Litchfield enquirer., 1846-10-01

Id amphitheaIre, emboSoming the large viii
iage of BromSgrove. AS this was the most
extensive and varied Landscape had as yet
seen in England, stopped a few moments
10 notice the features that distinguished it
from American landscapes Of the same phys
zeal contour. They may, perhaps, be sum-
med up IN these characteristics. in the
first place, lands that rent from IL to Is
dollars per acre, for their sheer capacity OF
production must necessarily be kept in a
high state of cultivation. Of course, no
lean, dry pasture, or Doggy morass, or bald
sand hill, breaks the vista of universal fer
ulity. Then the trees are all planted, from
the oak OF INDUSTRIOUS girlh, to the smallest
hawthorn i'll the garden hedge; and either
from this Circumstance, or from the fertili-
ty of the soil, their foliage seems to rival in
luxuriance the rank vegetation of annual
plants. The meadow grasses are of a thick
er and finer growth than in America
Headsgrass and clover are not so common.
The atmosphere is more humid, and there
is sprightly. vivid greeness, and velvet
softneSs about newly-Shorn meadow, which
strikes an American at the first view of a
summer landscape in this country But the
most distinguishing and interesting feature
Of all is the evergreen hedge. The soft
and luxuriant verdure of the fields, reposing
in the valleys, or curving gracefully around
the gently sloping hills; the groves, dells,
and ivy Melted cottages and churches of the
olden time, and the golden wheat fields ov-
errun with g.ancing waves of sunlight,
would be like unframed pictures without the
hedge. In fact if our bleak American stone
CO.. c. -
the rural sceuery of England would be rob.
BED ofits lovliest feature. Everything looks
picturesque when enclosed by this selfwov
en- wall of green-even the veriest pasture.
1t lines every road and lane, surrounding
groves and gardens, pastures, meadows,
wheat fields, and potatoe fields. AS de-
seemed into the valley of B, l could
look right into hundreds of gardens, which
for all the world appeared like so many birds
nests or moss-baskets, placed one above the
other up the hill. and filled with different
plants aud flowers. The opposite wall of
the valley was hung around with portraits
wrought in Na,ures's cretOeL work Or with
fields alternating through all her pencil tints,
and looking like framed pictures in their
hawthorn borders.
was suddenly diverted from my contem-
plation Of this magnificent scenery by afall
of heavy rain drops, as the prelude of an
impending shower. Seeing a gate open,
and hearing familiar clicking behind the
hedge, stepped through into little black
sm this shop, about as large as an American
smoke-hou>e for curing bacon. The first
object that my eyes rested upon, was full
grown man, nine years of age, and nearly
A., ;rt b,I IF m
that height, 10 raise his breast 10 inc level
of his fathers anvil, at which he was al
work, with all the vigor of his little short
arms, making nails. | say tuH groom
man, for fear he can never grow any larger,
physically or mentally. AS put my hand
on his shoulder in familiar way, to make
myself al hume with him, and TO remove the
timidity with which my sudden appear
ance seemed to inspire him, by pleasant
word or two of greeting, his flesh felt case
hardened into all the induration of toiling
manhood, and as unsuscsptible of growth as
his anvil block Fixed manhood had set in
upon him in the greenness of his youth; and
there he was, by his fathers side, stinted,
premature man; with his childhood cut on
with no space to grow in between the cradle
and anvil block; chased, as soon as he
could stand on his little legs, from the hearth.
stone 10 the forge stone, by iron necessity
that would not let him stop long enough to
pick up a letter of the English alphabet or
the way. q, Lord John Russell! think o.
it! OF this Englishman's son, placed BY
his mother, scarcely weaned, on high colo
stone, barefootcG, before the anvil; there &c
harden, scar, and blister its young hands
by heating and hammering ragged nailrods
for the sustenance her breast can no longer
supply! Lord John! look at those nails, as
they lie Kissing on the block. Know you
their meaning, use, and languageI Please
your lordship, let me tell you'll have made
nails before now-they are iron exclamation
po,nts, which this unlettered, dwarfish boy
! is unconSciously arraying against you,
gainst the British government, aud the min
istry of British literature, for cutting hin
off without a letter of the English alphabet
when printing is done b. steam! for incar
cerating him, for no sin en- his or his pa
rents side, but poverty, into dark, six-by
eight prison of hard labor, a countless being
think of it F.! all infant hardened, almos
in its mothers arms, into man, by tot
that bows the sturdest of the worlds labor
ers who come to manhood through interve
ming years Of childhood!
The boys father was at work with hi
ba elk toward me, when entered. Al my
| first word of salutation TO the lad, he turn
ed round and accosted me a little bashtully
as if unaccustomed to the sight of stranger
in that place, or reluctant TO let them int
the scene and secret of his poverty.
sat down upon one end of his nail bench
and told him that was an American black
smith by trade, and that had come in Il
see how he got on in the world; whether h
was earning pretty good wages at his bust
ness, so that he could live comfortably, AM
send his children to school. AS l said this
I glanced inquiringly toward the boy, VIII
was looking steadily at me from his ston
stool by the anvil.
Tive or three little crock faced girls, from
two to five years Of age, had stolen in tim
idly, and couple of-young, frightened eye
were peering over the door. sill atme. The.
all looked as if some task were daily allot
ed them in the SCOT and cinders of their ia
theirs forge, even to the sharp eyed bab
at the door. The poor Englishman-h