fleet of steamboats equal in number to a combination of all others that ply upon the upper river give the front of the city a metropolitan aspect. Of course, on the Digitized by Microsoft® 468 The Hudson River principle that nothing succeeds Hke success, the growth of population and of business due to foundries and machine shops has been considerable. Commercial Kingston has nearly swallowed the quaint, historic town that used to sit comfortably on the site of old Wiltwyck. Gradually it has absorbed its neighbours, Rondout being the last to be digested. There is a ferry from Rhinebeck on the east shore of the river. The city has twenty-four churches, several daily newspapers, four national banks, and excellent schools and seminaries. Altogether, it is phenomen- ally active for a Hudson River town. In going forward from older times to more modern days, we have been obliged to omit mention of many people and events. But one name tempts a return for one brief paragraph. John Vanderlyn, the celebrated painter, was born in Kingston late in the eighteenth century. He was first apprenticed to a waggon-painter, and the genius that was in him developed in spite of this prosaic occupation. For several years he struggled to reconcile his vocation with his avocation, to possess his soul while laying smooth panels of coach varnish and striping wheels. At length one day that meddler with many fortunes. Colonel Aaron Burr, strayed into the Kingston tavern, and while waiting there saw some of Vanderlyn 's work. He called for the artist, and the result of that interview was that the young man ceased to paint waggons and went to Europe to learn to paint pictures. In 1808, at the Louvre, he received a gold Digitized by Microsoft® Rondout and Kingston 469 medal offered by Napoleon for the best composition of the year. His subject was Marius on the Ruins of Carthage. Nearly forty years later he painted the Landing of Columbus, which is in the Capitol at Wash- ington, but even then his power had begun to decline, and the work is considered quite inferior to some of his earlier productions. Eight years later the painter died in poverty in Kingston, and his remains were laid in the old Wilt- wyck cemetery. Allusion has been made to the Huguenots who founded New Paltz. At first their national language and form of worship distinguished them from their Dutch neighbours, but gradually, in the course of sev- eral generations, both of these distinguishing peculiar- ities were forgotten and the descendants of Dubois, Hasbrouck, Lefever, Bevier, Crispell, and their com- panions could not be distinguished except by name from those of Ten Broeck, Van Gaasbeek, or Blom. A descendant of Dubois became one of the prominent ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church, and others of Huguenot lineage have followed his example. In 1883, Mr. Frederick Edward Westbrook, a de- scendant of Wessel Ten Broeck, published a history of the old Senate House, his own residence, and in it is contained the following interesting reference to the Huguenot settlers: The region selected by the Huguenots for their future abode was Hke their own dehghtful France. It wanted the culture and Digitized by Microsoft® 470 The Hudson River improvements of the former, but the picturesque and the sub- lime in nature appeared on every side. Running streams, verd- ant lawns, hills, and woods charmed the eye. Toward the east the charming prospect was bounded by the noble and ever-roll- ing Hudson. The lofty Catskills delighted their vision while at Kingston, where they remained about fifteen years before leav- ing for New Paltz, about 1683, where they remained as their final resting-place. The Shawangunk and the Fishkill range of mountains gave additional beauty to the scene. The Rosendale begins its course far in the interior, and, uniting with the Wall- kill, then rapidly passes on till it unites with the Hudson. So with the Esopus Creek; its source is among the mountains of the Delaware, whence it rushes furiously onward until it reaches Marbletown ; from thence it runs northerly until it mingles with the Hudson at Saugerties, Ulster County. About twenty fami- lies remained at Kingston. The Dutch and French Huguenots followed these noble streams. Their descendants now enjoy the rich and glorious patrimony secured by the industry, frugality, and piety of their ancestors. A copy of their treaty with the Indians exists, and was exe- cuted May 26, 1677. They were three days on their journey from Kingston to New Paltz. Soon, however, they selected a more elevated site upon the banks of the beautiful Wallkill, where the ancient village now stands. Kingston was then their only trading village. The French church, of which Louis DuBois was the first elder, was established in 1683. For fifty years