OnemightspendafortnightinPortsmouthexploringthenooksandcornersoverwhichhistoryhasthrownacharm，andbynomeansexhaustthelist。Icannotdomorethanattempttodescribe——andthatverybriefly——afewofthetypicaloldhouses。OnthissamePleasantStreetthereareseveralwhichwemustleaveunnoted，withtheirspacioushallsandcarvenstaircases，theirantiquatedfurnitureandoldsilvertankardsandchoiceCopleys。Numerousexamplesofthisartist’sbestmanneraretobefoundhere。ToliveinPortsmouthwithoutpossessingafamilyportraitdonebyCopleyislikelivinginBostonwithouthavinganancestorintheoldGranaryBurying-Ground。Youcanexist，butyoucannotbesaidtoflourish。Tomakethisstatementsmooth，IwillremarkthateveryoneinPortsmouthhasaCopley——orwouldhaveifafairdivisionweremade。
Inthebettersectionsofthetownthehousesarekeptinsuchexcellentrepair，andhavesosmartanappearancewiththeirbrightgreenblindsandfreshlypaintedwoodwork，thatyouarelikelytopassmanyanoldlandmarkwithoutsuspectingit。
Wheneveryouseeahousewithagambrelroof，youmaybealmostpositivethatthehouseisatleastahundredyearsold，forthegambrelroofwentoutoffashionaftertheRevolution。
OnthecornerofDanielandChapelstreetsstandstheoldestbrickbuildinginPortsmouth——theWarnerHouse。Itwasbuiltin1718byCaptainArchibaldMacpheadris，aScotchman，ashisnameindicates，awealthymerchant，andamemberoftheKing’sCouncil。Hewasthechiefprojectorofoneoftheearliestiron-worksestablishedinAmerica。CaptainMacpheadrismarriedSarahWentworth，oneofthesixteenchildrenofGovernorJohnWentworth，anddiedin1729，leavingadaughter，Mary，whoseportrait，withthatofhermother，paintedbytheubiquitousCopley，stillhangsintheparlorofthishouse，whichisnotknownbythenameofCaptainMacpheadris，butbythatofhisson-in-law，Hon。JonathanWarner，amemberoftheKing’sCounciluntiltherevoltofthecolonies。\"WewellrecollectMr。Warner，\"
saysMr。Brewster，writingin1858，\"asoneofthelastofthecockedhats。Asinavisionofearlychildhoodheisstillbeforeus，inallthedignityofthearistocraticcrownofficers。Thatbroad-backed，long-skirtedbrowncoat，thosesmall-clothesandsilkstockings，thosesilverbuckles，andthatcane——weseethemstill，althoughthelifethatfilledandmovedthemceasedhalfacenturyago。\"