Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-23

ASSIGN FOR LAND FATAL TO I'M
PROvEMENT.


-F PR0VEMENT.
The farmers and planters of the South,
evious to the war, had two passions which
ley would make almost any sacrifice to
atty. One of these was an extension Of
cir domains, and the other was to pro-
ire labor In sufficient abundance to culti-
tie these possessions. The consequence
as that all the energies aud credit Of the
.rmer were devoted in this direction. 1t
altered but little how poor and how un-
Chilly his dwelling house, nor how bare
plantation of the comforts and conye-
ences Of a pleasant home, a corrupt public
ointment forgave it all, if it could be said
the owner that his lands reached out for
lies and bis laborers swarmed like black
rds about the field, and his cotton bales
ere numbered by the thousand. The con
9quences ofthis false standard of excellence
as been disastrous to The prosperity of the
outh and to the beauty Of its landscape.
be practice Of always anticipating crop,
hich was the general rule with the plant
rs, ruined thousands; for it was found
pom the termination Of hostilities and the
citing free of the negroes that the remain
IL estate would not command in the mar
ct as much as a crop grown upon the
state would have sold for before the war.
70 much land, too, was thrown upon the
market at the same time, while there were
o few able to buy, that for several years it
vas almost impossible TO set a bid for real
state in many places.
The great charm which should distin-
uish the homes of a free and industrious
Deople is wanting. Throughout the South
)ut few tasty and picturesque dwellings are
ound. They are erected without any re-
yard for artistic propriety, and are almost
otally destitute of comfort. Money has
sometimes been spent layishly upon them,
put the adoption of ill-considered plans,
he want Of economy in space and
he total absence of all desire to make them
agreeable features in the landscape, tell
low little attention was given by our peo-
Ne, before the war, to rural architecture.
Downing thinks this. want of taste among
he industrial classes Of America shoEs that
The capacity for enjoyment and an appre-
citation of what is really desirable in life are
wanting. Each of these bare bald, white
houses unrelieved by shade, or by verdant |
awns, tells the story of youth passed |
with little or no cultivation Of the higher
natural perceptions, and Of a system of
education in which the study Of the bean
.iful in its most simple elements is neg
ected and apparently despised.
This lack OF taste in country homes is a
decided drawback to healthy and rational
and doubtless exerts its inAu-
ence in rendering country life so unpopular.
To make our children love our homes we
should make our homes lovely. Could the
old passion for more land be Transformed
INTO passion for identifying and adjoining
our homes in the country, making them fit !
abodes for cultivated intellects, greater |
benefit would be rendered the country and |
10 the cause of agriculture than in any |
other way.
The proper cultivation of taste should be |
he crown of industry. We all knew |
with what different feelings we leave the |
abode of a man who makes all his sur
pleasant and who supplies en-
ioyment for every sense, and of one who
feels that he has exercised the highest rites
Of hospitality when be has supplied his
,sbles with an abundance of food. The
higher instincts of our nature demand other
food than that for the stomach; and he
who supplies it viii make lasting and
a pleasing impression that will linger long
after all the enjoyments of the palate shall
have been forgotten.