used for some whale purposes. On the northern side of Chesnut street, in digging for the foundation of the house of Mr. Storey, No. 113, they found themselves in the bed of the same creek, and had to drive piles there. At this place and the adjoining lot was originally a tanyard, next a coachmaker's shop and yard.-At twelve feet they came to the top of the old tunnel.

James Mintus, a black man, living with Arthur Howell till he died, in 1822, at the age of 75 years, used to say in that family, that his father, who lived to the age of 80, used to tell him there was a wharf under Chesnut street before Mr. Howell's house. The discovery there in 1823 verified his assertion.

The dangerous state of the bridge, and of the water there while it lasted, was verified by the fact that John Reynalls löst his only daughter "by drowning in Dock creek by Hudson's alley."

The very estimable character of Anthony Benezet confers an interest on every thing connected with his name; it therefore attaches to the house which he owned and dwelt in for fifty years of his life, keeping school there for children of both sexes of the most respectable families for several years, and finally dying there in 1784.

The house had in the rear of it a two story brick kitchen, and in entering its present proper ground floor you descend from the yard down two steps. This was far from being its original state; for it is even now plain to be seen, in looking down into its open area, that it has two brick stories still lower under the ground. My opinion is, that this kitchen was once on the bank of Dock creek, on the shelving edge; that the eastern side of it was never any part of it under ground, and that the area, or western side, (from the creek,) was originally only one story under the ground, and the rest has since been filled up to make the yard agree with the raising of Chesnut street. I am confirmed in this idea from having heard, in a very direct manner, that Anthony Benezet, at an early period of his residence there, was accustomed statedly to feed his rats in his area. An old Friend, who visited him, having found him in that employment, expressed his wonder that he so kindly treated such pernicious vermin, saying they should rather be killed out of the way. Nay, said good Anthony, I will not treat them so; you make them thieves by maltreating and starving them, but I make them honest by feeding them; for, being so fed, they never prey on any goods of mine! This singular fact may be confided in. It was further said, that on the occasion of feeding them he was used to stand in the area, when they would gather round his feet like chickens. One of his family once hung a collar round one of them, which was seen for years after, feeding in the groupe. These facts coincide with the fancy of the London gentleman who has been lately noticed as reconciling and taming the most opposite natures of animals, by causing them to

dwell together in peace. Benezet's sympathy was great with every thing capable of feeling pain,-from this cause he abstained for several years from eating any animal food. Being asked one day to partake of some poultry on the table at his brother's house, he exclaimed: "What! would you have me to eat my neighbours!"

Before the house came into the hands of Anthony Benezet, it was known as a public house, having the sign of "the Hen and Chickens."

CLARKE'S HALL, &c.

CHESNUT STREET.

ILLUSTRATED BY A PLATE.

CLARKE'S Hall was originally constructed for William Clarke, Esq. at an early period of the city. He was by profession a lawyer, and at one time held the revenue of the customs at Lewistown. The house was deemed among the grandest in its day; and even in modern times was deemed a large and venerable structure-it was at all times notable for its display and extent of garden cultivation. It occupied the area from Chesnut street to the Dock creek, where is now Girard's Bank, and from Third street up to Hudson's alley; the Hall itself, of double front, faced on Chesnut street-was formed of brick, and two stories high. Its rear or south exposure into the garden, descending to Dock creek, was always deemed beautiful. At that early day Dock creek was crossed in Third street over a wooden bridge*-thence the creek went up to the line of present Hudson's alley, and by it, across Chesnut street-passing under the bridge there close by Breintnall's house-the same afterwards the residence of Anthony Benezet. All this neighbourhood was long deemed rural and out of town; only two other houses and families of note were near to it, say— that of Thomas Lloyd, once the Governor, on the north east corner of Chesnut and Third streets, and that of William Hudson, once the Mayor, near the south east corner of the same streets, having its front and court yard upon Third street, wherein were growing two very large buttonwood trees.

In the year 1704, in consequence of the arrival of William Penn, jun. and his love of display and expense, James Logan rented and occupied these Clarke Hall premises-saying, as his reasons for the measure, (to the father) that as no house in the town suited the enlarged views of his son, he had taken Clarke's great house, into which himself, William Penn, jun. Governor Evans, and Judge Mompesson, had all joined en famille as young bachelors.

*I see this bridge referred to as still standing as late as the year 1769, and lately some remains of it were found in digging in Third street, although none of the lookers-on could conjecture what it meant.