The weekly union record., 1866-02-10
Country Life.

| CountIy Anc.
A great many people 60 and bury
themselves in remote solitude, with
the idea that they are taking the best
means to lead simple and contempla-
tive life. And most of US, when On a
spring or autumn walk through fine
country, have felt a passing desire to do
the same. All looks so fresh and tran
quill. Yet there are very few cases In
which this plan of life does not prove a
failure. Not every man has such depth
of resources within himself that he can
endure isolation from society without
growing deeply morose and dull. If he
is great philosopher or thoroughly
stupid person, he may try the expert
ment with success. But if he is only
of ordinary temper, the menotony Of a
rural life to which he has not always
been accustomed has the worst effect.
He furnishes his library with good
books, and orders his papers and re-
views to be sent regularly, and has a
garden, and a COW or two, and pig or
two, and he means to ask friend to
stay with him twice or thrice a year.
The whole thing is delightful for a
month. He reads and takes his exer-
else, and gazes meditatively at the cows
at their grazing, and the pigs grubbing
in their troughs, and he feels that he is
communing with nature, and is leading
the life of one of her truest sons. But
by and by communing with nature be-
comes a bore. The COWS and rigs are
very we'll, but they have no views, and
they cannot interchange ideas. The
newspaper, which at first was rather
snubbed, gets more and more precious,
and the advertisements, of the play and
the operas and the railway trips seem
the most valuable part of it. Finally,
the foolish man who had thought he
had much goods laid up for himself gives
up the remote solitude /; or else, if he
is perverse as well as foolish, he clings
to it, and brings his gray hairs with
sorrow to the grave by sheer monotony
and crushing dullness of life. It is
scarcely less of mistake for anybody
who has to live most of the year in one
spot to pitch his tent in surprisingly
beautiful country. The country seats
of great people may be wisely placed
in the richest scenery that can be found,
because great people are constantly
moving about from place to place. But
rich scenery is apt to become cloying.
A house between 6r-wood and dark
heath is much more likely to be place
of permanent pleasure than one placed
in the midst of glorious trees and grace
full undulations, and fine park-land with
superb views. All these are meant to
stimulate the mind of the spectators,
but they cease to stimulate when We
know every point by heart, and see the
same splendor every morning before
breakfast, and at lunch, and in after
noon rides or walks all the year long.
On the whole, wise man will not leave
the city too far away, but will say with
the poet -
Not wholly in the busy world no quite
Beyond it blooms the garden that love:
News from the humming city comes toit
In sound of funeral or of marriage bells
And sitting mufied in dark leaves. you hear
The windy changing of the minister clock
This is much better for anybody who
does not want his mind to 60 to sleep
than sequestered delis where you get
the newspaper two days old, where
there are no railways, and where your
nearest friend lives dozen or twenty
miles away. Such places are Only
ment for tourists and farmers
York Saturday Post.
STATES Ev1DENcE.-A good story