The Cecil Whig., 1843-04-29

JeeIo, Ior ho PuiPoSeF is appearance
really nothing What is more studied
throughout the Creators works? Wha;
object in nature from the highest to the
lowest, animate Or jnanimate, in the sea.
or in the air, on the surface or beneath it,
which Is not, upon examination, found to
be as beauffdf as if it were finished for
no other purpose than TO be looked at?
Take the shell, that lies in the bottom Of
the ocean, the bird that warbles it's notes
in joy, the flowers that carpet the earth
with their varied",7lendor, the giltering
stars that light up the deep arches Of the
sky with an eternal glory-iake the COM
bination of the countless elements of
beauty when the morning slowly lights
up the veil of night, and as at the dawn
OF creation, reveals the glories of The vi
slble world; or when spring brealhes u
2on the earth and recalls the dead to
life, and myriads Of forms come
forth at her voice,-take the descending
sun as he reclines upon his western throne
and wraps around him his robes of gcor.
geous and unrvalled majesty--,ake the
perfection Of beauty in the human form,
IN its symmetrical statue, in the well lur-
ned limbs, in the envcloping webb Of un-
rlvallcd soltness and texture, in the tinls
of complexion, the grace of movement,
the melody of voice, in the cloquencc OF
the eye, pouring out fires of genius, or
radiant with the charms of the affections.
and so speaking to the soul,-and will
men say that appearance is nothing or
that the pleasures of the sight are not TO
be valued and cultivated say that ap-
pearance is always to be regarded; that
we cannot render our homes TOO beauli.
full or attractive, Our first object should
be to make our dwellings as convenient,
and comfortable as art and our means can
make them; our second object should be
TO render them to an equal extent, tasteful
and elegant. Do what we can and oil we
can, we shall fall far short of rivaling e.
ven the simplest forms and combinations
of nature.
We shonld do this on the ground Of
seltinterest. Separate from the pleasures
which we ourselves derive from it, i. es-
senlially increases the value of our es-
ta,es. The beauty of place, the orna-
mental trees and shrubs, even the garden
flowers which embelsh it, are always OBJ
jects of attraction to purchaser. Bull
dings erected in good taste and propor-
tions, and exhibiting refined judgment
and skill, and grounds highly cultivated
and embelIished, charm the eye of the
traveller Or passer by, and allow us to
impart much pleasure to others without
lessening our own stores. But there is
another influence Of much importance to
be considered. Habits of order and neat
hess, mere personal cleanliness, still more
a cultivation of taste for beauty in every |
thing which surrounds us and comes un-
der our control, are in themselves promp-
ters and securities to virtue. They be-
come SO by inspiring self respect, aud ex-
alting our sense of characlcr-lhe man
who is known to respect himself for his
own good conduct, is always, in mea-
sure for that reason above, secure of the
respect of others. He finds in that fact
alone, a protection from indictments with
in to wrong and unworthy actions. or "a
gainst degrading and dishonorable propo.
sitions from without. There is likewise
a natural sympathy and connexion be-
tween the love of natural beauty and the
love of moral beauty. Respecting that i'll
the physical world which is neat, useful,
regular, symmetrical, and elegant, we
come naturally 10 love and renovate in
the moral world that which is of cor
type and character. Whale-
ever tends in the best sense to inspire or
strengthen sentiment of the dignity of
our nature, serves to secure us from thai
which is degrading, unworthy and dshon
orable. Pers onal appearance and person.
al manners are of vastly more importance
in a moral view than men in general are
willing 10 consider them. Vulgarity and
slovenliness lead to low tastes aud pur-
suits. am.not anxious to see race OF
gentlemen farmers, technically SO called,
though feel no prejudice against them;
but am anxious that all agriculuralis,s
should gentlemen. have no partialty
for the kid glove style of farming, but on
the other hand, cannot see any proprie-
ty for the hands of farmer to go unwash
ed. have not little contempt for a
farmer who would consider himself above
performing any labor which the business
of farm might render necessary, wheth-
er standing in the ditch or treading down
the manure heap; but cannot think it
necessary to his proper character as far
ner, that he should carry about him,
when his cervces are finished, the badges
of his employment, to the discredit Of his
own appearance or to the offence and dis
comfort of 9th crs.
1t may be thought that ] have unneces-
sarily enlarged on the foregoing topics,
but | am anxious by every means III my
power, limited and humble as that pow
IL, u1tpru1 nrol. c