Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-11-10
TRAVELLING AND PUBLIC ADJUSTMENTS

There is one kind of extravaganza rapidly
increasing in this country, which, in its effects
on our purses and our habits, is one Of the worst
kinds of extravaganza: | mean the rage for
travelling, and for public amuscments. The
good old home habits of our ancestors are
breaking up-it will be well if our virtue and
our freedom do not follow them 1t is easy to
laugh at such prognostics,--and we are well
aware that the virtue preach is considered
almost obsole,c,--but let any rejecting mind
inquire how decay has begun in all republics,
and then let them calmly ask themselves
whether we are in no danger, in departing
thus rapidly from the simplicity and industry of
cur forclathers.
Nations do not plunge at once into ruin
governments do not change Suddenly - the
causes which bring about the final blow, are
scarcely perceptible in the beginning; but they
increase i'll numbers, and in power they press
harder and harder upon the energies and vir-
tues of n people and the last steps only are
alarmingy hurried and irregular. A republic
without industry, economy, and integrity, is
Samson shorn Of his locks. A luxurious and
idle npuJiic! Look at the phrase - The
words were never made to be married together
every body secs it would be death to one of
them.
And are not IRE becomingl INJURIOUS and idle !:
Look at our steamboats, and stages. and tav
erns There You will find mechanics, who
have left debts and employment to take care of
themselves, while they 20 to take peep at the
great canal or the opera dancers. There you
will find domcstics all agog for their wages
worth of travelling; why should they look out
for "a rainy day. There are hospitals enough
to provide for them in sickness and as for
marrying, they have no idea of that, till they
can find n man who will support them gen.
teelly. There you will find mothers, who have
left the children at home with Bctsey, while
they go to improve their minds at the Mountain
House, the Springs.
/ If only the rich did this, all would be well
They benefit others, and do not inlure them
selves. In any situation, idleness is their curse
and uneasness is the tax they must pay for
aiiluence: but their restlessncss is as great a
benefit TO the community the motions OF
Prince Esterhazy, when at every step the pearls
drop from his coat.
/ People of moderate fortune have Just as good
right to travel as the wealthy but is it not
unwise ? Do they not mure themselves and
their families: You say travelling is cheap.
So is staying at home. Besides, do you count
all the costs:
The money you pay for stages and steam
boats is the smallest of the items. There are
clothes bought which would not otherwise be
bought: those clothes are worn out and defaccd
twenty times quick as they would have been
at home: children are perhaps left with domes-
tics, or strangers: their health and morals, to
say the least, under very uncertain influence
your substance is wasted in your absence by
those who have no sclf-interest to prompt them
to caretulness : you form an acquaintance witt
a multitude of people, who will be sure to take
your house IN their way, when they travel mex,
year; and finally, you become so accustomed
to excitement, that home appears insipid, and i,
requires no small effort to return to the quiet
routine of your duties. And what do you &c,
IN rctur: for all this: Some pleasant scenes
which will soon seem to you like a dream
some pleasant faces, which you will never sec
again and much of crowd, and toll, and dust
and hustle.
] once knew family which formed strik
ing illustration of my remarks. The man was
farmer and his wife was an active, capable
woman, with more of ambition than sound pol
icy. Being in debt, they resolved to take fash
ionable boarders from Boston, during the sum
mer season. These boardcrs, at the time Of
their arrival, We're projecting a iaunt to the
Springs; and they talked of Lake George crys
tails and Canadian music, and English officers
and dark blue Ontario with its beautiful litl,
brood of idkeleis, as Wordsworth would cal
them; and how one lady was dressed superb,
at Saratoga; and how another was scandallzeC
for always happening to drop her fan in the Vi
cinity of the wealthiest bclux. All this fire,
the quiet imagination of the good farmers wife
and no sooner had the boarders departed to en-
Joy themselves in spite of heat, and dust, anC
teyer-and-arue than she stated her determine
ton TO follow them. 'Why have we not al
good right to travel as they have;' said she
they have paid us money enough to go t,
Niagara with: and it really is a shame for pco
pie to live and die so ignorant Of their owl
country But then we want the money to pa,
for that stock, which turned out unlucky, yol
know 'Oh, that can be done next summer
we can always get boarders enough, and thost
that will pay handsomely. Give the man
mortgage of the house, to keep him quiet til
next summer But what will you do with tn,
, children:' Sally is very smart girl; | an
, sure she will take as good care of them as if
were at home.
, To make long story short, the farmer an,
his wife concluded to go to Quebec, just t.
show they had rigH to put themselves to in
convenience, il they pleased. They went
spent all their money; had a watch stolen irou
! in the steamboat; were dreadtully sca-slck OF
= Point Judith came home tired and dusty
a found the babe sick, because Sally stood at tn
u door with it, one chilly, damp morning, Will
she was feeding the chickens; and the eldes
e girl screaming and screechlng at the thought
, of going to bed, because Sally, in order t
: bring her under her authority, had told her
n frighttu 'raw-head-and- bloody bones story
: the horse had broken into the garden and mad
e wretched work with the vegetables and fit
c pounds of butter had become fit for the grease
J, pot, because the hoops of the firkin had sprun!
and Sally had so much to do. that she nevs