SOCIETY OF CENTKAL ILLINOIS. 139 



cherished as home, that the " cankering care " may be forgotten. 

 What we see has a great influence on our hearts and minds, more 

 by far than we realize. God's " book of nature " is none the less 

 His than His written revealed word. Its sweet soothing parts draw 

 us nearer Him as we study them. Its mighty and wonderful things 

 lead us to say, " What is man, that thou art mindful of him?" ''The 

 heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament showeth his handi- 

 work." " Lord how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, how 

 manifold are thy works." " In wisdom hast Thou made them all ; 

 the earth is full of Thy wisdom." After all is not a realization of 

 God, His glor}" and strength the end of all human existence? With 

 so great and necessary an object before us, we ask how shall this be 

 accomplished 



I will not describe a place like Mr. Dunham's, of Percheron 

 farm, with its forty acres devoted to ornamental grounds, with fish 

 ponds, little groves, drives, flower gardens, etc., and a regular gard- 

 ener. Nor should I go to the other extreme, of the frugal vine cov- 

 ered cottage that poets delight to tell us of, with the kitchen garden 

 about the front door. Nor is it well to begin suggesting until a few 

 general principles are laid down. There may be various reasons why 

 the details of an idea may not be carried out, yet the principle may 

 be entirely practicable. 



The intensely practical man, and such most of our successful 

 men are, recognize a certain absurdity in things without a use, he 

 sees — "how beauty underlies, forever-more each form of use." Then 

 let the adornments be made as far as possible by useful things. This 

 principle goes into a great many more things than is generally sup- 

 posed. Let a certain symmetry and harmony mark the whole; 

 remembering that others' ideas as well as our own are to be consid- 

 ered. In this way no ones aesthetic taste will be displeased. As in 

 music touches of discord are introduced to make the harmony better 

 appreciated, so there must not be so much of a sameness even for 

 the sake of harmony, as to make the scene tiresome. 



The location of buildings is a momentous question. On our 

 prairies there is little chance of much natural selection. A small 

 prominence here in preference to a slough there is the sum of it. 

 The trouble comes in the management of the building for con- 

 venience and economy of sheds and roofing. The substantial house 

 in the foreground, with the barns far enough away and out of range 

 of the house, that it may be saved from unpleasant consequences of 

 odor or health; the orchards and groves to the north and west for 

 wind-breaks for house and barns; the door-yard and barn-lots neatly 

 fenced. Do not understand me that the yard should be filled with 

 flower beds. On the contrary, a neatly-kept, shady lawn, is much to 

 be preferred to one ragged and filled with illy-kept flower beds. 



Have the grand old annuals, by all means, to the side or in the 



