Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-11-05
Nj is C e L l. A N Y.
COUNTRY SCENES IN ENGLAND.

Our esteemed countryman ELIHU BURRITT-
the learned blacksmith, so called-is making pc
destran tour through the rural districts Of England
One OF his letters furnishes the following vivid and
affecting picture
AN HOUR WITH NATURE AND THE NAILERs
TUESDAY, July 2I.-After a quiet cosy break
fast, served up on a little round table for myself
alone, sat down to test the practcabty of the
plan had formed at home for my peregrinations in
this country, viz: to write until / F. NJ, then to
take my staff and travel en- eight OF ten miles to
another convenient stopping place for the night.
AS much depended upon the success of the expert
ment, was determined to carry the point against
the predictions of my friends. So at it went, con
dmOre The house quiet rs if profound
Sabbath were resting upon it, and the windows of
my airy chamber looked through the foliage of grave
elms down upon green valley. got on swim
mingly and, after frugal dinner at the little round
table, ouckled on my knapsack with feeling of
selfgratulaion in view Of the literary part Of my
days work. Having paid my bill and given the
land-lady copy of my cornmeal receipts, resumed
my walk towards Worcester.
The summit of the first hill assembled opened to
the view splendid amphitheatre, embosomng the
large village of Broomsgrove. As this was the
most extensive and variegated landscape had as
yet seen in England, stopped a few moments to
notice the features that distinguished it from Amer
lean landscapes of the same physical contour. They
may, perhaps, he summed up in these characters
tics. In the first place, lands that rent from Sl2 to
S25 per for their sheer capacity of production
must necessarily be kept in high state of cultya-
tlon Of course, M lean dry pasture or Doggy mo
rass or bald sand hill breaks the vista of universal
fertility. Then the trees are all planted, from the
oak OF monstrouS grth to the smallest hawthorn i'm
the garden hedge and. either from this circum-
stance, or the fertility of the SOIL their foliage seems
to rival In luxurlance the rank vegetation of annual
plants. The meadow grasses are of a thicker and
liner growth than In America HerdsgTass and
clover are not common. The atmosphere is
more humid, and there is a sprghtly vivid green
ness and velvet softness about a newly-shorn
meadow, which strikes American at the view
of a summer landscape in this country. But the
most distinguishing and interesting feature of all is
the evergreen hedge.
was suddenly diverted from my contemplation
OF this magnificent scenery by fall of heavy rain
drops, as prelude of an impending shower. See
ing gate open, and hearing familiar clicking be-
hind hedge, stepped through into little black
smith shop, about as large as an American smoke
| house for curing bacon The first object that nv
| eyes rested upon was full grown man. nine years
Of age, and nearly three feet high perched upon a
stone of half that height to raise his breast to the
level Of his fathers anvil at which he was at work
with all the vIgoT Of his little short arms making
y
never grow any larger, physically or mentally. As
L put my hand on his shoulder in familiar way. to
make myself at home with him, and to remove the
tlmidity with which my sudden appearance seemed
! to inspire him by pleasant word or two of greeting
his flesh felt caSe-hardened into all the nduration
OF tong manhood, and 10 unsusceptble Of growth
as his anvil block. Fixed manhood had set in up
on him IN the greenness of his youth, and there he
was by his fathers side stinted, premature man
with his childhood cut off; with no space TO grow
In between the cradle and the anvil block chased
as soon as he could stand on his little legs. from thu
/ hearthstone to the fOrgestone by iron necessity
that would not let him stop long enough to pick III
letter of the English alphabet on the way.
! Oh, Lord John Russell. think of it, OF thi,
Englishnan's son, placed by his mother. scarce
weaned, on high cold stone, barefooed, before III,
anvil there TO harden scar, and blister its yonno
hands by heating and hammeriug ragged nail rods
for the sustenance her breast can no longer suppv
Lord John, look at those nails, as they lie hissi1o
on the block. Know you their meaning. use. and
! language? Please your lordship. let me tell Won
| j have made nails before now-they arc iron cJcLt
nation points, which this unlettered dwarlish box
IS unconsclousy arraying against you, against tho
British Government, and the misery OF British lit
eratirc, for cutting him Off without letter of the
English alphabet, when printing is done by steam
for incarcerating him, for sin on his or his par
ents' side but poverty, into dark six by eipht pr
son OF hard labor, yOuthless being. Think Of if
an infant hardened almost in its mothers arms into
man, by toll that bows the sturdest of the worlds
laborers, who come to manhood through interveu
ing years of childhood.
The boys father was at work with his back TO-
wards me when ! entered. At my first word o.
saIuation to the lad, he turned round and accostcd