Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-05-30
Modern Comforts.

II ia yery common to talk of tho "good old
timesn of few centuries back, and there are
some who live so entirely in the romance of the
mast that their eyes are shut TO the conTenIences
and comforts that modern science, skill and intel
lipence have provided. History seldom presents
ne with the details of the domestic life of our fore
fathers, and as poetry culors and groups them tor
her particular purpose, we insensihly become US
ed to looking back upon the Golden time" with a
reverence that hides its imperfections and exag-
oeratss its virtues. But this Golden time" was
without donb. VASTLY inferior to ths present age
in morality, intelligence and refinement. whilst 1t
xas utterly destitute of the comforts and applIan-
ces which now constitute SO important an Item IN
the aggregate Of human happiness. Some Of our
most common enjoyments were IN the middle a.
ees unprocurabe even by the wealthy. Indeed,
when we come to examine how our ancestors Nv
ed we almost wonder why they lived. A no
man Senator who in the Empires palmy days
possessed estates in Naples and Britain from which
he drew an ncome that would be equivalent 70 a
roya revenue in this day, had neither glass to bic
windows nor shirt to his back, and when he rode
in his coach of solid gold, without springs or Gov
eriop. might envy our laborer who goes out to
work in railroad ear An Earl of Northumber
land breakfasted off Of wooden trenchers and dined
in state off Of pewter, and when he was absent
from Alnwick Castle, the glass was taken out of
the windows and laid up in safety. Not cab
bage, carrot, turnip or other edible root grew IN
England dnriag the early part Of the relgn. OF
Henry the Eighth, and from the scarcity of fod
der, fresh meat was only obtainable during the
summer, salted hogs flesh being generally used
By all classes the rest of the year. So important
an article, then, waa cattle, that it was known as
olive money! and our word "capital." which
signifies stock generally. was derived from the
Latin word "capita. - or heads of beasts. The
etymology of the law term ''chattles," is similar.
Queen Elizabeth was satisfied to breakfast off of
tankard of ale, and dreamed not ofthe day when
tea, coffee and sugar would become necessares to
the poorest household 10 her kingdom. The
cause of all the increased comforts which the most
modest income will now procure, and many OF
which were formerly beyond the reach of even
the richest, ia found in the accumulation Of COM
rnodi,ies and in the accumulation Of capital. aug
meuted and diversified in its employment by the
security given to it, BY the demand which it in
turn produces for labor, and the reward il holds
out for the discovery of the new and useful in
science arts and mechanics. and by the facility Of
exchange. by which all the products Of labor and
skill are bartered, directly or indirectly. for one
another. Civilization and progress have brought
to every country in which they have found lodg-
ment, more real luxury and happiness than were
to be found in any Of the regions pictured by the
poets even though fructuous fsnoy represented
their rivers as flowing with milk, the trees drop
ping honey, and their acorns as edible az chest
nuts A single bright thought, worked out int
the means Of extending the happiness and domin-
ion Of man, does more for the world than oil the
failed gifts Of tho gods Of classic antiquity.