HOMES NEAR TO NATURE. 



15 



tragedy and comedy, and of poetry in 

 romance and tradition of life and of 

 death ; of joy and of sorrow, that could 

 hardly be duplicated by any other of 

 similar extent in existence. Here are 

 wildest scenery and the most modern 

 improvements ; here are trees centuries 

 old and blended with them in harmo- 

 nious setting" the choicest and best of 

 modern nurseries. Here are ravines 

 and bubbling- brooks, lakes, verdurous 

 hills and arboreal mountain tops from 

 which miles of Connecticut shore, Long 

 Island Sound and Long Island may be 

 viewed. 



Here is in operation the latest and 



here set to the entire world in a modest 

 way? What better philanthropy than 

 to exploit to the. best possible some of 

 nature's domain and open it to the 

 greatest extent possible to all human- 

 ity. Mr. Marks is successfully putting 

 into practice the ideal principles of The 

 Agassiz Association because he is in 

 reality equipping to the best possible 

 a private estate and opening it in most 

 cordial invitation to the public. It is 

 not done half-heartedly nor grudgingly, 

 but in a spirit that says, "Come one, 

 come all and revel in the beauty and 

 the allurement of nature." No police- 

 men in uniform are required to patrol 



THE CASTLE WALL, OF COURTYARD, WITH IVY DECORATIONS. 



best modern farming machinery, and 

 at the same time may be heard the 

 swish and the rhythmic ring of the 

 mowers' rank and file as the dew-laden 

 grass falls before their early morning 

 advance. The luxuriant crop is too 

 heavy for any mowing machine which 

 would soon be entangled and clogged 

 by this wealth of what Ruskin calls, 

 'That glorious enamel, the companies 

 of those soft and countless and peace- 

 ful spears." 



But more than all the spirit of his- 

 tory and romance, is the spirit of the 

 owner that would extend the beauties 

 and interests of nature to the greatest 

 possible. "What an ideal example is 



the paths and roads, because every visi- 

 tor is a special officer who would freely 

 and effectually reprimand any who 

 should disturb plant or tree. Such dis- 

 turbers never come. The spirit of the 

 place neutralizes all such hostility, and 

 every prospective disturber departs an 

 enthusiastic and grateful friend. 



Books, magazines, newspapers, in 

 prose and poetry, cameras and artists 

 have told of the natural attractions of 

 Laddin's Rock Farm ; they have been 

 put into allegory and romance, they 

 have been pictured and scienced (if 

 I may coin such a word ) far and wide, 

 but I "sing the man" who, in the ever 

 widening differences between the 



