The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-06-23
Essentials Of q Pleasant ViIlage.---A
Good Situation.


Essentials of q Pleasant viIlage.---A
Good Situation.
NO. /.
We have been intending for some
time past to write few short articles,
upon the subject named above and
nothing has prevented us from corn
mencing the work before this time, save
the constant calls of business which
we have not felt at liberty to disregard.
The definite purpose, we have before
us in this work is, to excite the inhabi.
tants Of this village to put forth efforts,
which shall be both an honor and a
source of satisfaction to them, not for
one day or one year alone, but for all
time. sess - .--
Apleasant village! There is some
thing attractive in the very sound of
the. words. thus combined A busy
city, a-suburban villa, a quiet country
home, all these have charms, but to
neitherot them is granted she monopoly
of privileges. So far is this from being
III c ssse that we need not reflect long,
to recall to our minds large number
of disadvantages often, if moi always
connected with each of these situations.
But we do not purpose to dwell upon
these, for we need to delineate no
striking contrasts, to make apparent to
our readers the advantages and privi-
leges of village life. The first of what
we regard as the essentials of pleasant
village which we shall enumerate is, q
good situation. Less need be written
upon this point than upon some others
which shall succeed it and what we do
write, will have tendency to stimulate
those for whose benefit these lines are
written, as they shall see that so far as
regards this particular, this village is
highly favored. The different charac-
which combine to make good
situation are these, viz: the face of the
country, the nature of the soil and the
aspects of the scenery.
Upon the face of the country, a great
deal more depends than we are apt to
realize. AS in finished picture there
arc strong, forcible points which are
calculated to give variety and thus add
to its beauty, SO, in q village there
needs to be a succession of hill and
vale and level, which, while it minis
ters to our cravings for diversity, will
have tendency to secure interest and
careful attention. We have visited
villages built upon the level prairie, in
which there were to be found elegant
dwellings, and beautiful gardens, but
as they were with meanly
built dwellings and standing upon the
same level with them, they did very
little towards relieving monotony
which was absolutely painful.
Again. Very much depends upon
the nature of the soil. A friend of
distinguished authoress-once
narrated some of the particulars at
tending visit she made to q village at
the west, the inhabitants of which
were somewhat noted for the beauty of
their residences. Leaving the cars, she
took her place in an omnibus, which
was drawn slowly through the street
to the residence of her friend. On ar
irving there, she stepped from the om-
nibus upon what she supposed to be
g terra frma," when down, down, foot
and more than ankle deep she went,
until she was helped by the arm of
bystander from her unpleasant situa-
lion. This little incident, produced in
her mind an aversion to the place which
can never be entirely overcome, and
prepares us to say, that pleasant vii
age spar excellence" cannot be
built upon soil that little rain will
reduce to mud, which is at once and
ever, disagreeable. A soil that makes
a deep and heavy mud, may and doubt
less does have its advantages for
farm, but for village. never. A dry,
light soil is needed, which, by the adj
dition of fertilizers, may be made to
produce largely where demanded. But
no one desires to raise cucumbers or
dahlias in the middle of the street nor
upon the sidewalk.
We need devote but little space to
show that a great deal depends upon
the character of the scenery. Suppose
for example, that the magnificent for
psts which surround this village were
entirely cut away, there would be en-
tire unanimity in the declaration that
one principal source of its pleasantness
was lost. In the scenes of busy life,
there is great need of that around us
which will have a tendency to keep
alive and heighten, our conceptions of