Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-06
RURAL LIFE IN AIKGINTA.
"SWALLOW BARN"
From the International Magazine


We remember no book OF its class altogether more
delightful than the Swallow Barn" of John p Kenne-
dy. La irving" Rracebridge Hall" we have exquisite
sketches OF English homes, such sketches as could he
dawn only bv that graceful and genial hurnorst bnt
Bracebridge Ea is not in our own country, and we
scarcely ee at our own" ia it, we do in every
scene to which we are introduced by the author of
Swallow Barn., the best painter O. manners who has
ever tried his hand OF their delneation in America
Inc love OF nature, the fine appreciation OF country
lie, the delicate and. quiet hunor and hearty ioy m
every ones enjoyment, which those who know Mr.
Kennedy personally will recognise as principal ele-
ments oil his own Character reflected in the pages
OF the book and with Its other good qualities make it
one OF the most charming compositions in the literature
OF the present time.
Mr. Putnam in a few days will publish new edi.
ton OF Swallow Barn." protusey illustrated bv Mr.
Srother artist who perfectly at home in the
ga Dominion, ss (which may be the case-sll his
life had been bee spent there. We copy in full Mr. Ken
nedy's Word in Advance to the READER
Swallow Barn was written twenty wears 400 and
was published in small edition, which was soon ex.
hausled From that date it has disappeared from the
bookstores being carelessy consigned by the author to
that oblivion which is common TO books and mep-out
Of sight, out of mind. Upon a recent RENEWAL of if
after an interval sufficiently long to obliteate the pail
tiaties with which one is apt to regard his own pro-
auctions, have thought it worthy of more atten
ton than had bestowed upon it, and was at least en-
titled TO the benefit ola second edition. In truth. s
republication had been often advised by friends md
its original reception SO prosperous that ha w. al
most te it to be duty more to set it afoat unon
the waters tor the behoot that goodnatured comnanv
pleasure excursion in any lgnt craft that offers have
therefore taken these volumes in hand and given them
somewhat critical revsal. Twenty years work suf-
Gent change upon the mind of an author to render
him. perhaps than others, astidious critic of h
own book. Ii the Psychologists are right he is not the
person after the lapse of tme and all that his
present and former semay claim in comm are those
properties which belong to his mental consciousness of
which his aspiration after lame is one. The present
self may, therefore, be expected to examine more rlgC-
rously the work of that former and Younger pers1n
torx ha
deration will be sufficient to for the few dife-
rences which may be found between this and the first
edition. Some qqaintnes' ofthe vocabulary has been
got rid of, dialogue has be stripped of its re-
| dundancy, some few thoughts have been added and
others rstrenched. shall be happy to think that the
reader will agree with me that these are improvements;
mean the reader who may happen to belong to that
small and choice corps who read these volumes long
ago-a little troop OF friends of both sexes 10 whom /
have reason TO be grateful for that modcum of good
opinion which cheeted my first authorship Health and
Joy to them alias many are now alive | owe
them thanksgiving for their early benevolence
"Swallow Barn exhibits picture of country life in
Virginia. it existed in the first quarter of the present
century Between that period and the pre- lent dav
time and what is called the pIogress have made MANY
innovations there, as they have done every where else
| The Old Dominion Is losing somewhat of the racness
of her peculiar and-speakng in reference to the
locality described these voumes-insu lated caste of
manners The mellow, bland, and sunny uxuriance of
her home society; its good fellowship it's hearty and
constitutional coapanonabteneSs the thritless oavatv
oil the people, their logged but amiable nyjnc,htv of
opinion, and that OVERLOOKING hospitality which Knew
no ebb-hea traits, though far from being impaired are
modified at the present day by circumstances which have
been gradually attaining marked influence over social
life as we'll as political relation. An obs srver cannot
tail to note that the manners of country have been
tending towards uniformity which is visiby efacing
all local difference. The old States especially ara
losing their original distinctive habits and modes of life
and in the same degree, fear losing their exclusv
| American character. A ira Weller may detect but few
sectional provincial varieties in the general obsery-
aeces and customs OF society, ID comparison with VIII
| T. tIai fha CT
or rather the vanity, OF the present day is eadnp us
into very notable assimilation with foreign usages
The country now apes The city in what is supposed TO
be tie elegancies OF lite, and the city is inclined to vaI
and adopt the fashions is able TO pnorf scross ,b
Atlantic; and thus the whole surface OF socev is ev
hlblng the traces oil process by which is likely to
De fnopeu Gown IN time, TO one level, and vanished
with the same gloss.
I" 1t may thus finally arrive at comfortable insi
pldy oil character which may be willingly reckon
ed altogether due compensation for the los Of ,ba
rough but pleasant flavor which belonged to il in it's
earlier era. There is much good in that opinion
which aseribes wholesome influence to those home
bred customs which are said to strengthen local attach
ments, and expand them into love OF country What
belonged TO US as Enthusiastically American eeems
already TO be dissolvng into mixture which atlacis
US unpleasantly as paln and cosmopolitan substitute
tor the old warmth and salient vyacity of our ances
tors. we no longer present in our pictures OF domes
Tic lie so much as an lover of our natona tv
might desire OF what abroad is called the red birds
wing something which belongs us and 10 no ono e.
The rutunea5 OF modem nve ltion in the ats Of life
the general fusion OF thought through the medium OF an
extraternoral literature which, IRON its easy domes-
cation among u.s. is scarcely regarded as foreign the
convenience and comfort OF European customs winch
nave oeen Incorporated INTO our scheme of lNing-all
these aided and dus I'd by extraordinary facilities
OF travel and circulation have made sad work even in
the present generation with those old nationaIisms that
were SO agreeable to the contemplation of an admirer
oil the picturesque in character and manners.
Looking myself somewhat hopele ly upon this on
ward gliding OF The stream. | am not willing to allow
these sketches OF mine entirely to pass away They
have already begun to the tnls OF relic OF
the past, and may in another generation become arch
geological, and sink into the chapter of antiquities
Presenting as make bold TO say, a faithful picture
regon full OF attraction, and exhibiting the Lights and
shades of its society with the truhlunes of
painter who has studied his subject on the spot
they may reasonably claim their ACCURACY OF des