, 1853-11-19
The Rainy Season-No. 2


Springs the green light from the lu1uriant plains"
The arrival Of this soft, serene, pacific
season, so friendly to the muses. and the
Genii, when the world without and the
world within " walk on so lovingly hand
INLAND together, the heat, and fret, and
fuss Of summar being over, leads me almost
parforce TO resume the neglected pen, and
take up my former subject just at the com
mencement Of a series Of conversations be-
tween the good Elder d., and his philo-
sophie friend and niighbor Mr. II. both Of
the celebrated Territory of Washington
aforesaid.
Elder Dwell, my dear fiend, | feel
glad that this favorable season has arrived,
when, forced Comparatively from so much
corporal pursuits, we eau devote the more
attention to our mental recIeations, and the
acquisition of pleasing and important truths
You have been something more Of trav-
eler than myself, and have made the sub
jects Of country and climate matters of care
ful consideration as they affect the comfort
and usefulness Of mankind, will you favor
me with short view of the conclusions
that you have made relative hereto
Mr.. H.-Most certainly, my dear sir
These subjects, and indeed we may say al
most all others, are worthy of more or less
investigation and research for, in proper
tion as we " SEEK into and ntermeddle with
all knowledge" so we fulfil the grand in
teniion Of our being-to be immeasurably
raised beyond the mere inanimate and brute
creation. We find too, that man always
wants his co-mate man TO reciprocate the
workings OF his ever active and infinitely
expanding mind. Even Newton, and a
franklin, own themselves in a measure in
debled for some.of their most brilliant dis
coveries, to the very children around them
engaged in blowing soap bubbles and raising
kites You alude TO my having been
something more of traveller than yourself,
but my actual travels have not been exten-
sive; beside, like you, living in the States,
| have passed some years in Great Britain
and the neighboring countries, and have
glCaned from other sources, men, books, let
tps and periodicals, the remainder of what
information possess; and since you wish
TO hear from me the sum of my thoughts on
tn, subjects that you have mentioned, will
try to give it to you in as few words as pos
sible
/. CoUNrRY.-For the greatest com
fort of man, a country should possess: lst,
Healthfulness. 2nd, Produciivrn-ss. 3rd,
Facilities for communication with other
counties. 4lh, Varied, pleasing, beautiful,
grand, majestic and sublime scenery. Its
usefulness to mankind at large may b, reck-
oned as being comprised und-r the same
heads.
Q. CLINATE.-That which is most bone-
fetal and pleasant is: lst, Pure, salubri-
Gus air. End, A considerable degree Of
mildness and serenity. 3rd, No great ex.
cess either in dryness, or in humidity. 9TH,
Changes enough to insure pleasant variety.
In all of these particulars our beloved
WAsHINGToN stands unrivaled.
/. Where on all the face of the {" wide,
wide world" can we find more healthful
country and climate - where men can
scarcely die but by accidents, violence, or
violent intemperance watered by springs,
and brooks, and streams, worthy of being
compared with the waters Of life and fan.
ned by health-inspiring airs always pure
and refreshing like the breath Of Eden -
Where shall we find a more mild and Sc
rene atmosphere, never running into pain
iul excess of either heat or cold, never sea-
ring its most timorous inhabitants by the
elemental war " of loud and fierce thun-
derings, and lighlnings, and tempestuous
blasts, dealing ruin and destruction all
around Where shall we find The necessa-
ry seasons Of dryness and moisture more
finely proportioned Without a sufficient
degree of drought in summer and autumn,
the fruits Of the earth cannot be properly
matured and harvested, and without sufi-
cient quantity Of rain in winter and spring,
the springs and streams cannot receive their
iperenniel supply, nor the earth bring forth
her increase,
2. As to producliveness, but one opin-
ion appears to prevail among thos, who
have been a season or two among us. Gi-
gantic vegetables Of all descriptions abound
to profusion, grain never is known TO fail,
a verdant carpet overspreads our prairies,
and gives food for grazing multitudes
throughout the entire year. The apple,
and pear, and peach, and every other spe-
cies Of fruit not requiring a tropical sun,
not only bring forth and bear abundantly,
but do so at early time from the first sprout-
ing of the embryo seed, so much so, that
seed, if planted when babe is born, shall
bear mature and magnificent fruit by the
time the child grows able TO masticatc the
same. The fishes of the rivers and seas are
innumerable, beyond measure, and mex
haustible,-the forests abound with trees of
immense size and value,-the hills with
coal and minerals Of divers kinds,-and the
streams with powers and capacities to sup
ply an incaculable amount of machinery
and manufactures.
3. As to its facilities for communica-
ton with other countries, but little requires