Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-05-27

an English cot strike an American with
surprise? Why does he look, as at q
strange thing, upon the French peasantry
taking their evening repast beneath their
trees and vines Because we Americans
arc so particularly practical, and so posses
sed OF The demon of trade. that nothing is
valuable which cannot be sold. Value is
becoming quite equivalent to vcndbility /;
valuable means saleable worth means
money. Ifa flower, or a hedge row, or a
cascade, or bust or prospect, add TO the
price under the hammer, these things are
valuable, and are straightway inserted in
the photographic view OF the auciioneer.-
They are useful. Usefulness is that quail
ity Of things whereby they bring money.
Mrs. Trollope exaggerated in saying that
no one could ever hear two Americans talk
five minutes without the word dollar
So Bonapartc exaggerated when he called
the Br,;'sh nation of shop. keepers.' BE
it so. Caricatures often tell truth. Even
the hideous concave mirror, though it ex.
aggerate ever go much, shows me some
grand blemshes Of my face. have tried
tho experiment in walking the crowded
streets Of our cities, to catch the predomi
nant words of the passers-by. The cata-
logue is limited, and consists of such as
these--'Ten per cent Doing a good bust
ness Operations in property Exchanged
stock thousand dollars, credit profit
fortune &c.
ia man is so practical that he will not
wash his face without value received
entertain no hopes Of bringing him over.
The ways of adjoining house by rural
appliances are various, and so well known
as scarcely TO need enumeration. They
may be ada pied to the lowllest habitation
of civilized man, no less than.to the villa
or the chateau. Nothing but love for do
mestic beauty, and ordinary tact are re
quired, 10 rear thousand tasteful abodes
along our highways. And if but one prov
ident householder will begin, we shall find
that humble as his habitation may be, he
will soon be initiated by his neighbours
, Fashion ITSELF the cause of so many follies,
may be subsidized in aid of virtuous enjoy
ment Let some honest dweller in the coun
try make the trial, by holding up before his
mind rural decoration as a distinct object
E Let him secure to himselfa house and garden
, where he is willing to spend his life. Let
, him. as his means allow, have it tight and
finished and BY ali means duly closed. This
is the frame work ; after this ensue the
details. Let him learn the economy of q
little timely paint, and Of fence or hedge
VIII ich will withstand the assaults Of wint
and beasts. From day to day as he MAJ
, be able to snatch moment for breathing
the fresh air, let him remove unsigntiy
II objects and make an entrance upon posi-
;, tira ornam so. How easy il ic 10 act GU
. clumps or rows of trees, for shade or fruit
. Towering shrubs or evergreen hedges
+, How agreeable to the wife and little one
:, to be called out TO Join IN dropping tn
y cheap flower seed, or training the luxurian
vine.
To mechanics and other working mer
this subject is peculiarly interesting. Til
confinement of their daily tolls creates tn
want Of Just such relaxation and refresh
" ment as have been indicated And let
IS be remembered that in our country, eve
r.. the poor man should cultivate his taste. be
N cause every poor man looks forward to tn
time when he shall be rich. Let him ed
= ucatc his faculties, that his ignorance ma
y not some day disgrace his wealth. It
o common to sheer at the mechanic, and {
n consider the youth who becomes an apprer
tice as degraded. This is very shortsigh,
~ ed. I know no class of society whom sue
1t cess makes so truly independent, or who
the decline Of life have SO much pleasur
as Mechanics. Compare them in this re
spect with professional men. The lawyel
l. or the physician, however wealthy he ma
r. become, finds his labor increased; the NOR
10 riches the more toll. Unless he renquisi
r. es his business altogether, he must do tn
'. work himself. He cannot send his forema
be to set leg or plead cause nor can h.
lie like the rich mechanic, sit in his arbor {
D his garden, and know that all his gre'
ID concerns are well conducted by proxy
Mechanics should look to this, and from I'll
n time when they first enter little habits
!, ton of their own, should cultivate the de
Of lights of rural ornament.
- II is time for US Mr.. Editor to encourag
'e Efforts OF this kind; not by n society, nc
- by public meeting Of some hours, endlr
re in the appointment Of committee b
lie by setting the work Of improvement q
~ foot in some one spot. This is the prime
~ pie of heathful growth. Drop a seed. ]
as it silently germinate, spring up, flower, al
ed tbear fruit. AUsTRALIs.
of