Inherstreetsonefoundtheextremesofmagnificenceandmisery，ofcivilisationanddisorder。Inonequarter，palacesofmarble，lacedand，crownedwithlightandflameandflowers，toweredupintohermarvelloustwilightsbeautiful，beyonddescription;inanother，ablackandsinisterpolyglotpopulationswelteredinindescribablecongestioninwarrens，andexcavationsbeyondthepowerandknowledgeofgovernment。Hervice，hercrime，herlawalikewereinspiredbyafierceandterribleenergy，andlikethegreatcitiesofmediaevalItaly，herwaysweredarkandadventurouswithprivatewar。
ItwasthepeculiarshapeofManhattanIsland，pressedinbyarmsoftheseaoneitherside，andincapableofcomfortableexpansion，exceptalonganarrownorthwardbelt，thatfirstgavetheNewYorkarchitectstheirbiasforextremeverticaldimensions。Everyneedwaslavishlysuppliedthem——money，material，labour;onlyspacewasrestricted。Tobegin，therefore，theybuilthighperforce。Buttodosowastodiscoverawholenewworldofarchitecturalbeauty，ofexquisiteascendantlines，andlongafterthecentralcongestionhadbeenrelievedbytunnelsunderthesea，fourcolossalbridgesovertheeastriver，andadozenmono—railcableseastandwest，theupwardgrowthwenton。InmanywaysNewYorkandhergorgeousplutocracyrepeatedVeniceinthemagnificenceofherarchitecture，painting，metal—workandsculpture，forexample，inthegrimintensity，ofherpoliticalmethod，inhermaritimeandcommercialascendancy。Butsherepeatednopreviousstateatallinthelaxdisorderofherinternaladministration，alaxitythatmadevastsectionsofherarealawlessbeyondprecedent，sothatitwaspossibleforwholedistrictstobeimpassable，whilecivilwarragedbetweenstreetandstreet，andforAlsatiastoexistinhermidstinwhichtheofficialpoliceneversetfoot。Shewasanethnicwhirlpool。Theflagsofallnationsflewinherharbour，andattheclimax，theyearlycomingandgoingoverseasnumberedtogetherupwardsoftwomillionhumanbeings。ToEuropeshewasAmerica，toAmericashewasthegatewayoftheworld。
ButtotellthestoryofNewYorkwouldbetowriteasocialhistoryoftheworld;saintsandmartyrs，dreamersandscoundrels，thetraditionsofathousandracesandathousandreligions，wenttohermakingandthrobbedandjostledinherstreets。Andoverallthattorrentialconfusionofmenandpurposesflutteredthatstrangeflag，thestarsandstripes，thatmeantatoncethenoblestthinginlife，andtheleastnoble，thatistosay，Libertyontheonehand，andontheotherthebasejealousytheindividualself—seekerfeelstowardsthecommonpurposeoftheState。
FormanygenerationsNewYorkhadtakennoheedofwar，saveasathingthathappenedfaraway，thataffectedpricesandsuppliedthenewspaperswithexcitingheadlinesandpictures。TheNewYorkersfeltperhapsevenmorecertainlythantheEnglishhaddonethatwarintheirownlandwasanimpossiblething。InthattheysharedthedelusionofallNorthAmerica。Theyfeltassecureasspectatorsatabullfight;theyriskedtheirmoneyperhapsontheresult，butthatwasall。AndsuchideasofwarasthecommonAmericanspossessedwerederivedfromthelimited，picturesque，adventurouswarofthepast。Theysawwarastheysawhistory，throughaniridescentmist，deodorised，scentedindeed，withallitsessentialcrueltiestactfullyhiddenaway。
Theywereinclinedtoregretitassomethingennobling，tosighthatitcouldnolongercomeintotheirownprivateexperience。