The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-06-15

DISTRICT de would preserve the
region, so bountifully provided by
Nature for the use of man, as be him
self has eloquenty expressed it, "a sort
of national property, in which every
man has right and interest, who has
an eye to perceive, and a heart to
ENJOY His correspondence furnishes
other preoedents. In a letter to his
friend, Sir George Beaumont, this SUBJ
ject is profoundly treated. His solici-
tude, it may, be remarked, IS called
forth by no vulgarian. he had as
'nuch horr~ Of the bad taste of a
nobleman as Of a plebeiau; and would
have condemned more readily the au.
dacious presumption Of a castle than
|.the feeble impertinence of n misplaced
cottage: 1t was a great error to sup
pose Of Wordsworth that there was
anything aristocratic-ip its invidious
sense-in bis jealous monopoly of the
woods and fields. 1t was that man
should breathe freer among them that
he erected his barricades of poetical'
warning against the most destructive
monster, Bad Taste. This passage in
the letter just mentioned will show
certainly no antagonism 10 just pro
gress::"
i know nothing which to me would
be so pleasing or affecting, as to be
able to say when am in the midst of
a large estate-This man is not the
victim of his conditions; he is not the
spoiled child Of worldly grandeur; the
thought of himself does not take the
lead in his enjoyments; he is, when he
ought to be, Iowly minded, and has
human feeling; he has true relish Of
simplicity, and, therefore, stands the
best chance of being happy; at least,
without it there is no happiness. be-
cause there can be 40 true sense Of
the bounty and beauty of the creation,
or insight into. the constitution Of the
human mind. Let man of wealth
and influence show, by the appearance
o: the country in his neighborhood,
that he treads in the steps Of the good
sense of the age, and occasionally goes
foremost; lot him give countcrance to
improvements in agriculture, steering
clear Of the pedantry of it, and show.
ing that its grossest utilities will con.
meet themselves harmoniously with the
more intellectual arts, and even thrive
the. best under such connexion. let
him do his utmost to be surrounded
with tenants living comfortably, which
will bring always with it the best Of
all graces that country can have
f1ourishing fields and happy-looking
houses; and, in that part of his estate
devoted to park and pleasure-grolnd,
let him keep himself as much out Of
sight as possible; let Nature be all in
all, taking care that everything done
by man shall be in the way of being
adopted by her. If people choose
that a great mansion should be the
chief figure in a country, let this kind
OF keeping prevail through the picture,
and true taste will find no fault
1t was a love of Nature which dill
not exclude man, and was far as possible
removed from all jealous diIettantism
or the morbid feeling Of irritable self
love. In the following narrative pre-
amble. followed BY an eloquent decla,
ration of profound truth, we have
one Of the most fruitful passages in
literature:
60 You. know something Of Low
the'. [ believe a more delightful
spot is not under the sun. Last sum-
mer had charming walk along the
river, for which I was indebted to this
man, whose intention is to carry the