Toronto to Collingwood. 133 



centre, 1 20 feet in height. Part of the grounds are appro- 

 priated to the purposes of a botanical garden, and close by 

 are the buildings of the magnetical observatory, whose 

 apparatus is very complete. The whole building with its 

 museum will well repay a visit. Trinity College^ on Queen 

 Street West, standing in a spacious park of twenty acres, is 

 another beautiful building, presenting from the lake and bay 

 a splendid appearance, with its dark background of noble 

 trees. It is of white brick, with stone dressings, designed 

 in the style of pointed English architecture, with bay win- 

 dows and ornamented gables and turrets. The Normal 

 School Buildings, with their beautifully laid out grounds, 

 are one of the most attractive spots in the city, and the 

 building is said to be the largest of the kind in America 

 St. y antes Cathedral, and the Roman Catholic* Cathedral of 

 St. Michael, are both handsome buildings, and when their 

 towers or spires are completed will add not a little to the 

 appearance of the city from a distance. Osgoode Hall, con- 

 taining the Courts of Law, is a fine building ; and the 

 Provincial Ltmatic Asylum, at the western extremity of the 

 city, is well worthy of a visit by the curious in such matters. 

 It is kept in admirable order; and though it is a painful 

 sight at all times to be brought in contact with "humanity 

 so fallen," yet it is pleasing to see the degree of comfort 

 many of the patients seem to enjoy. There is no difficulty in 

 obtaining permission to view it. The Merchants' Exchange 

 also reflects great credit on the skill and plans of the archi- 

 tect. One of the principal thoroughfares, called Yonge 

 Street, extends northwards under that name through a rich 

 and prosperous agricultural dictrict about thirty-six miles ; 

 probably the longest street in the world, with the exception 

 of the old Roman roads in England 



Young as Toronto is in years, it has none of the associa- 

 tions which render Quebec almost classic, yet it is as proud 

 of its beautiful bay and aquatic sports as the latter of its 



