Manhattanville, situated in the chief of the four valleys that cleave the island from the Hudson to the East River, now a pleasant suburban village, is destined to be soon swallowed by the approaching and rapacious town. Its site on the Hudson was originally called Harlem Cove. It

3 D

THE HUDSON.

was considered a place of strategic importance in the tvar for independence and the war of 1812, and at both periods fortifications were erected there to command the pass from the Hudson to Harlem Plains, to whose verge

MANHATTANVILLE FROM CLAEEMONT.

the little village extends. Upon the heights near, the Eoman Catholics have two flourishing literary institutions, namely, the Convent of the Sacred'Heart, for girls, and the Academy of the Holy Infant, for boys.

THE HUDSON.

Upon the high promontory overlooking the Hudson, on the south side of Manhattanvillc, is Jones's Clareraont Hotel, a fashionable place of resort for the pleasure-seekers who frequent the Bloomingdalc and Kingsbi'idge roads, on pleasant afternoons. At such times it is often thronged with visitors, and presents a lively appearance. The main, or older portion of the building, was erected, I believe, by the elder Dr. Post,

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CLAEEMONT.

early in the present century, as a summer residence, and named by him Claremont. It still belongs to the Post family,. It was an elegant country mansion, upon a most desirable spot, overlooking many leagues of the Hudson. There, more than fifty years ago, lived Yiscount Courtenay, afterwards Earl of Devon. He left England, it was reported, because of political troubles. "When the war of 1812 broke out, he