Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-09-06
RURAL LIFE IN MISREPRESENTATION BARN"

We remember book Of it, clsss altogether more delight
full than the Swallow Barn" Of Joas r. KrssEpr In
Irvings "Braesbdge Hall" have exquisite sketches Of
English homes such sketches Is could be drawn only by
that graceful and genial humors but Dracebrdge Hall is
not in country, and scarcely feel at our own
in it, as we do in every scene to which introduced by
tho author Of "Swaow Barn. the best painter Of manners
who has ever tried his hand at their deneaon in America
The love Of nature, the fine appreciation of country life the
delicate and quiet humor and hearty joy in every ones
jOymeni, which those who know Mr. Kennedy personally
vii recognise principal elements Of his own character are
reflected in the pages Of the book and with M other good
qualities make Of the charming compositions in
the literature Of the present time
Mr.. Putnam in few days will publish new edition Of
Swallow Barn., prousey illustrated by Mr. STROLLER, an
artist who perfectly at home in the Old Dominion We couv
in full Mr. Kennedys Sword in Advance to the Reader p
Swallow Barn was written twenty years ago. and was
published in small edition. which soon exhausted
From that date il has disappeared from the bookstores being
caeessy CONSIGNED BY the author to that oblivion which
common TO books and meOout Of sight, out Of mind Upon
recent RENEWAL Of IT, after interval sufficiently long to
obeate the parales with which apt regard his
own productions have thought il worthy Of more A.
enon than had bestowed upon Il. and .. least entitled
to the benefit Of second edition. In truth, i republication
has been often advied by friends and s original reception
was prosperous that have almost felt 10 DO duty once
more to set saoat upon the wss for the bshoof Of that
company Of readers
to embark on pleasure excursion In any light craft that Of
es. have therefore taken these volumes in hand and
given them somewhat critical REVEAL Twenty years work
sufficient change upon the mind Of author render him.
perhaps more than others, stdious critic Of his book
II the Psychologists right he not tho person after
that lapse OF time and all that bis present and former self
may claim in common those properties which belong to
his mental consciousness of which his aspiration after fame
Is one The present self may. therefore, be expected
anime vigorously the work Of that former and younger
person, for whom be ID held responsible. This weghy
sderaon will be sufficient for the few differences
which may be found between this and the first edition Some
quantness OF the vocabulary has been got rid Of da
ogue has been strpt Of its redundancy few thoughts
have been added and others retrenched shall be happy
to think that the reader will agree with that these
Provemenis mean the reader who may happen belong
ago-a little troop Of friends of both sexes to whom have
reason 10 be grateful for that modcum good opinion which
cheered my first authorship. Health and joy them ALL
as many rs are now alive owe them thanksgiving for
their early benevoence. G .,a .afe
SwalOw Barn exhibits picture of country life in Vir
gnia, it existed in the FIRST quarter Of the present century
Between that period and the present day. time and wha. is
called the progress have made many innovations there,
they have done every where else. The Old Dominion is
losing somewhat Of the racness Of her peculiar and
speaking in reference to the locality described in these vol
umesinsulsed caste Of manners. The mellow, bland, and
sunny u1urance Of her home society its good fellowship
Its hearty and constitutional copanionabaess the thless
gayety Of the people, their doggt but amisbe nyncby
opinion and that OVERLOOKING hospitality which knew ebb
these traits though far from being impaired modified at
the day by circumstances which have been gradually
attaining marked influence social life we'll po-
cal relation An observer cannot fail that the man.
ners Of country have been tending towards uniformity
which s visiby eacing all local differences The old States
especially, are losing their original distinctive habits and modes
Of life, and 10 the degree fear losing their excu-
slve American character traveller may detect but few
ona or provincial varieties In the general obsevances and
customs Of society, comparison with what observable
10 the past generations and the pde or rather the vanity If
with foreign The country apes the city in what
supposed to be the elegancies Of life and the city 10
clined to value and adopt the fashions is able import
across the Atlantic and thus the whole surface Of society
exhibiting the traces Of process by which ia likely be
rubbed down, in time level and vanished with the
same gloss II may thus finally arrive comfortable nsi
Pdy OF character which may not be willingly reckoned as
altogether due compensation for the loss Of that rough but
pleasant flavor which belonged in its earlier There
much good in that opinion which ascbes whole
some influence TO those homebsed which said
strengthen local attachments and expand them into love Of
country What belonged US a. Enthusiastically Ameri
already to be dssolving into mixture which af
ects Us unpeasany plain and cosmopolitan substitute
for the old warmth and salient vvacy Of our ancestors We
no longer present in pictures Of domestic life much
an earnest lover Of nationality might desire Of what abroad
called the red birds wng-somehing which belong,
and else. The fruulness Of modern invention
the arts Of life the general fusion Of thought through
medium Of an extra-teorsl literature, which, from its easy
domescaon among scarcely regarded foreign; the
convenience and comfort Of European customs which have
been incorporated into scheme Of vnga these, aided
and dased BY extraordinary facilities Of travel and crcu
aton have made sad work. in the present generation
with those old notioaasms that agreeable to the
contemplation of admie Of the picturesque in character
and manners aea |
Looking myself somewhat hopelessy upon this onward
gliding Of the stream willing to allow these sketches
mine entirely pass away. They have already begun
the hts Of relic Of the past and may in another
generation become archaeological and sink into the chapter
of antiquities Presenting, make bold TO says faithful
picture Of the people, the modes Of life and the scenery of
region full Of attraction and exhibiting the lights and shades
Of its society with the truhness Of painter who has
died his subject the spot they may reasonably claim their
accuracy Of deneaon to be off extenuaon for
want Of skill defect Of finish which fair criticism mayl
charge against the artist Like post painters,
pofesA make strong likeness, should be thought
to be hard and what better workmen might call daubas
to which must leave reader to Judge for himself when he
has read this book Tho outward public award this point
kind and bestowed quite much praise could have
desired-much than expectedwhen the former edi
lion appeared But the progress has brought out many
competitors since that day. and has perhaps rendered the pub
Offering it in the great swarm Of auhorshps.
We run risk, just now, Of being left eunread-
untaked of-hough not happily, imputed by newspapers,
who vortes with the publisher, and owe him coureses
~ wish to be noted that Swallow Barn 10 not novel,
confess this in advance, although may lose by it. IL
begun the plan of series Of detached sketches linked
seher by the hooks and eyes Of travellers and al
though the narrative does into bypahs Of personal
adventure has still preserved it, desuory skechy
ter to the last is therefore utterly snarisic in plot and
structure and may be described vaousy and
ably partskng Of the complexion Of book Of travels diary
collection Of letters drama, and hsorysnd this serial