The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-03-24

late poet Southey. 81 would says he
"either buy house 10 my mind or bull,
one; and il should be such "a a house ough
TO be, which | once heard glorious agri
culrurist define, "a house that should hav,
IN It everything that is yolaptuous, ant
necessary and right In my acceptalior
OF that felicitous definition (sdjs ie) re-
quest the reader to understand that every
Thing which is right is intended, and moth
ing but what is perfectly so; that's to say
mean every possible accommodation con-
ducive TO health and comfort. 1t should
be large enough for my friends, md not SO
large as TO serve as a hotel fer ny acquain.
lance" And what the poet adds, about
dress. reveals principle eq1slly applicable
to parlors and bedrooms: al wodid not wear
my coat quite so threadbare rs do at pre-.
sent; but would still keep to sSs-old shoes,
so long as they would keep To me" ~
There is in all this no cynical contempt
Of elegance, but only a more refined luxury
Where modern invention has added 10 real
comfort, as in warming. lighting. baths and
the like. let every such appliance be adopt
ed; but not niche or a spagle for simple
display, or because it is Pariaan. Within
certain bounds and where he excepting"
OF the picture is maintained, no objection
lies against graceful imitation Of antiquity;
especially where massive irfgulariiy and
generous freedom remind one of immortal
halls. Not long since | visited the new
house Of friend, and was delighted to 6pd
myself in spacious apartment, wainscoted
on every side with Imprinted oak, and with
all the furniture to correspond; il is i'm
possible to describe the air OF warm home.
illness which this conferred on everything in
the room. But the beauty OF it was. that
il was after no prevalent city m,de. More
than common patience is required, to look
with equanimity on the frail, tumpery OBJ
jects, which occupy the foes Of many
gorgeous saloons, making then resemble
tiney museum, or a child's fir. Ii you
have articles OF virtu, by al means let
them be seen; but prithee do lut rush to
fancy store and buy. az if by recipe, five
bits Of Bohemian glass, item Swiss cot.
tage; item Sevres vase, and hree Berlin
shades; only because Mrs. B. has the same.
the rivalry Of omamentation tends TO intro
duce much that is perishable, bah in archi-
lecture and furniture; whereas the most
pleasing associations Of home, a mansion,
a resting -place, gather around what is per-
manent, and what can become gracefully
old.
The bane Of comfort is Fashion. III
fashion import what is intrinsitally good,
none but fool would reject il, because
it is fashionable; but how little original
thought is brought to bear upon these mat
tiers! A little independence would work |
wonders, inside and outside. The man OF
wealth will have his paintings, the green,
house, and his garden; but If he is 1t the
same time man Of taste, he will rause
you to see the impress Of his own mind, on !
every particular and many deviation and
and old.fashioned orotch.t, will
show you that he does not follow, Sut that
he gives, the tone. You know il a mo- |
ment, when you enter library, fo exam !
pie. whether il is meant to be cad.
could name elegant repositories. 50 named. |
where the books might as we'll be gilt and
lettered bsckgammon-tables. The genuine
study or book board Of | may use one Of
the expressive Anglo. Saxon words which
we have lost, i. e.. Boo HoRD) always has
a certain slipshod reality about it. So
there are sitting rooms, where you know in
your heart there is no sitting. except when
visitors come;-you would as soon think
OF taking your ease in en- icehouse. D
the wretched hypocrisy OF mamnonism!e
These things are Of q piece with the whit
kid gloves which the dry goods clerk shain
over his knuckles. once twice in the
year-well enough: Ezprimentum in
corpore pii. But when The same folly is |
shown in costly edi6css, recondite nova.
bles, we are indignant.
After all. have no ngntlo talk thus
Let me remember the sdae, Bachelors
wives" &c. never had, nor do | expect
ever to have, house Of my avn.
CAtsARIENsIs.