Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-08-16

SPECIMEN OF THE OLD scHooL.--.Me-
moirs Of DR.. HONey.-In the memoirs Of Dr..
Holey. recently published in Boston, we, find
the following description of the domestic life of
a country gentleman residing IN the neighbor
hood of Lexington; it is contained in II letter
written by DIR. HoIlcy in 1918, during his first
visit to that placc,-W We extract it, because it
gives an interesting and somewhat novel pic
turc of Kentucky manners and domestic life
and also that we may contribute something TO-
wards attracting q favorable attention TO these
Memoirs.
81 went with a party Of ladies and gentle
men, nine miles into the country to the seat OF
Col. Mead, where we dined and passed the
day. This gentleman, who is near seventy is
Virginian of The old school lie has been q
good deal IN England, in his youth, and
brought home with him English notions of a
country seat, though he is a great republican
in politics. He and his fe dress in the cos
tune Of the olden time. He has the square
coat and great cuffs the vest Of the court, short
brceches, and white stockings at all times.
Mrs. Mead has the long waist, the white
apron, the stays, the ruffles about the elbows,
and the cap of half century ago. She is ve-
ry mild and lady like, aud though between six
ty and seventy. plays upon the piano with the
facility and cheertulness of young lady. Her
husband resembles Col Pickering in the ia CO
and the shape of the head. He is entirely man
of leisure. never having followed any business,
and never using his fortune but in adorning his
place and enler,a ming his friends and strangers
No word is ever sent TO him that company is
coming. To do so oiiends him. But dinner
he dimes at the hour of fodr-is always ready for
,siters; and servants are always in waiting
Twenty of us went out to day, without warn
ing, and were entertained luxuriously on the
vands of the country. Our drink consisted Of
beer, toddy and water. Wine, being imported
and expensive, he never gives; nor does lie
allow cigars to be smoked in his presence
His house consists Of a cluster Of rustic cot
tages, N front of which spreads a beautiful,
slopng lawn, as smooth as velvet. From this
dverSe, in various directions, and forming WIS.,
taS terminated by picturesque objects, groves
and walks extending ,vcr some acres. Seats,
Chinese temples, verdant banks and alcoves
are interspersed at convenient distances. The
lake, over which spreads a Grccian temple,
that you may imagine TO be the residence of
the water nymphs, has in il small island,
which communicates with the shore by
white bridge Of one arch. The whole is sur
rounded by a low rustic fence Of stone, sur
mounted and almost hidden by honey-suckies
and roses, now in full flower, and which we
gathered in abundance to adc-n the ladies'
Every thing is laid out for wa,h. Dg and pleas
ure. His farm he rents, ana Goes nothing for
profit. The whole IS ia rustic taste. You en-
ter from tho road, through a gate between
rude and massive columns, field without pre-
tension, wind a considerable distance through
a noble park TO an inner gate, the capitals to
whose pillars are unique, being formed OF the
roots Of trees carved by nature. Then the
ricl scene Of cultivation, OF verduro and How
er-cappcd hedges, bursts upon you. There is
no establishment like this IN our country In
stead of a description, | might have given you
its name, Chaumiere du Pruirfes.'