New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-02-07
THE CITY .I.vD THE COUNTRY

THE CITY IND THE COUNTRY.
We know of no more agreeable occupation for
a few hours than a drive over the Fourth Dis
trict of our city we alludc especially to that
portion in the rear of Magazine street Our
friends from the interior who visit us annually
for purposes of business, seldom pass beyond the
space intervening between their hotel and com
mission merchant. If they would witness much
of the airy space and verdant aspect which
render the country so inviting, combined with
the refnements, embellishments and luxuries
incident to city life, we can point out to them nc
spot where such combination exists in greater
perfection than in our Fourth District What
but year or two ago was distinguished chiefly
as the suburb of g magnificent distances" has
now become densely populated sufficiently SO
at least, for taste or comfort-by that portion
of our people whose circumstances in life put
least restraint upon their iuelinations. Where
short time since were open fields, or bare en-
closures, are now found, on every hand and in
! every style of architecture, the lordly mansion
of the capitalist, towering above the variega, ed
foliage or the Tuscan cottage of the hT,nble cit
izen, peeping from beneath j. IKE the outlines
OF female loVelness through the half concealing
gossamer many of the squares are occu-
P.ecu by less than half a dozen residences.
thus affording ample space for lawns and
orchards where every species Of fruit incident to
the climate flourish in the highest perfection
So highly have these suburban retreats began
to be appreciated that property between Maya
zine and Nayades streets has advanced in value
twenty-five to thirty per cent within less than
two years.
We have often thought that could our opulent
planters be persuaded of their true interests,
hundreds or thousands of them would make
New Orleans their family residence 1t would
be difficult to convince our country friends Of
the fact that the expenses of life are much
lower here than in any village of the interior /;
and We doubt not that many planter accus-
toned to spend brief portion of the winter
here with his family, meets as great drain
upon his purse as housekeeping for two-thirds
the year would effect. The complaint, universal
throughout the interior, is the want Of good
schools. Our sons and daughters are sent
abroad, chiefly to distant States, at an enormous
expense, away from the salutary influence of
paternal care, only to obtain in most instances
no better education than is afforded by the pub
lie and private schools of New Orleans. And.
besides, the city is the centre of intelligence
A daily mail secures intercourse of thought
with every part of the world and in this coun-
try, especially, where every man thinks for him
self and has direct interest in progressing
events, we can scarcely realize anything more
irksome than to be buried for weeks upon
plantation on Red River or Opelousas, dead to
all that is passing in this busy and ever chang
ing world.
There are seasons when the city and country
have each its peculiar attractions; and, fortu-
nately, they are inyersely to each other. Dur
ing the months ofJuly, August, September and
October, our city is in measure deserted. The
crops Of the preceding year are disposed of, bu-
'lness lags, our merchants induced by the de-
hands of commerce or pleasure, are scattered
'ver the world. This is period, too, when, if
Ver, sickness RACES among us though the ex-
'erienee of the last few years has rendered the |
. sickly season" an obsolete phrase At this |
time, when the city offers fewest attractions, il
happens that, if ever, the planters presence is
demanded elsewhere His maturing cane and
his cotton fields, 'white already to harvest,
promise him their annual rewards. At this
very time, when the city merchant is called
on to expend half the hOrd-earned profits Of the
year, with his family at the expensive watering
places on the Gulf or in the interior, with no
rustic, smiling home to retire to, the planter
enters steamboat, and in few hours finds
himself at case, under his own vine and fg-tree,
amidst the free-will offerings Of luxuriant
nature.
We have been led to say SO much on the sub
eat, because it is one daily present to cur
thoughts; and however our country friends |
nay take our suggestions, we hope none Of them
viii leave our city without having first taken a
alb, and visited the rural portion of the Fourth |
district.