The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-06-28

instructive, SO bright, so cheerful, that nothing
bnt the absolute breaking up of the mind can ever
oblierate Its record, or dispel the bright vision
from my magiua lion. know my fair readers
for with some uch, | am sure my humble reports
are kindly honored--wl feel an interest in it, and
if have any unfair readers, beg them at orcc
to turn over the rage
had no sooner entered the house where nv
visit had been expected, than was met with an
unaffected cordiality, which at once made me at
liveIed servants, of dazzling lamps and glitterhg
mirrors, redoubng the highest trilmphs of AIT
and taste; in the midst of books and statutes, and
pictures, and all the elegance and refnements Of
luxury; in the midst of titles, and dignlies, and
ranks, allied to regal grandeur,--there was one
object which lra,scended and eclipsed them all,
and showed how much the nobility of character
surpassed the nobility Of rank, the beauty of re-
fined and simple manners all the adornments of
art and the scntillations of the soul beaming from
the eyes, the purest gems that ever gittered in IA
prncey diadem In person, in education and i'm
provement, in quckness of perception, in facility
and elegance of expression, in accomplishments
and taste, in a frankness and gentleness OF man.
ners tempered by modesty which courted conf
dence and inspired respect, and in high moral
tone and sentiment, which, like bright halo,
seemed to encircle the whole person; confess the
fctons of poetry became substantial, aud the beau
ideal Of my youthful Imagination was realized.
But who was the person have described?
mere statue, to adcrn gallery of sculpture? bird
of paradise TO be kept in glass case: mere doll
with painted cheeks, to be dressed and undressed
with childish fondnesS' a mere human toy, to
Ianguish over romance, or to figure in qua
drille' Far otherwise; she Was woman in all
the noble attributes which should dignity that
name; wife, mother, house keeper, farmer,
a gardener, dairy woman, kind neighbor,
benefactor to the poor, Christian woman, "full
of good works. and ams-deeds which she did"
In the morning, first met her at prayers; for,
to the honor of England, there is scarcely family
among the hundreds whose hospitality | have
shared, where the duties of the day are not prece-
ded by the services OF family worship; and the
master and the servant, the parent and the child,
the teacher and the taught, the friend and the
stranger together to recognise and strengthen
the sense Of their common equality in the presence
of their common Father, and to acknowledge their
equal dependence upon his care and mercy She
was then kind enough TO tell me, after her morn
ing arrangements, she claimed Inc for the day.
She first showed me her children, whom, like the
Roman mother, she deemed her brightest jewels,
and arranged their studies and occupations for the
day. She then took me two or three miles on foot
to visit a sick neghbor and while perlornng this
act of kindness, left me TO visit some of the cot
tages upon the estate. whose inmates found loud
in the praises of her kindness and beneiacuons,
Our next excursion was to see some OF the finest
and largest, and most aged trees in the park, the
size Of which was truly magnificent; and sympa |
thzed in the veneraiion which she expressed for |
them, which was like that with which one recalls
the illustrious memory Of remote progentor.--
Our next visit to the greenhouses and gardens,
aud she explained to me the mode adopted there,
of managing the most delicate plants, and of cul-
tivatiEg in the most economical and successful
manner, the fruits Of warmer region. From the
garden we proceeded to the cultivated fields; and
she Informed me of the system of husbandry pur-
sued on the estate, the rotation of crops, the man.
agement and application OF manures, the amount
of seed sown, the ordinary yield, and the appro-
priaton of the produce with perspicuous de-
'dil OF the expenses and result. She then under
ook TO show me the yards and offices, the byres,
he feeding stalls, the plans for saving ard ncreas
ng and managing the manure, the cattle for Iced
ing for raising, the milking stock, thej piggery,
poury-yard, the stables, the harness rooms, the
dairy. She explained 10 me the process OF making
he different kinds of cheese and the general man
agement Of the milk, and the mode OF feeding the
toCk; and then, conducting Inc into the ballilf's
house, she exhibited to me the Farm Journal, and
The whole systematic mode Of keeping the accounts
and making the returns, with which she seemed
rs familiar as il they were the accounts of her own
wardrobe. This did not finish our grand tour; for
IN my return she admitted me into her boudoir,
md showed me the secrets Of her own admirable
in the exact accounts which she kept
,f everything connected with the dairy and the
market. the table, the drawing room, and the
servants hall. All this was done with simplici-
ty and rankness which showed an absence Of
consciousness of any extraordinary merit in her
own department, and which evidently sprang
SC lely from kind desire to crafty curiosity on
my part, which hope, under such circumstances.
was not unreasonable A short hour after this
brought US into another relation; for the dinner
bell summoned US, and this same lady was found
presiding over brilliant circle Of the highest rank
and fashion, with an ease, elegance wit, intelll-
gence and good humor, with kind attention to
every ones wants, and an unaffected concern for
every ones comfort, which would lead one to