs, Dr. William Shippen -Middle ward, William Coleman.

The alteration of the division of the wards in 1800, renders it impossible to judge of the comparative increase of population in the several quarters of the city.