Through the Gates of Old Romance [Illustration: THE PARK THEATRE, NEW YORK CITY, IN 1807] * * * * * Through the Gates of Old Romance BY W. JAY MILLS Author of "Historic Houses of New Jersey" Editor of "Glimpses of Colonial Society and the Life at Princeton College, 1766-1773" With Illustrations by John Rae [Illustration] PHILADELPHIA & LONDON J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 1903 * * * * * COPYRIGHT, 1903 BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY _Published November, 1903_ _Electrotyped and Printed by J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, U. S. A._ * * * * * TO THE FOUR MANNERS OF MANNERS HOUSE ON OLD BARROW STREET * * * * * Contents PAGE AN UNRECORDED PHILADELPHIA ROMANCE THE FRANKLIN FAMILY HELPED INTO FLOWER 15 THE LOVE-STORY OF THE NOTED NATHANIEL MOORE AND "THE HEAVENLY ELLEN," A BELLE OF CHAMBERS STREET, NEW YORK CITY 59 A TRUE PICTURE OF THE LAST DAYS OF AARON BURR 99 THE POETIC COURTSHIP OF PHILIP FRENEAU, THE POET OF THE REVOLUTION, AND BEAUTIFUL ELEANOR FORMAN 123 THE CHEVALIER DE SILLY AND HIS NEWPORT SALLY 159 SUSANNA ROWSON, OF "CHARLOTTE TEMPLE" FAME, AND HER BRITISH GRENADIER 179 THE GHOSTS OF AN OLD STATEN ISLAND MANOR 197 MAJOR ANDRÉ'S LAST LOVE 213 PINDERINA SCRIBBLERUS, AN AMERICAN MONTAGU 253 List of Illustrations PAGE THE PARK THEATRE, NEW YORK CITY, IN 1807 _Frontispiece_ THE WEST FAMILY IN LONDON 41 Painted by Benjamin West HOW CAN I DESCRIBE TO YOU HIS EYES, HIS HAIR, HIS VOICE 61 A SIDEWALK FILLED WITH THE FASHIONABLES OF GOTHAM STARTING FOR THE AFTERNOON BATTERY PROMENADE 65 NATHANIEL FISH MOORE 69 AN OLD VIEW OF STATEN ISLAND, ABOUT 1830 101 ON THE WIDE GALLERIES OF THIS HAVEN OF REST OLD SEA-CAPTAINS COULD ALWAYS BE SEEN GENTLY DOZING AS THEY PUFFED LONG PIPES IN THE SUNLIGHT 105