The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-20
Narrsganset mare that PAGES, trots, aud canters.
But don't know but all men are such fools. ,,

prtssiobs of his love of farming and country life
were uttered while be was In the enjoyment OF /
the highest honors bis country could give The
letters and biographies of Washington. Jefferson
Madison, and of most of our great men. show the |
ssme love of rural pursuits. They sought 20 close
their lives in those scenes and IN those pursuits
from which most men at this time try to escape.
They reversed the action of our day and left cities
for The most complete retirement. The question |
comes up, what did these men lind in the country |
that We DO not find? III there are enjoyments on |
our farms greater than those which towns can give,
il is worth our while to trace them out. Ii the I
country viii not only give bealthful and profitable
employ n ent in the vigor OF life, but will also af
ford pleasures which sre lasting through age with /
it's infrmities, We ought to know what they are. /
For they add TO the values of our real estate. /
They will save us from the cost and necessity of |
changing our homes, and sinking our usefulness In
new scenes, where the custom and skill we have |
gained are Of no value. As these lose their value,
we lose social positions. Is there not want /
of some tastes, or some intelligence on our part |
which we ought to have and which we can easily |
gsinl return to the question which propose to |
discuss. What did George Washington, John
Adams and Thomas Jefferson find in country and |
farm life, that made them long for it when in Of
fee and led them to seek it when they were free
10 follow their own nclinations? The great truth
is that all men do not live ia the same world out
wardiy they do, but when we look into their
tastes, their intelligence, and their modes of
thought, we find that the world around bears to
each different aspect. We see that men live IN
different kinds Of houses. Some are novels, some
are comfortable homes, others are magnificent
buildings flled with paintings and with statusry,
end with all things that are calculated TO please
the taste. Yet these houses do not differ as much
In their aspect ss does the material world
Ground rs to the eyes of the educated
or the ignorant. To those who have been trained
TO see its beauties to examine its wonders 10
trace out its laws Of animal and vegetable life,
il gives eDjoyments unknown to those whose
minds ere closed and whose eyes are sealed TO all
I'D nnAr ere 4
a wise thing for men to toll for wealth that they
may gain the means to build houses and to sur
round themselves with all that art can give TO add
TO the comforts and pleasures OF life: Is II not
then an unwise thing to neglect the cultivation OF
our minds and tastes and higher eDjOyments than
wealth can bestow? The man who allows him.
self 10 live in ignorance looks up into the heavens
and sees q waste. studded indeed with glitterlng
stars at night, or lighted up By the midday SUI.
BE notes The changes Of the weather and sees
with but little cOnce I'm objects that nave lost tnelr
novelty The man OF education, looking 10 the
same direction, Gees numberless worlds swinging
through their vast realms OF space ne mas IN
the contemplation Of the laws Of the heavenly
bodies, their huge dimensions. their enormous
balances, subjects of thought which NIL his
mind with awe, enlarge his faculties, and lift
him up into the scale Of existence. IL cannot
then be said that the educated and the Ignorant
man look upon the same heavens. The ground
beneath our feet Is TO one an unmeaning
mass Of earth and rock; there is no significance
TO bis mind in its broken surface, its mountain
ranges or its deep valleys, except as they may
held or hinder him in the duh routine Of life,
while he plods vacantly on over their surfaces
But this same earth is 10 an educated man great
record of the past, wherein he nnds traced out
the evidences Of vast changes and wonderful ex-
istepces The hills and mountains are not TO him
uumeaniDg elevations, Tor he knows the laws which
beayed them mp he has learned the order IN
which their rocky bases were formed; he Knows
the sratilcations beneath his feet; ne Is tamllar
Of vis moi
strange and hideous than were ever dreamed of
by The most diseased imagination he feels that ne
stands at all times upon a marvellous record wnleh
| ouiCkens bis Imagination and gives him endless
| food for thought. The beauties OF nature, it's
flowers its fresh and green foliage, its varied
| folms are dmly seen by all, but it is only those
| who have cultivated their tastes, and those who
have studied the laws of vegetable life, who see
ard feel the full beauty of their structure and the
endless variety of their forms, their m des oil
| erowth, or the methods by which they perpetuste
| their existences. The animal life that swsrms in
the air, moves upon the surface OF the ground: OF
lives in streams and floods, Is not less wonderful
and Oilers 10 us a subject Of pleasant and health
ful studies. | might follow out this comp arisoI
| between the condition of the educated and the
ignorant and TO show how different are the worlds
/ in which they live. The splendors and the
| wonders around US can easily be seen BY
| an ard be who has unlocked the do5
| and has entered this marvellous museum
| OF nature, need not have wealth MOI
| unusual ability to live in home full furnished
with ali that is calculated 20 please our taste, "a
| give full exercise 20 our minds, TO improve oul
hearts, aid to fit us for lives of virtue aud useful
ness here and of happiness hereafter. It not un
frequently happens that the man Of fortune whC
| has given himself up to the love of gain. or ghC
may live in a magnificent house, well dlled with
| costly articles, after all this, may still be tht
| dweler of dreary unfinished world. Hi
poorer but more intelligent neighbor may set
from bis humble porch greater beauties and Oh
/ Is uta WI "
We can see, then, Why country life is dreary t
the and full of pleasure TO another. We can SCI
why we have not put the farmer upon the highes
grounds when we have merely taught him TIT
| tkill of q husbandman the art OF makl1f
money. These do not meet the demands Of ma
ture when cur vital powers begin TO give way
They DO not meet the call for mental interes
When the time shall have laid its hand upon u
and disabled US from physical toll. To lift up az
ricuiuIe to its best and highest estate, those VIA
follow il must have measure of taste and OF edn
cation, which will make them happy upon thei
farms through all periods of their lives. IL thes
are wanting men will abandon the country for tn
excitements Of towns. We now see why the 81 ga
men to whom alluded sought homes amid tn
remote scenes of nature. We also see whenc
spr nes this hlrtful and unhealthy passion fer Cit
life. But it may be said that all men cannot be
come learned in the mysteries of nature.
would indeed be a mockery to tell the man VIII
| begins life in the hUmblest positions, withou
the aid Of early education, and who is toilinz cl
| TO wiring out support by his farm laDor lor nun
self and biz family that be must become either q
Astronomer or 3 geologist, or a botanist, to
| happy in his home. Nor are these things necei
| safy The Almighty has been too kind to deman
of any enc for their happiness that which is be
yond their reach. But He does require them,
they would enjoy the beauties OF His world, ths
they should open their eyes and look. He doe
demand if they would have habits of thought an
uentsl pleasures, that they should cultivate the
powers of observation and learn the lessons whic
lie tries to teach them in every bush or flower,
every stone or stream, and in all animated natur
that surrounds them. II needs no more know
eCge than every man can gain Who viii LOOK an
think, to make rural life full of enjoymeDts. u
| who will rot co this cheats aud wrongs hinsel
| In the order Of nature a love of the country Is
Daturai enjoyment in our declining years. All mt
| should bear 10 mind that their tastes OutiVe the
, | jutelectuai powers, They should, therefore, Gu
| tivate those tastes which can be easily gratide
| that are not inconsistent with the weakness
| age which make no heavy demands upoa o.
4 | powers, or which we hold by an uncertain tenur
| Obieots of art or wealth are frequently Stripe
| frem men when their powers begin to fail bat
who loves Gods works is happy IN the scenes
| nature, has pleasures more certain and lastlE
| than fortune can give. It's good Investment